Is a Keanu Reeves Constantine Series Next on James Gunn’s DC Slate? Rumor vs. Reality
No series, but maybe a sequel: James Gunn says he’s been talking with Keanu Reeves about bringing Constantine back to the big screen.
Quick checkpoint for anyone hearing whispers about Keanu Reeves returning as John Constantine: no, James Gunn is not secretly cooking up a Constantine series with him. What he has done is talk to Keanu about a sequel to the 2005 movie. That doesn’t mean it’s happening tomorrow, but it’s more concrete than the usual fan-forum smoke.
What Gunn actually said
I’ve discussed it on and off. I’ve discussed it with Keanu. That’s a great group of guys. I like all those people a lot, I think they’re talented. But I have not read any script yet.
That was Gunn in a recent chat with BobaTalks. So: conversations, yes. A script in his hands, no.
Where the sequel actually stands
- 2005: The original Constantine lands, based on DC Comics, with Reeves as a cynical exorcist on a one-way ticket to hell helping a policewoman investigate her twin’s death. Peter Stormare plays Lucifer, steals scenes.
- 2022: Word breaks that a sequel is in development.
- 2024: Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura tells ComicBook.com that a script has been written.
- Since then: Not much. No real positive update beyond scattered remarks.
The Keanu factor (and the holdup)
Reeves has been itching to revisit Constantine. He even said on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that he’s aching to play the character again. But there’s a catch on the creative side.
Peter Stormare told The Direct there’s been a lot of back and forth, and put it pretty plainly:
[There’s] a lot of back and forth, because... I think Keanu [Reeves] is not so happy with the scripts
Stormare also suggested Keanu wants the sequel to feel very close to the original, which might be part of why it’s taking so long. Officially, no one’s given a reason for the delay.
So, should you get your hopes up?
Fans have been asking for this movie for years, and the project keeps popping up like a demon you didn’t salt properly. The problem is, it doesn’t seem like the studio has nailed down what this sequel wants to be. That kind of uncertainty bleeds momentum fast. And with a cult favorite like Constantine, a mediocre script or a forced attempt to modernize it could ding the legacy in a way that’s hard to walk back.
On the flip side, if Gunn actually steps in as a creative producer, that could steady the ship. Best case, you get a proper follow-up that opens up a weirder, darker corner of DC’s universe. But until Keanu signs off on a script he likes or Gunn takes a real lead, this is more hopeful rumor than resurrection.
Translation: keep the lighter handy for John’s return, but don’t expect to spark it just yet.
Want to rewatch the original?
Constantine is available to rent on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+.