Remember that pulse-pounding, nerve-jangling thrill ride from 2005? That’s right—the one where Keanu Reeves stepped into the shoes of John Constantine, the demon hunter whose résumé reads like a temple of doom! From the depths of the supernatural abyss, the original Constantine emerged and cast a spell on occult aficionados.
Now, get ready for some wickedly good news: a long-awaited sequel is on the horizon! Constantine 2 is officially on the table, and according to insiders, it’s going to be ‘R-rated’. With Francis Lawrence back in the director’s chair and the script now reportedly wrapped up thanks to writer Akiva Goldsman, the stars have aligned for a sequel that’s set to conjure up some serious spine-chilling shenanigans.
Constantine 2 Producer Admits He’s ‘Too Scared’ to Read the Finished Script
If ever there was a case of ‘better late than never’, Constantine 2 might just be it. After months of eerie silence, the sequel to the 2005 cult classic has finally cast its first significant update. Lorenzo di Bonaventura, one of the producers, has dropped the bombshell that the screenplay for the forthcoming project is complete.
But wait—there’s a twist! Di Bonaventura confessed to ComicBook that he hasn’t yet dared to open the screenplay for Constantine 2:
You know it’s in my inbox right now, but funny enough, I’m too scared to read it. I want it to be good so bad.
Akiva Goldsman, the new wordsmith behind the screenplay of the second film, has replaced the original writers, Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello. Meanwhile, Keanu Reeves is reprising his role as the supernatural sleuth, John Constantine, with Francis Lawrence returning to direct.
The sequel was officially greenlit in 2022. While producers Di Bonaventura and Akiva Goldsman have been playing their cards close to their chests, the former recently shared a humorous anecdote about the original film’s production (via Collider):
I was trying to get a green light, then I ended up becoming one of the producers as I left the studio. Our boss was an ardent anti-smoker, and he was absolutely against this movie because he’s a character. So, there are funny things that get movies made. This is what happened, I went to him and said, ‘This is an anti-smoking movie.’
Constantine featured a powerhouse cast, including Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf, Tilda Swinton, Pruitt Taylor Vince, and Peter Stormare—each of whom brought their A-game to the film.
Constantine 2’s ‘Very R-Rated’ Update; Sequel is Ready to Raise Hell?
The path to Constantine 2 has been anything but smooth. In a chat with Gamespot, Francis Lawrence spilled the beans about the sequel’s progress. Despite the hiccups, he was brimming with optimism, saying:
Keanu and Akiva Goldsman and I have been in meetings and have been hashing out what we think the story is going to be, and there’s more meetings of those that have to happen—the script has to be written—but really hoping that we get to do Constantine 2, and make a real R-rated version of it.
Moreover, on BroBible’s Post Credit podcast, Lawrence added more wood to the fire by sharing more juicy details. The sequel is set to follow in the footsteps of the original Constantine by being “very rated R”, which means fans can expect a darker, more mature take.
Gone are the days of PG-13 restrictions that Lawrence felt were a buzzkill for the original film, as he revealed:
We finally have, and Keanu, I, and Akiva Goldsman, who did the movie together originally, are batting around ideas, but we got sort of halted by the strike. However, we are actively coming up with ideas to create a part two, and it will be very rated R.
And as for the story? Expect a more seasoned and insightful John Constantine in the sequel, as the Water for Elephants director, 53, revealed.
Despite mixed reviews for the first film, it conjured up a solid $230 million globally (Box Office Mojo). Anyway, as we await the sequel with bated breath and crossed fingers, it seems that Constantine 2 is inching closer to becoming a reality.
Constantine is currently available for streaming on Amazon Prime.
