Last year, we learned that John Wick star Keanu Reeves will reprise the role of John Constantine in a sequel to the 2005 movie. Francis Lawrence agreed to step back into the director's chair, while Akiva Goldsman was tapped to work on the screenplay with him.
Constantine may have Americanized DC Comics' Hellblazer, but the movie's following has only increased since it was first released. As for Reeves, he's more popular now than ever before.
Unfortunately, it appears that's not a good enough reason to move forward with the movie for DC Studios. Scooper KC Walsh claims that Constantine 2 has now been cancelled, bluntly telling one of his followers, "Constantine 2 is not happening.”
He'd go on to add, "That was a movie they greenlit in desperation because they weren’t sure the direction of DC her and needed to have something post-2023."
It's worth noting that, as Walsh points out, Constantine 2 was announced prior to the formation of DC Studios. Now, it appears the sequel will join the likes of Superman & Lois, Titans, and Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman's Butler as one of the projects scrapped by James Gunn and Peter Safran as they look to embark on a new era of storytelling for the DCU.
Why couldn't the Constantine follow-up be part of the Elseworlds stories we know Warner Bros. will continue to tell outside the DCU? It's hard to say, though we wouldn't be shocked if Gunn and Safran have their own very specific ideas for the Hellblazer that don't include moving forward with a sequel to a movie that came out to mixed reviews nearly two decades ago.
There's a chance Reeves could be the DCU's Constantine, of course, but as beloved as the actor is, most fans would likely prefer a comic-accurate take on the demon-hunting anti-hero.
Are you disappointed that Constantine 2 no longer appears to be happening?