CONSTANTINE HBO Max Series Reportedly Casting BIPOC Actor; Will Lean Into Horror Elements

CONSTANTINE HBO Max Series Reportedly Casting BIPOC Actor; Will Lean Into Horror Elements

It looks like there's been some movement on the new Constantine HBO Max from J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot, as the Justice League Dark spinoff is said to be searching for a BIPOC actor to play the lead...

By MarkCassidy - Feb 16, 2021 03:02 PM EST
Filed Under: Constantine

It's been a while since we had any updates on the planned Justice League Dark series from J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot, and it looks like that might be because HBO Max is prioritising the Constantine spinoff that was recently confirmed to be in development alongside it.

The Illuminerdi has gotten hold of a logline for the show, which is said to be "a darker reinvention of Constantine" and "different from any previous project based on the character." It will reportedly "be less focused on religion, and more focused on the horror elements from the Constantine comics."

This should please fans of DC Comics' original Hellblazer series, which was quite a bit darker and more cynical than later adventures featuring the Scouse occultist.

Apparently, "a BIPOC actor in their late 20s" is being sought to play JC, and a young Riz Ahmed-type seems to be the prototype. Of course, that doesn't mean Abrams and co. are interested in the Rogue One actor, specifically.

The site also reports that Guy Bolton (Croupier, The Big Fix) is on board as a writer.

Whoever ends up being cast in the role, expect his John Constantine to be a focal point of this new DC TV universe that's being developed for the HBO Max streaming service, which will also include James Gunn's Peacemaker, and the "Gotham Central" The Batman spinoff.

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MovieMonster
MovieMonster - 2/16/2021, 3:04 PM
I read that headline and I thought Will Lean was the actor.

While I think Charlie Hunnam or Ryan Gosling (albeit with an accent) would have been great in the role, I'm open to this approach.
mastakilla39
mastakilla39 - 2/16/2021, 3:16 PM
@MovieMonster - Those would've been great movie actors but doubt they'll take TV roles. I was hoping Constatine get a movie reboot rather than tv. The effects and budget constraints means it won't look as crazy. But maybe they'll follow Disney+ and do only 30 min episodes with a higher budget.
Odin
Odin - 2/16/2021, 3:06 PM
So we are going to have one Constantine on CW, another one on HBO max, possibly third one on the upcoming Netflix Sandman series and there's even been talks about a sequel to Keanu Reeves movie. That's a lot of John Constantine for you.
dracula
dracula - 2/16/2021, 3:11 PM
@Odin - eventually Into the Constan-verse
Darkknight2149
Darkknight2149 - 2/16/2021, 3:56 PM
@Odin -
The Keanu Reeves thing is just a rumour. Hopefully Sandman and the HBO Max project have the same actor.

And to be honest, I'm kinda tired of seeing watered down superhero John Constantine everywhere. Hopefully the HBO Max series is closer to Hellblazer, especially since the Hellblazer comic was finally revived under Neil Gaiman's direction.
Odin
Odin - 2/16/2021, 4:21 PM
@Darkknight2149 - I don't know, man. HBO and Netflix sharing an actor and role like that? Might be more likely that Matt Ryan reprises the role as a bit more faithful version in Sandman.
OmegaBlack13
OmegaBlack13 - 2/16/2021, 6:42 PM
@Odin - Has it been confirmed Constantine will be in the Sandman show? He was only important in one issue and made a couple cameos after, I could easily see them not using him.
Darkknight2149
Darkknight2149 - 2/16/2021, 9:03 PM
@OmegaBlack13 -
People are just assuming because Lucifer is in it and Constantine is in the comic.
OmegaBlack13
OmegaBlack13 - 2/17/2021, 5:53 AM
@Darkknight2149 - I would say Lucifer plays a bigger role than Constantine. His first appearance is a pretty iconic issue and then he sets in motion one of the most important arcs of the series. Constantine is literally just there to say “my ex girlfriend took your magic sand”
Darkknight2149
Darkknight2149 - 2/17/2021, 2:16 PM
@OmegaBlack13 -
Yeah, there's no guarantee that Constantine is in this show.
EZBeast
EZBeast - 2/16/2021, 3:06 PM
Okay this Is going to be awesome!

Please bring in the whole justice league dark eventually!!!
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 2/16/2021, 3:08 PM
@TheFireForce - isn't there already a JLD project in the works (and for some reason I have it in my head JJ Abrams is working on it)?
EZBeast
EZBeast - 2/16/2021, 3:20 PM
@bkmeijer - I do not know of this project but I eagerly anticipate info about it!...

...but JJ helming the project does worry me...
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 2/16/2021, 3:27 PM
@TheFireForce - could be I'm dead wrong though and I have a faulty memory.

Not that I got anything against JJ, but I do hope if a JLD project happens its woth someone with a burning passion for the property
EZBeast
EZBeast - 2/16/2021, 3:35 PM
@bkmeijer - I wish Del Toro would come back and helm the project!!! That man was very passionate about doing that movie back in the day.
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 2/16/2021, 3:38 PM
@TheFireForce - that would've been cool indeed. Probably left over creative differences or something like that
JohnCastillo
JohnCastillo - 2/16/2021, 4:41 PM
@bkmeijer - Remember JJ had burning passion for Star Wars and still decided to [frick] it up 😂
Battabing
Battabing - 2/16/2021, 5:48 PM
@TheFireForce -
Bad Robot is helming JLD.
Constantine will lead up to it.
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 2/17/2021, 12:51 AM
@JohnCastillo - I think thats where it went wrong from the start. To me TFA is just a movie set in and inspired by the Star Wars universe, but is not inspired by the things that inspired Star Wars (something The Mandalorian does)
JohnCastillo
JohnCastillo - 2/17/2021, 1:46 AM
@bkmeijer - I disagree, because Filoni and Favreau you can argue are even bigger fans of Star Wars actually not even argue, Filoni is a complete and utter Star Wars nerd.. I actually question JJ Abrams’ “huge fan claim”... seriously what fan would not want Luke, Leia, Han and Chewie together? And make Luke a grumpy old man who has given up hope... he copy and pasted A New Hope, killed off Han so we can never get the reunion, disregarded all the progress the rebels and republic had made in Return of the Jedi, there are still millions of stormtroopers, a dark sith lord and an apprentice, star destroyers, even a Death star ten times bigger than the originals... seriously I question his “I’m a fan” statement.. I know he didn’t create it on his own, there are others to blame (Kathleen Kennedy).. but boy the quicker we forget about the sequel trilogy the better.
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 2/17/2021, 3:19 AM
@JohnCastillo - agree to disagree on the first part, but agreed a 100% on forgetting all about the sequels
JohnCastillo
JohnCastillo - 2/17/2021, 3:52 AM
@bkmeijer - Actually read your comment again and I agree with you.. still my point stands. Doesn’t go against your point to be honest. Favreau and Filoni are bigger fans than JJ, but instead of copy and pasting and not understanding characters and what fans want they use things that inspired Star Wars to create their own thing (westerns, samurai etc), while also doing things that they know will please fans.
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 2/17/2021, 3:55 AM
@JohnCastillo - cool. Still, I'm not gonna judge who the bigger fan is between F&F amd JJ, it is clear to me who indeed has the better understanding
SillyPeddy
SillyPeddy - 2/17/2021, 9:12 AM
@bkmeijer - There was/is. https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/16/21224271/justice-league-dark-jj-abrams-hbo-max-warnermedia-shining-berlanti-dc-comics

Looks like it will only be John now and introduce characters kinda like Mandalorian.
Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 2/16/2021, 3:07 PM
Please be good. Wished they hadn't cancelled the previous series, but here's hope that the production value on this one will be higher than CW stuff.
Cbmfilmjunkie
Cbmfilmjunkie - 2/16/2021, 3:08 PM
Had to look up BIPOC

Apparently I’m one of those.

Still want a blonde Scottish/English guy as Constantine.
inkniron
inkniron - 2/16/2021, 4:00 PM
@Cbmfilmjunkie - I did too. Funny enough Indigenous people of the UK are caucasians, so it could literally be anyone
Cbmfilmjunkie
Cbmfilmjunkie - 2/16/2021, 4:13 PM
@inkniron - Honestly, thought it has something to do with being Bisexual and I was like, ok that makes sense because that’s pretty comic accurate.
inkniron
inkniron - 2/16/2021, 4:47 PM
@Cbmfilmjunkie - I also assumed bisexual person of color but thought I'd check instead of guess.
Battabing
Battabing - 2/16/2021, 5:50 PM
@Cbmfilmjunkie -
You're a bisexual person of color?
Cool.
Cbmfilmjunkie
Cbmfilmjunkie - 2/16/2021, 6:12 PM
@Battabing - 😑

Battabing
Battabing - 2/16/2021, 6:23 PM
@Cbmfilmjunkie -
😂😂😂
Yeah, I looked it up. My bad.
Cbmfilmjunkie
Cbmfilmjunkie - 2/16/2021, 6:33 PM
@Battabing -
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 2/16/2021, 3:10 PM
Matt Ryan is a great Constantine, but I can see them moving on with a reboot. If Oscar Isaac wasn't already Moon Knight, I'd want him for this
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