It looks like a new John Constantine will soon be on the way. As part of the new Justice League Dark universe currently in development at HBO Max, fans should be able to expect a standalone Constantine reboot series as part of the streamer’s upcoming offerings. That is, of course, according to the scoopers at The Illuminerdi, who managed to get their hands on a casting grid for the show.
Of note, it appears the character will be recast entirely instead of using a version of the character previously played by actors like Keanu Reeves or Matt Ryan. Last year, rumors began to circulate suggesting a direct sequel to Reeves’ Constantine feature was in the works. Instead, as the initial report suggests, producers are looking for a BIPOC actor in his 20’s to play the eponymous lead.
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The grid reportedly lists Rogue One star Riz Ahmed as someone the production is interested in, though it’s not clear whether the Venom alum is an archetype for casting agents to prospective agents or if the studio is considering the actor for the role.
JJ Abrams and his Bad Robot banner are said to be executive producing the project under the filmmaker’s cushy new deal with WarnerMedia.
“WarnerMedia and AT&T are delighted to launch a long-term collaboration with our world-class partners and colleagues J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath,” CEO WarnerMedia John Stankey shared in a statement first announcing the deal. “We are extremely excited about the potential to deliver remarkable and memorable stories and characters across multiple platforms to audiences around the world. J.J., Katie and all of Bad Robot bring extraordinary vision, exquisite filmmaking, and exemplary industry leadership to this endeavor and our company. Across all forms of content, we are uniquely positioned to offer our creative partners a multitude of platforms to realize their artistic goals and ambitions, and to ensure that their stories have the best possible opportunity to connect with the right audience.”
Rising screenwriter Guy Bolton is attached to the project as writer. Bolton has a slew of projects in development in addition to Constantine, including Netflix’s The Big Fix and ITV Studios’ Briefs.
“What an amazing start to our association with the wildly imaginative Bad Robot team under J.J. and Katie,” former HBO Max chief Kevin Reilly said during the show’s initial announcement. “What could be better than an original J.J. idea and then Warner Bros. letting them loose on iconic IP from Stephen King and the DC Universe and to provide more must-have programming on HBO Max.”
