Actively preparing for “Constantine 2'' – Director says “At the time, there was some criticism of Keanu,'' but “I've always wanted a sequel.'' | THE RIVER

The 2005 movie “Constantine” starring Keanu Reeves is being revived. A sequel to this film, which has now gained cult popularity, is being planned behind the scenes. It has been a long-awaited story among fans for a long time, and the script is currently being finalized. The film's director, Francis Lawrence, gave an encouraging update to Comicbook.com about the latest progress. If things keep going like this, it might not be surprising if production actually begins in the near future.

“Constantine” is a live-action film based on DC Comics' popular anti-hero. Canadian Keanu Reeves plays John Constantine, a cigarette-smoking exorcist living in Los Angeles, but this character has a tradition of being a blond British man in the original comics. Therefore, at the time of its release, there was some criticism that it was a modification of the original work.

“When the first movie was released, I didn't feel like our Constantine was accepted by the public. There were a lot of criticisms, like he wasn't a blonde British guy or that Keanu wasn't the right person. “I did,” Lawrence recalls. He talks about how he felt that it wasn't well received when it was released, but he secretly hoped that a sequel would be made.

“I thought 'Constantine' was a movie that deserved a sequel more than any other. There's a world that I want to explore further, and I really love the characters and want to explore them more.”

Later, at the online version of San Diego Comic-Con held during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Lawrence, Keanu Reeves, and producer Akiva Goldsman gathered via Zoom to reminisce about the work to commemorate the 15th anniversary of its release in the US. . Apparently, this online event was one of the triggers for the sequel's planning preparations, which have continued to this day.

“At the time of our 15th anniversary, we got together on Zoom and talked about doing it again. So we became active again and in the end we were able to overcome all the hurdles. I'm working on the script in a way that says, “Okay, I want the world to see this movie. It's not like, “I'm ready for the movie.'' I think the fan base has definitely expanded, and I feel like it's become a cult classic. That's really exciting, and it's kind of strange, but… It’s something we’ve always loved.”

The first film was rated PG-13 in the US, but the sequel is expected to be rated R. Lawrence revealed that the production team shared the same enthusiasm: “Let's make the sequel R-rated. Let's make an R-rated movie about Majimon.''

At least the first draft of the script, which will be written by Akiva Goldsman, has been written and is already in the hands of producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura. It seems that Bonaventura has a lot of feelings for it, and he expressed his hopes for it, saying, “I'm too scared to read it,'' and “I hope it's a good work.''

Although the specific production schedule has not been disclosed at this time, 2025 will mark the 20th anniversary of the film's release in the United States. It wouldn't be strange if some kind of announcement was made in conjunction with this.

Source:Comicbook.com