The Illuminerdi is learning more about the upcoming Constantine series that’s on the way to HBO Max.
John Constantine debuted in DC Comics back in 1985, but it was another twenty years before the character was adapted to other mediums. Keanu Reeves took on the role of the Hellblazer in the 2005 Constantine film, and Matt Ryan followed that up with his own iconic portrayal across multiple TV series, and multiple networks.
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Another reinvention of the Constantine character is now in development, and we have exclusive details on when the production of the project is expected to begin.
Our sources tell us that the Constantine HBO Max series will be filming under the working title of “Chimney”, and cameras are expected to begin rolling this Fall. Principal photography is estimated to run through February of 2023, and will be taking place in both the UK and Morocco.
Bad Robot Productions is putting the project together, with J.J. Abrams serving as an executive producer on the series. Fellow Bad Robot stalwarts Rachel Rusch-Rich (Lovecraft Country, Castle Rock) and Ben Stephenson (Lisey’s Story, Lovecraft Country) will also be executive producers, and British author Guy Bolton will be writing the series and receiving a producing credit.
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Bolton is an up-and-coming screenwriter looking to make the jump to live-action productions after publishing a pair of novels in 2017 (The Pictures) and 2019 (The Syndicate). According to Bolton’s profile through the United Agents talent agency, he has four projects currently in development, including Constantine.
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The Constantine series is one of a handful of different DC projects Bad Robot is producing as part of an overall deal with WarnerMedia. The animated series Batman: Caped Crusader is coming to HBO Max sometime in the near future, and a feature film centered around Zatanna is also on the way from Abrams’ company. Academy Award-nominated director Emerald Fennell is writing the Zatanna project, which, along with Constantine, is expected to build towards some sort of Justice League Dark crossover.
While those overall plans are in their early stages, the Constantine series seems to be the one piece of the puzzle that’s the furthest along. With production expected to start this fall and be wrapped by early next year, John Constantine could be back on our screens by the end of 2023 depending on how long the post-production process lasts.
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As far as who will take the lead role, The Illuminerdi exclusively reported last year that the creative team behind Constantine was searching for a “BIPOC actor in their late 20’s”. Sources have more recently alerted us that a Black British male is being sought for John Constantine, but no other casting details are known at this time.
It’s an exciting time to be a fan of the legendary warlock as he continues to appear across all mediums of entertainment. As the new live-action series continues its development, Matt Ryan will be reprising the role in animated fashion this year in the DC Showcase short Constantine: The House of Mystery.
Ryan was a series regular on the CW series Legends of Tomorrow, but the character was killed off in the penultimate episode of the show’s sixth season in 2021. That marks the last live-action appearance of the Hellblazer, but it sounds like it won’t be too much longer until a new version of the chain-smoking, trenchcoat-wearing master of the occult will be back in a starring role on TV.
How excited are you for Constantine on HBO Max? Who do you think should take on the role of the Hellblazer? Make sure to follow us on social media for the latest updates on the series, and everything else going on in the nerdy worlds you love.
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