DC Comics are slowly building up their onscreen repertoire of colourful and diverse characters that can be marketed to mass audiences for many years to come. The road may appear to be slightly bumpy at the moment, but both Batman V Superman and Suicide Squad managed to pass $700 million worldwide with ease. Many have dismissed these big screen blockbusters as ‘disappointments’, but no one can accuse them of being flops. Characters such as Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang and Amanda Waller are all widely recognized by a much larger demographic, with each character now firmly embedded within the pop culture consciousness.
But, this is only the beginning. There are currently over ten more films in the DC extended universe planned to debut before the end of 2020 and that’s not including additional Batman and Superman solo outings. As a result, there are still plenty of other DC characters that Warner Bros are undoubtedly hoping to turn into the next Harley Quinn. So, I bring you a character that is absolutely ripe to become a household name in the next few years…John Constantine.
Constantine is a character that originates in the pages of DC’s vertigo line and has since gone on to become an integral part of the DC universe. As a master of the dark arts, magic and sorcery, the chain-smoking, foul-mouthed Londoner has crossed paths with a number of prominent faces such as Batman, Zatanna and Green Lantern. In fact, Constantine actually received a feature film adaptation in 2005 starring Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz and Shai Labeouf. The film doubled its budget but received a mixed response and only made $230 million worldwide. For a big-budget studio blockbuster, this is definitely not the result Warner Bros. were hoping for.
This result could be attributed to a few different factors. While the overall quality of the film left a lot to be desired, its shameful accuracy to its source material is almost certainly the real culprit. As an arrogant, quick-witted blonde-haired British man, the casting of Keanu Reeves was always a decision that left many fans scratching their heads. This lead to a finished product that missed the mark in every single way by existing as nothing more than a Keanu Reeves action vehicle, with little resembling the beloved character from the comics.
Constantine, the man on the side of the angels, was then put on ice for another nine years before receiving a short-lived television series that ran from 2014 to 2015. Although this iteration of the character was remarkably faithful to the source material (bar a few on-screen smoking issues), repetitive, formulaic storytelling was enough to exorcise the show from NBC after a mere thirteen episodes. However, series star Matt Ryan brought the character to life in such a brilliantly faithful manner that fans were extremely disappointed with only one series from him. This lead to frequent fan campaigns and relentless petitions to see more of the supernatural sorcerer on either NBC or another television network.
As a result, a near-unprecedented cross-network collaboration allowed Ryan’s Constantine to guest star on episode of the CW’s Arrow during its fourth season. Of course, this was helped by the fact that both the CW and NBC are owned by Warner Bros. But regardless, this crossover was still something that many dismissed as highly unlikely prior to its announcement. The episode revolved around John helping to restore the soul of a recently-resurrected Black Canary for Oliver Queen and his friends. Although this glorious team-up was short lived, it was finally a chance for fans to see Constantine interacting with other members of the DC universe. Thankfully, Ryan is set to reprise the role once again in the upcoming DC animated project Justice League Dark.
All of this proves that Constantine, the true Constantine, clearly has a large existing audience that could easily be expanded if adapted faithfully and in the correct medium. In fact, the character is actually in a similar position to where Harley Quinn was a few years ago. Harley previously had a niche audience, with scattered television appearances and a steadily growing fan base due to frequent comic exposure. Essentially, Constantine needs to be brought back to the big screen by a visionary director, with a talented character actor, surrounded by a well-known supporting cast. Thankfully, it’s looking very much like this might happen in the next few years.
A little known director named Guillermo Del Toro has spent the past few years working on a project titled Dark Universe. This would be based on the DC Comics property, Justice League Dark. However, while he initially intended to direct the highly anticipated adaptation himself, it has now been announced that it will be helmed by Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow) with Del Toro producing. The film will unite a team of supernatural heroes such as Swamp Thing, Zatanna, Madame Xanadu and Deadman, with Constantine leading them.
With the talent already involved in this project, things are already shaping up incredibly nicely. Having Constantine front and centre as the Deadshot of the film could easily showcase the character in a fantastic way. It wouldn’t even be too much of a stretch to imagine John Constantine as a new pop culture alternative to Captain Jack Sparrow. With the arrogance, charm and humour of a sober version of everybody’s favorite pirate, it’s easy to see why viewers could warm to the character. Plus, if Suicide Squad has taught us anything, it’s that audiences are hungry for fresh, morally ambiguous anti-heroes with a good sense of humour. On top of that, if all goes well with Marvel’s Doctor Strange (which we all know it will) then Constantine could easily function as the Warner Bros. alternative.
Current rumours have placed the likes of Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor as potential candidates for the role, with the former reportedly the favourite. This could be the sort of casting that defines the character in the same way that Robert Downey Jr. has put his permanent stamp on the Iron Man role. The fact that Farrrell is just about to appear in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them also adds a little bit more weight to that juicy little rumour. If Dark Universe continues to involve the calibre of talent that it is currently attracting (maybe even adding in a cameo or two from Batman or Wonder Woman), then this film could almost definitely be next big franchise Warner’s are looking for. More importantly however, it could be the cinematic comeback that Constantine needs and deserves.
