Constantine 2 gets an exciting script update, and a previous attempt to bring back the character is revealed. Keanu Reeves first played DC’s Hellblazer in 2005’s Constantine. While the movie did not bring the most comic book-accurate version of Constantine to live-action, that remains Matt Ryan’s in his show and the Arrowverse, Reeves delivered a thrilling turn in the role. After many years trying to come back as John Constantine, the actor will finally do so in a new movie, with Constantine 2‘s story currently being developed.

Speaking to Collider, Constantine 2 writer Akiva Goldsman revealed that he hopes to have the movie’s script ready soon and that the project was almost a TV show. Goldsman is currently writing the script for the DC Elseworlds movie, which he chose not to reveal any details about, even when asked if it was R-rated. Besides the update on the status of the Constantine 2 script, the writer revealed that Reeves’ project was almost a TV show at one point, but ultimately, the rights situation did not allow it to come together. Check out the full quotes below:

“It’s going fine. I’m writing a script about Constantine 2 . It’s good. I hope to have a script for my partners soon.”

“There was always this desire, if not lurching, to try to redo it. We tried it for TV, and we could never quite get the rights back; the rights were sort of going around. There was a sort of ground swell—there was a TV series somewhere in there.”

Will Keanu Reeves’ Constantine 2 Really Happen?

The Movie Does Not Have A Release Date

Keanu Reeves as John Constantine smoking in Constantine
Close-up of Tilda Swinton as Gabriel holding Keanu Reeves as John Constantine in Constantine (2005) Keanu Reeves as John Constantine looking tired and angry in Constantine.
 Keanu Reeves as Constantine walking among rusty cars. Close-up of Tilda Swinton smirking as Gabriel in Constantine (2005)

With Goldsman saying he hopes to finish Constantine 2‘s script soon, the project could move on to the next phase. While Reeves’ return as Constantine is in development and should end up being made, that is not completely assured at the moment. The reason for that is Constantine 2‘s status as an Elseworlds project. That label is being used by DC to separate projects that take place in the new DC Universe and the Elseworlds films and shows, which are not DCU canon.

With Keanu Reeves’ John Constantine not being part of the DCU, the character will have to climb a bigger hill in order to return to theaters. The reason for that is Gunn’s Elseworlds comments. The creative chief of the DCU and DC Studios as a whole said in 2023 that “the bar for Elseworlds tales is going to be higher than the bar for something within DCU.” Gunn also complemented that by saying, “It’s got to be something really special for us to tell that story outside of our regular continuity,” as the DCU has become DC’s main focus.

Since the script for the movie is yet to be completed, Gunn has still not signed off on the story Constantine 2 will tell. As such, based on his comments, if the movie’s script is not up to the high standards that Elseworlds projects need to meet, then Constantine 2 could be canceled. However, with the amount of passion and talent working on the film, Keanu Reeves will likely end up getting his time to shine as DC’s Hellblazer in Constantine 2 in the coming years.