Constantine Director Sees New Hope for Sequel After DC Leadership Change

Director Francis Lawrence has expressed renewed optimism about finally making Constantine 2 following the departure of DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran. In an interview with Collider, Lawrence said the leadership change could remove what he described as an obstacle that had blocked the sequel for over two decades.

Lawrence, who directed the original 2005 Constantine starring Keanu Reeves, stated that a script and concept are ready. He emphasized that he, Reeves, producer Akiva Goldsman, and J.J. Abrams all want the project to move forward. The director noted that the previous DC leadership had been an impediment, and he is now hopeful that whoever is running DC now might approve the film.

One key detail Lawrence shared is that the sequel will be a hard R-rated film, unlike the original, which was designed as PG-13 but received an R rating. He intends to fully embrace that rating this time. Lawrence also said he and Reeves are willing to take reduced fees to keep the budget responsible, suggesting the film would not cost $100 million.

Lawrence acknowledged that DC could pursue a different Constantine project simultaneously, but he simply wants permission to make a sequel to his version. The news comes after Reeves reportedly pitched a sequel in 2025 and after DC hired Francis Galluppi to write a separate Constantine movie.