Honestly, nobody expected a chain-smoking, lung-cancer-riddled exorcist from 2005 to be the biggest topic of conversation in 2026. But here we are. It has been over twenty years since Keanu Reeves first stepped into the black suit of John Constantine, and the cult following hasn't just stayed loyal—it's grown into a legitimate force.
People used to hate this movie. Well, the critics did. Roger Ebert famously gave it 1.5 stars, basically calling it a mess of "goofy" religious imagery. Comic purists were even worse. They couldn't get over the fact that Keanu wasn't a blonde, working-class Liverpudlian like the John Constantine from the Hellblazer comics. Instead, we got a noir-soaked, black-haired Los Angeles version.
But guess what? Time won.
The 2005 film is now a permanent fixture on streaming Top 10 lists, recently dominating HBO Max charts. There is a specific kind of atmospheric dread in that movie that modern CGI-heavy blockbusters just can't replicate. It feels heavy. It feels wet. It feels like a world that’s actually rotting from the inside out.
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The Long Road to Constantine 2
We’ve been hearing whispers about a sequel for years, but things finally got real around late 2022. Warner Bros. confirmed that a follow-up was actually in the works. Not a reboot. A direct sequel.
Francis Lawrence is back to direct. Akiva Goldsman is writing the script. And, of course, Keanu Reeves is the engine driving the whole thing. Without his constant pestering of the studio—he's mentioned in interviews that he asked them "every year" to make another one—this project would be buried in a vault somewhere.
What is the holdup?
Hollywood is complicated. You’ve had the writer’s strikes, the total overhaul of DC Studios under James Gunn, and the nightmare of rights management. For a while, it looked like the sequel might be dead in the water because of a planned (and now canceled) J.J. Abrams series.
Recent updates from October 2025 and early 2026 suggest we are finally in the "script-approval" phase. Keanu mentioned in a Fandango interview that a fresh draft had been submitted to the studio. He sounded optimistic, though he’s keeping his fingers crossed. In his own words, they’re just waiting for the green light to go from "development" to "pre-production."
Why the "R-Rating" is a Non-Negotiable
One of the weirdest facts about the original Constantine is that the team actually tried to make a PG-13 movie. They followed all the rules. No excessive blood, limited swearing, the whole bit. But the MPAA gave it an R anyway because of the "tone."
Basically, the movie was so inherently creepy and demonic that the board decided kids shouldn't see it, regardless of the lack of "F-bombs."
Director Francis Lawrence has been very vocal about this. He basically said, "If we’re going to get an R anyway, let’s actually make an R-rated movie this time." This means the sequel won't be pulling any punches. We are looking at a hard R. Darker horror. More visceral stakes. No more trying to play nice for the ratings board.
The Peter Stormare Factor
Let's talk about Lucifer. Peter Stormare’s portrayal of Satan—dripping with white sludge and radiating pure, terrifying charisma—is widely considered one of the best depictions of the Devil in cinema history.
Stormare has been very active on social media and in interviews, essentially confirming he’s ready to come back. He’s also shared some interesting behind-the-scenes drama. Apparently, Keanu was unhappy with early drafts of the sequel script because they felt too much like "standard superhero action."
Keanu wants it grounded. He wants it spiritual. He wants the demons to feel like real threats, not just CGI monsters to be punched in the face. This is why the script has taken so long—Reeves is protecting the legacy of the character. He doesn’t want another John Wick clone with a cross-shaped shotgun; he wants the detective noir that made people fall in love with the first one.
Where Does This Fit in the DC Universe?
This is the big question. With James Gunn and Peter Safran rebooting everything into the "DCU," where does an older, grizzled Keanu Reeves fit?
The most likely answer is DC Elseworlds.
This is the same category as Matt Reeves’ The Batman and the Joker films. It allows the creators to tell their own stories without worrying about whether John Constantine needs to show up in a Superman movie. It’s a smart move. It preserves the specific, gritty vibe of the 2005 world without forcing it to play nice with a broader cinematic universe.
Real Evidence of Progress
- The Script: Akiva Goldsman has confirmed the story is being broken and written as of late 2025.
- The Cast: Peter Stormare and Keanu are publicly committed.
- The Rights: Warner Bros. has consolidated the Constantine rights, clearing the path for this specific version of the character to return.
What to Watch While You Wait
If you haven't revisited the original film lately, do it. Pay attention to the world-building. Look at how they handle the "Spear of Destiny" and the way hell is depicted as a nuclear-blasted version of Los Angeles.
The movie was ahead of its time. It tackled themes of suicide, redemption, and the bureaucracy of heaven and hell with a cynicism that feels very "today."
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Actionable Next Steps:
- Re-watch the 4K Remaster: Warner Bros. released a 20th-anniversary 4K Blu-ray that makes the "Hell" sequences look incredible.
- Track the Production: Keep an eye on "Elseworlds" announcements from DC Studios; this is where the official production start date will first appear.
- Manage Expectations: Given the current stage, we aren't likely to see a trailer until late 2026 or early 2027. This is a slow-burn project, but for fans who have waited 20 years, another two won't hurt.
The demand is there. The script is in. The Devil is waiting. Now we just need the studio to sign the contract in blood.