“Is that a sequel?”
Constantine is a prime example of an R-rated comic book movie that almost nailed it but stumbled into an abyss of mediocrity. Like Hellboy, which wasn’t too great either but had an equally killer premise lingering in the dark side, Constantine could actually benefit from a sequel. Unlike Hellboy, which has a very cool-looking sequel at bat this summer (speaking of which, it’s rather quiet, no?), Constantine‘s title star Keanu Reeves says a once rumored second installment to the Hellblazer Vertigo comics series, Constantine 2, isn’t going to happen. The original film’s director, Francis Lawrence, has been pretty vocal about his desire to do a sequel since its release in 2005, and you may recall that Lawrence just had a megaton hit on his hands with I Am Legend.
Reeves, who is currently talking up his December 2009 sci-fi remake epic The Day the Earth Stood Still, went on to tell IESB that he sees no sequels in his future. So, not only can you ixnay an ideal Bill & Ted’s reunion, but those hoping for a cameo by a certain agent Johnny Utah in Peter Iliff’s Point Break 2 (which is presumably still on for 2009 in lieu of Patrick Swayze’s cancer diagnosis), should take a deep, enjoyable sniff off some Mr. Zog’s Sex Wax and get real. As always, Slashfilm will keep you updated as the World of Keanu spins round and round.
Discuss: Constantine 2, was there something there? Point Break 2 without Keanu? Worth a watch? Would you watch Bill’s Journey?
March 25th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
i agree with you that Constantine was almost perfect, almost had it, but then went wrong SOMEWHERE, a little. I think a sequel could make it more…serious, or honest? anyway, him not wanting to do sequels anymore, is something i could probably understand. it would be interesting i guess, constantine 2 WITH keanu reeves, bring it on, of course ill watch it.
point break 2, itll suck, keanu in it would make it suck a little less.
bill and ted reunite? at their age, in 2008? sure, it would be fun to watch, probably retarded and unnecessary, but if done right - it could be pretty worth it.
im still kinda pissed keanu reeves will not be rorschach.
despite many who claim keanu cant act and does the same thing everytime - i understand what you m ean, but i disagree. and i think rorschach would be one of his ultimate roles, that completely suits him. FUCK. whatever, the guy that actually will portray him is good too. whats his name again?
March 25th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
while i thoroughly enjoyed constantine, it was nowhere close to ‘almost nailing it’. in hellblazer, john c is a bisexual conman who fucks anyone and anyTHING he can, to get what he needs - and he’s an all around badass. they kinda touch on a few of the same themes, but i had heard keanu was upset with the difference, as the original twisted tale is what initially drew him in. we are about to see WANTED suffer the same fate.
the real hellblazer story is not like the film, but regardless i loved the movie and was pulling for a sequel. dammit, i wanted more of these films, maybe even throw the sandman in there, coulda been great.
one of these days, hollywood might learn its ALL about story, story, story, story, story, story!
March 25th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
Maybe Keanu is gun-shy about sequels because of the two Matrix ones.
March 25th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Not to be a major nitpicker and ignore the worthwhile news item, but “Hellboy” is one word, not two.
March 25th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
@orange cinema
March 25th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
@orange cinema (again)
I agree 100% It was like an “American” Constantine. I say if you’re gonna do Constantine again reboot it like so many comic films right now and go with someone like Clive Owen, Daniel Craig, or someone along those lines. It’s not only about God and Hell with Constantine there’s a lot of magic about as well.
On a side note, why no mention of Johnny Mnemonic?! =)
March 26th, 2008 at 12:50 am
@ ghost
i’m hesitant about reboots cuz they’re so common now-a-days, but yer absolutely right about a reboot for this series. it could be such a DIFFERENT comic book movie, unlike any of the other books being adapted. i love the idea of clive owen. ‘american constantine’ is a great way to put it, and im telling ya’ll now, ‘wanted’ will be the same. however, none of these will be as disapointing as ‘y: the last man’…if they cut corners with that story, we’re all gonna be missing out on something really special - from what i’ve heard so far, we are getting a trilogy, but nothing caruso has said has made me think he truly cares about the story the way vaugn & his fans do. too bad.
i gots mad love for johnny mnemo
March 26th, 2008 at 12:55 am
its a shame if keanu rejects sequels because i feel a second constantine has a lot of potential. with the success of francis lawrance’s ‘i am legend’ and keanu’s version of constantine would attract more viewers for the sequel. since the first film was so underrated.
i dunno, i just want another sequel. maybe go for the alan moore version instead of the american version. but if keanu is blond in the next sequel, i wont buy it.
March 26th, 2008 at 1:22 am
As that nerd who actually owns every single issue of Hellblazer (including the spinoffs), I’ve gotta tell you that the only way I could enjoy the movie was to use my mind-control abilities to divorce it from the comics as completely as possible.
Unfortunately, I will never be able to forgive whoever miscast Shia LeDouche as Chaz. Unforgivable.
March 26th, 2008 at 1:53 am
Constantine is one of my favorite movies, so yeah I’d love to see Constantine 2…However, I’d love to see it WITH Keanu.
March 26th, 2008 at 5:17 am
Holy shit! lol.. Constantine was one of my favorite movie. I wish if a could see its sequel starring Keanu.
March 26th, 2008 at 6:09 am
Well, I liked Constantine for what it was. The same with Hellboy and you made a good point in comparing the two as they were both pretty cool adaptations, but I think Hellboy is the better of the two.
I think Hellboy wasn’t GDT’s best but definately a great introduction and I think that the film could have done much better without that newbie BRPD agent (which is gone in the second i believe).
I would definately like to see a Const. 2, but I think Point Break should be left alone. It’s a dope flick the way it is and how it ended.
Hellboy 2 is the slept on comic book movie of the year. I actually heard people booing the last trailer in the theater though so I think that it might not do too good at the box office. I ‘d also like to mention that I watched the trailer before Cloverfield to a packed crowd of 18-25 year olds.
March 26th, 2008 at 7:45 am
wow he turns down Constantine 2, the original was a good movie, somebody else is going to pick it up and make it a hit, its not looking to bright for keannu, hes not young anymore, and that watchmen movie looks like its going to suck…
March 26th, 2008 at 8:03 am
I’d watch a Constantine 2. But yeah I bet Matrix made him pretty sick
March 26th, 2008 at 9:06 am
@ orange cinema
What’s so strange about Constantine is that you can see the film they were trying to make and that film was dark. nihilistic and awesome, but the last half of what resulted is terribly uninspired. They “nailed it” by casting Keanu and Tilda Swinton as Gabriel was equally as cool. Shia wasn’t as bad as some detractors make out, but he was a little too Short Round. As for it not being like Hellblazer, I always considered it a loose adaptation, thus the name change.
@ ghost
I’d be all for a reboot. This is a character that everyone seems to agree has incredible potential. If Keanu is over it, reload. My choice for the role would be Guy Pierce or Viggo. Those dudes can smoke the hell out of a pack of cigarettes. Clive Owen is cool, but I’m not too sure he’d make it a hit after Shoot Em Up.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:50 am
@ Hunter, I actually really enjoyed the second half, particularly the excellent and ridiculous performance from Peter Stormare.
Unlike Point Break 2, which I would see as being completely worthless, I think they could do some things with a Constantine sequel and it lends itself to a sequel, which I just don’t see the original PB doing.
And this is fairly odd, because in late 2005 / 2006 I read an interview where Reeves said that out of all of his characters, Constantine would be the one he would be interested in revisiting, noting a lot about the character, particularly his sarcasm and personality, which I took to be a lot more fun than other Reeves action heroes (Speed, Matrix, Point Break, Johnny M, … umm… Chain Reaction, etc.).
March 26th, 2008 at 11:09 am
What didn’t work for me in Constantine was the weird looking Gun he used in the end and sometimes the special effects looked kind of old and cheesy. I agree with Hunter about Shia.
But overall the movie was great. everyone was cast well, and the end sequence with the Fallen Angel and Lucifer was great. I liked it a lot. The fire and brimstone scenes of “hell” with those weird looking demons kind of looked cheesy. reminded me of that Second mortal combat movies CGI.
March 26th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
No Keanu for Constantine 2? No big deal! Recast it, call it Hellblazer, and pretend it’s a reboot.
June 29th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Constantine 2??? Why on earth would anyone want to see that. The first one was amazing and should be left alone.
Bill + Ted number 3 would be awesome with Keanu in it! I think he should go for that. Its not going to hurt his career, I think people would see him in a new light.
Whats more how can he say no to bill + Ted and say yes to The Lake House??? That film was awfull, his agent should be sacked for telling him to do the Lake House and not bill + ted!