A New Constantine Movie Is Coming — But Not the One Keanu Reeves Fans Want

Twenty years after Francis Lawrence's stylishly grim adaptation introduced mainstream audiences to DC's occult detective, the Constantine property is finally moving forward again at DC Studios — though perhaps not in the direction devoted fans of the original had hoped. The announcement raises as many questions as it answers, particularly regarding the fate of a direct sequel that has quietly been taking shape with Keanu Reeves and Lawrence both reportedly attached.

A New Constantine, A Different Direction

According to Collider, DC Studios is developing a brand-new Constantine feature with Francis Galluppi, the filmmaker currently at work on Evil Dead Wrath, the next installment in Sam Raimi's enduring horror franchise. Galluppi is attached as a writer at this stage, with the directing role not yet confirmed as his. Crucially, the report does not explicitly state that this new project replaces the Reeves sequel — but its emergence has introduced a meaningful shadow of doubt over a film that was already navigating a complicated path to production.

What makes this development particularly interesting from a craft perspective is how it mirrors the broader trajectory of DC's approach under James Gunn: a coherent, interconnected universe built from the ground up, running parallel to legacy projects that occupy their own continuity. The new Constantine would almost certainly be positioned within the main DCU timeline, alongside David Corenswet's Superman and Aaron Pierre's John Stewart, rather than serving as a continuation of the 2005 film's singular, self-contained mythology.

The Long Road to a Sequel

The difficulties surrounding a Reeves-led follow-up have been an open secret in Hollywood circles for some time. Gunn acknowledged on the Bobatalks podcast that he and Reeves have spoken about a new film "on and off," though he has yet to receive a completed script. Peter Stormare, who memorably portrayed Satan in the original, has suggested that Reeves himself has been dissatisfied with the drafts in circulation — a detail that speaks to the star's investment in getting the material right rather than simply cashing in on nostalgia.

For a performer whose career has shown a consistent willingness to inhabit morally complex, genre-bending roles — from the haunted corporate drone of A Scanner Darkly to the relentless mythological figure at the center of the John Wick series — the patience Reeves is apparently bringing to Constantine feels consistent with his broader artistic sensibility. This is not an actor known for rushing product to market.

The Elseworlds Escape Hatch

There is a reasonable case that both projects can coexist. Gunn's recent confirmation that Robert Pattinson's Batman will remain separate from the main DCU continuity establishes a clear structural precedent: the new DCU and legacy interpretations of DC characters can operate simultaneously under an "Elseworlds" designation, much as DC has long employed in its comics publishing. If that framework holds, Reeves and Lawrence's sequel could still find its footing as a standalone story — a continuation of the original's moody, rain-soaked Los Angeles theology without needing to plug into a larger shared universe.

It is worth noting that Reeves continues to be one of the more intriguing figures in contemporary Hollywood, with projects spanning a remarkable tonal range — from a live-action Lego film at Universal to the lingering cult life of films like 47 Ronin, which continues to find new audiences. His persistence in returning to Constantine, a character he has publicly expressed affection for, suggests this is personal creative territory rather than contractual obligation.

What Comes Next

For now, both projects exist in a state of productive ambiguity. The Galluppi-led reboot represents DC Studios' clearest institutional commitment to the character, while the Reeves sequel remains a more artisanal endeavor — slower, more deliberate, dependent on a script that satisfies everyone involved. Whether the two can ultimately share the landscape remains to be seen, but the renewed activity around John Constantine after two decades of near-silence is, at minimum, a sign that the character's particular blend of cynicism, damnation, and reluctant heroism still resonates deeply enough to fight over.