John Constantine -- a figure few other than comic book fans knew until about 15 years ago -- suddenly finds himself with a Spider-Man dilemma. At least three live-action incarnations of DC's hell-raising supernatural detective have appeared, along with a number of animated versions. While they've stuck to their lanes until now, they suddenly seem to be everywhere, with a new version in Netflix's The Sandman and the announcement of a sequel for the cult classic Keanu Reeves vehicle from 2005.
The latter project presents a rare opportunity. Constantine's focus on magic and the supernatural make an excellent fulcrum for out-there storytelling, such as multiversal crossovers. And the massive success of Spider-Man: No Way Home strongly suggests that a team-up of different actors playing the same character can work exceedingly well in the right context. While Reeves is formally attached to the Constantine 2 project, the right script could let fans have the best of both worlds by bringing Matt Ryan in.
The Reeves version of Constantine appeared when comic book movies were in a much different place. Crossovers and shared universes didn't exist, at least not in the form they do today. Films like The Fantastic Four and X-Men existed in universes where the titular superheroes and their supporting cast were the only super-powered figures in their world. John Constantine provided a big wrinkle to that formula in that his world was more supernatural than superheroic. The movie needed to bring new fans up to speed, and the character's formal connection to the DC Universe would have caused undue confusion. And it served those ties, establishing a world of pseudo-Christian mythology where a dark-haired American Constantine is caught up in a cosmic scheme to bring about the apocalypse.
It worked. The film became a hit, partly because -- beneath the cosmetic changes -- Reeves absolutely nailed the character's cynical soul. And with director Francis Lawrence slated to return, the sequel will presumably adopt the same approach. Its universe has plenty to expand upon that doesn't require formal figures from DC, and with fans clearly supportive of Reeves' version of the character, there's no need to roam.
And yet, that Constantine still differs from the comics version sufficiently to allow room for variation. Coupled with suggestions that Constantine 2 will be a part of the DC Extended Universe, it suddenly puts a number of options on the table. Ryan's turn in the role -- first in the all-too-brief Constantine TV series and later as a part of the Arrowverse and as the character in numerous animated projects -- was hailed as a more comics-accurate version. And like Reeves, his blonde British Constantine has clearly resonated with fans. Putting the two together carries the possibility of something special.
Indeed, Jenna Coleman's Johanna Constantine would also make an outstanding addition, completing the trifecta and matching No Way Home's instant-classic Spidey team-up. The dramatic potential of multiple Constantines interacting -- and likely getting on each other's last nerve -- is too strong not to at least consider. Far from a gimmick, it might turn Constantine 2 into DC's No Way Home.