Initially received by critics as a stylish, if goofy, blend of spirituality, noir and supernatural horror, 2005's Constantine was a modest commercial success that has gone on to achieve semi-cult status in the years since its release. Still, despite repeated calls from its fans for a follow-up, a Constantine sequel has never actually materialized. Now, though, it appears that Constantine 2, in some form or another, may actually be moving forward.
In a message on his Instagram page, Constantine co-star Peter Stormare posted a photo of himself as the film's version of the fallen Archangel Lucifer Morningstar and included a caption reading "Sequel In The Works." Obviously, until Constantine 2 is confirmed by the original movie's distributor, Warner Bros., Stormare's claim should be taken with a healthy-sized grain of salt. In the meantime, though, it's worth discussing what we know about a sequel so far.
In July 2020, Constantine star Keanu Reeves, director Francis Lawrence and producer Akiva Goldsman participated in a virtual panel for Comic-Con@Home to commemorate the movie's 15-year anniversary. Over the course of the panel, all three men confirmed they are happy about the movie finding a cult following and said they would gladly return to make a sequel -- something Reeves has reiterated many times in the past. They also affirmed that, if Constantine 2 were to happen, it would more of a hard R-rated film than its predecessor, which Lawrence said was shot with a PG-13 rating in mind.
Storywise, the original Constantine movie ends with John making a personal sacrifice that saves his soul, only for Lucifer -- who despises John for constantly interfering in his and God's business -- to cure his cancer and make him mortal again, in the hopes that he will screw up and damn himself to Hell in the future. In what's definitely not a surprise, it sounds like John would end up getting into trouble in Constantine 2 and land himself in prison at some point. According to Goldsman, Constantine co-writer Frank Cabello pitched a scene for the sequel where John wakes up in a cell, only to discover his roommate is none other than Jesus Christ.
It's possible Constantine 2 would also pick up the other plot threads left dangling at the end of the first movie. That includes the storyline involving Rachel Weisz as Angela Dodson, an LAPD detective whose repressed psychic abilities were reawakened after she and John teamed up to uncover the truth behind her twin sister's mysterious death. In addition, the original film ended with the Archangel Gabriel (Tilda Swinton) being turned into a human as punishment for their attempt to unleash Hell on the people of Earth. So, it stands to reason Gabriel would be looking for some payback against John in the sequel.
Perhaps one of the biggest mysteries surrounding Constantine 2 involves John's driver and mentee, Chas Kramer (Shia LaBeouf), and what role he would play after dying in the first movie. The original Constantine ended with a post-credits scene in which John visits Chas' grave, only for the latter to emerge in angelic form and take off into the sky, much to John's dry amusement. According to the official novelization, Chas actually became a half-angel following his death, and might therefore be able to return to assist John on his quest in the follow-up.
Assuming Constantine 2 is really happening, there's a huge question about how it would fit into the larger DC movie and TV universe. It's been reported that J.J. Abrams and Bad Robot are developing a John Constantine film with a tone similar to their upcoming Justice League Dark series for HBO Max, but it's conceivable the project in question is really a Constantine sequel. If nothing else, Reeves' increased popularity in the wake of the John Wick movies means there's a better chance of Warner Bros. bringing him back to play John Constantine now than there was just five years ago.
The downside is, Reeves is also busier than ever at the moment, between filming his role for The Matrix 4 and preparing to shoot John Wick 4 and 5 back-to-back in 2021. Fortunately, if there's one thing Constantine movie fans have learned over the past 15 years, it's patience.