What do we know about DC x HBO Max's Constantine project with JJ Abrams?

The fan-favorite DC character Constantine is set to appear on HBO Max. There are superheroes like Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman who have a great fan following and are represented in comic books and the silver screen numerous times. However, there are other heroes who, despite not being represented as many times, have a cult following. John Constantine, aka Hellblazer, is one such character.

The director of Star Wars, Star Trek, and the TV series Lost, JJ Abrams is looking forward to producing the series along with Warner Bros. under his production house Bad Robot Productions. It is reported that Abrams is giving his own twist to the character and is looking forward to casting a Black Indigenous Person of Color (BIPOC) as the famous British Sorcerer.

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John Constantine could be a part of the live action Justice League: Dark

According to the online pop news portal Illuminerdi, the series has been temporarily titled Chimney due to John’s habit of chain-smoking. The project is reported to go on the floor sometime in September 2022. Currently, in the casting process, hardcore fans and reporters have their eyes fixed on potential actors for the role.

The Hellblazer has only been adapted a couple of times on the big screen. He was last depicted in CW’s Arrow and DC's Legends of Tomorrow, where Matt Ryan played the role. Ryan previously played the same character in Constantine, a show on NBC that was canceled after its first season.

Hellblazer was most famously depicted by John Wick star Keanu Reeves in the 2005 film. Despite straying away from the source material, fans loved Reeves as the snarky detective from Liverpool. The film was never greenlit for a sequel. However, in an interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Keanu expressed his wish to don the trench coat and play Hellblazer once again.

The British Occult detective made his first appearance in the Saga of Swamp Thing #37 published in 1985. Created by the legendary Alan Moore, Rick Veitch, Steve Bissette, and John Totleben, John would later get his solo comic book adventures in the popular title Hellblazer. John is one of the most underrated DC characters and is one of the prime members of Justice League Dark.

Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro was eyed by Warner Bros. for spearheading Justice League: Dark. The talks with del Torro never materialized. However, Abrams is now in talks to produce the ambitious project under his Bad Robot Production company.

The supernatural group of superheroes called Justice League: Dark consists of heroes like Deadman, John Constantine, Madame Xanadu, and John’s lover Zatanna Zatara. JL: Dark might soon be a reality as Zatanna along with John Constantine is also getting her own HBO Max series.