Earlier last year, news broke that J.J. Abrams and his production company, Bad Robot, had signed a deal with Warner media and HBO Max to develop series and films based around the characters of DC’s Justice League Dark. Just a few days ago, it was announced that Abrams had begun development on new series following John Constantine, everyone’s favorite demonologist, but it really depends on who you’re asking. The series is set to be written by Guy Bolton, who’s already written a pilot script for the project, and casting has begun with the production looking for a late ’20s, BIPOC actor to portray the character in the upcoming series and any spin-offs or team-ups that may happen down the line. While it’s currently unknown if the series will find itself in the mainline DCEU, Constantine is a character with a rich history and riveting stories, and we’ve thought up just a few that would make for great a great adaption.
Marks of Woe
One of the most recent stories featuring Constantine was written by Simon Spurrier and released late last year. The book John Constantine: Hellblazer features the characters return to the Sandman Universe, with Constantine finding himself taken from an Apocalyptic future and placed right back into his old stomping grounds of London. Upon his return, Constantine has come to realize that there’s been a bit of a supernatural outbreak and a local gang has become terrorized by these spirits. When the leader of said gang reaches out, with no dollar to his name, Constantine has no choice but to help exercise these spirits and send them back to where they came from. This seems like an easy task for Constantine, an open and shut exorcism like the good ol’ days, but things get much more unpredictable when John finds himself facing a younger version of the boy who was destined to become the most powerful mage of all time.
All His Engines
All His Engines was published back in January of 2005 and was written by Mike Carey. The Story once again finds John Constantine on the streets of London alongside his trusty Cabbie, Chas Chandler. John has returned to look into a mysterious bug going around the city that’s putting people into comas, including Chas’s granddaughter, Tricia. In an attempt to communicate with Tricia and find out what’s going on, the seance is interrupted by Beroul, a demon who’s set up his own personal Hell in California, who tells John and Chas to come there. In order to face Beroul, John Summons the Aztec god known as Mictlantecuhtli, who helps him summon the foes of Beroul in order to take him down. While this story still includes a heavy amount of biblical influence just on the art alone should tell you this story could be something truly horrifying and fit the vibe they’re trying to establish with this new take.
Going Down?
Constantine: The Hellblazer, written by the great James Tynion IV, features another great storyline with the character that would be perfect for a horror-inspired introduction of the character in this new “Dark Universe.” John Constantine is a very haunted man both literally and figuratively, and this story is one that sees him face his past, a very dark and muddy past. Suddenty, something has begun killing the ghost that haunts him, banished from the afterlife, and cast into oblivion. Returning to London, Constantine must reunite with Georgiana Snow, now an official paranormal consultant for the British Government, in an effort to stop who or what is killing ghosts and taking away their after-life.
