In a time when media franchises are undergoing shakeups of seismic proportions, the fate of some previously confirmed projects is frequently called into doubt at the slightest suspicion. This was recently the case among fans of the cult-classic superhero film, Constantine. Fans were recently given every reason to believe that the long-expected sequel was finally happening when Warner Bros confirmed the sequel and the return of Keanu Reeves as John Constantine. However, when James Gunn and Peter Safran recently unveiled their highly anticipated slate of projects in the works as they look to reshape the DCU, fans were quick to realize that the Constantine sequel was missing from the list, prompting them to suspect that the film might have met the same fate as recently discontinued projects like Batgirl.

The internet was quickly awash with multiple speculations on what could have happened. One of those wrong interpretations was that the Constantine sequel has been scrapped with one popular industry insider boldly proclaiming in a now-deleted tweet that the sequel is not happening, sending fans agog for an official confirmation from DC‘s management. Entertainment Weekly now confirms that the sequel is still a part of Gunn and Safran‘s vision, with a spokesperson from Warner Bros. confirming to EW that everything is still on track as planned concerning the highly anticipated sequel.

Gunn stated that Chapter 1 of DCU‘s new future will be launched by projects grouped under the umbrella of ‘Gods and Monsters,’ which will be made up of five movies and five series currently in development by DC Studios. The Flash will serve as the reset button to clean out unwanted arcs and refocus the franchise on Gunn and Safran‘s vision. However, the universe will still be operated as a multiverse, with other projects categorized under the “Elseworlds” label. Falling into this group are Matt Reeves’ BatVerse, Todd Phillips‘ Joker franchise, as well as the animated series, Teen Titans GO!, and it is likely that the Constantine sequel will fall into this category as well, given that it is not part of the main canon of projects. Gunn and Safran are clearly interested in the more dark elements of the DCU, seeing that The Swamp Thing is included in the “Gods and Monsters” line-up, so maybe both iconic horror characters may get the chance to cross paths.

What Is The Constantine Film About?

Constantine is centered on John Constantine, a cynical detective and exorcist who possesses a magical ability to interact with earthly and underworld creatures that include half-angels and half-demons. The first film was released in 2005 to moderate commercial success and tepid critical reception. However, fans fell in love with Reeves‘ portrayal of the character, which hails from DC Comics‘ Hellblazer. Fan clamor for another movie with Reeves as its star began almost immediately after the first film’s release and is said to be the major reason why Warner Bros. decided to give it another go. Reeves has also expressed much interest in returning to the role, recently telling Esquire; “I love playing Constantine. John Constantine. I’ve played a lot of Johns. How many Johns have I played? I don’t even know. I think it’s over ten. But anyway, I’d love to have the chance to play Constantine again.”

While we wait for more updates on the Constantine sequel, Reeves‘ fans can watch their favorite action star in his other titular John role, with the forthcoming release of John Wick: Chapter 4, slated for a worldwide theatrical release on March 24.

via Collider