'Constantine 2' Director Francis Lawrence Reveals Sequel Is "Closer Than Ever" [Exclusive]

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John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) sits at a table smoking in 'Constantine'

It’s been nearly two decades since Keanu Reeves first brought John Constantine to life on the big screen, but it looks like the long-awaited sequel to 2005’s Constantine is finally making progress. Speaking exclusively with Collider’s Maggie Lovitt while promoting the 4K release of the original film, its director Francis Lawrence confirmed that Constantine 2 is closer than ever to becoming a reality, and that he, Reeves, and producer Akiva Goldsman have been hard at work developing an idea they’re truly excited about. Despite years of what felt like insurmountable setbacks, the supernatural thriller remains a passion project for everyone involved, and the director insists they have something “really cool” in the works, adding that the film is in better shape than ever as it nears production.

"I will say we are closer than ever to being able to do a sequel, which is a great thing. And Akiva, Keanu and I are super, super excited about it."

The original 2005 movie starred Reeves as John Constantine, an occult detective and exorcist with the ability to identify angels and demons hiding among humans. After a suicide attempt in his youth, Constantine was sent to Hell and back again, and as a result, he is condemned to Hell upon his eventual death, despite trying to earn redemption by exorcising demons and maintaining a balance between Heaven and Hell. Reeves' brooding performance and the mix of detective storytelling and theological horror was a huge hit with fans, helping the movie gain a cult following and fueling the demand for a sequel nearly two decades later.

Francis Lawrence and Keanu Reeves Have Gone Through Two Decades' Worth of Comics

The Constantine sequel has been stuck in development limbo for years, despite fervent fan support and Reeves himself repeatedly expressing interest in reprising the role, because the man knows what the people want and he always tries to deliver. Now, it appears that years of brainstorming have paid off, with Lawrence and his team finally cracking the story, telling Collider that they've gone through the new comics that have been released in the two decades since the original movie:

"We have a great idea. We have gone through a bunch of the comics over the years and looked at things. I will say that there's probably grains from things that we're pulling, but in truth, most of it is just coming from the three of us, you know, loving the character, loving the world, having it sort of in the back of our minds for 20 years and just kind of percolating on ideas, and stories and characters we love, and ideas we love."

Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on Constantine 2, as well as more from our chat with Lawrence including updates on his Bioshock adaptation and the next Hunger Games movie. You can pre-order Constantine in 4K UHD ahead of its February 18 arrival.