Matt Ryan as John Constantine
Late in 2013, NBC announced that they would be trying their hand again at bringing an iconic DC Comics “hero” to the small screen. After the fiasco that never aired, Wonder Woman (a rotating costume set – really?) they have decided to take up the widely popular comic book series “Hellblazer” that focuses on one John Constantine, Master of the Occult.
According to NBC, the show will tell the story of Constantine who “armed with a ferocious knowledge of the dark arts and his wickedly naughty wit” gave up fighting the good fight when he found out his soul was condemned to hell. But when demons begin to target Liv Aberdine (played by Lucy Griffiths), daughter of one of his dearest friends, he decides to throw himself back into the crime fighting scene.
The 2005 film ‘Constantine’ starring Keanu Reeves
Now, this isn’t the first time Constantine has made an appearance outside the realm of comic books. Back in 2005, Keanu Reeve’s took on the role, playing a hard luck paranormal private eye who battles the forces of darkness in order to buy his way into heaven when he stumbles onto something larger than himself. Personally, I love the movie and think Keanu Reeves, while not blond and only half-British, did an amazing job channeling the character, and while the movie made twice it’s budget, it wasn’t met with many positive reviews. Additionally, it’s understandable why hardcore Constantine fans weren’t exactly thrilled with the movie (I’m a hardcore Batman fan but I despite The Dark Knight Rises).
Nevertheless, NBC’s is trying their luck at this newest adaptation and released a three-minute preview earlier this week. The pilot shows Constantine institutionalized from the start at Ravenscar before seeking out and teaming up with Liv Aberdine. Take a look for yourselves:
So far it looks like the show is going to deliver loads of action and supernatural fun, lets just hope it stays that way. (NBC doesn’t seem to be doing well with their adaptations.)
‘Constantine’, starring Matt Ryan, Lucy Griffiths, Harold Perrineau & Charles Halford, is set to debut Fridays this coming Fall on NBC.
Sources: NBC, Frontier LA, MovieFone
