Sope Dirisu may be the next person to portray DC’s resident paranormal investigator in HBO’s Constantine project.
Spearheaded by Lost creator J.J. Abrams, speculation is orbiting the possible casting of Dirisu as occultist and con man John Constantine. If cast, Dirisu would be the first black actor in the role.
Dirisu is best known for his work on series such as Gangs of London, Humans, and Next of Kin. Film credits include The Huntsman: Winter’s War, Criminal, and Sand Castle. He will also be seen in the upcoming Dr. Malcom’s List.
Sope as John Constantine – What Do We Know About Ol’ John?
Co-created by Alan Moore, Rick Veitch, Stephen Bissette and John Tottleben in Saga of The Swamp Thing, John Constantine is a Liverpool-born occult expert set on this course by a tragic past. From former lead singer of a punk rock group to current member of Justice League Dark, John’s been around. He is visually characterized by his trademark trench coat and smoking habit. His cynicism and tendency to work an angle keeps him at odds with other heroes, Swamp Thing in particular. His loyalties to the angels, however, is never in question. As a bisexual, his romantic entanglements are numerous, but he’s been infamously linked time and again to the magician Zatanna.
Although this is only a rumor at this point, Dirisu would be the third actor to play the role. Keanu Reeves brought the character to audiences in 2005’s Constantine, albeit an American version of the British character. Matt Ryan brought a more faithful interpretation to NBC in the short-lived Constantine series before being brought to the CW in the fourth season of Arrow and made a regular on DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Ryan has also voiced the character on numerous animated projects in the DCAU, including the upcoming animated Constantine: The House of Mystery.
More on this story as it develops.
Official Source – Constantine: Ṣọpẹ Dìrísù reportedly set to star as John Constantine in the new HBO Max series (joblo.com)
