Constantine is the latest big property to get the reboot treatment.
Deadline is reporting that HBO Max is eyeing a project that would have a diverse lead and would be a “darker reboot” of the DC comics character.
The project hails from J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot production company.
Guy Bolton has already reported written the pilot and there are plans to open a writers room in the coming months, suggesting that a project is moving along nicely.
This would mark Constantine’s third live-action adaption. Keanu Reeves played John Constantine in the 2005 movie.
The cast of the movie also featured Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf, and Tilda Swinton. It was a commercial success but didn’t make much of an impact with critics.
A sequel has reportedly been in development for some time, but with this project moving along at HBO Max, it could spell doom for any sequel.
There was also a Constantine TV series that aired on NBC in 2014 with Matt Ryan playing the role, but the series was axed after just 13 episodes.
That wasn’t the end of the line for the character, however.
Ryan moved the character over to The CW’s Arrowverse and currently stars as a lead on DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.
HBO Max has a wealth of DC Universe properties in the works, with Titans and Doom Patrol migrating over from failed streamer, DC Universe, HBO Max is also developing Peacemaker, a Suicide Squad spinoff starring John Cena; a Green Lantern series; and an untitled drama about the Gotham City Police Department, which will be a spinoff of Robert Pattinson’s The Batman.
HBO Max is ramping up a healthy development slate, bringing beloved properties back to viewers, and we’re intrigued to see how this darker take on Constantine plays out.
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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.