Following the shocking announcement that Constantine 2 was in development, leading actor Keanu Reeves addressed his imminent comeback to the DC Universe (DCU) role.

Reeves was shockingly pegged for this comeback in September 2022 when news confirmed that his 2005 solo movie, Constantine, was set to continue into a sequel. Although this original movie didn’t perform very well with critics (46% on Rotten Tomatoes) or at the box office ($230.9 million globally), Warner Bros. is looking to bank on Reeves’ immense star-power in the new era of superhero movies for a more successful story this time around.

Where this new movie fits within DC Studios’ upcoming slate under co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran remains to be seen, but at the very least, it remains in development after a number of cancelations elsewhere.

Now, Reeves has pulled back the curtain on how Constantine came to fruition, largely due to his relentless efforts to see the story continue.

Keanu Reeves’ Comments on Constantine Sequel

Speaking with Total Film (via Slashfilm), Constantine actor Keanu Reeves offered his first public comments regarding Constantine 2 going into development under Warner Bros since its announcement last year.

Reeves explained just how much he loved playing the role in the first movie, joking that he was similar to the titular character from Oliver Twist in asking the studio “Can I please have some more?”

“I don’t know if it was unfinished business but it was definitely a role that I loved. And I thought that Francis Lawrence, the director, did such amazing work. I loved playing that character, and I really enjoyed the film. I was like, [adopts Oliver Twist voice] ‘Can I please have some more?'”

This apparently became a regular conversation between Reeves and Warner Bros., with the studio regularly saying no to his requests:

“I kept asking almost every year. I’d be like, ‘Can I please?’ [and] they’d be like, ‘No, no!'”

Once the studio finally said “sure” and greenlit the sequel, Reeves and his team quickly got to work and are now “just starting to try and put a story together.”

Reeves was unable to contain his excitement, making it clear that he’s going to “try [his] darndest to try and realize that dream” of making this movie even with all the obstacles in the way:”So it’s exciting. It’s almost like an open playground that we can hopefully cook something up and play in, and I guess get out of the playground and prepare a meal. But I’m looking forward to it, and hopefully it can happen. You don’t know how these things go. But I’m definitely going to try my darndest to try and realize that dream.”

Having continued his franchise mega-stardom with movies like John Wick 4 and The Matrix Resurrections, Keanu Reeves remains as active as ever in the Hollywood blockbuster scene. He’s also recently dipped his toes into other sects of the DC Universe with his voiceover role as Batman in the animated DC League of Super-Pets, but it’s clear that he’s had Constantine on his mind for a long time.

Reeves has even looked for other superhero roles in the meantime, having spoken to Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige about finding an MCU role that would suit both of them.

When Will Constantine 2 Be Made?

In the nearly two decades since the first movie debuted, Constantine has been a struggle for Warner Bros. and DC to get onto both the big and small screen alike.

Matt Ryan brought his version of the hero to the Arrowverse starting in 2014, and while there was actually a different Constantine show in development for HBO Max over the last few months, its development is reportedly dead as Gunn and Safran rework the DCU.

It’s currently uncertain whether Rachel Weisz’ Angela Dodson or Tilda Swinton’s (spoilers, now mortal) Gabriel could return for the sequel, though their reappearances would certainly help the follow-up feel more like a proper Constantine 2 as opposed to just another Keanu Reeves romp.

Should this movie continue further into development, it would likely fall into the Elseworlds category of projects in the DCU, which Gunn has already said will be a piece of his extensive story as new movies are brought to life.

With the script still being underway under writer Akiva Goldsman, it’s likely that the movie will be a few years out yet. A release sometime in late 2024 would seem appropriate given where the film is in development, which would also allow for a release around Halloween to match Constantine’s grimmer aesthetic.

It’s still unclear when more progress will be made on making the movie, but should Reeves get what he wants, it won’t be too long before it becomes a reality.