HBO Max has quietly resurrected Constantine, the 2005 DC adaptation that refused to stay buried. Now streaming again, the Keanu Reeves-led supernatural thriller returns at a moment when its long-rumored sequel is closer to reality than ever. For years, Constantine existed in pop culture limbo: dismissed on release, rediscovered on cable and DVD, and slowly elevated to cult status by fans who appreciated its grim tone and unapologetically adult take on the DC universe. The movie, directed by Francis Lawrence and inspired by DC’s Hellblazer comics, follows John Constantine (Reeves), a chain-smoking occult detective cursed with the knowledge that hell awaits him upon death. The film’s a nice amalgamation of noir, religious horror, and comic-book mythology.
That renewed relevance matters because Constantine 2 is no longer just wishful thinking. Reeves and Lawrence have confirmed active discussions with DC Studios, with James Gunn acknowledging that a sequel is in development and that a finalized script is pending. Reeves has stated the team has already pitched a story that received approval, marking the most concrete progress in over a decade.
‘Constantine’ Was a Modest Performer at the Box Office When It Was First Released
When Constantine hit theaters in February 2005, it opened solidly but never turned into a breakout. The film debuted with $29.77 million in the U.S. and Canada, then finished its domestic run at $75.98 million. International markets did most of the lifting, adding about $154.94 million for a $230.91 million worldwide total.
Those totals look healthy on paper, but they were modest relative to expectations for a studio DC adaptation with a reported $100 million production budget, plus global marketing and distribution costs that are not included in that figure. In other words, it was profitable enough to justify continued interest, yet not dominant enough to demand an immediate sequel. That gap is a big reason the movie’s legacy shifted to cult status, where home viewing and repeat discovery did the heavy work that theaters did not.
Now, with a much larger cult following for Keanu Reeves from his John Wick films and greater interest in the DC Universe, the upcoming sequel, if it is realized, would be well-positioned to draw more audiences to theaters.
Constantine is available to stream on HBO Max. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
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February 18, 2005
- Runtime
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121 minutes
- Director
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Francis Lawrence
- Writers
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Frank A. Cappello
- Producers
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Akiva Goldsman, Benjamin Melniker, Erwin Stoff, Lauren Shuler Donner, Lorenzo di Bonaventura
