🐱 DC Reportedly Casting BIPOC Constantine for New Series

https://www.cbr.com/constantine-series-hbo-max-jj-abrams/

A new Constantine series is reportedly on the horizon for HBO Max, and the program could see a BIPOC performer take on the role of the Hellblazer

According to The Illumnerdi, HBO Max is partnering up with the J.J. Abrams studio Bad Robot Productions on a Constantine TV show. This incarnation of the character will have a dark tone with a heavy emphasis on horror rather than religious elements. Notably, the show is currently looking to secure a BIPOC performer in the mold of Riz Ahmed to take on the part of John Constantine.


Abrams is currently working on an HBO Max series based on Justice League Dark, a team that frequently employs Constantine among its ranks. However, it's unclear if this new Constantine show would be connected to that production.

John Constantine has been a staple of the DC Universe for decades, while his most prolific live-action incarnation came with a 2005 movie starring Keanu Reeves. The project took liberties with the source material but proved a decent box office hit with a $230.88 million worldwide gross and has garnered a cult following in the years since its release.

Constantine also previously headlined a series on NBC. Though it only lasted 13 episodes, Matt Ryan, the actor tasked with playing this version of Constantine, has gone on to reprise the role as a series regular on DC's Legends of Tomorrow.

 

[Product Placement]

they tried making Michael Holt into a gay black man in Arrow and turned him into the goofiest stereotype of a gay black man possible.

I'm not fucking kidding you, dude acted like a Redditor but on screen. It was fucking embarrassing considering the comic's Michael Holt/Mr. Terrific has always been a pretty substantial badass. Yes, even his 2010s era edition has been decent.

The CW Mr. Terrific was one step away from saying yowza massah AND talking like a flamboyant gay man all the time. His character was constantly mood swinging so much that it was insane.

Why, nothing wrong with making new characters for TV shows, shows like Adam West Batman and Batman: The Animated Series did that, Renee Montoya and Harley Quinn wouldn't have existed if they just changed preexisting characters. If they wanted a gay black superhero just make a new character, and if people like him maybe he will make his way to the comics

 

[Kulee Baba]

Why, nothing wrong with making new characters for TV shows, shows like Adam West Batman and Batman: The Animated Series did that, Renee Montoya and Harley Quinn wouldn't have existed if they just changed preexisting characters. If they wanted a gay black superhero just make a new character, and if people like him maybe he will make his way to the comics

I'm assuming there's some legal fuckery afoot that encourages them to write new characters ontop of old ones.

There's nothing stopping DC from making a new Hellblazer TV Show with a Black Protagonist. But if they name the character "Marcus Severus" then the designated creators (whoever they maybe) could get a cut of the royalties. For years maybe decades on.

But the character John Constantine? He was made in the 1980s when DC totally screwed over talent like Alan Moore in the same way they screwed over Superman's creators. They're financially better off just using the name and also copying over the biography than making Original Characters that can co-exist with the others.

Reminds me of how Nickolodeon has produced that butt ugly Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that don't even look like Ninja Turtles. In that aesthetically unpleasing cartoon April O'Neil is a little black girl instead of being an adult babe like every single incarnation of April that's ever been made. Why they did this I believe is because they don't want some TV cartoonist getting miniscule action figure royalties.

 

[Tor Lugosi]

Even as a huge Hellblazer fan I wouldn't necessarily mind a non-white guy playing John. I remember watching Luther and thinking Idris Elba would probably be good in the role (though I think he's probably too old for it now).

But I have no confidence in DC and Warner Bros not fucking this up. Riz Ahmed is about as far away as a good John Constantine as you could get.

 

[Alexander Thaut]

Why, nothing wrong with making new characters for TV shows, shows like Adam West Batman and Batman: The Animated Series did that, Renee Montoya and Harley Quinn wouldn't have existed if they just changed preexisting characters. If they wanted a gay black superhero just make a new character, and if people like him maybe he will make his way to the comics

well yeah Black Lightning was famous for legal issues preventing his use in Super Friends so they did make Black Vulcan instead.

The problem is that every time they try making a character to fit any sort of oppression points scale. it often winds up being kinda shit.

I'm assuming there's some legal fuckery afoot that encourages them to write new characters ontop of old ones.

There's nothing stopping DC from making a new Hellblazer TV Show with a Black Protagonist. But if they name the character "Marcus Severus" then the designated creators (whoever they maybe) could get a cut of the royalties. For years maybe decades on.

But the character John Constantine? He was made in the 1980s when DC totally screwed over talent like Alan Moore in the same way they screwed over Superman's creators. They're financially better off just using the name and also copying over the biography than making Original Characters that can co-exist with the others.

Reminds me of how Nickolodeon has produced that butt ugly Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that don't even look like Ninja Turtles. In that aesthetically unpleasing cartoon April O'Neil is a little black girl instead of being an adult babe like every single incarnation of April that's ever been made. Why they did this I believe is because they don't want some TV cartoonist getting miniscule action figure royalties.

sometimes it's convenient, other times they just want to hijack a label.

I thought Supergirl and Black Lightning shows had promise but then it got clogged with other things. It's a shame they didn't follow the whole rule of storytelling on "show, don't tell" with a ton of things.

 

[NoReturn]

There's nothing stopping DC from making a new Hellblazer TV Show with a Black Protagonist. But if they name the character "Marcus Severus" then the designated creators (whoever they maybe) could get a cut of the royalties. For years maybe decades on.

But the character John Constantine? He was made in the 1980s when DC totally screwed over talent like Alan Moore in the same way they screwed over Superman's creators. They're financially better off just using the name and also copying over the biography than making Original Characters that can co-exist with the others.

Marcus Severus
Much as John was based on Sting, Marcus could be based on Prince and could act as a foil to Constantine in terms of background and characterization. John being British could play against Marcus being an American, and while John is foul mouthed and disillusioned, Marcus could come from a background where he refuses to give in to disillusionment. The kind of guy who doesn't think it's cool not to care, and forces himself to care even when it's difficult or he doesn't want to get involved (in contrast to John being someone who does care and pretends not to show it).

There, now can I have some CW money?

 

[Bec]

This "BIPOC" bullshit just seems like an evolution of their tactics to make it "everyone vs white people". What a bunch of exclusionary racist bigots.

Bipoc excludes east asians, indians and arabs.

 

[Shield Breaker]

Keanu Reeves is what made the film a success.

The TV show was a flop and I can't see how this is going to be any better.

For the record I'd like another Keanu Reeves Constantine film.

Supposedly, it is in the works.

 

[Troonos]

Bipoc excludes east asians, indians and arabs.

Oh, so it's "people who are held responsible for their failures and didn't earn their successes because skin color" vs "people who choose to fail but can't be blamed because skin color". Got it.