John Constantine has three official versions — the bisexual, chain-smoking Scouse con man of DC’s Hellblazer comics, Keanu Reeves’ Los Angeles-based exorcist from the 2005 film, and Matt Ryan’s NBC take that split the difference. With Reeves and director Francis Lawrence now developing a sequel script, here’s what each version actually kept and threw out.
Last updated September 7, 2026.
The Original: Hellblazer’s John Constantine
Created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, and John Totleben in 1985 (first appearing in Swamp Thing before spinning off into his own Hellblazer series), the comics’ John Constantine is proudly working-class and English — born in Liverpool, based in London, styled visually after Sting. He’s a con man first and a magician second, someone who wins fights against demons by lying to them rather than out-powering them. Hellblazer, published under DC’s mature-readers Vertigo imprint, let the character be genuinely morally compromised: he routinely gets friends killed through his schemes and rarely faces real consequences for it. His bisexuality, established in the comics as simply a fact of who he is rather than a plot point, is one of the earliest examples of an ongoing bisexual protagonist in mainstream American comics.
Comics vs. Movie vs. TV Show, Compared
| Detail | Hellblazer Comics | Constantine (2005 film) | Constantine (2014 NBC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nationality/setting | British — Liverpool, then London | American — Los Angeles | British actor, American-set stories |
| Why he’s damned | A lifetime of morally gray magical dealing and getting others killed | A specific act — he attempted suicide as a teenager after seeing into Hell | Closer to the comics; occult debts and guilt over a botched exorcism |
| Sexuality | Openly bisexual, depicted across multiple relationships | Not addressed | Largely unaddressed on-air, despite producers stating intent to include it |
| Core skill | Manipulation and knowledge of occult rules — wins by cheating | More traditional demon-hunter with holy weapons and exorcism ritual | Closest to comics — cynical, trick-based problem solving |
Why Fans Consider Matt Ryan the More Faithful Constantine
Despite Reeves’ film getting the larger budget and theatrical release, most Hellblazer readers point to Matt Ryan’s single-season NBC series as the more faithful adaptation — not because the show solved every constraint (network television in 2014 kept his queerness almost entirely off-screen, a significant departure the comics never had), but because the writing let him operate the way the comics do: talking his way out of danger rather than fighting his way out, and treating the people around him as expendable to his schemes in a way the film’s more heroic Constantine never does. Ryan later voiced the character across multiple DC animated projects and appeared in live-action on Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow, effectively becoming the character’s default modern portrayal even though his own show was canceled after 13 episodes.
What Constantine 2 Means for Which Version Survives
Twenty years after the 2005 film, Keanu Reeves and director Francis Lawrence are actively developing a sequel, with Reeves confirming a completed script draft has been submitted for studio review. DC Studios co-head James Gunn has said the project has permission to move forward on the writing side, though as of this writing he hadn’t yet read the finished draft himself, and no release date exists. If it proceeds, it would be the first Constantine screen appearance since the character’s brief live-action cameos wound down — and notably, it’s happening under Gunn’s rebooted DCU continuity rather than folded into it, since the 2005 film predates that universe entirely and Reeves’ Constantine has never been confirmed as canon to Gunn’s DC Universe.
Sources
Adaptation details verified against ComicBook.com and CBR’s comparison of the two lead actors; Constantine 2 development status from ScreenRant.
Constantine remains one of DC’s most-crossed-over occult characters — see our Justice League Dark guide to every member you should know for where he fits alongside Zatanna and Swamp Thing, and our coverage of Keanu Reeves’ upcoming sci-fi thriller Shiver for what else he’s working on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Constantine movie accurate to the comics?
Not closely. The 2005 film relocates John Constantine from London to Los Angeles, changes why he’s damned, and largely omits his comics bisexuality, which fans and critics have both noted as a major departure.
Who played John Constantine better, Keanu Reeves or Matt Ryan?
Most Hellblazer readers consider Matt Ryan’s NBC portrayal closer to the comics character in tone and problem-solving style, even though Reeves’ film had a larger budget and wider release.
Is Constantine 2 confirmed?
Not yet officially greenlit as of September 2026. Keanu Reeves and director Francis Lawrence have a completed script draft under studio review, and DC Studios co-head James Gunn has confirmed the project is moving forward on the writing side.
Is the Constantine movie part of the DCU?
No. The 2005 film predates James Gunn’s DC Universe reboot and has never been confirmed as canon to it.
