Francis Lawrence is giving an update on the development of Constantine 2 with Keanu Reeves and things are seemingly moving along.
The sequel to the 2005 superhero horror film was stalled due to the writers strike but with writers back at work, Lawrence has been in meetings with Reeves to continue the saga.
“So Constantine 2 got obviously held up by the writers strike,” Lawrence told Gamespot. “And we had to jump through a bunch of hurdles to get control of the character again, because other people had control of the Vertigo stuff. We have control.”
Lawrence continued, “Keanu and Akiva Goldsman and I have been in meetings and have been hashing out what we think the story is going to be, and there’s more meetings of those that have to happen–the script has to be written–but really hoping that we get to do Constantine 2, and make...
The sequel to the 2005 superhero horror film was stalled due to the writers strike but with writers back at work, Lawrence has been in meetings with Reeves to continue the saga.
“So Constantine 2 got obviously held up by the writers strike,” Lawrence told Gamespot. “And we had to jump through a bunch of hurdles to get control of the character again, because other people had control of the Vertigo stuff. We have control.”
Lawrence continued, “Keanu and Akiva Goldsman and I have been in meetings and have been hashing out what we think the story is going to be, and there’s more meetings of those that have to happen–the script has to be written–but really hoping that we get to do Constantine 2, and make...
- 10/31/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Seventeen years after the release of the DC Comics adaptation Constantine (watch it Here), a sequel is finally moving ahead with director Francis Lawrence back at the helm and star Keanu Reeves reprising the role of occult expert John Constantine. Speaking with The Wrap, Lawrence revealed that his biggest regret about the first Constantine was the fact that it was shot for a PG-13 rating but ended up receiving an R rating anyway. With Constantine 2, he intends to aim for an R rating from the start.
Lawrence said, “One of the biggest things for me about the first one was we followed, per Warner Bros., the rules to make a PG-13 movie in terms of violence, blood, language, sexuality. But the ratings board gave us a hard R based on their the gray zone of intensity. And my big, big regret was that we have an R-rated movie that’s really a PG-13 movie.
Lawrence said, “One of the biggest things for me about the first one was we followed, per Warner Bros., the rules to make a PG-13 movie in terms of violence, blood, language, sexuality. But the ratings board gave us a hard R based on their the gray zone of intensity. And my big, big regret was that we have an R-rated movie that’s really a PG-13 movie.
- 11/15/2022
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Keanu Reeves Returns for Constantine Sequel, HBO Max Passes on the Constantine Reboot TV Series — Warner Bros. is moving forward with a sequel to the 2005 film Constantine. The original film, based on DC Comics’ Hellblazer comic book, was directed by Francis Lawrence and was written by Kevin Brodbin and Frank [...]
Continue reading: Constantine: Sequel Movie Starring Keanu Reeves Moves Forward; TV Reboot Shopped Elsewhere After HBO Max Passes...
Continue reading: Constantine: Sequel Movie Starring Keanu Reeves Moves Forward; TV Reboot Shopped Elsewhere After HBO Max Passes...
- 9/17/2022
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
Some demon-dealing magicians get all the luck. After nearly two decades, Keanu Reeves will return to the role of John Constantine in a sequel to the 2005 cult hit "Constantine." Deadline reports that Warner Bros. has greenlit a "Constantine 2" starring Reeves and re-teaming him with director Francis Lawrence. "Constantine" was Lawrence's directorial debut and he went on to direct "I am Legend" and the "Hunger Games" sequels, so he's sharpened his talents and could potentially be back with an even better tale of Constantine's troubles. (John is always in trouble. That's his whole thing.)
While many fans might be asking "why now?," they should really be asking "why not?" Not only is Reeves still killing it as an action star in the "John Wick" franchise, but the character of Constantine has gained new interest due to the success of Netflix's "The Sandman" series, which turned the character into Joanna Constantine...
While many fans might be asking "why now?," they should really be asking "why not?" Not only is Reeves still killing it as an action star in the "John Wick" franchise, but the character of Constantine has gained new interest due to the success of Netflix's "The Sandman" series, which turned the character into Joanna Constantine...
- 9/16/2022
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
Across cinema history, few genres have been as enduring and controversial as those releases bold enough to directly tackle the subject of war. Perhaps this is to be expected considering the divisive nature of many of history’s most memorable conflicts – which are often still capable of inciting debate – and the implicit drama both on and off the battlefield that can be mined in a wartime narrative. While the setting and precise message of war films may differ from one filmmaker’s vision to the next, the constant theme is that such conflicts are rarely as black and white as they may seem. The Siege of Jadotville – the new film from first-time director Richie Smyth – fits that description perfectly but not in the way some viewers may expect.
Set in 1961, the film – written by Kevin Brodbin (Constantine) – stars Jamie Dornan as Commandant Pat Quinlan, an Irish soldier with no battle...
Set in 1961, the film – written by Kevin Brodbin (Constantine) – stars Jamie Dornan as Commandant Pat Quinlan, an Irish soldier with no battle...
- 10/8/2016
- by Robert Yaniz Jr.
- We Got This Covered
Although it won't hit Netflix until October 7th, The Siege of Jadotville is in selected Irish cinemas now, following a special screening in Dublin's Savoy cinema on Monday night. Already being highly praised by critics, this gripping true story depicts the 1961 siege of a 150-strong Irish Un Company under Commander Patrick Quinlan (Jamie Dornan) by 3,000 Congolese troops led by French and Belgian mercenaries working for mining companies. The cast also includes Mark Strong, Jason O'Mara, Guillaume Canet and Sam Keeley and comes from producer Alan Moloney (Brooklyn, Albert Nobbs, Byzantium), director Richie Smyth and writer Kevin Brodbin. Check out the trailer below and some pics from Tuesday night's special screening, which was attended by cast members and some of the veterans of the siege:...
- 9/21/2016
- by noreply@blogger.com (Martin Macnamara)
- www.themoviebit.com
Right now we are looking at a very manly cast for Netflix's drama of Irish Commandant Pat Quinlan, played by hunky Dornan, as he leads a stand-off with troops against French and Belgian mercenaries in the 1960s Congo. TV's Jason O'Mara, who led Fox's beleaguered "Terra Nova" and appeared on "The Good Wife" and elsewhere, has just been added to the ensemble. Directed by first-timer Richie Smyth and written by Kevin Brodbin (whose story credits including "Constantine" do not bode well), this muscly drama enters production this April in Ireland and South Africa, and will stream across all territories in 2016. Netflix snapped up "Jadotville" out of this year's Berlinale. Read More: "Fifty Shades" Star Jamie Dornan Joins "Anthropoid" Netflix is reportedly spending $450 million on original content this year, and it shows. Its feature film slate includes Duplass grabs out of SXSW "6 Years" and "Mason Family...
- 4/15/2015
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
With Jamie Dornan, Guillaume Canet and Mark Strong already aboard, the cast for Richie Smyth’s Jadotville is growing. Jason O’Mara will appear alongside the rest.The film is set in 1961 and follows the real-life events around the siege of an Irish Un battalion by 3,000 Congolese troops under the command of French and Belgian mercenaries paid by big mining companies. Dornan is set as the Irish commander, Patrick Quinlan, with Canet in charge of the French contingent. Strong’s role has yet to be revealed, but O’Mara will be Company Sergeant Jack “Sarge” Prendergast, Quinlan’s right-hand man.Netflix has swooped in to pick up the rights to distribute the pic, locking down a deal at this year’s Berlin Film Festival, with Kevin Brodbin writing the script.O’Mara was last seen on the big screen in Lake Bell’s comedy In A World…. More recently he’s been appearing on TV,...
- 4/14/2015
- EmpireOnline
Netflix will be adding a brand new title to its slate of original film initiatives. The streaming platform will debut the war thriller Jadotville starring Jamie Dornan (of 50 Shades of Grey fame) across all Netflix territories in 2016.
Helmed by music video director Richie Smyth, Jadotville tells the story of Commander Patrick Quinlan (Dornan), the leader of an Irish Un battalion of 150 men who are under siege by 3,000 Congolese troops. Belgian and French mercenaries hired by mining companies lead the attack, with one French commander (played by Guillaume Canet of Blood Ties) particularly determined to defeat Quinlan’s outranked battalion.
Netflix acquired Jadotville at the 2015 Berlin Film Festival. The Irish war thriller, penned by Kevin Brodbin (Constantine), will film in Ireland and South Africa. Alan Moloney of Parallel Films (Albert Nobbs, Byzantium) is set to produce.
“The story of how Pat Quinlan led his troops against an overwhelming force without losing...
Helmed by music video director Richie Smyth, Jadotville tells the story of Commander Patrick Quinlan (Dornan), the leader of an Irish Un battalion of 150 men who are under siege by 3,000 Congolese troops. Belgian and French mercenaries hired by mining companies lead the attack, with one French commander (played by Guillaume Canet of Blood Ties) particularly determined to defeat Quinlan’s outranked battalion.
Netflix acquired Jadotville at the 2015 Berlin Film Festival. The Irish war thriller, penned by Kevin Brodbin (Constantine), will film in Ireland and South Africa. Alan Moloney of Parallel Films (Albert Nobbs, Byzantium) is set to produce.
“The story of how Pat Quinlan led his troops against an overwhelming force without losing...
- 2/16/2015
- by Bree Brouwer
- Tubefilter.com
The streaming giant has announced a major play that concluded in the final days of the Efm, flexing its mighty claws for all rights to one of the hottest packages in Berlin.
Netflix plans a multi-territory release in 2016 on Jadotville, the upcoming war thriller to star Jamie Dornan of Fifty Shades Of Grey and Guillaume Canet that Bloom introduced to international buyers at the recent market.
It is understood the release will incorporate a qualifying theatrical run for awards consideration. Netflix cut the deal with UTA Independent Film Group on behalf of the film-makers.
Commercials and video director Richie Smyth will direct from Kevin Brodbin’s screenplay and partners with producer Alan Moloney of Parallel Film.
Principal photography is set to begin in April on what Smyth and Moloney recently described to Screen in Berlin as an epic story of heroism that weaves together action, intrigue and geopolitics.
Dornan, riding high after the $266.4m global launch of [link...
Netflix plans a multi-territory release in 2016 on Jadotville, the upcoming war thriller to star Jamie Dornan of Fifty Shades Of Grey and Guillaume Canet that Bloom introduced to international buyers at the recent market.
It is understood the release will incorporate a qualifying theatrical run for awards consideration. Netflix cut the deal with UTA Independent Film Group on behalf of the film-makers.
Commercials and video director Richie Smyth will direct from Kevin Brodbin’s screenplay and partners with producer Alan Moloney of Parallel Film.
Principal photography is set to begin in April on what Smyth and Moloney recently described to Screen in Berlin as an epic story of heroism that weaves together action, intrigue and geopolitics.
Dornan, riding high after the $266.4m global launch of [link...
- 2/16/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Get ready, folks. The evolution of film distribution continues to move forward. While theaters have distributors have tried to stall the process, the move towards digital distribution of films continues to inch forward. Netflix all ready showed the world that it was willing to change the way we watch TV, offering up a small slate of series that stream directly from the service all at once for binge-watching consumption, they're now moving onto films.
At last year's Berlin Film Festival, they acquired the rights to Jadotville. The war thriller will star Fifty Shades of Grey actor Jamie Dornan, and Tell No Lies actor Guillaume Canet. Now the rest of the pieces are coming together and the film is set to go into production for a 2016 premiere, exclusively on Netflix.
Here's an excerpt from the press release:
A gripping true story of incredible bravery against impossible odds, the film thrillingly depicts...
At last year's Berlin Film Festival, they acquired the rights to Jadotville. The war thriller will star Fifty Shades of Grey actor Jamie Dornan, and Tell No Lies actor Guillaume Canet. Now the rest of the pieces are coming together and the film is set to go into production for a 2016 premiere, exclusively on Netflix.
Here's an excerpt from the press release:
A gripping true story of incredible bravery against impossible odds, the film thrillingly depicts...
- 2/16/2015
- by Mario-Francisco Robles
- LRMonline.com
Netflix has announced plans to premiere the new war thriller feature "Jadotville" around the world on its VOD service in 2016. Netflix acquired the upcoming project the other week in Berlin and the movie goes into production in April.
The story depicts the 1961 siege of a 150-strong Irish Un battalion under Commander Patrick Quinlan ("Fifty Shades of Grey" star Jamie Dornan) by 3,000 Congolese troops led by French and Belgian mercenaries working for mining companies.
French actor/filmmaker Guillaume Canet plays a French commander who sought to defeat Quinlan and his men. Richie Smyth is helming the project form a script by Kevin Brodbin ("Constantine").
Source: Netflix...
The story depicts the 1961 siege of a 150-strong Irish Un battalion under Commander Patrick Quinlan ("Fifty Shades of Grey" star Jamie Dornan) by 3,000 Congolese troops led by French and Belgian mercenaries working for mining companies.
French actor/filmmaker Guillaume Canet plays a French commander who sought to defeat Quinlan and his men. Richie Smyth is helming the project form a script by Kevin Brodbin ("Constantine").
Source: Netflix...
- 2/16/2015
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
2:22
Michel Huisman ("Game of Thrones," "Orphan Black") will star opposite Teresa Palmer in Paul Currie's romantic action thriller "2:22" which starts shooting next week in Sydney, Australia. Houseman will replace Benjamin Walker who has left the project.
The actor portrays a man whose life is derailed when an ominous pattern of events repeats itself in exactly the same manner every day, ending at precisely 2:22 p.m. He falls for a beautiful woman whose life is threatened by these strange events. [Source: Variety]
Jadotville
Guillaume Canet will join Jamie Dornan in Richie Smyth's Irish-South African co-production war thriller "Jadotville" at Parallel Films. Filming begins this spring in South Africa.
Dornan plays an Irish commandant who leads a stand-off with troops against French and Belgian mercenaries in the Congo during in 1961. Canet plays a French commander. Smyth is directing from a script by Kevin Brodbin. [Source: Variety]
Taxonomy
Alan Rickman, Katie Holmes, Evan Rachel Wood...
Michel Huisman ("Game of Thrones," "Orphan Black") will star opposite Teresa Palmer in Paul Currie's romantic action thriller "2:22" which starts shooting next week in Sydney, Australia. Houseman will replace Benjamin Walker who has left the project.
The actor portrays a man whose life is derailed when an ominous pattern of events repeats itself in exactly the same manner every day, ending at precisely 2:22 p.m. He falls for a beautiful woman whose life is threatened by these strange events. [Source: Variety]
Jadotville
Guillaume Canet will join Jamie Dornan in Richie Smyth's Irish-South African co-production war thriller "Jadotville" at Parallel Films. Filming begins this spring in South Africa.
Dornan plays an Irish commandant who leads a stand-off with troops against French and Belgian mercenaries in the Congo during in 1961. Canet plays a French commander. Smyth is directing from a script by Kevin Brodbin. [Source: Variety]
Taxonomy
Alan Rickman, Katie Holmes, Evan Rachel Wood...
- 1/30/2015
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
“Fifty Shades of Grey” stars Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson have found new co-stars for their upcoming projects, TheWrap has learned.
Guillaume Canet (“The Beach”) will join Dornan in Richie Smyth’s “Jadotville,” while Johnson has joined Alison Brie in New Line’s romantic comedy “How to Be Single,” which has also added Rebel Wilson, Dan Stevens and Leslie Mann.
Kevin Brodbin (“Constantine”) wrote “Jadotville,” which is a geopolitical thriller set against the backdrop of war that Alan Moloney is producing under his Parallel Films banner.
Also Read: Golden Globes Awards: Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson Are ‘Fifty Shades’ of Awkward...
Guillaume Canet (“The Beach”) will join Dornan in Richie Smyth’s “Jadotville,” while Johnson has joined Alison Brie in New Line’s romantic comedy “How to Be Single,” which has also added Rebel Wilson, Dan Stevens and Leslie Mann.
Kevin Brodbin (“Constantine”) wrote “Jadotville,” which is a geopolitical thriller set against the backdrop of war that Alan Moloney is producing under his Parallel Films banner.
Also Read: Golden Globes Awards: Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson Are ‘Fifty Shades’ of Awkward...
- 1/30/2015
- by Jeff Sneider
- The Wrap
Efm: Alex Walton’s Bloom heads to the Berlin market with international rights to the geopolitical thriller starring Guillaume Canet and Jamie Dornan, who will be in town for the world premiere of Fifty Shades Of Grey.
Richie Smyth will direct the Irish-South African co-production in spring in South Africa.
Kevin Brodbin’s screenplay follows an Irish military commander in a stand-off with French and Belgian mercenaries in the Congo in the early 1960s.
Alan Moloney will produce via his Parallel Films. UTA Independent Film Group represents Us rights.
“We are always trying to find amazing stories to tell and this extraordinary true story of heroism against all odds is just that,” said Walton.
“To see Jamie, who is one of the most exciting leading men working today, alongside Guillaume, is a fantastic opportunity.”
Bloom is in production on Shane Black’s The Nice Guys and in post on The Sea Of Trees.
Richie Smyth will direct the Irish-South African co-production in spring in South Africa.
Kevin Brodbin’s screenplay follows an Irish military commander in a stand-off with French and Belgian mercenaries in the Congo in the early 1960s.
Alan Moloney will produce via his Parallel Films. UTA Independent Film Group represents Us rights.
“We are always trying to find amazing stories to tell and this extraordinary true story of heroism against all odds is just that,” said Walton.
“To see Jamie, who is one of the most exciting leading men working today, alongside Guillaume, is a fantastic opportunity.”
Bloom is in production on Shane Black’s The Nice Guys and in post on The Sea Of Trees.
- 1/29/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
• Samuel L. Jackson is in talks to play the title role in The Black Phantom, replacing Jamie Foxx, who left the project due to scheduling conflicts. Jackson would join Kevin Hart in Screen Gems’ action comedy, which is being directed by Tim Story. The film follows a hit man (Hart) who strikes an unlikely partnership with the hit man hired to kill him, The Black Phantom. Dave Lease and Megan Hinds wrote the script. Will Packer and Will Gluck will produce. [Deadline]
• Lee Pace (Guardians of the Galaxy) will star in the sci-fi thriller Prisoners of War, replacing Alex Russell (Chronicle...
• Lee Pace (Guardians of the Galaxy) will star in the sci-fi thriller Prisoners of War, replacing Alex Russell (Chronicle...
- 8/7/2014
- by C. Molly Smith
- EW - Inside Movies
Parallel Films announces details of The Siege of Jadotville, starring Fifty Shades of Grey’s Jamie Dornan.
Jamie Dornan has taken his first leading role since starring in upcoming erotic thriller Fifty Shades of Grey.
The actor will star in geo-political action thriller The Siege of Jadotville, directed by Richie Smyth and produced by Alan Moloney of Dublin and London-based Parallel Films.
Dornan said: “I can’t wait to get stuck into Jadotville. It’s an unbelievable story and Commandant Pat Quinlan is going to be a treat of a character to tackle.
“I’m a big fan of both Richie Smyth and Alan Moloney and I’m very much looking forward to working with them both.”
The film, written by Kevin Brodbin, will shoot in spring 2015 in Ireland and South Africa as soon as Dornan has finished his publicity commitments for Fifty Shades.
The project has been developed in association with the Irish Film Board and will...
Jamie Dornan has taken his first leading role since starring in upcoming erotic thriller Fifty Shades of Grey.
The actor will star in geo-political action thriller The Siege of Jadotville, directed by Richie Smyth and produced by Alan Moloney of Dublin and London-based Parallel Films.
Dornan said: “I can’t wait to get stuck into Jadotville. It’s an unbelievable story and Commandant Pat Quinlan is going to be a treat of a character to tackle.
“I’m a big fan of both Richie Smyth and Alan Moloney and I’m very much looking forward to working with them both.”
The film, written by Kevin Brodbin, will shoot in spring 2015 in Ireland and South Africa as soon as Dornan has finished his publicity commitments for Fifty Shades.
The project has been developed in association with the Irish Film Board and will...
- 8/6/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Thanks in part to some savvy pre-release marketing from Beyoncé, the Fifty Shades of Grey trailer smashed viewership records upon its release, becoming the most viewed trailer of all time. I’ll let that sink in. All signs point to the steamy E.L. James adaptation heating up into a box office smash next spring, which should bode very well for stars Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson. Today, Dornan has locked down his next starring role, in The Siege of Jadotville, a geopolitical thriller that should allow the actor a chance to further hone his dramatic chops.
From writer Kevin Brodbin and first-time director Richie Smith, the film centers on the titular siege of 150 U.N. Irish troops in 1961 in the Congo (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) after pro-Western warlord Moise Tshombe seized power in the Katanga region, killing the democratically elected Congolese prime minister Patrice Lamumba.
Dornan is poised...
From writer Kevin Brodbin and first-time director Richie Smith, the film centers on the titular siege of 150 U.N. Irish troops in 1961 in the Congo (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) after pro-Western warlord Moise Tshombe seized power in the Katanga region, killing the democratically elected Congolese prime minister Patrice Lamumba.
Dornan is poised...
- 8/6/2014
- by Isaac Feldberg
- We Got This Covered
London – Just days after the Fifty Shades of Grey trailer became the most watched trailer of all time, its S&M-loving lead Christian Grey, otherwise known as Irish actor Jamie Dornan, is already adding another notch on his cinematic bedpost. On Tuesday, it was announced that Dornan will star in Parallel Films' upcoming geopolitical action thriller The Siege of Jadotville from writer Kevin Brodbin and first-time director Richie Smyth. The film recounts the 1961 siege of 150 Irish U.N. troops in the Congo, now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo, after pro-Western warlord Moise Tshombe
read more...
read more...
- 8/6/2014
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tut
Avan Jogia (TV's "Victorious") is set to play Egyptian ruler Tutankhamun in Spike TV and Muse Entertainment's original miniseries "Tut". The project will be filmed entirely on location in Morocco and Canada this Fall ahead of a 2015 debut.
Jogia joins Ben Kingsley, who was cast last month as Tutankhamun's grand vizier who wields tremendous power and influence as the top adviser to the young Egyptian ruler. The project marks Spike's first scripted event series in eight years. [Source: The Live Feed]
Jadotville
"Fifty Shades of Grey" and "The Fall" star Jamie Dornan has scored the lead role of Irish Commandant Pat Quinlan in Richie Smyth's geo-political thriller "The Siege Of Jadotville" for Parallel Films. Kevin Brodbin ("Constantine") penned the script and filming begins in Ireland and South Africa in the spring.
The story is based on a 1961 siege in the Congo following Moise Tshombe taking control of the Katanga region. 150 Un Irish troops,...
Avan Jogia (TV's "Victorious") is set to play Egyptian ruler Tutankhamun in Spike TV and Muse Entertainment's original miniseries "Tut". The project will be filmed entirely on location in Morocco and Canada this Fall ahead of a 2015 debut.
Jogia joins Ben Kingsley, who was cast last month as Tutankhamun's grand vizier who wields tremendous power and influence as the top adviser to the young Egyptian ruler. The project marks Spike's first scripted event series in eight years. [Source: The Live Feed]
Jadotville
"Fifty Shades of Grey" and "The Fall" star Jamie Dornan has scored the lead role of Irish Commandant Pat Quinlan in Richie Smyth's geo-political thriller "The Siege Of Jadotville" for Parallel Films. Kevin Brodbin ("Constantine") penned the script and filming begins in Ireland and South Africa in the spring.
The story is based on a 1961 siege in the Congo following Moise Tshombe taking control of the Katanga region. 150 Un Irish troops,...
- 8/6/2014
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Constantine
Written by Kevin Brodbin & Frank Cappello
Directed by Francis Lawrence
USA/Germany, 2005
Hollywood has a long, raucous history with butchering source material for marketability. Take Vertigo Comics’ Hellblazer series as a shining example. Lead anti-hero, occult detective John Constantine, was an absolute dream for cynical comic shoppers: snarky, brooding, and constantly smoking. Hallucinogenic director Tarsem Singh was once attached to a big budget adaptation before realizing he’d have more than a resemblance issue with proposed lead, Nicolas Cage. After all, Constantine — a blonde, Sting-esque Brit — hardly resembled Cage’s late career shift into boisterous pulp roles and a receding hairline.
Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello’s screenplay — borrowing elements from Original Sins and the “Dangerous Habits” arc — continued to gather dust until it caught the attention of music video director Francis Lawrence and one, Keanu Reeves. With a familiar American face, a slew of producers were suddenly a...
Written by Kevin Brodbin & Frank Cappello
Directed by Francis Lawrence
USA/Germany, 2005
Hollywood has a long, raucous history with butchering source material for marketability. Take Vertigo Comics’ Hellblazer series as a shining example. Lead anti-hero, occult detective John Constantine, was an absolute dream for cynical comic shoppers: snarky, brooding, and constantly smoking. Hallucinogenic director Tarsem Singh was once attached to a big budget adaptation before realizing he’d have more than a resemblance issue with proposed lead, Nicolas Cage. After all, Constantine — a blonde, Sting-esque Brit — hardly resembled Cage’s late career shift into boisterous pulp roles and a receding hairline.
Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello’s screenplay — borrowing elements from Original Sins and the “Dangerous Habits” arc — continued to gather dust until it caught the attention of music video director Francis Lawrence and one, Keanu Reeves. With a familiar American face, a slew of producers were suddenly a...
- 2/7/2013
- by David Klein
- SoundOnSight
A short news brief that's pretty exciting. During an interview with Sci Fi Wire, Wolverine producer Shuler Donner hints that we still might get that sequel to Constantine we've been dying for. When asked for a status update, she replied, "Looks very good. Thinking about it. Looking for a writer." Suffice to say it's still a long ways out, but at least they're actively looking for a writer. Based on the DC/Vertigo comic book "Hellblazer" and written by Kevin Brodbin, Mark Bomback and Frank Capello, "Constantine" tells the story of irreverent supernatural detective John Constantine (Keanu Reeves), who has literally been to hell and back.
- 4/22/2009
- bloody-disgusting.com
Constantine will explode onto BluRay October 14th with a bunch of great goodies including a slew of deleted scenes. Based on the DC Comics/Vertigo Hellblazer graphic novels and written by Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello, Constantine tells the story of John Constantine (Keanu Reeves), a man who has literally been to hell and back. When he teams up with skeptical policewoman Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz) to solve the mysterious suicide of her twin sister, their investigation takes them through the world of demons and angels that exists just beneath the landscape of contemporary Los Angeles. Caug...
- 9/3/2008
- MoviesOnline.ca
Plucked from those famous Miramax/Dimension deep shelves at the eleventh hour, Mindhunters arrives in North American theaters a couple of years after its initial planned release date.
Having already played in a number of overseas territories, the British/Dutch/Finnish-American co-production can't help but carry a certain DVD-ready stigma, and that's probably where it will be doing its greatest business in this neck of the woods.
While the premise is intriguing -- a group of young FBI profilers is being systematically and gruesomely eliminated during what is supposed to be an elaborate training exercise -- director Renny Harlin's take on Agatha Christie's versatile Ten Little Indians is total B-movie swagger in all its unsubtle glory.
Taken for what it is, along with the clunky dialogue, cardboard-cutout characterizations and eardrum-pounding orchestral blasts, the picture is not without its occasional cheap thrills, which should prove to be more cost-effective in the form of a video store rental.
After an audience-tease of a prologue, Mindhunters gets down to the business of plopping its group of FBI Investigative Support Unit would-be profilers in the middle of a remote island that looks like a Main Street USA studio backlot that has seriously gone to seed (it actually was filmed in the Netherlands).
It is there that leader Rafe Perry (Val Kilmer) has orchestrated a murder scene simulation of a final exam designed to weed out the weaker links, but it quickly becomes apparent that the theoretical serial killer they're attempting to profile is the real thing, and, with each subsequent murder, it's looking more and more like the perpetrator is among them.
Although the script, credited to Wayne Kramer and Kevin Brodbin, works overtime attempting to evoke early John Carpenter, some of the nasty demises, no matter how illogical, have their seriously twisted allure, and while Harlin amps everything up to the extreme, the results are at least livelier than his version of Exorcist: The Beginning, which he took on after Mindhunters.
The cast -- also including Christian Slater (sharing the name J.D. with his Heathers character), LL Cool J, Kathryn Morris, Jonny Lee Miller, Eion Bailey and Clifton Collins Jr. -- do what they can with the hokey dialogue until visual effects supervisor Brian M. Jennings gets around to creatively putting them out of their misery.
Mindhunters
Dimension Films
Dimension Films and Intermedia present an Outlaw production An Avenue Pictures production in association with Weed Road Pictures
Credits:
Director: Renny Harlin
Screenwriters: Wayne Kramer and Kevin Brodbin
Story by: Wayne Kramer
Producers: Jeffrey Silver, Bobby Newmyer, Cary Brokaw, Rebecca Spikings
Executive producers: Moritz Borman, Guy East, Nigel Sinclair, Renny Harlin
Director of photography: Robert Gantz
Production designer: Charles Wood
Editors: Paul Martin Smith, Neil Farrell
Costume designer: Louise Frogley
Music: Tuomas Kantelinen
Cast:
Gabe Jensen: James Todd Smith a k a LL Cool J
Lucas Harper: Jonny Lee Miller
Sara Moore: Kathryn Morris
Nicole Willis: Patricia Velasquez
Vince Sherman: Clifton Collins Jr
Bobby Whitman: Eion Bailey
Rafe Perry: Will Kemp
Jake Harris: Val Kilmer
J.D. Reston: Christian Slater
MPAA rating R
Running time -- 106 minutes...
Having already played in a number of overseas territories, the British/Dutch/Finnish-American co-production can't help but carry a certain DVD-ready stigma, and that's probably where it will be doing its greatest business in this neck of the woods.
While the premise is intriguing -- a group of young FBI profilers is being systematically and gruesomely eliminated during what is supposed to be an elaborate training exercise -- director Renny Harlin's take on Agatha Christie's versatile Ten Little Indians is total B-movie swagger in all its unsubtle glory.
Taken for what it is, along with the clunky dialogue, cardboard-cutout characterizations and eardrum-pounding orchestral blasts, the picture is not without its occasional cheap thrills, which should prove to be more cost-effective in the form of a video store rental.
After an audience-tease of a prologue, Mindhunters gets down to the business of plopping its group of FBI Investigative Support Unit would-be profilers in the middle of a remote island that looks like a Main Street USA studio backlot that has seriously gone to seed (it actually was filmed in the Netherlands).
It is there that leader Rafe Perry (Val Kilmer) has orchestrated a murder scene simulation of a final exam designed to weed out the weaker links, but it quickly becomes apparent that the theoretical serial killer they're attempting to profile is the real thing, and, with each subsequent murder, it's looking more and more like the perpetrator is among them.
Although the script, credited to Wayne Kramer and Kevin Brodbin, works overtime attempting to evoke early John Carpenter, some of the nasty demises, no matter how illogical, have their seriously twisted allure, and while Harlin amps everything up to the extreme, the results are at least livelier than his version of Exorcist: The Beginning, which he took on after Mindhunters.
The cast -- also including Christian Slater (sharing the name J.D. with his Heathers character), LL Cool J, Kathryn Morris, Jonny Lee Miller, Eion Bailey and Clifton Collins Jr. -- do what they can with the hokey dialogue until visual effects supervisor Brian M. Jennings gets around to creatively putting them out of their misery.
Mindhunters
Dimension Films
Dimension Films and Intermedia present an Outlaw production An Avenue Pictures production in association with Weed Road Pictures
Credits:
Director: Renny Harlin
Screenwriters: Wayne Kramer and Kevin Brodbin
Story by: Wayne Kramer
Producers: Jeffrey Silver, Bobby Newmyer, Cary Brokaw, Rebecca Spikings
Executive producers: Moritz Borman, Guy East, Nigel Sinclair, Renny Harlin
Director of photography: Robert Gantz
Production designer: Charles Wood
Editors: Paul Martin Smith, Neil Farrell
Costume designer: Louise Frogley
Music: Tuomas Kantelinen
Cast:
Gabe Jensen: James Todd Smith a k a LL Cool J
Lucas Harper: Jonny Lee Miller
Sara Moore: Kathryn Morris
Nicole Willis: Patricia Velasquez
Vince Sherman: Clifton Collins Jr
Bobby Whitman: Eion Bailey
Rafe Perry: Will Kemp
Jake Harris: Val Kilmer
J.D. Reston: Christian Slater
MPAA rating R
Running time -- 106 minutes...
- 5/31/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Constantine, based on characters populating the DC Comics/Vertigo Hellblazer graphic novels, is one of those rare pulpy page-to-screen translations that actually gets it right.
An engrossing mix of atmospheric gothic horror and smart sci-fi that's cemented by intriguing mythology, terrific visual effects, a dry sense of humor and an ideally cast Keanu Reeves, the picture officially heralds the end of the New Year release doldrums.
Appreciative audiences should mark the occasion by creating a sizable boxoffice splash for the Warner Bros. Pictures release. Although it's probably too dark to reach the heights of an X-Men or Spider-Man, international business should be equally impressive, making a sequel definitely within the realm of possibility.
Unlike so many other first-time feature directors who made their name helming music videos, Francis Lawrence -- who created eye-catching clips for Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson and Will Smith, among others -- hasn't opted for a flashy visual style at the expense of story and character.
He quickly gets down to the business of immersing the viewer in Constantine's intriguing environment -- one in which the otherworldly manifestations of heaven and hell are on the verge of being thrown out of their precarious balance right here on Earth.
Specifically speaking, that would be Los Angeles, where Reeves' John Constantine spends his tortured days and nights ensuring that balance isn't knocked out of kilter through less-than-divine intervention.
For the uninitiated, Constantine has been cursed with the lifelong ability to see the true demonic or beatific faces of the "half-breeds" living among us -- intermediaries who have been sent back to Earth to do the bidding of their respective commanders in chief.
An expert in demonology, Constantine has been keeping busy dispatching a disturbing influx of evil half-breeds back to hell, but his intentions are far from being heroic.
Recently diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, the chain-smoking anti-hero is really just in it for himself, hoping that with all that satanic butt-kicking, he might be able to buy his way into heaven.
But his strategy is complicated with the arrival of Angela Dodson (the always welcome Rachel Weisz), a stoical police detective whose sister has committed what appears to be suicide.
There's actually, refreshingly, a lot more plot to go around thanks to clever writing officially credited to Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello, but there's the sense that producer Akiva Goldsman also made some contributions to the script, which is filled with great characters.
Among them is Tilda Swinton's gender-blurring Gabriel, Peter Stormare's self-styled Satan (in a white suit), Gavin Rossdale's slick Balthazar and Djimon Hounsou's noncommittal Midnite, whose offbeat nightclub serves as a neutral meeting ground for half-breeds of both persuasions.
But it's Reeves who, outfitted with an economy of dialogue and costume designer Louise Frogley's sleek monochromatic apparel, gets the requisite film noir look and attitude down cold.
He and Weisz, who once again projects a beguiling combination of beauty and intelligence, make for a classically cynical graphic novel couple.
Working in perfect harmony with Lawrence's organic direction, the writing and performances are the technical contributions, particularly those of cinematographer Philippe Rousselot (Big Fish), production designer Naomi Shohan (Training Day) and visual effects supervisor Michael Fink (the X-Men movies), who succeed in turning downtown Los Angeles into a convincingly hellish Hades on Earth.
Constantine
Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures presentsin association with Village Roadshow PicturesA Donners' Co./Batfilm Prods./Weed Road Pictures/3 Arts Entertainment production
Credits:
Director: Francis Lawrence
Screenwriter: Kevin Brodbin
Based on characters from the Hellblazer graphic novels by: DC Comics/Vertigo
Producers: Lauren Shuler Donner, Benjamin Melniker
Michael Uslan
Erwin Stoff, Lorenzo di Bonaventura
Akiva Goldsman
Executive producers: Gilbert Adler, Michael Aguilar
Director of photography: Philippe Rousselot
Production designer: Naomi Shohan
Editor: Wayne Wahrman
Costume designer: Louise Frogley
Visual effects supervisor: Michael Fink
Music: Brian Tyler and Klaus Badelt
Cast:
John Constantine: Keanu Reeves
Angela Dodson/Isabel: Rachel Weisz
Chaz: Shia LaBoeuf
Gabriel: Tilda Swinton
Father Hennessey: Pruitt Taylor Vince
Midnite: Djimon Hounsou
Balthazar: Gavin Rossdale
Satan: Peter Stormare
MPAA rating: R
Running time -- 117 minutes...
An engrossing mix of atmospheric gothic horror and smart sci-fi that's cemented by intriguing mythology, terrific visual effects, a dry sense of humor and an ideally cast Keanu Reeves, the picture officially heralds the end of the New Year release doldrums.
Appreciative audiences should mark the occasion by creating a sizable boxoffice splash for the Warner Bros. Pictures release. Although it's probably too dark to reach the heights of an X-Men or Spider-Man, international business should be equally impressive, making a sequel definitely within the realm of possibility.
Unlike so many other first-time feature directors who made their name helming music videos, Francis Lawrence -- who created eye-catching clips for Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson and Will Smith, among others -- hasn't opted for a flashy visual style at the expense of story and character.
He quickly gets down to the business of immersing the viewer in Constantine's intriguing environment -- one in which the otherworldly manifestations of heaven and hell are on the verge of being thrown out of their precarious balance right here on Earth.
Specifically speaking, that would be Los Angeles, where Reeves' John Constantine spends his tortured days and nights ensuring that balance isn't knocked out of kilter through less-than-divine intervention.
For the uninitiated, Constantine has been cursed with the lifelong ability to see the true demonic or beatific faces of the "half-breeds" living among us -- intermediaries who have been sent back to Earth to do the bidding of their respective commanders in chief.
An expert in demonology, Constantine has been keeping busy dispatching a disturbing influx of evil half-breeds back to hell, but his intentions are far from being heroic.
Recently diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, the chain-smoking anti-hero is really just in it for himself, hoping that with all that satanic butt-kicking, he might be able to buy his way into heaven.
But his strategy is complicated with the arrival of Angela Dodson (the always welcome Rachel Weisz), a stoical police detective whose sister has committed what appears to be suicide.
There's actually, refreshingly, a lot more plot to go around thanks to clever writing officially credited to Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello, but there's the sense that producer Akiva Goldsman also made some contributions to the script, which is filled with great characters.
Among them is Tilda Swinton's gender-blurring Gabriel, Peter Stormare's self-styled Satan (in a white suit), Gavin Rossdale's slick Balthazar and Djimon Hounsou's noncommittal Midnite, whose offbeat nightclub serves as a neutral meeting ground for half-breeds of both persuasions.
But it's Reeves who, outfitted with an economy of dialogue and costume designer Louise Frogley's sleek monochromatic apparel, gets the requisite film noir look and attitude down cold.
He and Weisz, who once again projects a beguiling combination of beauty and intelligence, make for a classically cynical graphic novel couple.
Working in perfect harmony with Lawrence's organic direction, the writing and performances are the technical contributions, particularly those of cinematographer Philippe Rousselot (Big Fish), production designer Naomi Shohan (Training Day) and visual effects supervisor Michael Fink (the X-Men movies), who succeed in turning downtown Los Angeles into a convincingly hellish Hades on Earth.
Constantine
Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures presentsin association with Village Roadshow PicturesA Donners' Co./Batfilm Prods./Weed Road Pictures/3 Arts Entertainment production
Credits:
Director: Francis Lawrence
Screenwriter: Kevin Brodbin
Based on characters from the Hellblazer graphic novels by: DC Comics/Vertigo
Producers: Lauren Shuler Donner, Benjamin Melniker
Michael Uslan
Erwin Stoff, Lorenzo di Bonaventura
Akiva Goldsman
Executive producers: Gilbert Adler, Michael Aguilar
Director of photography: Philippe Rousselot
Production designer: Naomi Shohan
Editor: Wayne Wahrman
Costume designer: Louise Frogley
Visual effects supervisor: Michael Fink
Music: Brian Tyler and Klaus Badelt
Cast:
John Constantine: Keanu Reeves
Angela Dodson/Isabel: Rachel Weisz
Chaz: Shia LaBoeuf
Gabriel: Tilda Swinton
Father Hennessey: Pruitt Taylor Vince
Midnite: Djimon Hounsou
Balthazar: Gavin Rossdale
Satan: Peter Stormare
MPAA rating: R
Running time -- 117 minutes...
- 4/14/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Constantine, based on characters populating the DC Comics/Vertigo Hellblazer graphic novels, is one of those rare pulpy page-to-screen translations that actually gets it right.
An engrossing mix of atmospheric gothic horror and smart sci-fi that's cemented by intriguing mythology, terrific visual effects, a dry sense of humor and an ideally cast Keanu Reeves, the picture officially heralds the end of the New Year release doldrums.
Appreciative audiences should mark the occasion by creating a sizable boxoffice splash for the Warner Bros. Pictures release. Although it's probably too dark to reach the heights of an X-Men or Spider-Man, international business should be equally impressive, making a sequel definitely within the realm of possibility.
Unlike so many other first-time feature directors who made their name helming music videos, Francis Lawrence -- who created eye-catching clips for Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson and Will Smith, among others -- hasn't opted for a flashy visual style at the expense of story and character.
He quickly gets down to the business of immersing the viewer in Constantine's intriguing environment -- one in which the otherworldly manifestations of heaven and hell are on the verge of being thrown out of their precarious balance right here on Earth.
Specifically speaking, that would be Los Angeles, where Reeves' John Constantine spends his tortured days and nights ensuring that balance isn't knocked out of kilter through less-than-divine intervention.
For the uninitiated, Constantine has been cursed with the lifelong ability to see the true demonic or beatific faces of the "half-breeds" living among us -- intermediaries who have been sent back to Earth to do the bidding of their respective commanders in chief.
An expert in demonology, Constantine has been keeping busy dispatching a disturbing influx of evil half-breeds back to hell, but his intentions are far from being heroic.
Recently diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, the chain-smoking anti-hero is really just in it for himself, hoping that with all that satanic butt-kicking, he might be able to buy his way into heaven.
But his strategy is complicated with the arrival of Angela Dodson (the always welcome Rachel Weisz), a stoical police detective whose sister has committed what appears to be suicide.
There's actually, refreshingly, a lot more plot to go around thanks to clever writing officially credited to Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello, but there's the sense that producer Akiva Goldsman also made some contributions to the script, which is filled with great characters.
Among them is Tilda Swinton's gender-blurring Gabriel, Peter Stormare's self-styled Satan (in a white suit), Gavin Rossdale's slick Balthazar and Djimon Hounsou's noncommittal Midnite, whose offbeat nightclub serves as a neutral meeting ground for half-breeds of both persuasions.
But it's Reeves who, outfitted with an economy of dialogue and costume designer Louise Frogley's sleek monochromatic apparel, gets the requisite film noir look and attitude down cold.
He and Weisz, who once again projects a beguiling combination of beauty and intelligence, make for a classically cynical graphic novel couple.
Working in perfect harmony with Lawrence's organic direction, the writing and performances are the technical contributions, particularly those of cinematographer Philippe Rousselot (Big Fish), production designer Naomi Shohan (Training Day) and visual effects supervisor Michael Fink (the X-Men movies), who succeed in turning downtown Los Angeles into a convincingly hellish Hades on Earth.
Constantine
Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures presentsin association with Village Roadshow PicturesA Donners' Co./Batfilm Prods./Weed Road Pictures/3 Arts Entertainment production
Credits:
Director: Francis Lawrence
Screenwriter: Kevin Brodbin
Based on characters from the Hellblazer graphic novels by: DC Comics/Vertigo
Producers: Lauren Shuler Donner, Benjamin Melniker
Michael Uslan
Erwin Stoff, Lorenzo di Bonaventura
Akiva Goldsman
Executive producers: Gilbert Adler, Michael Aguilar
Director of photography: Philippe Rousselot
Production designer: Naomi Shohan
Editor: Wayne Wahrman
Costume designer: Louise Frogley
Visual effects supervisor: Michael Fink
Music: Brian Tyler and Klaus Badelt
Cast:
John Constantine: Keanu Reeves
Angela Dodson/Isabel: Rachel Weisz
Chaz: Shia LaBoeuf
Gabriel: Tilda Swinton
Father Hennessey: Pruitt Taylor Vince
Midnite: Djimon Hounsou
Balthazar: Gavin Rossdale
Satan: Peter Stormare
MPAA rating: R
Running time -- 117 minutes...
An engrossing mix of atmospheric gothic horror and smart sci-fi that's cemented by intriguing mythology, terrific visual effects, a dry sense of humor and an ideally cast Keanu Reeves, the picture officially heralds the end of the New Year release doldrums.
Appreciative audiences should mark the occasion by creating a sizable boxoffice splash for the Warner Bros. Pictures release. Although it's probably too dark to reach the heights of an X-Men or Spider-Man, international business should be equally impressive, making a sequel definitely within the realm of possibility.
Unlike so many other first-time feature directors who made their name helming music videos, Francis Lawrence -- who created eye-catching clips for Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson and Will Smith, among others -- hasn't opted for a flashy visual style at the expense of story and character.
He quickly gets down to the business of immersing the viewer in Constantine's intriguing environment -- one in which the otherworldly manifestations of heaven and hell are on the verge of being thrown out of their precarious balance right here on Earth.
Specifically speaking, that would be Los Angeles, where Reeves' John Constantine spends his tortured days and nights ensuring that balance isn't knocked out of kilter through less-than-divine intervention.
For the uninitiated, Constantine has been cursed with the lifelong ability to see the true demonic or beatific faces of the "half-breeds" living among us -- intermediaries who have been sent back to Earth to do the bidding of their respective commanders in chief.
An expert in demonology, Constantine has been keeping busy dispatching a disturbing influx of evil half-breeds back to hell, but his intentions are far from being heroic.
Recently diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, the chain-smoking anti-hero is really just in it for himself, hoping that with all that satanic butt-kicking, he might be able to buy his way into heaven.
But his strategy is complicated with the arrival of Angela Dodson (the always welcome Rachel Weisz), a stoical police detective whose sister has committed what appears to be suicide.
There's actually, refreshingly, a lot more plot to go around thanks to clever writing officially credited to Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello, but there's the sense that producer Akiva Goldsman also made some contributions to the script, which is filled with great characters.
Among them is Tilda Swinton's gender-blurring Gabriel, Peter Stormare's self-styled Satan (in a white suit), Gavin Rossdale's slick Balthazar and Djimon Hounsou's noncommittal Midnite, whose offbeat nightclub serves as a neutral meeting ground for half-breeds of both persuasions.
But it's Reeves who, outfitted with an economy of dialogue and costume designer Louise Frogley's sleek monochromatic apparel, gets the requisite film noir look and attitude down cold.
He and Weisz, who once again projects a beguiling combination of beauty and intelligence, make for a classically cynical graphic novel couple.
Working in perfect harmony with Lawrence's organic direction, the writing and performances are the technical contributions, particularly those of cinematographer Philippe Rousselot (Big Fish), production designer Naomi Shohan (Training Day) and visual effects supervisor Michael Fink (the X-Men movies), who succeed in turning downtown Los Angeles into a convincingly hellish Hades on Earth.
Constantine
Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures presentsin association with Village Roadshow PicturesA Donners' Co./Batfilm Prods./Weed Road Pictures/3 Arts Entertainment production
Credits:
Director: Francis Lawrence
Screenwriter: Kevin Brodbin
Based on characters from the Hellblazer graphic novels by: DC Comics/Vertigo
Producers: Lauren Shuler Donner, Benjamin Melniker
Michael Uslan
Erwin Stoff, Lorenzo di Bonaventura
Akiva Goldsman
Executive producers: Gilbert Adler, Michael Aguilar
Director of photography: Philippe Rousselot
Production designer: Naomi Shohan
Editor: Wayne Wahrman
Costume designer: Louise Frogley
Visual effects supervisor: Michael Fink
Music: Brian Tyler and Klaus Badelt
Cast:
John Constantine: Keanu Reeves
Angela Dodson/Isabel: Rachel Weisz
Chaz: Shia LaBoeuf
Gabriel: Tilda Swinton
Father Hennessey: Pruitt Taylor Vince
Midnite: Djimon Hounsou
Balthazar: Gavin Rossdale
Satan: Peter Stormare
MPAA rating: R
Running time -- 117 minutes...
- 3/28/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Constantine, based on characters populating the DC Comics/Vertigo Hellblazer graphic novels, is one of those rare pulpy page-to-screen translations that actually gets it right.
An engrossing mix of atmospheric gothic horror and smart sci-fi that's cemented by intriguing mythology, terrific visual effects, a dry sense of humor and an ideally cast Keanu Reeves, the picture officially heralds the end of the New Year release doldrums.
Appreciative audiences should mark the occasion by creating a sizable boxoffice splash for the Warner Bros. Pictures release. Although it's probably too dark to reach the heights of an X-Men or Spider-Man, international business should be equally impressive, making a sequel definitely within the realm of possibility.
Unlike so many other first-time feature directors who made their name helming music videos, Francis Lawrence -- who created eye-catching clips for Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson and Will Smith, among others -- hasn't opted for a flashy visual style at the expense of story and character.
He quickly gets down to the business of immersing the viewer in Constantine's intriguing environment -- one in which the otherworldly manifestations of heaven and hell are on the verge of being thrown out of their precarious balance right here on Earth.
Specifically speaking, that would be Los Angeles, where Reeves' John Constantine spends his tortured days and nights ensuring that balance isn't knocked out of kilter through less-than-divine intervention.
For the uninitiated, Constantine has been cursed with the lifelong ability to see the true demonic or beatific faces of the "half-breeds" living among us -- intermediaries who have been sent back to Earth to do the bidding of their respective commanders in chief.
An expert in demonology, Constantine has been keeping busy dispatching a disturbing influx of evil half-breeds back to hell, but his intentions are far from being heroic.
Recently diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, the chain-smoking anti-hero is really just in it for himself, hoping that with all that satanic butt-kicking, he might be able to buy his way into heaven.
But his strategy is complicated with the arrival of Angela Dodson (the always welcome Rachel Weisz), a stoical police detective whose sister has committed what appears to be suicide.
There's actually, refreshingly, a lot more plot to go around thanks to clever writing officially credited to Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello, but there's the sense that producer Akiva Goldsman also made some contributions to the script, which is filled with great characters.
Among them is Tilda Swinton's gender-blurring Gabriel, Peter Stormare's self-styled Satan (in a white suit), Gavin Rossdale's slick Balthazar and Djimon Hounsou's noncommittal Midnite, whose offbeat nightclub serves as a neutral meeting ground for half-breeds of both persuasions.
But it's Reeves who, outfitted with an economy of dialogue and costume designer Louise Frogley's sleek monochromatic apparel, gets the requisite film noir look and attitude down cold.
He and Weisz, who once again projects a beguiling combination of beauty and intelligence, make for a classically cynical graphic novel couple.
Working in perfect harmony with Lawrence's organic direction, the writing and performances are the technical contributions, particularly those of cinematographer Philippe Rousselot (Big Fish), production designer Naomi Shohan (Training Day) and visual effects supervisor Michael Fink (the X-Men movies), who succeed in turning downtown Los Angeles into a convincingly hellish Hades on Earth.
Constantine
Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures presentsin association with Village Roadshow PicturesA Donners' Co./Batfilm Prods./Weed Road Pictures/3 Arts Entertainment production
Credits:
Director: Francis Lawrence
Screenwriter: Kevin Brodbin
Based on characters from the Hellblazer graphic novels by: DC Comics/Vertigo
Producers: Lauren Shuler Donner, Benjamin Melniker
Michael Uslan
Erwin Stoff, Lorenzo di Bonaventura
Akiva Goldsman
Executive producers: Gilbert Adler, Michael Aguilar
Director of photography: Philippe Rousselot
Production designer: Naomi Shohan
Editor: Wayne Wahrman
Costume designer: Louise Frogley
Visual effects supervisor: Michael Fink
Music: Brian Tyler and Klaus Badelt
Cast:
John Constantine: Keanu Reeves
Angela Dodson/Isabel: Rachel Weisz
Chaz: Shia LaBoeuf
Gabriel: Tilda Swinton
Father Hennessey: Pruitt Taylor Vince
Midnite: Djimon Hounsou
Balthazar: Gavin Rossdale
Satan: Peter Stormare
MPAA rating: R
Running time -- 117 minutes...
An engrossing mix of atmospheric gothic horror and smart sci-fi that's cemented by intriguing mythology, terrific visual effects, a dry sense of humor and an ideally cast Keanu Reeves, the picture officially heralds the end of the New Year release doldrums.
Appreciative audiences should mark the occasion by creating a sizable boxoffice splash for the Warner Bros. Pictures release. Although it's probably too dark to reach the heights of an X-Men or Spider-Man, international business should be equally impressive, making a sequel definitely within the realm of possibility.
Unlike so many other first-time feature directors who made their name helming music videos, Francis Lawrence -- who created eye-catching clips for Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson and Will Smith, among others -- hasn't opted for a flashy visual style at the expense of story and character.
He quickly gets down to the business of immersing the viewer in Constantine's intriguing environment -- one in which the otherworldly manifestations of heaven and hell are on the verge of being thrown out of their precarious balance right here on Earth.
Specifically speaking, that would be Los Angeles, where Reeves' John Constantine spends his tortured days and nights ensuring that balance isn't knocked out of kilter through less-than-divine intervention.
For the uninitiated, Constantine has been cursed with the lifelong ability to see the true demonic or beatific faces of the "half-breeds" living among us -- intermediaries who have been sent back to Earth to do the bidding of their respective commanders in chief.
An expert in demonology, Constantine has been keeping busy dispatching a disturbing influx of evil half-breeds back to hell, but his intentions are far from being heroic.
Recently diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, the chain-smoking anti-hero is really just in it for himself, hoping that with all that satanic butt-kicking, he might be able to buy his way into heaven.
But his strategy is complicated with the arrival of Angela Dodson (the always welcome Rachel Weisz), a stoical police detective whose sister has committed what appears to be suicide.
There's actually, refreshingly, a lot more plot to go around thanks to clever writing officially credited to Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello, but there's the sense that producer Akiva Goldsman also made some contributions to the script, which is filled with great characters.
Among them is Tilda Swinton's gender-blurring Gabriel, Peter Stormare's self-styled Satan (in a white suit), Gavin Rossdale's slick Balthazar and Djimon Hounsou's noncommittal Midnite, whose offbeat nightclub serves as a neutral meeting ground for half-breeds of both persuasions.
But it's Reeves who, outfitted with an economy of dialogue and costume designer Louise Frogley's sleek monochromatic apparel, gets the requisite film noir look and attitude down cold.
He and Weisz, who once again projects a beguiling combination of beauty and intelligence, make for a classically cynical graphic novel couple.
Working in perfect harmony with Lawrence's organic direction, the writing and performances are the technical contributions, particularly those of cinematographer Philippe Rousselot (Big Fish), production designer Naomi Shohan (Training Day) and visual effects supervisor Michael Fink (the X-Men movies), who succeed in turning downtown Los Angeles into a convincingly hellish Hades on Earth.
Constantine
Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures presentsin association with Village Roadshow PicturesA Donners' Co./Batfilm Prods./Weed Road Pictures/3 Arts Entertainment production
Credits:
Director: Francis Lawrence
Screenwriter: Kevin Brodbin
Based on characters from the Hellblazer graphic novels by: DC Comics/Vertigo
Producers: Lauren Shuler Donner, Benjamin Melniker
Michael Uslan
Erwin Stoff, Lorenzo di Bonaventura
Akiva Goldsman
Executive producers: Gilbert Adler, Michael Aguilar
Director of photography: Philippe Rousselot
Production designer: Naomi Shohan
Editor: Wayne Wahrman
Costume designer: Louise Frogley
Visual effects supervisor: Michael Fink
Music: Brian Tyler and Klaus Badelt
Cast:
John Constantine: Keanu Reeves
Angela Dodson/Isabel: Rachel Weisz
Chaz: Shia LaBoeuf
Gabriel: Tilda Swinton
Father Hennessey: Pruitt Taylor Vince
Midnite: Djimon Hounsou
Balthazar: Gavin Rossdale
Satan: Peter Stormare
MPAA rating: R
Running time -- 117 minutes...
- 3/22/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"Constantine", based on characters populating the DC Comics/Vertigo "Hellblazer" graphic novels, is one of those rare pulpy page-to-screen translations that actually gets it right.
An engrossing mix of atmospheric gothic horror and smart sci-fi that's cemented by intriguing mythology, terrific visual effects, a dry sense of humor and an ideally cast Keanu Reeves, the picture officially heralds the end of the New Year release doldrums.
Appreciative audiences should mark the occasion by creating a sizable boxoffice splash for the Warner Bros. Pictures release. Although it's probably too dark to reach the heights of an "X-Men" or "Spider-Man", international business should be equally impressive, making a sequel definitely within the realm of possibility.
Unlike so many other first-time feature directors who made their name helming music videos, Francis Lawrence -- who created eye-catching clips for Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson and Will Smith, among others -- hasn't opted for a flashy visual style at the expense of story and character.
He quickly gets down to the business of immersing the viewer in "Constantine"'s intriguing environment -- one in which the otherworldly manifestations of heaven and hell are on the verge of being thrown out of their precarious balance right here on Earth.
Specifically speaking, that would be Los Angeles, where Reeves' John Constantine spends his tortured days and nights ensuring that balance isn't knocked out of kilter through less-than-divine intervention.
For the uninitiated, Constantine has been cursed with the lifelong ability to see the true demonic or beatific faces of the "half-breeds" living among us -- intermediaries who have been sent back to Earth to do the bidding of their respective commanders in chief.
An expert in demonology, Constantine has been keeping busy dispatching a disturbing influx of evil half-breeds back to hell, but his intentions are far from being heroic.
Recently diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, the chain-smoking anti-hero is really just in it for himself, hoping that with all that satanic butt-kicking, he might be able to buy his way into heaven.
But his strategy is complicated with the arrival of Angela Dodson (the always welcome Rachel Weisz), a stoical police detective whose sister has committed what appears to be suicide.
There's actually, refreshingly, a lot more plot to go around thanks to clever writing officially credited to Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello, but there's the sense that producer Akiva Goldsman also made some contributions to the script, which is filled with great characters.
Among them is Tilda Swinton's gender-blurring Gabriel, Peter Stormare's self-styled Satan (in a white suit), Gavin Rossdale's slick Balthazar and Djimon Hounsou's noncommittal Midnite, whose offbeat nightclub serves as a neutral meeting ground for half-breeds of both persuasions.
But it's Reeves who, outfitted with an economy of dialogue and costume designer Louise Frogley's sleek monochromatic apparel, gets the requisite film noir look and attitude down cold.
He and Weisz, who once again projects a beguiling combination of beauty and intelligence, make for a classically cynical graphic novel couple.
Working in perfect harmony with Lawrence's organic direction, the writing and performances are the technical contributions, particularly those of cinematographer Philippe Rousselot ("Big Fish"), production designer Naomi Shohan ("Training Day") and visual effects supervisor Michael Fink (the "X-Men" movies), who succeed in turning downtown Los Angeles into a convincingly hellish Hades on Earth.
Constantine
Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures presentsin association with Village Roadshow PicturesA Donners' Co./Batfilm Prods./Weed Road Pictures/3 Arts Entertainment production
Credits:
Director: Francis Lawrence
Screenwriter: Kevin Brodbin
Based on characters from the "Hellblazer" graphic novels by: DC Comics/Vertigo
Producers: Lauren Shuler Donner, Benjamin Melniker
Michael Uslan
Erwin Stoff, Lorenzo di Bonaventura
Akiva Goldsman
Executive producers: Gilbert Adler, Michael Aguilar
Director of photography: Philippe Rousselot
Production designer: Naomi Shohan
Editor: Wayne Wahrman
Costume designer: Louise Frogley
Visual effects supervisor: Michael Fink
Music: Brian Tyler and Klaus Badelt
Cast:
John Constantine: Keanu Reeves
Angela Dodson/Isabel: Rachel Weisz
Chaz: Shia LaBoeuf
Gabriel: Tilda Swinton
Father Hennessey: Pruitt Taylor Vince
Midnite: Djimon Hounsou
Balthazar: Gavin Rossdale
Satan: Peter Stormare
MPAA rating: R
Running time -- 117 minutes...
An engrossing mix of atmospheric gothic horror and smart sci-fi that's cemented by intriguing mythology, terrific visual effects, a dry sense of humor and an ideally cast Keanu Reeves, the picture officially heralds the end of the New Year release doldrums.
Appreciative audiences should mark the occasion by creating a sizable boxoffice splash for the Warner Bros. Pictures release. Although it's probably too dark to reach the heights of an "X-Men" or "Spider-Man", international business should be equally impressive, making a sequel definitely within the realm of possibility.
Unlike so many other first-time feature directors who made their name helming music videos, Francis Lawrence -- who created eye-catching clips for Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson and Will Smith, among others -- hasn't opted for a flashy visual style at the expense of story and character.
He quickly gets down to the business of immersing the viewer in "Constantine"'s intriguing environment -- one in which the otherworldly manifestations of heaven and hell are on the verge of being thrown out of their precarious balance right here on Earth.
Specifically speaking, that would be Los Angeles, where Reeves' John Constantine spends his tortured days and nights ensuring that balance isn't knocked out of kilter through less-than-divine intervention.
For the uninitiated, Constantine has been cursed with the lifelong ability to see the true demonic or beatific faces of the "half-breeds" living among us -- intermediaries who have been sent back to Earth to do the bidding of their respective commanders in chief.
An expert in demonology, Constantine has been keeping busy dispatching a disturbing influx of evil half-breeds back to hell, but his intentions are far from being heroic.
Recently diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, the chain-smoking anti-hero is really just in it for himself, hoping that with all that satanic butt-kicking, he might be able to buy his way into heaven.
But his strategy is complicated with the arrival of Angela Dodson (the always welcome Rachel Weisz), a stoical police detective whose sister has committed what appears to be suicide.
There's actually, refreshingly, a lot more plot to go around thanks to clever writing officially credited to Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello, but there's the sense that producer Akiva Goldsman also made some contributions to the script, which is filled with great characters.
Among them is Tilda Swinton's gender-blurring Gabriel, Peter Stormare's self-styled Satan (in a white suit), Gavin Rossdale's slick Balthazar and Djimon Hounsou's noncommittal Midnite, whose offbeat nightclub serves as a neutral meeting ground for half-breeds of both persuasions.
But it's Reeves who, outfitted with an economy of dialogue and costume designer Louise Frogley's sleek monochromatic apparel, gets the requisite film noir look and attitude down cold.
He and Weisz, who once again projects a beguiling combination of beauty and intelligence, make for a classically cynical graphic novel couple.
Working in perfect harmony with Lawrence's organic direction, the writing and performances are the technical contributions, particularly those of cinematographer Philippe Rousselot ("Big Fish"), production designer Naomi Shohan ("Training Day") and visual effects supervisor Michael Fink (the "X-Men" movies), who succeed in turning downtown Los Angeles into a convincingly hellish Hades on Earth.
Constantine
Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures presentsin association with Village Roadshow PicturesA Donners' Co./Batfilm Prods./Weed Road Pictures/3 Arts Entertainment production
Credits:
Director: Francis Lawrence
Screenwriter: Kevin Brodbin
Based on characters from the "Hellblazer" graphic novels by: DC Comics/Vertigo
Producers: Lauren Shuler Donner, Benjamin Melniker
Michael Uslan
Erwin Stoff, Lorenzo di Bonaventura
Akiva Goldsman
Executive producers: Gilbert Adler, Michael Aguilar
Director of photography: Philippe Rousselot
Production designer: Naomi Shohan
Editor: Wayne Wahrman
Costume designer: Louise Frogley
Visual effects supervisor: Michael Fink
Music: Brian Tyler and Klaus Badelt
Cast:
John Constantine: Keanu Reeves
Angela Dodson/Isabel: Rachel Weisz
Chaz: Shia LaBoeuf
Gabriel: Tilda Swinton
Father Hennessey: Pruitt Taylor Vince
Midnite: Djimon Hounsou
Balthazar: Gavin Rossdale
Satan: Peter Stormare
MPAA rating: R
Running time -- 117 minutes...
- 2/25/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tilda Swinton is in negotiations to join the cast of Warner Bros. Pictures' Constantine, the studio has confirmed. The project, based on an adaptation of the DC-Vertigo comic book Hellblazer, will be directed by Francis Lawrence. Hellblazer is described as Dirty Harry set in the occult world. Reeves will star as John Constantine, a man who dabbles in the occult and teams with a female police officer to fight evil forces. Rachel Weisz will play Angela, the cop who becomes involved with Constantine when her twin sister dies in a mysterious suicide. Swinton would play Gabriel, a rogue angel battling Constantine. Kevin Brodbin (The Glimmer Man) wrote the original script, with a rewrite by Mark Bomback and Frank Cappello.
- 8/25/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Rachel Weisz is in negotiations to star opposite Keanu Reeves in Warner Bros. Pictures' Constantine, the studio has confirmed. The project, based on an adaptation of the DC-Vertigo comic book Hellblazer, will be directed by Francis Lawrence. Hellblazer is described as Dirty Harry set in the occult world. Reeves will star as John Constantine, a man who dabbles in the occult and teams with a female police officer to fight evil forces. Weisz would play Angela, an officer who becomes involved with Constantine when her twin sister dies in a mysterious suicide. Kevin Brodbin (The Glimmer Man) wrote the original script, with a rewrite by Mark Bomback and Frank Cappello. Lauren Shuler Donner is producing the project with former worldwide production president Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Akiva Goldsman. Benjamin Melniker, Michael Uslan and Dan Kolsrud will executive produce. Donners Co. executive Michael Aguilar also will receive producing credit. Warners senior vp production Bob Brassel is overseeing the project. Weisz, repped by CAA and the Firm, next stars in 20th Century Fox/Regency Enterprises' Runaway Jury and DreamWorks' Envy. The actress, currently shooting the indie feature Daisy Winters, recently starred in Confidence, The Shape of Things and About a Boy.
- 8/21/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Video director Francis Lawrence is in negotiations to make his feature directorial debut on Constantine, an adaptation of the DC-Vertigo comic book Hellblazer, starring Keanu Reeves in the title role. Hellblazer is described as Dirty Harry set in the occult world. Reeves will star as John Constantine, a man who dabbles in the occult and teams with a female police officer to fight evil forces. Kevin Brodbin (The Glimmer Man) wrote the original script, with a rewrite by Mark Bomback and Frank Cappello. Lauren Shuler Donner is producing the project with former worldwide production president Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Akiva Goldsman.
- 10/10/2002
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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