DC Studios Is Finally Bringing ‘Constantine’ Back, and an ‘Evil Dead Wrath’ Filmmaker Holds the Pen

John Constantine has always been the DC Comics hero who feels slightly out of place in a world of capes. The hard-edged paranormal investigator debuted in 1985’s ‘Swamp Thing’ #37 from Alan Moore, Stephen R. Bissette and John Totleben, and he later broke out with his own series, ‘Hellblazer’.

On screen, the character has had a stranger journey. Keanu Reeves played him in Francis Lawrence’s 2005 film ‘Constantine’, and Matt Ryan later took on the role in NBC’s ‘Constantine’ series before joining ‘Legends of Tomorrow’. For years, fans have wondered whether the occult detective would ever get another proper shot at the big screen.

That wait may be ending. Deadline first reported that DC Studios has hired Francis Galluppi to write a John Constantine movie, and that the project is in very early development.

Galluppi is best known as the writer and director of the upcoming ‘Evil Dead Wrath’, the 7th film in the horror franchise and his first studio movie. The report came as ‘Clayface’ continued to play in theaters, having grossed more than $90 million worldwide.

Details are thin. No director or cast is attached, and representatives for DC declined to comment on the project. It is also unclear whether the film will connect to the larger DC Universe overseen by James Gunn and Peter Safran or stand on its own.

Galluppi previously wrote and directed ‘The Last Stop in Yuma County’, which marked his feature directorial debut. He later developed the original story for ‘Evil Dead Wrath’ and brought it to franchise creator Sam Raimi and his team in 2024, according to previous reporting from Deadline. ‘Evil Dead Wrath’ is reportedly set in 1972, before the events of Raimi’s original movie.

The biggest question hanging over the news is the fate of ‘Constantine 2’. Reeves has said his sequel pitch was presented to DC Studios and approved, and Akiva Goldsman had been writing the screenplay with Lawrence expected to return as director.

Gunn has also said he spoke with Reeves about the sequel, but that he had not read a script yet and that the project comes down to getting the script right. The new report makes no mention of Reeves, Goldsman or the sequel, which means it is not known whether Galluppi is writing a fresh take on the character or whether the long-discussed follow-up is changing hands.

Some outlets have already read the silence as a bad omen for the sequel. Others point out that there has been little movement on ‘Constantine 2’ since early 2025, and one analysis suggested the new project may simply be a separate film entirely.

Another open question is who would play the character. ‘Constantine’ fans have long been split between Reeves’s American, black-haired take and Ryan’s comic-accurate version, which is closer to the spiky blond look associated with the character.

In theory, both actors could appear in the DCU’s version of Constantine even if it does not acknowledge their earlier performances. For now, nothing suggests either one is attached, and the project’s early stage means casting may be a long way off.

Like ‘Clayface’, Constantine can operate well in horror, and a movie about him could open the door to the supernatural side of the DCU. The character’s roots in ‘Swamp Thing’ also make him a natural bridge between the franchise’s horror and magic-focused material.

Galluppi’s background fits that tone. Raimi has praised Galluppi for knowing when to hold back in simmering tension and when to unleash explosive violence, which is a useful skill for an occult detective story.

A hire like this also hints at the kind of Constantine story DC may want to tell. A writer from the horror world could push the character back toward the gritty, supernatural roots of ‘Hellblazer’.

Whether the project becomes a full reboot or simply the next chapter in a long-running saga, John Constantine is getting another turn at the movies.

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