"Constantine 2" may get a new chance to move forward due to management changes at DC Studios. Director Francis Lawrence stated that the project already has concepts and a script, but it has not yet received official approval to begin production.
Lawrence said he is not happy about anyone losing their job, but the management changes resulting from James Gunn and Peter Safran leaving DC Studios could create new opportunities for this sequel, which has been in development for over twenty years. He, along with star Keanu Reeves, writer and producer Akiva Goldsman, and J.J. Abrams, all hope to complete the film.
The project's previous stagnation was not due to a lack of willingness from the core creative team, but rather the need for joint approval from Paramount, Warner Bros., and future executives in charge of DC affairs. Lawrence also clearly stated that if the sequel moves forward, it will be made as a true R-rated film. The original "Constantine" was shot according to PG-13 standards but ultimately received an R rating, so the team does not want the sequel to be constrained by the same limitations.
Even if the DC Shared Universe adopts another version of Constantine, Lawrence is willing to let both versions coexist. To control project risks, he and Reeves are prepared to make compromises on compensation, and the film is not intended to be produced on a $100 million scale. DC Studios had previously hired Francis Galuppi to write another John Constantine film, but the relationship between that project and "Constantine 2" remains unclear.