After NBC failed to pick up its DC Comics adaptation Constantine for a second season, fans (dubbed “Hellblazers” by the cast and crew) were rallying in support of another network potentially bringing the show back to life elsewhere. The CW was considered the biggest wish-list target after rumors of a SyFy channel pickup were debunked.
Today, showrunner Daniel Cerone put all those hopes to rest, as he posted the following statement on his twitter account:
I promised I’d share news when I had it — sadly, that news is not good. The cast and writers of Constantine are being released from their contracts. The studio tried to find a new home for the show, for which we’re forever grateful, but those efforts didn’t pan out. I’m sorry, I wasn’t provided any information on the attempts to sell the show elsewhere. All I can report is that the show is over.
Many ingredients went into this TV series. From the dedicated cast that breathed these characters to life, led by Matt Ryan as the comic-made-flesh embodiment of John Constantine, to the exceptionality talented crew that put unreal images on screen, to the original Hellblazer writers and artists who gifted us a universe.
As a general principle, writers don’t choose a writing career to achieve stardom. Whatever demons or insecurities drove them to find freedom of expression through written words generally keeps writers comfortably obscure behind their words. Nor do people choose writing as a means to financial freedom. I’d venture to guess that most who set out to write professionally never receive a paycheck for their hopeful scribbles or key strokes.
In fact, nobody I know ever chose a writing career — it chose them. You write because that’s what you do. Like breathing, it just happens and you have to do it and you just hope that someday somebody out there notices what you’re trying to say.
If that’s the dream of writers, than the writers of Constantine lived the dream, because we’re leaving behind wild and passionate fans who believe in and were moved by what we tried to do. To leave such a significant, dedicated and active fan base on the table — that’s the real sadness. You all deserve many years of the series we set out to make, and we’re disappointed that we couldn’t deliver that to you. The good news is that Constantine will live on for years in many more forms. But our time as caretakers has ended.
If nothing else, I thought Matt Ryan was a pretty great John Constantine. Season 2 was reportedly going to have more delving into the mystic corners of the DC Universe as well, so if the Justice League Dark movie never takes off, it may be a while before we get another shot at seeing characters like Doctor Fate and The Spectre on screen.
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I’m extremely saddened to hear this as I loved the show. The onscreen chemistry and writing were fantastic.
What a crappy show. They did a horrible job and it deserves to be cancelled. It was so boring and almost as painful as the pain I conflict each day in hell. Why would any true fan want to bring back a show that clearly failed at representing a great character, concept, and storylines? We are past ‘just getting a show’ and now should demand good writing, directing, and acting.
The show was quite worthy, not only its’ casting but its creative writers and directors. Kudos for an excellent attempt and hopefully the show will come back from “cancellation” hell!
To be honest I was not impressed with the show.
I mean it was OK by itself if it had not been an adaptation
of the graphic novel or movie.
But since it was ,it fell short, the main character didn’t have
the angst O f the main character .
Nor did the show of the darkness and chills of the movie or comic.
Sorry to see it go! I enjoyed most of the episodes, loved the great cast, and was truly interested to see what was going to happy next.
What I can’t understand is people who didn’t like it who are so gleeful to see it go. Was it hurting you somehow? Were you unhappy that the fans of the show were enjoying it? Were you put out that the cast and crew were employed doing a job they loved? What is it that makes some people so happy when other people fail? You know, here’s an interesting tip: if you don’t like something, you can just not watch it without rooting for it to fail. Crazy but true!
— “… HAPPEN next.” Stupid autocorrect! ;)
That’s a drag, had some slow episodes but when it was on it was on. It actually did the story from Hellblazer #1 and pulled it off. Would have been fun to see where a second season would go.
Good riddance.
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We fans rooting for Constantine to return to the big screen in a rebooted form and to be in the DC Cinematic Universe. The Rebooted Constantine Movie which would be titled John Constantine: Hellblazer will have an origin story. Warner Bros. still has Constantine but they will reboot the character which will not be related to the TV series and the Keanu Reeves film in 2005.