Constantine becomes latest superhero headed for TV in 2014
NBC has ordered a pilot based on the DC Comics character John Constantine, which it hopes to bring to the small screen next season.
Titled "Constantine," the potential series will focus on the antihero of the "Hellblazer" comics, first introduced in the 1980s. Mysterious and sarcastic, the former conman becomes a paranormal detective with the goal of protecting humanity from evil.
In the DC Comics version, John Constantine takes on superpowers through his knowledge of black magic and the occult.
This dark character has already attracted the attention of cinema producers in the recent past. Keanu Reeves played the title character in the 2005 film "Constantine," directed by "Hunger Games: Catching Fire" helmer Francis Lawrence.
The TV version will be headed up by Daniel Cerone, a writer and producer on "The Mentalist," and David S. Goyer, who is something of a specialist when it comes to adapting comics for the screen. In particular, Goyer penned screenplays for "Blade," "The Crow," "Ghost Rider," Christopher Nolan's "Batman" trilogy and "Man of Steel." He is currently working on stories and screenplays for "Batman vs. Superman," slated to premiere in 2015, and "Justice League," due out in 2017.
Considering the success of superhero franchises at the box office recently -- "Iron Man 3" was the highest-grossing film worldwide in 2013 -- it's no surprise that comic book characters are making their way to TV not in Saturday morning cartoons, but in live-action series with prime time scheduling. ABC is currently airing the first season of "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D" while "Arrow" is in its second season on the CW.
And the trend is poised to grow in the coming year. CW is considering bringing the Flash back to the airwaves through an "Arrow" spin-off, while FOX has ordered a pilot for "Gotham," a series adapted from the Batman universe. The new show from "The Mentalist" creator Bruno Heller will focus on James Gordon, Gotham City's police commissioner.
Adapted from the comic book "Gotham," the series is an origin story on Commissioner Gordon, showing how Gotham City's police chief dealt with the city's legendary villains before Batman arrived on the scene.
In 2015, a partnership between Marvel and Netflix will bring no less than four new superhero-themed series to the online video platform. "Daredevil," "Jessica Jones," "Iron Fist" and "Luke Cage" will be released on Netflix in that order in 2014, followed by a miniseries, "The Defenders," featuring all four characters.
