DC Comics may be having a difficult time with its big-screen projects, but the home of Superman and Batman is having no such issues with the television world.
After receiving a series order last week, NBC’s upcoming series Constantine debuted its first trailer and clip over the weekend, offering an early look at the small-screen adventures of DC’s popular occult detective. The series is adapted from the long-running comic book Hellblazer, which followed cigarette-smoking, magic-wielding investigator John Constantine as he kept the balance between this world and others using a mix of magic, arcane knowledge, and his considerable con-man skills. The character was previously brought to the screen in 2005’s forgettable feature Constantine, which cast Keanu Reeves in the title role.
The upcoming Constantine series stars Criminal Minds actor Matt Ryan as John Constantine, and if the first footage from the series is a good indication of what’s to come, the show will be adhering much closer than the movie to the dark mix of horror and occult adventures that were a staple of its source material.
The series also has a respectable team behind it with writers Daniel Cerone (Dexter) and David S. Goyer (The Dark Knight) also serving as executive producers, and Neil Marshall (The Descent) directing the pilot episode. On the casting side, Ryan will be joined by True Blood actress Lucy Griffiths and Lost actor Harold Perrineau.
Here’s the official synopsis for the series:
In “Constantine,” based on the comic book series “Hellblazer” from DC Comics, seasoned demon hunter and master of the occult John Constantine specializes in giving hell… hell. Armed with a ferocious knowledge of the dark arts and his wickedly naughty wit, he fights the good fight – or at least he did. With his soul already damned to hell, he’s decided to leave his do-gooder life behind. But when demons target Liv, the daughter of one of Constantine’s oldest friends, he’s reluctantly thrust back into the fray – and he’ll do whatever it takes to save her.
Before long, it’s revealed that Liv’s “second sight,” an ability to see the worlds behind our world and predict supernatural occurrences, is a threat to a mysterious new evil that’s rising in the shadows. And now it’s not just Liv who needs protection; the angels are starting to get worried too. So, together, Constantine and Liv must use her power and his skills to travel the country, find the demons that threaten our world – and send them back where they belong. After that, who knows… maybe there’s hope for him and his soul after all.
The series will premiere in this season’s fall lineup for NBC.
You can watch the trailer for Constantine and the first clip from the series below:
