Constantine Director Wants Sequel To Be Rated R

In a new interview, Constantine director Francis Lawrence says with his long-awaited sequel to the 2005 superhero horror film, he will be pushing for a hard R rating. Speaking with The Wrap, Lawrence said he wants to do "what people always wanted originally, not the PG-13 version that just happens to get an R" like last time around.

Lawrence added that although there will be plenty of violence in the next film, he also wants it to be a funny film. "I think John Constantine is a funny character in a darkly comic kind of way," said Lawrence. "I would want to definitely add more of that sarcastic, cynical sense of humor to the story [in the sequel]."

In December last year, long-languishing hopes for a Constantine sequel got rekindled when Keanu Reeves reiterated how much he would love to return to the role of John Constantine. Reeves shared his feelings with Stephen Colbert during a promotional appearance to talk up The Matrix Resurrections. That appearance seemingly gave enough ammunition for Lawrence and producer Akiva Goldsman, to finally get the go-ahead to work on a sequel. Chiefly, DC Comics had a rightful claim to the character, which Lawrence told The Wrap that "all of that craziness with DC" has finally been sorted--opening the way for a sequel nearly 20 years later.

A Constantine sequel is not yet a sure thing but is most likely coming. In September this year, Warner Bros. greenlit a sequel to the Reeves movie, with Reeves reteaming with Lawrence. No script has been written yet, but an idea is currently in development. Goldsman will write the screenplay and co-produce alongside J. J. Abrams and Hannah Minghella.