Fans of Vertigo and DC’s long-running Hellblazer series have learned to take on-screen adaptations of their favorite hard drinking, chain-smoking Liverpudlian mystic John Constantine with a Swamp Thing-sized grain of salt. While 2005’s Constantine wasn’t necessarily a bad movie, many, myself included, were mystified by the studio’s decision to cast Johnny Utah himself, Keanu Reeves, as the blond-haired Brit. So, naturally, when NBC announced they’d be adapting the comic book series into a primetime drama, a sense of collective PTSD began to set in. Thankfully, it seems, our trepidation was misplaced as far as aesthetics are concerned, because the first images of Matt Ryan as John Constantine have been revealed and they are pure magic.
Along with the official image, executive producer David S. Goyer released a statement, saying, “I’ve been a fan of John Constantine since he was first introduced in 1985. This Constantine, envisioned by Neil Marshall and embodied by Matt Ryan, looks like he sprang directly from the comics’ covers. Fans old and new are going to be in for a treat.”
Also, according to the NBC description, Constantine “follows enigmatic and irreverent Liverpool con-man-turned-occult-detective John Constantine, who is reluctantly thrust into the role of defending our world against dark forces from beyond.” Joining Ryan in the pilot are Harold Perrineau, Charles Halford, and Lucy Griffiths.
Another shot was posted via Slates For Sarah, a tribute page for the late Sarah Elizabeth Jones. (You can find out more about the scholarship in her name here).
If the rest of the production is on par with the visuals, then we may just have a winner on our hands here, folks. What do you think of Matt Ryan as Constantine? Let us know in the comments below.
HT: DC Comics
Oh, The official description confirming John as a Scouser (Liverpudlian) fills my heart with joy. The ‘John’s accent battles’ with the Cockney fanboys over the years have been gruesome and not everybody made it out alive.
TO THE VICTORS THE SPOILS!
As long as he has a British accent. This actually made my day.
The no-smoking bothers me, but he looks fantastic. If you don’t have the smoking, then you can’t have the (arguably) best storyline ever written put on the small screen. Not sure how you’d explain the lung cancer otherwise.
He really, really looks like James Van Der Beek in those pics… in fact, I thought thats who it was till I read.
Why isn’t he smoking?!!??
Let’s not forget that Matt Ryan is the voice of Edward Kenway in AC: IV.
I adored the movie, I highly anticipate the tv release. It doesn’t hurt that the star Matt Ryan is easy on the eyes.
I didn’t like the way he looked in the first picture. But, in the second one he looks perfect.
Noice!
Thing is, television has yet to prove that they have not only the money and the right people but also the right attitude and energy to deliver a comic adaption that isn’t WHYISTHISHAPPENING!?
Wow, the guy looks like the comic book character. What a concept?