According to The Hollywood Reporter, NBC is close to casting Matt Ryan as the title character in “Constantine,” a Warner Bros. Television drama based on DC Comics’ John Constantine.
Ryan, who is originally from Wales, has previously appeared in such films as “Layer Cake,” “Armistice” and “Flypaper,” as well as the TV shows “The Tudors,” “Criminal Minds” and its spinoff, “Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior.” He also voiced the lead character Edward Kenway in the video game “Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.”
According to THR, Daniel Cerone (“Dexter”) will pen the script with David Goyer (“Batman Begins”) attached to executive produce. Neill Marshall (“Game of Thrones”) will direct the pilot.
Created by Alan Moore, John Totleben and Stephen R. Bissette, John Constantine debuted in 1985’s “The Saga of the Swamp Thing” #37, and served as the main character’s supernatural adviser before making the jump three years later to his own series, “Hellblazer.”
With the launch of Vertigo in 1993, “Hellblazer” was moved to the mature-readers imprint, where it remained as its longest-running series until last year, when the title was ended and the character returned to the DC Universe.
He now stars in “Justice League Dark” and in his own title “Constantine.”
He also made the jump to the big screen in 2005, where he was played by Keanu Reeves.