Constantine 2 director wants the Keanu Reeves starrer to be R-Rated film

Earlier this year we learned that Warner Bros is developing a sequel to the 2005 Keanu Reeves starrer Constantine, the movie based on the famous comic book character and follows the adventures of John Constantine, a cynical exorcist.

While the movie received mixed reactions from critics upon its release, it earned a cult following among DC fans.

While the sequel doesnt have a script yet, director Francis Lawrence who also directed the 2005 movie revealed in a recent interview that he wants the movie to be R-rated and that he has discussed potential storylines with Keanu Reeves.

Speaking to TheWrap he said

"We have germs of ideas and dedication,” Lawrence said. “And Keanu and I have been batting around for a while and we’ve always wanted to do it. It’s just that we finally gotten past the hurdle of now we can go ahead and, and really do it. Now we have to just roll up our sleeves and dive in. But we have lots of ideas.”

And while the 2005 was also R-rated, the director revealed that because of certain mandates by the studio they hasd to tone down the vilonce, language and sexuality.

“One of the biggest things for me about the first one was we followed, per Warner Bros., the rules to make a PG-13 movie in terms of violence, blood, language, sexuality,"

"And my big, big regret was that we have an R-rated movie that’s really a PG-13 movie,” he said. “And if I was going to have to go have an R, I would have really made an R-rated movie. I would have made it much scarier and much more violent and I would have really made an R-rated movie.”

The massive success of the R-rated Deadpool paved the way for studios to support more mainstream R-rated movies, with even Marvel making its first R-rated movie with Deadpool 3.

Lawrence went on to say "to really go at it and make a real R-rated Constantine which is, I think, what people always wanted originally, not the PG-13 version that just happens to get an R." 

He concluded by saying “I think John Constantine is a funny character in a darkly comic kind of way and I would want to definitely add more of that sarcastic, cynical sense of humor to the story,”

Hopefully, Francis Lawrence can come up with an exciting script for the sequel that will not have any of the restrictions the first ones had and fans can see Keanu Reeves hunt down demons again on the big screen.

Currently, Keanu is getting ready for the release of the fourth installment of the John Wick franchise, which will hit theaters on 24 March 2023.