Following the announcement a few months ago that writer and directorJ.J. Abramswill be bringing a live-actionJustice League Darkseries to life on HBO Max, it appears that two of the rumored spin-offs may have now been identified, and they are none other thanZatannaandConstantine. Abrams first-look deal with WarnerMedia was first reported earlier this year, with Bad Robot’sJustice League Darkseries seemingly just the tip of the iceberg for Abrams and his team.
“What an amazing start to our association with the wildly imaginative Bad Robot team under J.J. and Katie,” former HBO Max chief Kevin Reilly said during the show’s initial announcement. “What could be better than an original J.J. idea and then Warner Bros. letting them loose on iconic IP from Stephen King and the DC Universe and to provide more must-have programming onHBO Max.”
Both Zatanna Zatara and John Constantine are long-time members ofJustice League Darkas well as being hugely popular characters in their own right, so it makes sense to branch out from the central team-up show and put the focus on them for their own separate adventures. Both characters have appeared previously in live-action on the small screen, with a version ofConstantinecurrently appearing in The CW’sArrowverseplayed by Matt Ryan, while Zatanna made a few appearances duringSmallvilleplayed by Serinda Swan. Fans responded well to both actor’s iterations of their respective characters, but, despite this, it is likely that Abrams will start from scratch with his take on the dark heroes of DC.
Making his first appearance inThe Saga of Swamp Thingin 1985, the role ofConstantinehas also been portrayed on the big screen byJohn Wickstar Keanu Reeves, with fanscrying out for a sequelever since the actor exploded back onto the scene with the hugely popular franchise about the dog-loving assassin. Rumors began spreading some time ago claiming that Abrams was working on a new take on the character, though at the time it was not known whether this would be for the big or small screen. Whether Abrams will look at bringing back Reeves for the title role remains to be seen, but considering that the actor has stated his desire to return in the past, and with the audiences love for Reeves still at an all-time high, it is likely that he will be contemplating it.
Zatanna meanwhile made her debut inDC Comicsback in 1964 and has made appearances in a number of animated series includingBatman: The Animated Series,Justice League UnlimitedandYoung Justice, as well as her live-action appearance onSmallville. Much likeConstantine, rumors have circulated for some time claiming that development is underway on a standaloneZatanna movie, which is said to be separate from the upcomingJustice League Darkseries that Abrams and Bad Robot are producing for HBO Max.
Justice League Darkwill follow an alternate branch of theJustice Leaguethat is dedicated to dealing with mystical and supernatural threats. Its founding members include Deadman, John Constantine, Madame Xanadu, Shade, the Changing Man and Zatanna. Abrams and HBO Max’sJustice League Darkhas yet to set a release date. This news was buried in a separate story fromThe Hollywood Reporter.
