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‘Justice League Dark’ Film: Constantine Might Be Cast By Big Name Actor, And TV Petition Ticks Up

By David Joseph
Published on: 10:43 PST, Nov 19, 2015

Justice League Dark, a film long in pre-production, has had a very rocky road thus far. The comic book it is attempting to adapt is, more or less, a magical and mystical version of the Justice League. Justice League Dark consists of John Constantine, Deadman, Zatanna, Madame Xanadu, among other rotating characters. Constantine was the biggest buzz around this film initially, as many NBC Constantine fans saw this as big screen debut for Matt Ryan to return John Constantine. If Comicbook is correct, Ryan might not be the first and only choice for the film role of John Constantine.

Justice League Dark has been in a quasi-limbo state because its director, Guillermo Del Toro, but the report that came out Tuesday suggests that two well-known Hollywood A-listers are high on Warner Bros. list to play John Constantine. Latino Review reports that the studio is going against Del Toro’s Constantine casting, and reportedly has contacted Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor about the role of Justice League Dark’s leading mage.

Previous reports by the Inquisitr showed that Matt Ryan appeared to be the likely candidate, so it would make sense that he was chosen by Del Toro for Constantine, but this most recent report suggests otherwise. Both McGregor and Farrell are sought after for the cast of Justice League Dark, but whichever one does not make the cut for Constantine, the other will become Jason Blood/Etrigan the Demon. The Justice League Dark team has a rotating cast, as aforementioned, but Del Toro chose Swamp Thing and Jason Blood/Etrigan the Demon to be part the film’s main cast.

Ron Perlman, unsurprisingly, is Del Toro’s Swamp Thing choice. Though, it has not been confimed by Perlman or Warner Bros., as to whether that choice for the Justice League Dark cast is still in place. Swamp Thing, as a character, has had a long history. Several Vertigo comics, often time alongside Constantine, two movies, and TV show. The report also said that the studio is looking at Monica Belluci for Madam Xanadu, and merely have descriptions of who they would like to play Justice League Dark’s Deadman and Zatanna.

A Deadman actor would serve as a comedic presence, and they are looking for either a hispanic or black actor for the part. According to Heroic Hollywood, Justice League Dark’s big bad has been named, and actor Ben Mendelsohn is being eyed to play Anton Arcane. Arcane is a Swamp Thing villain, and Mendelsohn’s cred comes from playing Daggett in Dark Knight Rises. No other information is known about casting at this time.

The feeling is that Warner Bros. is in hot pursuit of a new director for Justice League Dark, but none have been mentioned, hinted at, or suggested. The studio’s decision to potentially ditch Matt Ryan may not be the wisest move. Constantine fans, leftover from NBC’s attempt to bring the Hellblazer to TV, managed to flood the internet with enough attention to bring Matt Ryan and NBC’s created Constantine universe to CW’s Arrow.

The original petition that Constantine fans started to save the NBC show reached 50,000 signatures. They opened up a second petition in the past week or so, and the last number was headed upwards of 75,000 signatures to CW, El Rey, and USA network. Though the CW was the only other network to feature Matt Ryan’s Constantine, El Rey network has the rerun rights, and has been running all 13 episodes.

The wrath of comic book fans is as equally strong as their support. Though comic book properties are profitable right now, it is not certain, and some do and will fail. Justice League Dark’s survival remains to be seen.

What are your thoughts?

Do you like the choices thus far? Is it good or bad idea to chose a new actor for the Hellblazer?

Leave your thoughts below.

[Photos by Mike Coppola, Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty Images ]

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