Constantine General Discussion Thread

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http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/06...cs-adaptation?abthid=538fa71445d281be6800004f
CONSTANTINE: MATT RYAN AND LUCY GRIFFITHS ON WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE DC COMICS ADAPTATION

The stars of the new NBC series on how the show will blend different dynamics.

BY ERIC GOLDMANThis fall sees the launch of three new DC Comics-based TV series across three different networks, including FOX's Gotham, CW's The Flash (joining Arrow) and NBC's Constantine, debuting on Friday, October 24th, paired with Grimm.

A new adaptation of DC’s Hellblazer comics, Constantine stars Matt Ryan (Assassin’s Creed IV) as the title character, John Constantine, a demon hunter and master of the occult. Starring alongside Ryan is Lucy Griffiths (True Blood) as Liv, the daughter of an old friend of Constantine, who has her own abilities that prove crucial when it comes to thwarting evil.

I spoke to Ryan and Griffiths about their characters, what it’s like starring in a comic book adaptation, working with director Neil Marshall (The Descent, Game of Thrones’ “Blackwater”) and more.

IGN: It looks like the show has a fun mixture of different elements.

Matt Ryan: Yeah, definitely. I think as with the source material, there's so much to draw from in terms of the character and the balance of humor and wit and dark and gritty. It's great, because John has this kind of real sarcastic, ironic British wit. It's funny, but at the same time it's serious and dark and gritty. It's got it all, I think.

IGN: Can you talk about the dynamic between your characters? What does Liv make of John?

Lucy Griffiths: Like how all women like to feel about men, she loves him and she hates him. She thinks he's an absolute idiot, and she just finds him annoying. At the same time, she can't deny that he's a genius, and she's thrilled by what he has to offer her in terms of excitement. He's irresistible to her from that point of view.

Ryan: But dangerous to her as well.

Griffiths: Yeah, and she helps him. She's his psychic sidekick.

IGN: As you just referenced, your character has some abilities too…

Griffiths: Yeah, I actually have more magic than him. [Laughs]

Ryan: Not so much "magic." Let's be firm on this! But no, she actually has an ability, and John seeks her out because he's got a message from beyond the grave, from an old friend of his, whose daughter is in trouble. That's Lucy's character Liv. Then John goes about saving her and at the same time discovers that she has this ability. So then he kind of uses that ability and slightly manipulates her, but they need each other, and they set about trying to rid the world of all the evil.

IGN: This is obviously based on a beloved comic book. Have you started to immerse yourself in that background?

Ryan: Yeah, man. That's just the most amazing thing.

Griffiths: It’s fantastic.

Ryan: There’s over 300 issues of the Hellblazer comic alone.

Griffiths: I was so shocked by the artwork… as in, I was amazed!

Ryan: Yeah, there's just so much source material to glean from. I've read about 100 of them now, so I’ve got a way to go.

IGN: Hey, you’re about a third of the way through!

Ryan: It's great, man. As an actor, your research is reading comic books. That's not a bad job, right?

IGN: It's got to be cool, too, when the first picture of you in-character came out and people were saying, "There's Constantine!"

Ryan: Yeah, and we're trying to stay as close to the source material as possible and really do the comics justice. So, hopefully, we can do that.

Griffiths: It’s pretty faithful!

IGN: How was it working with Neil [Marshall] on the pilot? I’m a big fan of his work.

Griffiths: I was just so comforted by the fact that he was English -- which sounds silly, but when you're used to working away from home -- but that was an instant comfort; that's the only way I can really explain it.

Ryan: I thought he was great. I've been a fan of his for awhile as well. The Descent, Dog Soldiers, those films, I've loved for years, and the tones of those. As soon as I knew that he was part of the team, I was thrilled. For this kind of thing, you really do need someone with that vision to get that kind of tone right.

Griffiths: He's got a very calm demeanor on set as well.

IGN: Your show is one of several DC Comics shows coming out around the same time. They're on different networks, but is it still kind of fun to know that there's sort of this brotherhood of superheroes gathering on TV?

Ryan: Yeah!

Griffiths: Yeah, except for we've got to win. Let's not forget the competitive element!

Ryan: [Laughs] I think it's the new golden age of comic books, isn't it? It's great to see DC having so many shows on the air as well. It's just a fantastic opportunity for NBC, I think, on a Friday night, to have this genre. We follow Grimm, and I think that that's a fantastic thing for fans of this genre. They can really get a kick out of that.
 
It's cool that Matt Ryan is reading Hellblazer. Hopefully he can draw some of the character from the comics for his performance.
 
"BY ERIC GOLDMANThis fall sees the launch of three new DC Comics-based TV series across three different networks, including FOX's Gotham, CW's The Flash (joining Arrow) and NBC's Constantine"

Shouldn't iZombie be included in that list?
 
It's cool that Matt Ryan is reading Hellblazer. Hopefully he can draw some of the character from the comics for his performance.

But is he really? They always claim they are reading the comic..... pictures or he is lying to calm fans!
 
He could still be lying even with a picture. He could say to one of the production staff "Hey take a pic of me reading Hellblazer #200" and you wouldn't have a clue.
 
But is he really? They always claim they are reading the comic..... pictures or he is lying to calm fans!
I don't have a reason to doubt a professional actor who signed on to star in a show for potentially years to lie about reading the comics.

Most actors are pretty honest if they have or have not read source material for a role these days as they know someone may ask them about it.
 
He could still be lying even with a picture. He could say to one of the production staff "Hey take a pic of me reading Hellblazer #200" and you wouldn't have a clue.

He quoted a line from All His Engines in his tweet. He's been reading alright

Matt Ryan @mattryanreal

Mictlantecuhtli: You forget yourself. I am Mictlantecuhtli. I am a god.
John: Great stuff. I'm John-- and I'm a bastard.

10:01 AM - 3 Jun 2014
 
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New trailer from Global TV's up


Spot anything familar @ 0:48?

XyjeVQT.jpg
 
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I love that so much I can't even get angry at you for not spoiler tagging it. :atp:
 
I noticed what looks like a pack of cigarettes and a lighter on the table when Johns drinking a pint.
 
I noticed what looks like a pack of cigarettes and a lighter on the table when Johns drinking a pint.

Really?

Sounds like either its a one time thing or Goyer and Cerone might've won the ciggie war and will see him smoke in some episodes.
 
I wonder how likely it is for this to be connected to Goyer and JGL's Sandman movie. . or that JL: Dark movie.

How awesome would it be if that was a universe...? Sandman, Constantine, and Justice League: Dark
 
:eek: Sweet merciful jellybean! [blackout]Mother ****ing Fate helmet.[/blackout] :up:
 
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My buddy who saw the pilot a fews weeks ago said that
there's a scene where they are gathering weapons for a fight and the girl grabs the helmet...John says something like "You better put that down before it picks you up" or something like that.
 
Hopefully we can see

Dr Fate
Swamp Thing
Zatanna
Etrigan
Spectre
Phantom Stranger
Deadman

I'm thinking the rights are split up and maybe NBC/Constantine has the rights to the Vertigo and mystical/sorcery side of the DCU, while Gotham has Batman and all his villains (except Ra's) while Arrow/Flash/CW have the rights to everyone else, except for Superman and Wonder Woman characters.
 
Hopefully we can see

Dr Fate
Swamp Thing
Zatanna
Etrigan
Spectre
Phantom Stranger
Deadman

I'm thinking the rights are split up and maybe NBC/Constantine has the rights to the Vertigo and mystical/sorcery side of the DCU, while Gotham has Batman and all his villains (except Ra's) while Arrow/Flash/CW have the rights to everyone else, except for Superman and Wonder Woman characters.


Plus Z's old man, Sargon, Baron Winters and Tim Raven (from Mark Millar's last Swamp Thing arc)
 
I so want a Spectre spin-off show.
 
So, not having read any Constantine apart from the first few issues of JL Dark of the N52, I wanted to know if Griffith's character is canon to the Hellblazer mythos?

And why doesn't she have a thread of her own, anyway?
 
So, not having read any Constantine apart from the first few issues of JL Dark of the N52, I wanted to know if Griffith's character is canon to the Hellblazer mythos?

And why doesn't she have a thread of her own, anyway?

She is a character made up for the show although Goyer said she is a loose composite of a couple of Constantine's female sidekicks from Hellblazer.

Her character sounds mostly like Angie Spatchcock. Angie was a waitress and magician who served as a sidekick and lover of Constantine.
 
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