When the news was announced that Warner Bros. TV was to make CONSTANTINE for NBC I don’t think there were many that thought this was a good idea. 

Vertigo Comics’ hard drinking, chain smoking, profaning supernatural detective, whose responsibility to save the world from demonic forces is thrust upon him as a network show? But since the irascible Brit has been transplanted firmly into DC Comics’ New 52 universe (don’t get us started on that fiasco), thereby sanitising and neutering him, it would seem likely that this vanilla flavoured, family friendly version will be NBC’s John Constantine of choice. 

There is one glimmer of hope that this won’t be a total disaster, however, and that is the news that Neil Marshall has agreed to direct the pilot.

He may not be everybody’s choice for this type of project but at least he understands the horror genre and he has a distinctive style. Of all his movies so far, the underrated CENTURION, the terrifyingly claustrophobic THE DESCENT, the hugely entertaining DOG SOLDIERS, it’s only the MAD MAX-like DOOMSDAY that has been a disappointment.

Who knows, perhaps CONSTANTINE will surprise us all and actually be a show we can all get behind. After all, SLEEPY HOLLOW has exceeded all expectations.

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