Everything You Need to Know About Constantine—AKA Your New Favorite Comic Book Show

Matt Ryan walks us through what to expect from the DC Comics show about doomed souls, demons and the fate of the world

By Sydney Bucksbaum Oct 24, 2014 5:00 PMTags
Matt Ryan, ConstantineQuantrell Colbert/NBC

Hellblazer fans, the day is finally here—Constantine premieres tonight!

NBC is getting into the comic book show game with a dark-but-snarky take on everyone's favorite exorcist/demon fighter John Constantine, played by the swoon-worthy Matt Ryan. 

We loved the premiere episode so much that we got Ryan on the line to find out exactly "what's on the way" this season, and spoiler alert, it's a ton of butt-kicking action, sexual chemistry sparks flying and so much more!

But Ryan is just excited for fans to finally get to the see the first episode after waiting so long. "I'm at that stage now where we've been shooting for a while and I'm like, ‘Let it air!'" Ryan told E! News. "I just want to get it out there. I'm a little bit nervous but I'm more excited. We've been working on it for a while. It's time!"

Quantrell Colbert/NBC

Why You Should Watch Constantine

Ryan knows there's so many comic book shows on the air now (it's a great time to be a comic book fan, isn't it?), but if you choose to watch just one, it should be Constantine

"The good thing is, even though we're all on different networks, we're all a part of the DC world and we're all on different times! Fans can probably catch them all!" Ryan said. "I think what's different about this show is the supernatural elements, for one. But also it's more real and drawn as an anti-hero. He's not someone who's got superpowers and in a cape or a pair of tights. He's a working class anti-hero who is out for the everyday man. I think that's what sets it apart in terms of other comic book shows that are out there."

A New Version of John Constantine?

As with any adaptation, many fans were worried that we had another Keanu Reeves situation on our hands. (Yeah, remember that awful 2005 movie? We're still trying to forget it ever existed.)

But it's safe to say that Ryan is the absolute perfect choice to play the sarcastic, dangerous and doomed master of the dark arts. The Welsh actor manages to hit the right balance of confidence and bravado mixed with self-loathing and grief that make up who the fan-favorite complicated character is. And that's just in the pilot alone.

Ryan explained that he's trying to stay true to who the character is in the comics while also adding his own flavor in the mix. 

"With any character, especially one that has been established for years, like in the comics, you have to meet in the middle," Ryan said. "I want to be true to it as much as possible, to the DNA of the character, the core elements of the character. And so many great writers have written him and artists have drawn him, and they take slightly different turns at different times. So I have to bring myself to it as much as anything. I have to make it my own and hopefully I'm doing that as well as staying true to the core of the character and explore within that as well."

Quantrell Colbert/NBC

Plus, it's good to hear that Ryan knows just how important it is to the fans that he gets the character right, especially since others have royally botched it in the past. 

"You always feel a slight bit of pressure with these kinds of parts but I'm also excited about it because all the fans finally get to see another interpretation of the Hellblazer comics and this amazing, iconic character," Ryan said. "I just hope I can do it justice."

What's On the Way?

While Constantine picks up at a low point in John's life—both his soul and that of an innocent are doomed to Hell due to a mistake he made—the master of the occult quickly learns that he can't wallow in his own grief, as something evil is rising. 

"What's on the way? That's the question, isn't it?" Ryan said with a laugh, quoting an important line from the premiere that will become a battle cry of sorts this season. "There's this impending doom, this rising darkness, and we'll find out more about that each week. I don't even know what it is yet! I keep bugging the guys, ‘What is it? What is it?' It's really exciting!"

Something else fans have to look forward to? A demon-of-the-week format that will introduce many familiar faces.

"There's going to be lots of different things on the way, demons, different bad things that turn up that John has to tackle," Ryan said. "And we'll get to know some of the Newcastle Crew, like Richie in the premiere, and all those other characters. We'll be exploring John's backstory through his relationships with these people."

Quantrell Colbert/NBC

And there's one moment in the premiere that will have DC Comics fans literally cheering, an easter egg of massive proportions hidden away in John's homebase. 

"What's great is that millhouse where John houses himself, it has so many great easter eggs in there," Ryan said. "Every day we shoot in there, I go in and have a look around on the shelves and I'm like, ‘Oh my god, is that from that?!' I'm discovering so many things myself!"

Don't worry, you don't need to be an eagle-eyed detective to spot the first easter egg. The camera lingers on a certain DC item, giving it its due. The real question is, will any of those items in John's millhouse come into play later? Let's hope so...think of the possibilities!

NBC

Constantine's New Leading Lady

Another familiar DC Comics character heading to Constantine? Zed, played by Angelica Celaya, who shows up in a teaser at the end of the premiere and will go on to become the new main female on the show in episode 2 and on (Lucy Griffiths, who plays damsel-in-distress Liv, exited the series after the pilot). And believe us when we say that when it comes to John and Zed, sparks. Will. Fly.

"She's feisty, she's in John's face and she has this very interesting power that John's trying to help her control," Ryan said. "But I think the dynamic between them as well, there's more of an adult relationship in terms of there's definitely a sexual energy between them and there's a great chemistry. She's just someone that doesn't take his shit, you know? It's great for me as an actor and for him as a character because we really ping off each other and bounce off each other and you get this interesting chemistry."

Zed offered the show something much more proactive than Liv, who the showrunners felt was too reactive to John and his manipulations. Plus, John has no idea where Zed came from or what her backstory is, when he knew more about Liv than she did. 

"He doesn't know her past and she's got this mysterious past," Ryan teased. "Every now and then she'll do something and John's like, ‘Where'd you learn to do that?' And she'll knock a guy out and he'll wonder how this girl can do these things. She's very elusive with him about her past and doesn't let on much. They're going to continue to try to figure each other out. She doesn't know much about him either, so there's so much for us to learn about both of them. It makes it a much more interesting dynamic."

Constantine premieres tonight at 10 p.m. on NBC.