Two DC Comics series from JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions that were in development at HBO Max, “Constantine” and “Madame X,” are no longer rolling out on streamers, TheWrap has learned.
Warner Bros. TV and Bad Robot are still high on both shows and intend to purchase them on other platforms and hopefully land a new home soon, a person with knowledge of the projects said.
The person said that the decision to move on from the show was not minor on creative decisions or the quality of the projects, but that HBO and HBO Max are more programmed with DC content, including seven different DC shows including “Doom Patrol, “Peacemaker,” “Pennyworth” and “Titans” and three others are currently in development, not to mention other fantasy programming like “House of the Dragon” and “The Last of Us” on HBO.
News of the “Constantine” series leaving HBO came after it was reported that Keanu Reeves would return for a feature film sequel based on the 2005 “Constantine” film, with Bad Robot also producing that film.
The series “Constantine” was being developed by British novelist Guy Bolton, and the series was intended to join the “Justice League Dark” universe of characters. The other property, “Madame X”, would also fit in “Justice League Dark” and was in the works of author Angela Robinson. Robinson still has an overall deal with Warner Bros. TV.
Warner Bros. has had luck with shows like “The Sandman” on Netflix, “Lucifer” on Fox, and several shows on The CW, all of which came from characters from the DC Comics universe, so the studio expects both “Constantine” and “Madame X” will still have a future elsewhere.
First introduced in 1985 in “The Saga of Swamp Thing,” John Constantine is one of DC Comics’ most popular characters. Constantine, an undercover thief and spy, has led the company’s “Hellblazer” series since 1988. The character was also brought to life by Matt Ryan, who led a series reboot at The CW in 2014.
In DC Comics, Madame X – an immortal sorceress who is part of the “Justice League Dark” universe – was known as Nimue and first appeared in 1978’s “Doorway to Nightmare” #1. The character was designed by cover artist Michael William Kaluta and developed by original story writer David Michelini.
