Huge news for Constantine and HELLBLAZER fans, the first official image of Matt Ryan as John Constantine has been released. Production has begun on this NBC pilot from executive producers Daniel Cerone & David Goyer.

“I’ve been a fan of John Constantine since he was first introduced in 1985. This Constantine, envisioned by Neil Marshall and embodied by Matt Ryan, looks like he sprang directly from the comics’ covers. Fans old and new are going to be in for a treat,” said executive producer David S. Goyer.

CONSTANTINE follows enigmatic and irreverent Liverpool con-man-turned-occult-detective John Constantine, who is reluctantly thrust into the role of defending our world against dark forces from beyond.

Featured in hundreds of comic book issues, John Constantine has been a DC Comics staple since his first appearance as a supporting character in Swamp Thing in 1985. The character was subsequently featured in his own bestselling Hellblazer and Constantine comic book series.

UK native Matt Ryan (Layer Cake, The Tudors, Torchwood) stars as the title character.

The CONSTANTINE pilot is executive produced by Daniel Cerone (The Mentalist, Dexter) and David S. Goyer (The Dark Knight films, Man of Steel). Neil Marshall (The Descent,Game of Thrones) is directing from a teleplay by Daniel Cerone, with story by Daniel Cerone & David S. Goyer.

Production has begun and we'll send more info your way as we get it. What do you think of the UK native's look as John Constantine?

He's...perfect.

No cigarette? NOT MY CON-JOB!

Looks good, but I wish there were more details about the story.

Perfect!

Unlike the Flash costume, it will be hard to find a complaint about this.

He's a scouser? That's fantastic, I'm so glad they're paying that much attention to the comics.

Makes you wonder if Zatanna will show up and if they can pull off her look as well.

Yup, He definitely is John Constantine

Sweet.

Solid!

It's a good look.

Looks very good.

I saw this pic yesterday. Looks like he'll make a great John Constantine. Hope the pilot gets picked up.

I keep seeing the term "scouse."

I'm a dumb American (Well, Canadian-American). What does that mean?

hope it doesn't suck

@saren: Have you read some of the blurbs about the series?

"a working-class Londoner with deadpan humor who is a mysterious conman and occult detective 
haunted by the recent loss of a young girl's soul. No stranger to the dark underworld that exists parallel to our own, Constantine has been studying the dark arts since he was a teenager. He's taught himself spells, rituals, curses and conjuring, but the one person he most wishes to see -- his mother, who died giving birth to him -- remains out of reach, at least so far. When Liv, the daughter of a late friend, is targeted by demons, Constantine steps in to save her and the two form an alliance."

@jonny_anonymous: I've read the blurbs, but I don't think any of them have talked about things like why John and Papa Midnite are at odds.

@inferiorego: Scouse or scouser is slang for someone from Liverpool. It's used in the same way as a cockney is from London, geordy is from Newcastle and weegie is from Glasgow.

It's Edward Kenway!

Man, I wish we had cool terms like that in the States.

Looks good

no keanu? i'm disappointed...

i'm just kidding

I gotta say, they nailed it pitch-perfectly minus the cigarette. You can't really say that about too many other live action comic characters.

Still more excited for the Flash show though.

He looks the part, just hope he smokes etc!

@inferiorego: You should invent some and then see if you can get it to catch on lol

If Goyer is behind it, I wonder will it connect to the films?

Working on it now

@jake_fury You came to my mind.

@inferiorego: If you think hard enough I bet there are slang terms like that here. Example, Hoosiers are from Indiana. There's gotta be more.

I heard the producers are still iffy on whether or not he'll smoke

there is a smoke in the picture so he probably throw the cigarette before he took the photo

He looks awesome.

Edward Kenway. Pirate, Lover, Assassin , Ninja and Paranormal Detective.

@jonny_anonymous: The actor is technically Welsh, but I doubt most yanks would be able to tell the difference.

I don't like it. Now listen, I've been a Hellblazer fan since I started picking up the book after his appearance in Sandman. However, I really enjoyed Keanu Reeves' Constanteen and was hoping we'd see an eventual sequel. Despite the vast changes made in the film, it had something....special.

I hope this doesn't suck but for some reason this guy just doesn't strike me as John.

No need to, sand-hiller/Egyptian:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_demonyms_for_U.S._states

(I'm guessing the Illinois demonym comes from the Egyptian-inspired Art Deco architecture in the city)

@maccyd: Yea I know he's Welsh.

Looks the part, but as I did with Shield I will remain skeptical until the pilot. I'm not really a JC fan, maybe the show will change that who knows.

Dat smug look on his face...xD

People from IL are called "Suckers?" First, I've never heard of that. Second, BOOOOOOOOOOO!

@jonny_anonymous: I'm just saying some of the accent will come through, when he tries to pull off a scouse accent.

Here's another pic:

BB

Looks good.

@maccyd: It didn't when he did Edward Kenway in Assassins Creed.

@billy_batson: I like that cast/crew image better, actually. It's a little less staged, and he looks a little more grim.

@jonny_anonymous: Was Kenway not Welsh as well?

@maccyd: He didn't sound it

@inferiorego: a Scouse is someone from Liverpool. I myself am a Geordie as I come from Newcastle

I hope to piss off fans, he vapes the e-cigarette.