Constantine (film)

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Fandom
Name: Constantine
Abbreviation(s): none
Creator: Francis Lawrence (director), Kevin Brodbin & Frank Cappello (writers), based on Hellblazer comic by Jamie Delano & Garth Ennis.
Date(s): 2005
Medium: film
Country of Origin: United States
External Links: IMDB
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Constantine is a 2005 live-action film that is loosely based on the Hellblazer comics.

Canon

Constantine stars Keanu Reaves as the eponymous John Constantine, a chain-smoking, cynical exorcist who's trying to 'buy' his way into heaven after committing a mortal sin for which he is too proud - or stubborn - to seek absolution. The other main character of the film is Angela Dodson (played by Rachel Weisz), a New York City detective who has for years been suppressing powerful psychic potential. The movie is based on the Hellblazer comic series; the main character in Hellblazer is also John Constantine (but older, blond, and English). The movie's story is inspired by several plot arcs from the comic, but it's unrelated in many ways, which drew criticism from a number of Hellblazer fans.

The story opens with the uncovering of a powerful artifact, Constantine performing an abnormal exorcism, and Angela's twin sister Isabel (also played by Weisz) committing suicide by leaping from the roof of the mental hospital she was staying in. After Angela and Constantine cross paths several times, Angela is led to ask for his help in investigating her sister's suicide. The movie follows the duo's attempts to unravel the events that caused Isabel's death, which turns into saving the world.

Secondary and minor characters in the movie include Chas Kramer (Shia LaBoeuf), a would-be exorcist, Constantine's assistant and driver; Papa Midnite (Djimon Hounsou), a powerful occultist and old ally of Constantine's who refuses to take sides in the war between Heaven and Hell; Balthazar (Gavin Rossdale), a demon involved in the conspiracy; Archangel Gabriel (Tilda Swinton); and Lucifer (Peter Stormare).

Fandom

A small but enthusiastic fandom sprung up as soon as Constantine hit cinemas in 2005; the majority of fans were new to Constantine (rather than existing fans of Hellblazer). The majority of the fandom's output peaked in mid-2005 and only a trickle of fanworks were produced from 2006 onwards.

The major pairings were Constantine/Chas, Constantine/Balthazar, and Constantine/Angela; there was also a certain amount of Constantine/Gabriel and Constantine/Lucifer from some writers. Other pairings were rarer, and there was little gen in the fandom.

A popular crossover for the fandom is with Supernatural.

Notable Fanworks

Archives and Communities

Livejournal Communities

Insanejournal Communities

Zines

Constantine/Supernatural zines:

Resources

References

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