John Constantine won’t be smoking on NBC’s Constantine, says Neil Marshall

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Smoke 'em if you got 'em.

One character you won't see lighting up this fall is Matt Ryan's John Constantine on the upcoming NBC series "Constantine", which really shouldn't come as too much of a surprise considering the show is on network television (Hey, it's ok to go for the gore, but don't you dare light up! – I can imagine the TV execs saying that). Fans of the character may find this news a bit disheartening as Constantine's trademark chain-smoking is one of his most identifiable characteristics, but pilot director Neil Marshall (THE DESCENT) shared that in no uncertain terms that the smoking had to go.

“It’s the one thing, a compromise I guess. On network it’s the one thing you can’t smoke on network. That’s one of his character traits. We’re working around that. We’re trying to get aspects of it in there as much as possible. We’ll see.”

Marshall goes on to share that he's uncertain as to whether or not Constantine will have cancer (another integral plot point of the comic series), stating that the pilot doesn't make any mention of cancer and that he has 'no idea where the story is going to go beyond the pilot, so I can’t answer that one.'

Marshall goes on to add…

…the smoking is very frustrating. Who knows where it will go; where the story will go; where the character will go? There's still lots of options.

As fans of the comics will recall, Constantine's nasty smoking habit winds up being more than a minor character detail. Curious to see how the writing team works its way out of this one.

Executive produced by David S. Goyer (MAN OF STEEL, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES) and Daniel Cerone ("Dexter," "The Mentalist"), the series also stars Harold Perrineau ("Lost") as the "authoritative angel" Manny, and Charles Halford ("True Detective") as Constantine's good friend Chas.

Based on the wildly popular comic book series “Hellblazer” from DC Comics, seasoned demon hunter and master of the occult John Constantine (Matt Ryan, “Criminal Minds”) specializes in giving hell… hell. Armed with a ferocious knowledge of the dark arts and his wickedly naughty wit, he fights the good fight — or at least he did. With his soul already damned to hell, he’s decided to leave his do-gooder life behind, but when demons target Liv (Lucy Griffiths, “True Blood”), the daughter of one of Constantine’s oldest friends, he’s reluctantly thrust back into the fray – and he’ll do whatever it takes to save her. Before long, it’s revealed that Liv’s “second sight” — an ability to see the worlds behind our world and predict supernatural occurrences — is a threat to a mysterious new evil that’s rising in the shadows. Now it’s not just Liv who needs protection; the angels are starting to get worried too. So, together, Constantine and Liv must use her power and his skills to travel the country, find the demons that threaten our world and send them back where they belong. After that, who knows… maybe there’s hope for him and his soul after all.

The cast also includes Harold Perrineau and Charles Halford. Writer Daniel Cerone (“The Mentalist,” “Dexter”) serves as executive producer with David S. Goyer (“Man of Steel,” “The Dark Knight Rises”). “Constantine” is produced from Bonanza Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. The show is based upon characters published by DC Entertainment.

"Constantine", which stars Matt Ryan as the titular wise-ass from hell, will premiere on Friday, October 24th at 10pm ET. It follows the lead of "Grimm", which premieres at 9pm.