NBC’s CONSTANTINE will debut the full pilot episode for the series later this month at San Diego Comic Con, but when the show hits the airwaves in the Fall there will be one character already on their way out. Lucy Griffiths, who plays the female lead Liv, will be leaving the series during the first season as the creators have decided to go in a different direction with the show.
Often on television series, characters are recast after the pilot is shot but producers elected to keep the character on board and write her off during the run of the show. Fans of the comics need not worry as they have elected to bring in another HELLBLAZER character to take her place. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Liv will be replaced by Zed, another female character with similar abilities. The role of Zed has not been cast as of this time.
The trailer for CONSTANTINE spends a good deal of time showcasing Griffiths’ Liv as she becomes indoctrinated into the world of demons and angels. While this doesn’t mean there is necessarily anything wrong with the series, making a shift like this during the first season could be a warning sign that the level of quality is not quite there. On a positive note, it could also mean that producers are aiming for a similar format to the BBC series DOCTOR WHO where the main character would shift companions every few seasons or story arcs to better compliment the tone and direction of the series.
It is too early to tell what the future holds for CONSTANTINE, but we will bring you news as it develops from Comic Con. CONSTANTINE premieres October 24th on NBC.