'Constantine' TV series release date, latest news: CW Seed resurrects 'Constantine' as animated series

After a one-season run on NBC, DC character "Constantine" will be returning in an animated series for CW Seed. The announcement was made on Sunday, Jan. 8, at the winter press tour of the Television Critics Association.

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, the "Constantine" animated series will be consisting of five or six 10-minute episodes that are slated to premiere during the 2017–2018 TV season on CW Seed. The animated series' lead character will be voiced by actor Matt Ryan, who also starred in the leading role on the short-lived NBC drama about the DC character.

"Constantine" is based on a DC character created back in 1985 for the comic book series "Hellblazer." It centers on John Constantine, a working class occult detective and con man who struggles with his faith. Haunted by the sins he committed in the past, he reluctantly finds himself in the role of defending humanity against different forces of evil and darkness.

The comic book series was then adapted to a TV series for NBC, titled "Constantine," in 2014 by Daniel Cerone and David S. Goyer. In this live-action TV series, John Constantine is portrayed as a British exorcist and occult detective who has dedicated his life to hunting supernatural entities.

The series suffered from poor viewership and was inevitably canceled in May 2015 after only one season. Nevertheless, the series had developed a cult following which led to a guest appearance of the character in The CW's "Arrow."

For the upcoming animated series, Goyer is set to be involved as one of its executive producers along with Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter.

CW Seed, according to Deadline, is also the current home of the existing "Constantine" NBC series. Once the animated series of "Constantine" is released sometime this year, it will be joining other animated DC series such as "Vixen" and "Justice League" on CW Seed.