Michael James Shaw will portray Papa Midnite, the voodoo king of New Orleans in NBC’s new Constantine TV series, which David Goyer is adapting from the Vertigo comic Hellblazer.  Constantine is one of four TV series debuting this fall that are based on DC Comics (see "'Constantine' Comic-Con Trailer").
 
Papa Midnite is vodun shaman, who has survived since days of the American Revolution, has a complicated relationship with John Constantine, who swindled the shaman out of fifty grand.  At various times Papa Midnite has aided Constantine or plotted against him--and USA Today, which broke the story of Michael James Shaw’s casting, indicates that, while the shaman may continue to be a thorn in Constantine’s side, "though with evil forces rising on Earth, they might have to hug it out and become uneasy allies sooner than later."
 
Academy Award nominee Djimon Hounsou played Midnite in the 2005 Constantine film, and like Hounsou, Shaw possesses a penetrating stare that will serve him well in the role. NBC’s Constantine will premiere on Friday, October 24th at 10 pm (ET/PT) with the pilot episode directed by Neil Marshall.