Did Marvel Miss Out On Adding Keanu Reeves to the MCU Again?
Marvel has been trying to add Keanu Reeves to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for years and may have missed a golden opportunity to land him. DC is reportedly thinking about bringing Reeves back for another Constantine film in the near future, a move that could put the kibosh on Marvel’s plans for the John Wick star. Here’s a quick look at why Marvel may have missed out on introducing Reeves to the MCU.
Marvel tries to land Reeves
Over the years, Marvel president Kevin Feige has been very outspoken about casting Reeves for a part in the MCU. Feige even admitted that he talks to Reeves whenever a new project pops up, though he has yet to find the perfect fit for the actor.
“We talk to him for almost every film we make,” Feige revealed. “We talk to Keanu Reeves…I don’t know when, if, or ever he’ll join the MCU, but we very much want to figure out the right way to do it.”
The studio faced a similar conundrum with Jake Gyllenhaal. Marvel originally wanted Gyllenhaal to play Spider-Man, a role that went to Tobey Maguire in the 2000s. But they were persistent in keeping Gyllenhaal in mind for parts and eventually cast him to play Mysterio in Spider-Man: Far From Home.
But the big difference between Reeves and Gyllenhaal is that the former has already played a superhero for DC, which definitely makes things tricky for Marvel. To make things even more complicated, Reeves is very open about returning to his old franchises.
Reeves to reprise some of his most iconic roles
Reeves enjoyed another solid year at the box office in 2019. The actor starred in several blockbuster films, including John Wick 3 and Toy Story 4.
He is also set to reboot some of his old hits, including The Matrix and Bill & Ted. Reeves just finished filming Bill & Ted Face the Music, and is reportedly set to return in The Matrix 4. Production for the project is scheduled to begin in February.
Reeves’ success over the years has made him a hot commodity in Hollywood, and there is little doubt that Marvel would love to snag him for a role in the MCU. Previous rumors had Reeves starring in The Eternals, though those reports have since been debunked.
Although Marvel clearly has big plans for Reeves, his commitment to DC might prevent him from ever appearing in the MCU.
Is Reeves joining the DC Extended Universe?
There has been a lot of talk about Reeves reprising his role in a second Constantine movie. DC has not confirmed any of the reports, but sources claim that the studio is looking to reboot the franchise in a big way.
According to We Got This Covered, DC is seriously thinking about having Reeves return as John Constantine in the sequel. The first movie made a promising $230 million at the box office, and executives are hoping to cash in on Reeves’ fame in Constantine 2.
DC has suffered a lot of flops in recent years, including Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, and Justice League. But more recent movies in the DC Extended Universe have done better with audiences.
Wonder Woman, for instance, was a major hit in theaters and the sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, is expected to make another big splash this year. DC is hoping to keep that momentum by launching a Constantine sequel in the near future.
If they do bring Reeves back for the film, there is little doubt that it will be a huge success.
Did Marvel miss out on adding Reeves?
At this point, it sounds more likely that Reeves will reprise his role in the new Constantine film before Marvel finds a suitable part for him in the MCU.
But even if Reeves stars in a DC Extended Universe project, that does not mean he will be excluded from landing a part with Marvel.
There are no rules that say Reeves cannot play a character in both camps, though figuring out scheduling could become a nightmare. If anyone was going to pull off being a part of the MCU and the DC Extended Universe, it would be Reeves.
Reeves has not commented on the rumors surrounding his upcoming projects, or Marvel and DC both trying to add them to multiple projects. While we wait to learn more on that front, fans can watch his next big film when Bill & Ted Face the Music hits theaters on August 21, 2020.
