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The 5 Marvel characters we want Keanu Reeves to play

Keanu Reeves has previously said he'd be honored to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but what Marvel character would Keanu Reeves play?

Marvel characters Keanu Reeves could play

What Marvel character would Keanu Reeves play? It’s a question that fans have been asking basically since Kevin Feige told Comicbook that they’d approached Reeves for “almost every film [Marvel Studios] make.” Now though, the John Wick star has really set the cat amongst the pigeons by saying he’d be honoured to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“Isn’t it bigger than a universe? It’s almost like a multiverse… It’s a Marvel-verse. It would be an honour,” Reeves told Esquire. “There’s some really amazing directors, and visionaries, and they’re doing something no one’s ever really done. It’s special in that sense in terms of the scale, the ambition, the production. So it’d be cool to be a part of that.”

Of course, you don’t bring an actor of Reeves’ calibre in to play, just any old character. We know from prior experience (poor Mads Mikkelsen) what happens, when that happens. So which Marvel character could Reeves play? Would he be a cackling villain? A mighty hero? Well, we have a few thoughts…

Which Marvel characters could Keanu Reeves play?

  • Morlun
  • The Beyonder
  • Gambit
  • Black Bolt
  • Silver Surfer

What marvel character should Keanu Reeves play: Morlun

Morlun

A slightly left-field choice, we think Reeves would make a great Morlun. First introduced during J. Michael Straczynski’s run on Spider-Man, Morlun is an Inheritor, a kind of multi-dimensional energy vampire who preys on “spiders.”

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This boils down to him roaming the multiverse, draining the life energy from different variants of Spider-Man. Morlun comes unstuck, however, when he battles our Peter Parker and Spidey manages to poison Morlun with his radioactive blood. Reeves bears a passing resemblance to Morlun, and it would be fun to see him playing a hammy villain opposite Tom Holland.

What marvel character should Keanu Reeves play: The Beyonder

Beyonder

A self-proclaimed omnipotent being, there’s no denying that The Beyonder is one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel universe. This cosmic entity plays a considerable role in the original Secret Wars storyline, essentially being responsible for sending a myriad of Marvel heroes and villains to Battleworld.

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With his vast powers and bombastic personality, The Beyonder would allow Reeves to flex his considerable comedic chops in a way he hasn’t since Bill and Ted last had an excellent adventure.

What marvel character should Keanu Reeves play: Gambit

Gambit

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before but doesn’t Reeves look great in a trench coat? Yeah, we know it’s superficial, but if anyone could bring the suave mutant thief gambit to life, it’s Reeves. Plus, it would be so much more interesting than the obvious choice of casting him as Wolverine.

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Gambit is, of course, a popular member of the X-Men, and technically he has made his big-screen debut. Taylor Kitsch played him in X-Men: Wolverine Origins, but we all pretend that action movie doesn’t exist.

What marvel character should Keanu Reeves play: Black Bolt

Black Bolt

After the failure of The Inhumans TV series Black Bolt and his Royal Court are going to have to work hard to wash away the stink of the failure – even if he did appear in Doctor Strange 2. That said, Feige has demonstrated a willingness to rehabilitate and adapt characters you’d never expect to be popular, so why not reinvent Black Bolt?

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Casting a star on the level of Reeves would certainly demonstrate to naysayers a level of confidence in the reboot, and as Black bolt doesn’t talk (his super-powerful vocal cords make even a whisper as dangerous as a nuclear bomb), Reeves could give his acting talents a workout.

What marvel character should Keanu Reeves play: Silver Surfer

Silver Surfer

Honestly, if Reeves played one Marvel character in the MCU, though, we’d want him to play Norrin Radd, aka The Silver Surfer. The Surfer was the ‘Herald of Galactus”, the ‘Devourer of Worlds’ who rebelled against his master to protect the Earth from the planet eater’s voracious appetite.

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The Surfer’s always been an incredibly romantic character whose vast power belied his soulful nature. Reeves has already demonstrated his ability to find the humanity in ‘powerful’ characters -John Wick and Neo spring immediately to mind – and we think he’s the perfect actor to wield the power cosmic.

Looking for some action, then check our guide to the best superhero games on PC.