Keanu Reeves has become quite the Hollywood hunk over the past few years. Granted, he was always a stand-out name in Hollywood, but his big comeback to the big screen came when he took the role of John Wick. For those who don’t know who that is, he is a gun-fu assassin who has a soft spot for dogs. In short, it’s his best role since Neo from The Matrix franchise. John Wick put Reeves back on the map and now it seems everyone looks at him as the go-to guy for action movies. It looks like Hollywood doesn’t just want him for more action movies, but for superhero movies on top of it. After the success of the third John Wick movie, several reports claimed that Marvel and DC were both fighting over Keanu Reeves. No matter who nabs him, fans we’ll just be happy to see him.
In case anyone forgot, Reeves already played a hero under DC, the demon hunter known as John Constantine. The movie itself doesn’t have the best reputation, but his performance was exceptional. Reports from last year even claimed that DC wants Reeves to reprise the role in future films. Having him play Constantine in the DC Cinematic Universe would be fun to see, but it would be even more fun to see him take on a new character. Can he play another DC superhero? He probably can, but it seems like Marvel is tugging on his tail much harder.
Marvel Studios President, Kevin Feige, has admitted in interviews that he really wants Reeves to appear in the Marvel movies. It seems Feige has read our minds, but Reeves is known for turning down roles from them. He was rumored to be a candidate for Doctor Strange and admits he even turned down the role of Yon-Rogg from Captain Marvel to do the third John Wick. Granted, several actors turned down roles for Marvel and have recently appeared in their movies, so we don’t have to lose hope just yet. Jake Gyllenhaal passed on several offers from Marvel and played Mysterio in last year’s Spider-Man: Far From Home. Woody Harrelson is another actor who turned down Marvel and will now play Carnage in the Venom sequel. Perhaps Reeves is just waiting for the right part, which we can’t blame him for.
For those who like looking at fan concept art, Keanu Reeves is a popular choice for the superhero art. If anyone’s interested in seeing what Reeves could like as one of their heroes, they’ll get a pretty good idea when they view the fan art. In fact, Reeves got the treatment for multiple heroes instead of one, including Moon Knight, Adam Warlock, Namor, Mr. Fantastic, Wolverine, and The Silver Surfer. They all look awesome, but unfortunately for us fans, Keanu Reeves would only able to play one. Yes, he’s a pretty sight to look at, but he can only do one. So let’s just assume Marvel will bag him to play one of these roles, but who exactly should he play?
The character that would suit him best would be The Silver Surfer. If anyone actually remembers the Tim Story Fantastic Four movies, they’ll recall Silver Surfer making his first on-screen debut. Of course, Jessica Alba was better to look at, but Silver Surfer still shined bright. He was physically played by the tall and slender Doug Jones and voiced by Laurence Fishburne. He was a very good element in a very forgettable movie, but the character always stood out from other Marvel heroes.
The Silver Surfer is more than just cool-looking alien that rides a surfboard-like craft. His real name is Norrin Radd, a typical member of his race who voluntarily became a Herald of Galactus to spare his own world. He is a basically a messenger just trying to do his job, but there is some serious depth to him. He is almost a Shakespearian character with much tragedy behind him, traveling across the galaxy at the behest of a planet-eating villain. Despite this, he has a tendency to remain calm while always expressing his opinions on life. His big comic debut came when he led Galactus to Earth and encountered The Fantastic Four. Inspired by their morality, Silver Surfer turned on Galactus and helped the heroes defeat him. He was exiled to Earth as a result.
So why is Keanu Reeves best suited for The Silver Surfer instead of other heroes? Well, keep in mind how Reeves likes to act in his best roles. When he plays John Wick, he portrays him as a calm and stoic character that rarely loses his temper. When he does get angry, he shows it in his face and doesn’t say much, not to mention the killing sprees he goes on. In other words, he shows a lot of emotion while barely showing any emotion. It sounds odd, but Keanu Reeves is one of those actors that can pull if off brilliantly. That’s the kind of character The Silver Surfer is. He’s a character filled with all kinds of emotions, but expresses them with a calm, straight face. Keanu Reeves’ acting is at it’s strongest when he’s doing exactly that.
Of course, John Wick isn’t his only iconic role. Going back to The Matrix days, Keanu Reeves crushed it as Neo. He’s a similar character to John Wick, mostly due to his calm and collected attitude, but he’s also a fighting machine. When Neo and John Wick are fighting, they remain perfectly calm while still kicking butt, something not every hero is capable of. The Silver Surfer is a character that wields incredible power and uses it wisely and without recklessness. His ability to remain calm under intense stress puts him in the same field as John Wick and Neo.
Above all else, the John Wick character is defined by tragedy and a serious need of redemption. Under those seemingly unwavering eyes is some serious sadness and regret that will always be a part of him. That’s exactly who The Silver Surfer and that’s the kind of depth Keanu Reeves can bring to him. If Marvel does get him to play ball, let’s hope The Silver Surfer is the character he gets to play.
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