Summary
Keanu Reeves has been dreaming of a particular role in theMCU, but the casting overlooks something even better. Reeves is one of many beloved actors who has yet to make an appearance in the MCU after having ascended to the ranks of Hollywood royalty. While Hollywood actors like Christian Bale and Cate Blanchette have played central yet one-time roles in the franchise, the appetite for Reeves to play a recurring role in the MCU as one of its main heroes is exemplified by the wealth of fan-casts that place him front-and-center.
One of the more popularfancasts for Reeves is Wolverine, which is a possibility that has become more viable now that Marvel has reacquired the rights for X-Men. Given the X-Men are poised to take a central role in the future of the MCU - likely in the context ofan MCU reboot- casting the right actor for the role is more crucial than ever. As such, despite his popularity,Wolverine may not be the best role for Reeves. Indeed, even Reeves' dream role perhaps isn’t as ideal as the actor’s impending comic book future.
Casting Ghost Rider: 10 Actors Who Could Play Johnny Blaze In The MCU
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has plenty of fantastic options when it comes time to cast their version of Ghost Rider, specifically Johnny Blaze.
Keanu Reeves' Dream MCU Role Is Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider has yet to make his MCU debutafter starring in his own non-MCU standalone franchise with Nicolas Cage in the central role. While another Robbie Reyes' version of Ghost Rider starred inAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the original Johnny Blaze version hasn’t been seen, and the canonicity of that particular Marvel show remains unconfirmed by Marvel Studios, which may leave the mantle up for grabs.Reeves has been very open about his desire to play Blaze(along with several other Hollywood legends including Ryan Gosling and Norman Reedus), and he is admittedly perfect for the role.
In Marvel Comics, Johnny Blaze is a tortured loner with a somewhat standoffish persona, which is a far cry from Cage’s divisively bombastic portrayal inGhost Rider. Reeves, meanwhile, has a solid track record of portraying this exact type of character, with such standout roles as Neo and John Wick being prime examples. This makes Reeves a favorite for the role according to fans - but the recent furor surrounding his possible involvement criminally overlooks the fact that he’s already poised to star in a comic book movie that he is also perfect for.
Reeves Is Already Returning To His Best Comic Book Movie Role
In 2005, two years before Cage would debut as Ghost Rider, Keanu Reeves starred in the live-action adaptation of DC’s Constantine.Constantinewas an underrated movie when it was first released and has cultivated a cult status in the intervening years thanks in no small part to Reeves excelling in the titular role. Thanks to its subsequent rise in popularity,Constantine 2has been confirmed to be in the early stages of developmentwith Reeves reprising the titular role and Francis Lawrence in the director’s chair.
In the context of the DCU reboot,Constantine 2is currently slated to be a DC Elseworlds property.
This is enough for comic book movie fans to get excited about without dwelling on the tenuous notion that Reeves will star in an as-yet-unconfirmed Ghost Rider project. While there is no concreterelease date for Constantine 2as of yet, it is seemingly further along than any Ghost Rider project, and warrants far more enthusiasm. While the excitement for Reeves to portray Blaze should continue, there is no doubt that his involvement inConstantine 2warrants just as much attention as the possible Ghost Rider reboot approaches.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
