John Wick franchise star Keanu Reeves says he'd love to play either Wolverine or Batman, but would prefer the X-Men's resident surly hero. Reeves has certainly had a storied acting career, counting iconic roles like formerly retired assassin John Wick, Bill & Ted's lovable slacker Ted "Theodore" Logan, and The Matrix's chosen one Neo among the many entries on his long resume. One thing Reeves hasn't done is play a major Marvel or DC superhero, outside of his divisive 2005 turn as Constantine's titular dabbler in the dark arts, which has been largely usurped in the popular consciousness by the more popular Matt Ryan version.
Reeves previously expressed his interest years ago in playing either Wolverine or Batman on film, but lamented that both roles had already been cast before he could try and pursue them. Now, both roles look to be open for the time being. Hugh Jackman has repeatedly insisted he won't be playing Wolverine again after Logan, and Ben Affleck appears to be headed out of the DCEU fairly soon, judging by the various reports circling around the actor.
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During a recent Screen Geek interview promoting his new movie Replicas, Reeves was once again asked if he'd be up for playing either hero, given the current circumstances. When pressed on which role he'd rather play, Reeves picked Wolverine, putting Batman firmly in the runner-up spot. Reeves was then asked if there were any other superhero roles he'd be interested in, to which the veteran actor gave an unequivocal no.
While Reeves could conceivably pull off playing either the loose cannon mutant or the stoic Dark Knight - after all, his body of work is a lot more varied than he often gets credit for, and he has a ton of action experience - there's one big factor standing in the way of his casting: age. Reeves appears perpetually youthful - to the point where some memes posit that he's a vampire - but he's 54-years-old, probably too up there to be starting a multi-film franchise commitment, presuming that's what Marvel or DC is looking for.
On the other hand, if someone wanted to make another one-off about an older Wolverine - or a Logan-style take on an aged Batman - Reeves might be able to slot in fine. Even if Marvel or DC wanted him for either role though, his schedule would likely be a factor, as Reeves works almost constantly. For now, playing either Batman or Wolverine will likely remain a fond dream for the John Wick star, although it's not hard to see him accepting some superhero role or another before he ultimately retires.
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Source: Screen Geek