Keanu Reeves has proven to be an enduring star with his memorable acting roles in John Wick and The Matrix series, both of which have forthcoming fourth installments down the pike.
Now superhero giants Marvel and DC want to get in on the action to cast the notoriously wholesome Reeves in some kind of role in their respective franchises, according to GiantFreakinRobot.
Rumors that the two studios have been fighting over Reeves are nothing new, in fact, we reported such developments all the way back in 2019.
But curiosity over the prospect of Reeves joining Marvel was recently reignited when an official Marvel Twitter account wished Johnny Silverhand himself a happy birthday, joining a chorus of other fans doing the same on Twitter.
According to this new report, the battle between the studios caused both companies to raise the amount they’re offering Reeves, amounting to what would be the biggest paycheck either studio has ever doled out to an actor. However, with major time commitments rumored to be attached to each deal, the actor would likely only be able to choose one or the other.
It was previously estimated that Warner Bros. paid the actor somewhere between $12-$14 million for The Matrix Resurrections, with whatever DC and Marvel currently putting on the table purportedly being even more money than that.
It’s hard to say which cinematic universe Reeves will ultimately choose, should the rumor turn out to be true. On the one hand, he’s already working with WB, which owns both the Matrix franchises and DC. Plus, he’s played the DC character John Constantine for a 2005 movie back in the day and is also cast to voice an unknown character in DC League of Super-Pets.
On the other hand, Marvel Studios is a heavy-hitter that arguably perfected the cinematic universe approach to theatrical releases and Reeves has long been a fan favorite speculated for the Marvel property Ghost Rider.
You can catch Keanu Reeves kick butt as the One when The Matrix Resurrections hits theaters and HBO Max on December 22nd, 2021.
