The debate rages on. Keanu Reeves reignited fandom speculation and fervor about his potential casting as Johnny Blaze in Kevin Feige’s Ghost Rider after weighing in on the idea of a role in the MCU earlier this week.
“It would be an honor. There’s some really amazing directors and visionaries,” the actor told Esquire. You can watch the whole conversation below.
While he didn’t mention anything about a specific role, the comment brought up previous speculation that the actor may play the iconic Ghost Rider. And while that had many fans hyped, others thought he would be better suited as another character within the series or MCU. Much fancasting ensued.
The conversation continues today, with some new takes and rehashed ideas.
On one side are the fans that think Reeves is a “perfect” fit for Ghost Rider.
Some are going so far as to admittedly try and manifest the casting with fan art.
More yet say his love of motorcycles makes him the perfect fit
On the other side are various arguments for alternative castings.
“Ghost Rider should be a Mexican American or Native American dude in his early thirties from an absolute wasteland of a place in the Southwest,” offers one fan. “Thanks in advance.”
And at least one person is still attached to Nicholas Cage’s 2007 portrayal in the eponymous film directed by Mark Steven Johnson.
Another fan reminds us that there has been another actor cast as one iteration of the character (Robbie Reyes rather than Johnny Blaze). Gabriel Luna portrayed Reye’s Ghost Rider in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. A spin-off series about the character was in the works but canceled before filming in 2019 due to creative differences. “He killed the role in Agents of Shield [sic],” reads one Tweet in favor of Luna over Reeves.
Reeve’s career took off with his breakthrough role in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (as the titular Ted), and he would later go on to play Neo in The Matrix series. He even entered the DC world with 2005’s Constantine. More recently the actor has become synonymous with the titular assassin of the John Wick series of action films.
Ahead of the forthcoming The Matrix Reloaded, Keanu Reeves returned to his cyberpunk roots as a lead role in CD Project Red’s Cyberpunk 2077. He’ll also return to DC’s expanded universe of heroes in next year’s DC League of Super-Pets.
