Everyone’s got their ideal fan casting for a superhero film and Keanu Reeves is often featured on that list. However, the actor has stated that one hero he’s always wanted to play is Batman.
While not physically portraying the dark knight, Keanu Reeves is set to voice Batman in the animated film, DC League of Super-Pets which stars the dynamic duo of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart portraying the World’s Finest pets. Johnson is Krypto, Superman’s dog and Kevin Hart is Ace, Batman’s dog.
The film is set to release in the UAE on July 28.
Keanu Reeves as Batman
Speaking to Extra while on a press tour for the animated film, the actor said that he loves Batman as a character, in the comic books and the films and is grateful to have had the opportunity to voice the caped crusader.
When asked if he wanted to step into his own bat-suit and play the character in a live action movie, Reeves stated:
“It’s always been a dream, but Pattinsons Batman right now.”
Okay Keanu Reeves isn’t sad that Robert Pattinson’s playing Batman. He instead offered praise and went on to state he’d be open to playing an aged version of the character one day:
“ He’s doing awesome, but maybe down the road when they need an older Batman.”
At the moment, former Batman actor Michael Keaton is set to play an older Batman in the upcoming Flash movie starring Ezra Miller. However, Keaton is portraying the Thomas Wayne version of Batman who becomes the superhero when his son Bruce and wife Martha are killed in an alternate universe.
This means that the option of portraying the regular Batman as an older Bruce Wayne in a film is still open to Keanu Reeves.
The Dark Knight Returns
Upon hearing the words ‘older Batman’ , the first thought many comics fans may have is of the highly popular Batman comic, The Dark Knight Returns. In this story, a 55-year-old Bruce Wayne comes out of retirement to fight crime.
At 57 years old, Keanu is the perfect age to play an older Bruce Wayne in a film based on this comic series. In the story, Batman gets into a fight but is almost killed due to his age and being inactive for over a decade. The story features the Joker returning from a catatonic state as well as other well-known villains such as Two-Face.
This is also reminiscent of the opening scene of the Batman Beyond television series which is set in a futuristic Gotham City and sees an older Bruce Wayne train Terry McGuinness, a young teenager to become the new Batman.
In comic books and their television and film adaptations, anything is possible.
DC fans who’ve watched any of the DC television series dubbed ‘The Arrowverse’ will remember that iconic Batman voice actor, Kevin Conroy finally portrayed Bruce Wayne in live action during their Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event after 20+ years since he first voiced the character in Batman: The Animated Series which aired in the early 90s.
Only time will tell if DC decide to cast Reeves as a live-action Batman in a future film. If Dwayne Johnson can play Superman’s dog and Black Adam in the same year and from the same comic publisher, then Keanu Reaves can play an animated and a live-action Batman.