In a decade-old interview with Collider, Keanu Reeves addressed the rumors that were connecting him at the time to “Doctor Strange” and explained why the thought of joining a franchise like the MCU gave him pause. “From a practical standpoint, the idea of a longtime contract is sort of ‘errr’ because you want to make sure the material is up to a certain level,” he told the outlet. “I like the idea. I go to those kinds of movies. I grew up on them and comics and graphic novels. [But] I didn’t know Doctor Strange as a character. I didn’t read that as a kid.”
Reeves, notably, still hasn’t appeared in the MCU, and it’s unclear if he ever will. In 2021, though, Kevin Feige told The Hollywood Reporter that Marvel Studios no longer relied on its stars to sign sweeping, multi-project deals. Therefore, should he ever be approached to star in a future MCU TV series or movie, it doesn’t seem like Reeves will have to worry about making an obscenely long-term commitment.
For now, Reeves seems mostly concerned with reprising a comic book role he’s played once before: John Constantine. Indeed, not only was it revealed in 2022 that a sequel to 2005’s “Constantine” was in development, but Reeves has also confirmed that he’s spoken with DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn about it. In 2023, “Constantine” director Francis Lawrence also told GameSpot that he, Reeves, and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman had begun discussing the film’s story. It seems, in other words, more likely right now that the actor’s next comic book movie won’t be an MCU title, but “Constantine 2.”
