Keanu Reeves wants to play “older Batman” in live-action movie

Keanu Reeves is donning the cowl for DC League of Super-Pets, but he’s interested in playing an “older Batman” in a live-action movie.

We’re now past the Keanussaince. At this point, it’s clear Reeves will remain a beloved actor forevermore, whether he’s stopping bullets as Neo, doing his best Evel Knievel as Duke Caboom, exorcising demons as Constantine, or dispatching bad guys with guns – lots of guns – as John Wick.

Soon, we’ll see him on the big screen as Batman, alongside Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and other members of the Justice League in the animated DC League of Super-Pets.

The Matrix star has the grizzly cadence, charisma, and fighting skills for the caped crusader, so could we see him play the role in live-action someday? “Maybe.”

Keanu Reeves says it’d be a “dream” to play “older Batman” in live-action

In an interview with Extra at the movie’s premiere, Reeves said the opportunity “to play, to voice Batman was awesome.”

As for whether we could ever see him as Batman in live-action, he said: “It’s always been a dream, but [Robert] Pattinson’s got Batman right now and he’s doing awesome, so maybe down the road. Maybe when they need an older Batman.”

DC League of Super-Pets is more focused on the Justice League’s furry friends, rather than a full-blown Batman adventure like Pattinson’s debut feature earlier this year.

Reeves did admit that his role in Super-Pets is a “small part… a bit of a cameo. But even that – just to be a part of a project that Dwayne Johnson [who voices Superman’s dog Krypto] and Kevin Hart [who voices Ace the Bat-Hound] are a part of is awesome, and I got to play Batman.”

An “older Batman” in live-action is coming this year

Reeves has the chops to pull off an older, tougher Batman, whether it was an adaptation of Batman Beyond where the retired hero works with Terry McGinnis, or perhaps The Dark Knight Returns, Kingdom Come, or Generations comics being translated to the screen.

He’s also already played a DC character: John Constantine. In the 2005 film, he was portrayed as an exorcist and demonologist who believed himself to be damned to Hell for trying to kill himself.

In several interviews, Reeves has expressed interest in returning to the role, as well as his dreams of playing The Dark Knight and Wolverine.

However, in terms of an “older Batman”, we’ll see Michael Keaton in the Batsuit in The Flash movie later this year, loosely based on the Flashpoint story. Ben Affleck is also set to return as Batman.

As you’d expect, plot details are being held under lock and key. In an earlier interview with The Sunday Times, Keaton said: “I’ll be frank, I don’t want to talk about it because it takes the fun away.”

DC League of Super-Pets flies into cinemas on July 29.