Keanu Reeves Doesn't Want John Wick In Mortal Kombat
While fans of the John Wick movies call for the deadly assassin to be added to Mortal Kombat, Keanu Reeves says he isn't keen on the idea of a crossover.
24th Nov 2021 15:16
Summit Entertainment | NetherRealm
Keanu Reeves Doesn't Want John Wick In Mortal Kombat
While fans of the John Wick movies call for the deadly assassin to be added to Mortal Kombat, Keanu Reeves says he isn't keen on the idea of a crossover.
24th Nov 2021 15:16
Summit Entertainment | NetherRealm
It's a crossover that just works. In the worlds of video games and movies, few have such a body count as John Wick. While Keanu Reeves has only stepped up to the plate as the sharp-shooting assassin since 2014, he's shot and hacked his way through hundreds of unwilling grunts. But, how would he fare going up against Scorpion, Johnny Cage, and Mileena?
NetherRealm's long-running Mortal Kombat franchise once relied on its own creations, but from 2011's Mortal Kombat 9 onward, we've been gifted to an expanded roster of guest characters. MK9 started with Kratos and Freddy Krueger, and since, players have pummelled everyone from Leatherface to RoboCop. Even though John Wick would fit the bill perfectly, it won't happen on Reeves' watch.
What Has Keanu Reeves Said About Mortal Kombat?
Most actors would love to see one of their most iconic roles immortalised in a franchise as big as Mortal Kombat, but not Reeves. Speaking to Esquire, Reeves answered "If it was up to me? No," when asked if he's like to see John Wick or The Matrix's Neo in the brutal brawler.
Explaining why he's not keen to lend his vocals to a Mortal Kombat version of his box office favourites, Reeves added, "Mortal Kombat is awesome in so many ways, but I think... you know, Neo, John Wick, they're doing their own thing. Mortal Kombat is doing their own thing."
Let's remember though, this isn't the first we've heard about John Wick crossovers, with some thinking Mr. Wick is actually just a creation being fed to Neo by Morpheus.
What Do We Know About The Next Mortal Kombat?
The question of John Wick or Neo landing in Mortal Kombat isn't as out there as it sounds. The Matrix and John Wick movies are owned by Warner Bros., which also happens to rule over developer NetherRealm. It's also a concept that's been thrown around before.
In 2019, Boon told Brazillian outlet Meu PS4 he'd wanted John Wick in MK11, while Neo was almost finalised as a fighter in Injustice 2. Reeves' words might seem like a final nail in the coffin, but aside from not voicing the characters, there isn't a lot the star can do if those upon high want either in their games.
Even if John and Neo are presumably out of the next Mortal Kombat, there's no shortage of characters primed for inclusion. Only recently, MK overseer Ed Boon admitted he'd lobbied hard to include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, in a move we can't believe hasn't happened.
Now that Boon has confirmed there are no more DLC fighters on the way to MK11, talk has turned to the inevitable Mortal Kombat 12. With Matrix: Resurrections out in a few weeks and a Fortnite crossover reportedly on the way, Reeves might change his mind when he sees some dollar signs.
About The Author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
