10 X-Men Characters Keanu Reeves Could Play In The MCU Instead Of Wolverine

Keanu Reeves’ perfect Marvel Cinematic Universe role could come through the X-Men reboot, and there are some interesting characters he could play instead of Wolverine. Fans have long been requesting Marvel to add Reeves to the MCU’s large roster of stars. The actor has had talks with the studio multiple times, though they have yet to find the perfect role for him on the MCU’s slate of movies and shows.

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Still, there is bound to be a role that fits the actor. The John Wick franchise star previously commented on how Ghost Rider was his childhood dream Marvel role. Reeves would also love to play Wolverine, though that is now hard to see, as Hugh Jackman returned to his iconic role in the MCU and Deadpool & Wolverine broke the $1 billion mark. That said, Reeves could be part of the MCU’s X-Men movie or the larger mutant franchise in major or surprising roles.

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10 Corsair

Reeves Could Play Cyclops’ Father

At 60, Reeves has aged out from many potential key roles in the MCU’s X-Men reboot. However, there are still several characters that could allow him to either be part of action-packed projects or connect with the biggest players of the franchise. A role that could allow him to do both is Corsair. A smaller role that could bring Reeves’ action skills and comedic ability to the forefront.

The character is Cyclops’ father, with the two sharing a complicated relationship.

Corsair is known due to his connection to the X-Men’s field leader. The character is Cyclops’ father, with the two sharing a complicated relationship. As Corsair, Reeves could flex his dramatic chops to deliver an emotional relationship as the character meets his son again, and they connect. Corsair’s funnier side could come out in a Starjammers project, as the character is the leader of a merry band of space pirates.

9 Bastion

Marvel Studios Has Experience With The Villain

While the MCU has yet to introduce its version of the X-Men, Marvel Studios has already shown that it can deliver the best live-action version of the team and mutants in general. That is all thanks to Disney+’s animated X-Men ’97. The series featured a well-rounded X-Men squad, with each member of the team getting their chance to shine. Theo James’ Bastion was one of X-Men ’97‘s best characters, emerging as the show’s surprise villain.

The MCU could use the engaging character in the X-Men reboot, though James might be too young for the gray-haired character. Enter Keanu Reeves. The actor is normally known for playing good characters, so it would be interesting to see Reeves try out another side of his with a villain role. Bastion would be a great fit, as he can appear sympathetic at first before revealing his true self.

8 Apocalypse

Keanu Reeves’ Acting Skills Fit The Imposing Villain In A Key Way

Apocalypse was already adapted once in live-action in the Fox X-Men movies. While Oscar Isaac is a talented actor, X-Men: Apocalypse‘s version of the character was far from the frightening foe that he is in the comics. Adding to that, the film itself was not the best. Since Apocalypse is one of the X-Men’s biggest villains, he will inevitably come to the MCU at some point after the team is introduced.

While Reeves would not physically match the hulking figure of the X-Men villain — only a few actors, like The Rock, would — the star could play a crucial part of Apocalypse. Like happened with Josh Brolin and Thanos, Reeves could do the motion capture and lend his voice to the X-Men villain. The actor has a few interesting voice roles in his career, which include characters like DC’s Batman and Shadow the Hedgehog, showing how his darker tone fits Apocalypse.

7 William Stryker

A Villain With Two Completely Different Sides

Continuing with X-Men villains that Reeves could play, one of the team’s biggest recurring foes is William Stryker. The interesting thing about the character is that there are two very different versions of him out there. Stryker has appeared in the comics as a reverend who hates mutants to the point that he kills his wife and newborn mutant baby. The crazy preacher built a following and made a plan to kill all mutants.

Fox’s X-Men movies instead focused on Stryker’s military background. They made him a U.S. Army Colonel who is the leader of the Weapon X program, connecting him to Wolverine’s origin. Keanu Reeves would be a great fit for either version of Stryker. He has the charisma and energy to make the evil preacher work, while his skills in playing hardened characters like the Fox X-Men movies’ Stryker are well-known.

6 Sebastian Shaw

Reeves Has The Necessary Flair For The Scheming Villain

Kevin Bacon played Sebastian Shaw in one of the best X-Men movies, 2011’s X-Men: First Class. However, the film made many changes to the villain, like making him a former Nazi and linking his story closely to Magneto’s. The MCU could bring a more faithful version of Shaw to life, and an actor like Keanu Reeves would be the ideal match for the subversive villain.

The MCU can thrive with a full-on Mutant Saga after the Multiverse Saga concludes with 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. Shaw could become one of the franchise’s main players, as he operates as the Black King of the Hellfire Club, which is an exclusive club for the elite on the outside, but a secret society aiming to influence events around the globe to consolidate its members’ powers in the shadows. Reeves could deliver a great performance as the poised but scheming Sebastian Shaw.

5 Professor X

The Leader Of The X-Men

Patrick Stewart has become linked to Professor X, even playing a variant of Charles Xavier in the MCU, but the 84-year-old actor cannot realistically play the MCU’s version of the character. Then comes James McAvoy, who did an outstanding job as Charles in the younger timeline of Fox’s X-Men movies. While he would work as the MCU’s Professor X, McAvoy does not believe he will return as Charles Xavier.

Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy are both rumored to appear as Charles Xavier in Avengers: Secret Wars, which could send them off before the MCU recasts the character.

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That leaves the door open for an actor like Keanu Reeves to take on the role. The star has plenty of experience and is a fan favorite, both factors that are important for such a major role as Professor X. Reeves’ career is filled with charismatic and intelligent characters, making him a perfect pick for the mutant who inspires all others. Reeves’ Charles Xavier would be a good mentor for Cyclops and other heroes.

4 Beast

A Version Of The Character Has Appeared In The MCU

Beast is already in the MCU. The character appeared in The Marvels‘ mid-credits scene. Kelsey Grammer reprised his role as Beast in what appears to be a new X-Men universe. While he should show up in a future film, Grammer’s Beast is unlikely to stay in the MCU, being gone after the Multiverse Saga ends.

Beast is a very compelling choice for Reeves. The character has had many different sides to him in the comics, but his most frequent persona is depicted as smart, curious, and compassionate. Reeves can play that well, doing motion capture and voice work for the character, which could keep him in the MCU as the X-Men’s voice of reason for more than a decade potentially. Beast has also dabbled in villain territory in the comics, and Reeves could have fun with that.

3 Magneto

The X-Men’s Most Complex Character

Magneto is the X-Men’s biggest villain and the most complex mutant Marvel has created. Marvel Studios has shown that it knows what makes him tick, as X-Men ’97‘s version of the character went through a few different stages. Like in the Disney+ show, the MCU could play with different versions of Magneto, making him an important player in the franchise for several projects, as Magneto appears as Charles Xavier’s friend, a villain to the team, the leader of the X-Men, and more.

Related 10 Lessons The MCU Needs To Learn From Fox’s 10 Top Rated X-Men Movies & Shows

Despite containing many disappointing installments, Fox’s X-Men franchise also featured several high-rated projects that the MCU can learn from.

Based on how many layers the character has, Magneto could be Reeves’ most challenging role yet. While he is known for his lovable characters, Reeves played a truly frightening and despicable role in Sam Raimi’s The Gift, showing that he could make Magneto as dark as needed. His experience as a good guy could allow the X-Men character to be nuanced, altering between villain and anti-hero when needed.

2 Fantomex

A Keanu Reeves-Like Action Role

Reeves joining the X-Men franchise could be used to make smaller characters from the comics play a bigger role in the MCU’s version of the mutants. One of the best possible roles for the actor would be Fantomex. The character is a product of the Weapon Plus Program to develop super-sentinels that look like humans and can take out mutants.

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Fantomex is a complex character that can be used for brutal action sequences and philosophical debates about love and higher beings, which he cannot believe in, all due to the nanites acting in his brain. Keanu Reeves’ career had a resurgence after the actor’s John Wick franchise started. At this point, Reeves’ skills as a bankable action star speak for themselves. Fantomex would be right up his alley, also allowing Marvel to expand on the world of the MCU’s X-Men through the Weapon Plus Program.

1 Mister Sinister

The Ideal Villain Role For Keanu Reeves

Finally, the best X-Men role for Keanu Reeves in the MCU instead of Wolverine might be as a villain, playing Mister Sinister. The character is another player from the X-Men franchise that Marvel Studios handled well on Disney+’s X-Men ’97. Sinister is a villain who mostly operates in the shadows, always scheming. He could be used in storylines about cloning and as a mastermind acting for his own interests in the MCU.

While Reeves physically resembles Mister Sinister, there is more that makes him a good choice for the role. Reeves’ hilariously over-the-top performance in Always Be My Maybe, allied with his frightening villain turn in The Gift, would round up to make for a fitting Mister Sinister. The actor has played characters with some of Sinister’s qualities in the past, so the MCU could be where Keanu Reeves truly brings those together and lets loose as a ruthless, manipulative, and loud villain like Mister Sinister.

X-Men

The X-Men franchise, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, centers on mutants with extraordinary abilities. Led by the powerful telepath Professor Charles Xavier, they battle discrimination and villainous mutants threatening humanity. The series explores themes of diversity and acceptance through a blend of action, drama, and complex characters, spanning comics, animated series, and blockbuster films.

Movie(s) X-Men (2000) , X2 , X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) , X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) , X-Men: First Class (2011) , The Wolverine (2013) , X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) , Deadpool (2016) , X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) , Logan (2017) , Deadpool 2 (2018) , Dark Phoenix (2019) , The New Mutants (2020) , Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) First Film X-Men (2000) Expand