Keanu Reeves Suits Up As Deathstroke In Jaw-Dropping Batmanverse Design

Keanu Reeves doesn't need much to amp up his already epic reputation amongst movie fans, but being a Batman villain certainly wouldn't hurt it. One fan let their imagination run wild, conjuring up what "The Matrix" and "John Wick" star might look like as the infamous DC villain Deathstroke. To say the least, it's pretty excellent. 

Instagram artist @youssef_defenshi has imagined several celebrities as DC Comics characters, from "Sons of Anarchy" star Charlie Hunnam as Green Arrow to "Andor" star Adria Arjona as Wonder Woman. One piece of fan art posted in late December sees Keanu Reeves as a version of Teen Titans and Batman villain Deathstroke that could fit into Matt Reeves' "The Batman" universe. The piece envisions Reeves' Deathstroke as an older, grizzled version of the character with a sleek yet textured orange and grey suit. The look certainly seems like it could meld well with Matt Reeves' gritty take on Gotham City, and the concept of a more aged Deathstroke is bursting with potential. 

Fans commenting on the post were largely in approval of the design. User @aaronroibeard excitedly stated, "Yo this is actually genius." Meanwhile, @haib_xub_says deemed Keanu as " ... a pretty sick Deathstroke." User @marvel_pix even compared this rendition of Deathstroke to Keanu's other action movie persona, commenting, "This would be perfect, a dialed up John Wick." With or without Keanu Reeves in the role, seeing Deathstroke in a follow-up to "The Batman" would certainly be a treat. But what chances do we have of seeing that happen? 

It may be a stretch to have Keanu Reeves cast as Deathstroke, but the skilled assassin himself deserves some time in the spotlight. Over the years, Deathstroke and his alter ego, Slade Wilson, have made numerous appearances in animated films, video games, and TV shows. However, his live-action film career paints a less prolific picture.

Deathstroke's only live-action movie role has been a post-credits scene in 2017's "Justice League," where actor Joe Manganiello portrays him. In it, the character speaks with Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) about possibly starting a team. In the film's 2021 director's cut, Deathstroke learns of Batman's (Ben Affleck) secret identity; he also appears working with the Dark Knight during a harrowing vision sequence. These snippets hinted at the character's connection and rivalry with Batman, which would've come to a head in Ben Affleck's unmade solo Batman film.

Their feud would have been more than a clear-cut battle between good and evil. According to Manganiello, his character blamed Batman for the death of his son and pursued the Caped Crusader as a result. "I wanted him to be just a man who experienced a tragedy," Manganiello stated on a MANvGAME Twitch stream. "And instead of becoming this altruistic utopian who believed that people could be better, and a better society, he was just this nihilistic killer, and there was a line in the sand between the tactics that he was willing to use and the ones that Bruce was willing to use."

Matt Reeves' story might have overtaken Ben Affleck's film since then, but the idea is still rich with potential. Should the director need a future villain that matches Batman's physicality and fighting ability, they could always turn to Deathstroke.