Keanu Reeves Puts His Foot Down On Joining Mortal Kombat

Over the years, the "Mortal Kombat" series has added several non-"MK" characters to its roster, a practice that began with the "Mortal Kombat" reboot in 2011. The most recent entry in the series, "Mortal Kombat 11," featured a truly eclectic lineup of guest characters, including the Joker, RoboCop, and John Rambo. These DLC additions have added tons of replayability and fun to these games and have left fans demanding particular characters to be represented in the universe's most brutal fighting tournament. 

The passionate "Mortal Kombat" fanbase has clamored for the inclusion of everyone from Ultra Instinct Shaggy to Pyramid Head from "Silent Hill," but two of the most common requests among fans have been Neo from "The Matrix" and John Wick of the eponymous film series. Both of these characters, of course, are played by beloved Hollywood star Keanu Reeves. 

These requests have been echoed by "Mortal Kombat" series creator Ed Boon, who apparently was very keen on adding the two action movie icons to "Mortal Kombat 11." But despite the fervent desires of the fandom and the developers, it seems that Reeves himself isn't too hot on the idea. 

In a recent interview with Esquire, Reeves was asked his opinion on the idea of seeing Neo or John Wick turn up in a "Mortal Kombat" game. Unfortunately, his answer was probably not what most fans wanted to hear. 

"If it was up to me? No," Reeves told the interviewer. Reeves clarified that he is indeed an "Mortal Kombat" fan, but he thinks that the three parties should be kept apart. "'Mortal Kombat' is awesome in so many ways. But I think, you know, Neo... John Wick... yeah man, they're doing their own thing. 'Mortal Kombat's' doing their own thing."

Of course, the decision to include Neo in a "Mortal Kombat" game would ultimately come down to the will of Warner Bros., which own the rights to "The Matrix." However, if Reeves maintains his opposition to either character's inclusion in the series, any such DLC might have to alter the characters' voice and likeness. 

Fans of both gaming and Reeves' work have seen this play out in the past, such as when John Wick was featured "Payday 2." In that title, Wick didn't much resemble or sound like his on-screen counterpart. And while the "John Wick" franchise has received an official video game adaptation in "John Wick Hex," the character was voiceless. Reeves notably allowed the use of his voice and likeness to be used for the role of Johnny Silverhand in "Cyberpunk 2077" — and even recorded motion capture work for the game — but that seems to have been a rare exception to the rule.