Avengers: Secret Wars could feature one of Marvel’s strongest beings, The Beyonder. While it’s not confirmed, fans found the right actor for the job.
Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe grew exponentially following the death of Thanos in Avengers: Endgame. But for all the growth in the arenas of the supernatural and street level, there was also growth with the creation of the Multiverse. Now with endless possibilities, there was also an opportunity for new heroes to appear, like Captain Carter, and villains like Kang the Conqueror. But for all the heroes and villains that have occurred, powerful entities have also yet to appear. But one character, The Beyonder, could finally make his MCU debut, thanks to the announcement of Avengers: Secret Wars; and fans already know who should play him: Keanu Reeves.
The Beyonder was a powerful being from a race known as Beyonders. In the comics, he was young and naive and interested in the events of the Marvel Universe; he started the first Secret Wars by taking some heroes and villains to Battleworld to make them fight. His comic history had him die and be reborn into a mature version of himself, but he was nothing like his elders. In fact, the Beyonder’s main goal was to destroy the Multiverse as part of an experiment that led to the fated Incursion that led to Doctor Doom’s Battleworld. Should The Beyonder enter the MCU, it’s possible that this could be his ultimate plan to avert a Multiversal War from destroying reality, but with Reeves in the role, his past roles could add more emotion to the role.
Keanu Reeves’ Best Characters Balance The Beyonder’s Qualities
While The Beyonder of the original Secret Wars was more childlike in nature, his later iteration was far more mature and understanding of the complexity of the universe. But by giving him the mission to end the Multiverse, as his fellow Beyonders had desired, it would imply he’d have to be a cold-hearted and decisive individual, similar to John Wick. As Wick, Reeves showed a man forced to play a role in a game much larger than he was. Yet, while he carried his conflict on his shoulders, he didn’t stop. Bringing this mentality to The Beyonder would show that he’s willing to do the unthinkable. Still, his adoration and curiosity for the heroes would make his choices challenging to make.
However, The Beyonder’s abilities imply that he has a vast knowledge of the universe he inhabits, and his reality manipulation powers also imply that few things feel permanent to him. In a way, this mirrors Reeves’ role as Neo, where he was a literal God in The Matrix and could bend the reality of that world to his will. With that knowledge, he was nearly untouchable and carried the power to manipulate fate. As for The Beyonder, this same mentality could be applied but could be used more to show that no one can stop him, and those that try would have to be more creative than ever to earn his attention.
How Keanu Reeves Could Change The Beyonder For the Better
In the comics, The Beyonder always had the makings of a complex character. However, each event he appeared him played more on the power and spectacle and how his understanding of the Marvel Universe affected him. As he grew more mature, it seemed like the attention surrounding him was less prevalent than ever, and he never became a focal point in stories since. That said, with Reeves in the role, he could give The Beyonder a mature spin and showcase how his omniscience and omnipotence have given him vast wisdom but also detached him from empathy for eons. Thus, when encountering the heroes of the MCU, Reeves could bring his internalized conflict to the surface as someone that would rather use his powers to make a difference rather than abuse them or try to end realities.
For years, Keanu Reeves was always a big name tied to Ghost Rider when the time would come for the hero to enter the MCU. But by shedding light on his becoming The Beyonder, it’s clear that the fans know who he could perfectly embody on the big screen. Even better, because the character is lesser known than others, it’s the chance to slightly reinvent The Beyonder into someone with more conflict and weight tied to his powers, making him a reluctant adversary with an opportunity to change for the better.
