Keanu Reeves has a dream superhero role that would help solve a 7-year-long MCU mystery. The actor has become an action movie icon because of his titular role in the John Wick franchise. He has yet to conquer a superhero role, but he has expressed interest in one in the past. During a 2022 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Reeves stated that his childhood dream Marvel role was Ghost Rider. Fans have since embraced the dream casting, making Reeves one of the fan favorites to portray the character in the MCU.

The possibility of Ghost Rider debuting in the MCU has gotten even more likely thanks to Agatha All Along. The show officially name-dropped the demon Mephisto in episode 3, who has explicit ties to the first iteration of Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze. Kathryn Hahn also mentioned Ghost Rider in a recent interview with DisneyCentralDE, discussing whether Agatha had to fight Ghost Rider for the Darkhold since he had possession of it in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. However, there’s still the question of whether that Ghost Rider is actually MCU canon.

Keanu Reeves Appearing As Ghost Rider Would Help Put Questions About Agents Of SHIELD’s Ghost Rider To Bed

Gabriel Luna Was the Last To Play Ghost Rider

Keanu Reeves in John Wick: Chapter 4 looking offscreen

The canon status of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. timeline has been a big question for MCU fans since the show’s debut. Though events from the main timeline did crossover into the show, sometimes it seemed like it was a side project. Characters have debuted in the show that haven’t been seen in the main MCU at all, such as Gabriel Luna’s Ghost Rider. It’s possible that the iteration of Robbie Reyes existed solely in the context of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but Hahn’s recent interview makes things much more confusing.

Before the WandaVision era, the Darkhold was last seen in the MCU 7 years ago with Luna’s Ghost Rider. Hahn’s acknowledgment of that now confuses the show’s status even more, but casting Reeves as Ghost Rider can help settle the dust. It seems like Luna’s Ghost Rider won’t have much of a part in the future MCU or Marvel would’ve made sure the character stayed relevant. Making Reeves the official main Ghost Rider of the MCU would seemingly cement which version of the character should be continued canon.

The MCU Is Currently At The Perfect Time To Address Its Ghost Rider Confusion

Agatha All Along Mentioned Mephisto For The First Time

Gabriel Luna's Robbie Reyes as Ghost Rider in Marvel Television's Agents of SHIELD Agatha Harkness revealing the Darkhold in the crib in Agatha All Along Gabriel Luna's Robbie Reyes as Ghost Rider in Agents of SHIELD looking offscreen
Jennifers Talks About Mephisto in Agatha All Along Episode 3 Robbie Reyes accepts a new deal with the Spirit of Vengeance and transforms back into the Ghost Rider.

The MCU’s upcoming slate is stacked with plenty of new characters expected to debut, so it may not seem like the best time for Ghost Rider to be introduced. However, Agatha All Along has laid out a perfect path for the character. After all of the WandaVision fan theories and subsequent disappointment about Mephisto, it seems like the Agatha All Along team would only bring up the demon if necessary. The fact that the show has already name-dropped him thus theoretically seems to mean that Marvel may have plans for the character soon.

With the MCU’s introduction of Mephisto, it would be logical for Ghost Rider to follow closely behind. Johnny, the original iteration of Ghost Rider, sold his soul to Mephisto in order to save his foster father. This resulted in his flesh being consumed by hellfire when around evil, and his eventual evolution into Ghost Rider. Mephisto is a key part of the Ghost Rider origin story, so acknowledging Ghost Rider in the main MCU alongside Mephisto would help clear up the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. canon confusion.

Why The MCU May Be Better Off With A New Ghost Rider

Marvel Has An Easy Opportunity To Recast

John Wick (Keanu Reeves) sits down on the steps at the end of John Wick Chapter 4

At this point, the MCU may be better off with a completely new iteration of Ghost Rider. Though Luna’s portrayal of Robbie was well-received, it would be incredibly complicated for Marvel to bring him back at this point. Bringing Luna back as Ghost Rider in the main MCU timeline would mean that the studio would have to acknowledge Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. once again, requiring careful lines to be drawn where they otherwise wouldn’t need to be.

Realistically, the percentage of MCU fans who have watched Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. likely isn’t the majority, so most fans don’t even know about the past iteration of Ghost Rider. This gives Marvel an easy way to recast him, and bringing in a big name like Reeves would definitely draw audiences in. With the actor having notably expressed interest in the role, it seems like the perfect opportunity for the MCU to bring in a renowned actor while also clarifying some things about the franchise and its path going forward.