Anthony Mackie already has plenty of credibility as an action star. After all, the man is currently sporting the Captain America mantle in the Marvel Cinematic Universe following years as Falcon, and he’ll be headlining his first blockbuster next year in Captain America: Brave New World. That being said, Mackie is evidently interested in upping his game, and in his mind, that means going toe-to-toe with genre legend Keanu Reeves.
The Falcon And The Winter Soldier star recently spoke about his action aspirations with Total Film, and he expressed a specific desire to appear in an upcoming John Wick movie (assuming that one is made following the shocking ending of John Wick: Chapter 4). He told the magazine,
I’m really trying to get Keanu Reeves to consider me for John Wick 5 or 6. I think that will make me a cool dad if I had, like, a five-minute fight scene with Keanu Reeves. I’m gonna put up a fight! [Pro wrestler] Samoa Joe punched me in the face in this [Twisted Metal] and I did not go down!
For those who don’t get the reference, Anthony Mackie and Samoa Joe (a.k.a. Joe Seanoa) both star in the Peacock original series Twisted Metal, which premiered last year. During production of the show, Seanoa evidently landed a punch that connected with his co-star’s face, but the blow wasn’t strong enough to take Mackie off his feet.
When it comes to shooting action movies, accidental contact sometimes happens during fight choreography – but Anthony Mackie is making it clear here that he can take what’s dished out (and he’s certainly shown in his filmography that he can hold his own in a cinematic fight.
Fellow Marvel star Samuel L. Jackson has also previously stated his interest in making a John Wick film, and director Chad Stahelski has a wish list of stars that includes Cillian Murphy, Colin Farrell, Charlize Theron and Michelle Yeoh. Perhaps a sequel could bring them all together in a grand two-hour battle royale that could be the most epic sequence in the franchise yet.
As of right now, the future/possibility of John Wick: Chapter 5 is unclear, but the franchise is still expanding. Having already gone through production, director Len Wiseman’s Ballerina will be arriving in theaters in June 2025 – the film featuring a cast that includes Ana de Armas as well as Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane and Lance Riddick (in one of the latter’s final performances). Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for all of the latest updates about the franchise, and Anthony Mackie fans can check out his aforementioned work on Twisted Metal with a Peacock subscription before his next MCU blockbuster arrives in theaters next year.