author: Bart Swiatek
Who is Johnny Silverhand Performed by Keanu Reeves in Cyberpunk 2077?
During Microsoft's conference on E3 2019, we learned that Keanu Reeves is involved in the production of Cyberpunk 2077 from the Polish CD Projekt RED studio. The famous actor will play the cult character of Johnny Silverhand. Who is the hero and what role does he play in the universe created by Mike Pondsmith?
One of the biggest moments of this year's E3 was undoubtedly the reveal of a new trailer of Cyberpunk 2077 with the participation of Keanu Reeves. The star of the Matrix and John Wickseries will play one of the most iconic characters of the universe concieved by Mike Pondsmith – Johnny Silverhard. Who's that? Why is his presence in the Polish superproduction a source of such joy?
Johnny Silverhand - a rock star and a hero
In the world of Cyberpunk 2020, Johnny Silverhand belongs to the rockerboy subculture, which, in simple terms, is a sort of a bard, a heroic musician that can be compared to those from the Dungeons and Dragons system. In the case of this futuristic universe, Rockerboys are usually equipped with an electric guitar and fight against an oppressive system and/or powerful corporations controlling the world. Johnny was a frontman and guitarist of the legendary rock formation Samurai (it's noteworthy that the protagonist of Cyberpunk 2077 - V wears the band's jacket on the trailer).
Silverhand is known primarily for his fight against the powerful Arasaka corporation and is an iconic character for many residents of Night City. Interestingly, the scene from the trailer, in which the protagonist appears, is reminiscent of one of the moments in Never Fade Away, the first scenario for Cyberpunk 2013 (the original edition of Mike Pondsmith's RPG system, which was followed by Cyberpunk 2020). The roles have been switched, however, as, in that scenario, it was Silverhand who was in dire straits.
He balls the Hand that is his trademark into a chromed fist, servos clicking in one by one. He thrusts it into the gaping belly wound, gasping at the shocking pain. Somehow, he gets to his feet; staggers to the alleyway. He leans his feverish face against the cool, wet bricks. He makes a decision. He’s not going to die. They’re going to die. Closing his eyes, he pitches forward into the streak of passing traffic blur.
Something stops him. Hands firmly grapple him, holding him up. Silverhand has just enough strength to open his eyes. There’s a face looking intently at him, thin, bearded. “Lord Almighty”, the face says. “They really did you, didn’t they?” – reads an exerpt from the story.
Johnny Silverhand's latest known adventure was included in the series of scripts called Firestorm, in which the hero took part in an attack on Arasaka's headquarters in Night City to end a bloody corporate war. The Rocker paid the highest price for his heroism, dying at the hands of a cyborg known as Adam Smasher.
Wait... he paid with his life? Then how the hell is he in the game?
That's a good question. On the one hand, Johnny Silverhand's death has never been confirmed – his body was never retrieved. Unfortunately, given the fact that he was in a building that practically evaporated in a nuclear explosion, his chances of survival were... well, quite low. What's more, Johnny was featured in Cyberpunk 2013, which was 66 years before the events depicted in CD Projekt RED's game. A lot can be said about Keanu Reeves, but certainly not that he's nearly a 100 years old (it's difficult to even believe he's 54, which is a source of endless merriment of his fanbase).
Perhaps Johnny is the V's idol, and the protagonist sees him only as hallucination, after experiencing near death in the trailer? This cannot be ruled out, and the jacket mentioned above fits this theory quite well. It is worth remembering, however, that we're talking of a dystopian sci-fi future, brimming with modern technology, hackers, chips and holograms. In such a universe, personality is nothing but data that can be copied and recreated. How about Johnny Silverhand as a holographic mentor and narrator, commenting on the game world and leading the player like a Destiny Ghost? Sure sounds like fun.
So far, we don't know which theory is closer to the truth. What is certain is that the quality of the latest production of CD Projekt RED will be greatly enhanced with Keanu Reeves' performance. The creators of the cyberpunk universe from Mike Pondsmith's company, R. Talsorian Games, are also delighted with the choice of Reeves, who, according to them, perfectly fits the role of Johnny Silverhard.
"There aren’t words to describe seeing someone of Mr. Reeves talent and legacy picking up a character Mike first introduced over thirty years ago and bringing him to life,” a representative told Polygon via email. “As a musician and someone who believes in making an impact in the word, someone who has known fame and the way it can lift and cut, its clear Mr. Reeves can understand Johnny in a way few people can. We’re beyond excited," a representative of the company told Polygon.
Cyberpunk 2077 will debut on April 16th 2020 on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
