Keanu Reeves Clearly Had Fun Doing Voice Work, Motion Capture for Cyberpunk 2077

Announced a while back by CD Projekt Red and already delayed several times, Cyberpunk 2077 is a choose-your-own-adventure open-world game that will appeal to gamers and car enthusiasts alike. It’s also heavy on the star factor, featuring a special appearance by Keanu Reeves as rock-star-turned-terrorist Johnny Silverhand, all set against the insane backdrop of Night City.

In a new video released by CD Projekt, Keanu talks about doing voice work and motion capture for the game, how it differed from previous jobs of the kind, the challenges it entailed and how the result was awesome enough to blow his mind. As a bonus, the video also reveals more from the game, including action scenes and proper car action.

“I did it in The Matrix films so to start doing motion capture for Johnny was all very familiar to me,” Reeves says at one point in the video below. “The only difference I think technologically was how close they were going to real-time review. But creatively it was very familiar and sense of starting a library of gesture and the toolbox for the animators to work with for the character.”

Keanu describes Johnny Silverhand as a dude with “a lot of energy and a good sense of humor, if not a little dark at times.” “He's very passionate – he cares. He's kind of naive, but he's also super-experienced in life. He's got, certainly, an appetite for life,” he adds. That’s definitely one delicate way of putting it.

Clearly, Keanu had a lot of fun doing this project, and it will most definitely translate into a superb performance.

Among the rides featured in the game, a 1977 Porsche 911 Turbo stands out, and Silverhand will be driving it. Pre-orders for Cyrberpunk 2077 are live now, and the release is set for December 10, with the Collector’s Edition setting you back $250 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.