The face swap heard 'round the galaxy far, far away strikes back. On Monday, comic book writer Mark Millar tweeted a face swap meme of Keanu Reeves and Adam Driver that is, in a word, bonkers. Yes, on closer inspection, it does appear to be two slightly different photos of Driver as Star Wars villain Kylo Ren, but one of the images sure gives off serious Reeves vibes. And those vibes have not gone unnoticed.
Let's just get one thing straight: In real life, Reeves and Driver do not look like identical twins. If you were to run into the latter in the produce aisle of your grocery store, you probably wouldn’t say, “I loved you in 2012 feature film Lincoln.” Well, unless you're the person who approached Driver at a restaurant and asked him if he was Reeves, that is. (No, that is not a hypothetical example. Driver recounted this particular interaction when The Last Jedi teamed up with web series The Star Wars Show for a Walmart ad.) They are both talented, handsome, and well-coiffed men, but one isn't indistinguishable from the other. However, this face swap situation is another story.
“Face-Swap Adam Driver and Keannu [sic] Reeves and you just feel confused and slightly lost…” Millar wrote. And he wasn’t kidding. Take one look at this side-by-side, and you’ll inevitably start mumbling things like, “Neo Ren,” “Kylo Wick,” and “Ben and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.” Do a double take, you will.
Not to burst any bubbles, but this doesn’t appear to be a true face swap; their mugs aren’t switched around like they would be if the creator had used the Snapchat Face Swap feature. Instead, it looks like the photo of Kylo was doctored in Photoshop or some other picture editing program. So, it’s more along the lines of a face mash-up or a face blend. Or maybe it’s just a lighting trick? Or magic? An internet mystery, it is. Whatever went into this side-by-side, here's one thing that's for certain: The end result is a bit of a trip.
This — as Ted might say — excellent meme first hit the waters of the internet back in July 2016 when it popped up on Reddit. And now that Star Wars: The Last Jedi has paddled on into movie theaters, the meme did the inevitable: It climbed onto its boogie board and hit the waves again. And people have some feelings about this face swap.
There's Lots Of Face Swap Detective Work Happening
*Grabs magnifying glass.* What we have here is a good ol' fashioned meme-stery.
And Some Weren't Having It At All
The same face with a few subtle adjustments, that it is.
There Were Some Conspiracy Theories
This is a nod to the iconic internet theory that Reeves is indeed immortal.
There Were Also Some Personal Realizations
And by "problem," do you mean "unrelenting crush"? Because that's a pretty relatable situation.
OK, Wait...
These photos aren't doctored? Huh. Again, Driver and Reeves don't look like identical twins, but they could be brothers. There really is something there.
Some Didn't See Reeves In The Face Swap At All
Fair.
Others Felt Just As Millar Said They Would
Also fair.
This Paterson/Speed Joke Is Pretty Special
Put these two in a buddy stop-the-bus-from-exploding movie already!
And Here's A Fantastic Title For That Hypothetical Movie
Well, that's just brilliant.
The Face Swap Brought At Least One Person Joy
Right there with ya.
And Finally, A Most Appropriate Reaction
You said it, Ted.
Hey, if Reeves were to appear in Episode IX as Kylo's long-lost brother, that cameo would be anything but bogus. Whoa, indeed.
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