Keanu Reeves Responds to Deadly Compound Named After Him

"They should've called it John Wick…"

Excellent Pesticide

Everyone's enamored by famed Canadian actor Keanu Reeves — scientists included.

Earlier this month, a group of biotechnologists in Germany invented a pesticide so efficient at killing a crop-destroying fungus that they named it "Keanumycins" after the action star because, in the lead researcher's words, "he, too, is extremely deadly in his roles."

And thanks to Reddit, we now get to behold Reeves' reaction to his new honorary appellation. Reeves hosted an "Ask Me Anything" thread over the weekend, and one of its most upvoted questions asked for his thoughts on the deadly compound.

"...Hi, thank you…they should've called it John Wick…" Reeves wrote — his odd use of ellipses perfectly conveying the whimsical cadence of his speech — while referring to the series of action movies, in which he stars as a stoic killing machine with near-perfect aim.

"But that's pretty cool…and surreal for me," he added.

"But thanks, scientist people!" You can practically hear the accompanying air guitar riff.

Indeed, it's pretty much impossible not to read his response in Ted Logan's voice, Keanu's role as a loveably dorky high school slacker in the "Bill & Ted" movies. Excellent pesticide, dude!

Fungi Funeral

Given the levels of fame he's enjoyed over the years, it's endearing to think that, out of all the countless things done as tribute to him — and no doubt the countless amount of babies named after him, too — it's a newly discovered fungus killer named in his honor that Reeves finds so surreal.

But hey, maybe we shouldn't underestimate the importance of a potent pesticide, especially Keanumycins. According to the researchers, it targets a fungus known as Botrytis cinerea, which is responsible for a soft, gray rot in crops.

Since Botrytis cinerea and other plant-plaguing fungi have become more resilient against pesticides, finding such a powerful killer in Keanumycins isn't something that should be underestimated — much like a certain fictional onscreen hitman.

Maybe the scientists should take Reeve's advice and name it after John Wick after all.

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