Keanu Reeves (Matrix, The Day the Earth Stood Still)
The man behind Matrix hacker Neo and the enigmatic Klaatu, Keanu Reeves will next jump onto the big-screens as Spike Spiegel from the widely acclaimed 1998 Sunrise classic Cowboy Bebop.
Set in a world where humanaity escape decimation, the story follows an adventurous bounty hunter, Spike, travelling on a spaceship, the Bebop, with other fellow bounty hunters.
From MTV movies blog:
” Reeves hopes to play Spike Spiegel, one of these futuristic cowboys forced to pick up the slack after a population crash and hyperspace gateways have left law-enforcement unable to capture many of the galaxy’s most ruthless criminals.
“It’s got a Western quality, a Western film noir aspect to it,” Reeves said of why he’s such a big fan of Shinichiro Watanabe and Keiko Nobumoto’s groundbreaking series. “It’s got so much style to it, and that’s part of its appeal. That kind of Old West, bordertown, low-tech science fiction aspect.” “
Erwin Stoff, Reeves’ longtime manager, will be producing through 3 Arts and Joshua Long will be serving as executive producer. Sunrise president Kenji Uchida, the TV series’ director of animation, Shinichiro Watanabe, and series writer Keiko Nobumoto will be associate producers, and series producer Masahiko Minami will be the film’s production consultant.
It seems like the next hot thing for Hollywood is apparently Japanese animation, where within the next few years we’ll also be seeing live-action adaptions of Dragonball, Ghost in the Shell, Akira, etc. Personally I haven’t got on the Cowboy Bebop wagon, so I’ll give it a go when I do have time. (Like in a month or so…)
For those who’ve faithfully digested this classic, what’re your opinions on this? Do you think that the stoic-faced impression from Keanu Reeves will be fitting of Spike? Or will it be a hollywood horror?
if that’s the case, the movie studio is better off casting a wooden plank for the role.
Comment by gordon — January 17, 2009 @ 9:21 pm
@ gordon: From the pic… Actually I think Bruce Willis be more fitting. Need more hair though.
Comment by Leefe — January 18, 2009 @ 1:40 pm
Thar she blows!
Hollywood needs young action stars. Only person I can recall fitting the role is Christian Bale.
Comment by MrMayat — January 18, 2009 @ 10:59 pm
Hmm, any word on the release date for this ?
Comment by blauereiter — February 22, 2009 @ 3:37 pm
@blaureiter: Release date ain’t announced yet. When it is it’ll be all over the internets. And here too.
Comment by Leefe — February 22, 2009 @ 4:28 pm
any one who isn’t furious at how they have been slaughtering perfectly innocent animes of late should go crawl under a rock and stay there. i mean keanu reeves as spike. WTF
Comment by malum — April 3, 2009 @ 11:26 pm
@malum: There’s no perfectly innocent anime. At least not when there’s money to be squeezed out of every bit of it.
Comment by Leefe — April 5, 2009 @ 12:44 pm
this sucks their going to ruin a great anime again fuck hollywood and keanu reeves
Comment by marcus — April 20, 2009 @ 7:23 am
Keanu is really hot and Spike.. i just love it!
Comment by Epileptic Girl — May 3, 2009 @ 8:37 am
I could only think of wooden plank when I saw Reeves’ name in the running. This really sucks.
Comment by foolgroove — May 5, 2009 @ 11:41 am
if keanu never made bill and ted, everyone’s perception of him would be different. i’m excited about it, seen every episode of bebop. i just hope they don’t stop at the first episode.
Comment by paisley — May 13, 2009 @ 2:19 am
dude, bill and ted aside even, which I like because it’s supposed to be stupid, Reeves is a terrible actor. He was saved in The Matrix by not saying all that much. Speed wasn’t even that great with the exception of Sandra Bullock and only then because she’s a fox. Spike just needs to be much cooler and have much more underlying emotion than Reeves will ever be able to pull off.
Comment by Ian C — May 14, 2009 @ 8:29 pm
Someone once pointed out to me who would be perfect for the role of Spike.
Sacha Baron Cohen.
Comment by Unclever title — November 14, 2009 @ 8:53 am
@Unclever title: Rofl that’d be a sight.
Comment by Leefe — November 15, 2009 @ 4:47 pm