Keanu Reeves Writing BRZRKR Novel & Hints He May Direct Adaptation

Summary

• Keanu Reeves is co-writing a novel, titled The Book of Elsewhere, set in the BRZRKR universe with author China Miéville.
• Reeves is considering directing the live-action adaptation of his comic book BRZRKR, expressing interest in having a collaborator.
• BRZRKR follows an immortal warrior’s 80,000-year fight through the ages and Reeves is determined to make it an R-rated story.

John Wick star Keanu Reeves continues to expand his and Boom! Studios’ BRZRKR series with the actor now co-writing a novel set in the same universe. Titled The Book of Elsewhere, the novel sees Reeves team up with British author China Miéville. The novel comes courtesy of Random House’s Del Rey, and is described as a “genre-bending epic of ancient powers, modern war, and an outcast who cannot die.” The Book of Elsewhere takes place in the BRZRKR universe, the comic book series created and written by Keanu Reeves and Matt Kindt about an immortal warrior who fights his way across history, with plot details for the novel being kept under wraps for now.

This marks Reeves’ debut novel, with the beloved actor providing the following statement regarding the project (via ABC News).

“It was extraordinary to have the opportunity to collaborate on The Book of Elsewhere with one of my favorite authors, China Miéville. China did exactly what I was hoping for – he came in with a clear architecture for the story and how he wanted to play with the world of BRZRKR, a world that I love so much. I was thrilled with his vision and feel honored to be a part of this collaborative process.”

Del Rey

As well as expanding the world of BRZRKR, breathtaking actor Keanu Reeves is considering sitting in the director’s chair for the upcoming adaptation of his comic book. In a 2022 interview with Collider, Reeves revealed that he has now received the script for the action outing, a script that was completed by writer Mattson Tomlin. “I got it yesterday or two days ago. I haven’t read it yet,” Reeves said, adding that it’s still “early days” but that there is a “33%” chance of him helming the Netflix project.

“I know how it’s a lot of work, but the film that I directed, Man of Tai Chi, was born, I became the director because I was part of the writing process, and I didn’t want to hand it over. I was like, oh, okay. I have to direct this. I’m not quite there yet on ‘BRZRKR’. I have to read the script, but I’m also interested in having a collaborator and what they could bring to it.”

While Keanu Reeves is known for his roles in the likes of The Matrix, John Wick, and countless other action and sci-fi offerings, the actor has directed once before with the 2013 martial arts flick Man of Tai Chi. Reeves reveals that the reason he took on directing duties for Man of Tai Chi was that he did not want to hand the movie over to someone else, and considering that BRZRKR is a comic book written by Reeves and Matt Kindt, the same could very well happen again.

Certainly, should Reeves take the helm, it will ensure that the live-action adaptation of BRZRKR remains exactly what he wants to see take shape.

RELATED: Keanu Reeves’ 10 Best Performances, Ranked

BRZRKR Will Follow Keanu Reeves as an Immortal Warrior

Lionsgate

Based on the “brutally violent, epic comic book saga” written by Keanu Reeves alongside New York Times best-selling co-writer Matt Kindt (Folklords, Justice League of America), with art by Ron Garney (Wolverine, Captain America), Eisner and Harvey Award-nominated colorist Bill Crabtree (BPRD), and letterer Clem Robins (Hellboy), BRZRKR will follow an immortal warrior’s 80,000-year fight through the ages.

The man known only as “B” is half-mortal and half-God and is cursed and compelled to violence, even at the sacrifice of his sanity. After wandering the world for centuries, this mysterious mercenary may have finally found a refuge – working for the U.S. government to fight the battles too violent and too dangerous for anyone else. In exchange, he will be granted the one thing he desires – the truth about his endless blood-soaked existence…and how to end it.

One thing that Reeves is determined to see is BRZRKR being rated R, something that he has stated Netflix also wants.

“We’re working with Netflix who have been very cool,” Reeves said following the announcement of the project. “They’re going to let us do an R-rated story which is cool. My ambition or hope is not to do a filmed version of the comic book so that they’ll have things in common, definitely the main character and his kind of rule set, but that we can take it to other places as well.”

Last year, Keanu Reeves reprised the role of action icon John Wick in John Wick: Chapter 4. Directed by Chad Stahelski and starring Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Lance Reddick, Clancy Brown, Scott Adkins, Hiroyuki Sanada, Ian McShane, Shamier Anderson, and Rina Sawayama, John Wick: Chapter 4 proved to be one of the best movies of 2023, as well as one of the best action movies of all time.

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