Keanu Reeves has recently discussed his efforts to create a live-action adaptation of his comic book series, highlighting the challenges in getting films produced. The 60-year-old Canadian actor, who narrowly escaped a serious injury during his professional racing debut, has ventured into novel writing with his first book, titled *The Book of Elsewhere*. Co-authored with noted writer China Miéville, this novel is set in the same universe as Reeves’ comic series, *BRZRKR*. The comics follow the journey of an immortal warrior known as B, who is on a quest to comprehend his existence and purpose.
Reeves initially collaborated with writer Matt Kindt and artist Ron Garney to launch the first volume of the *BRZRKR* series in 2021, with two additional volumes released since then. At the launch event for the 2024 London Literature Festival held at the Southbank Centre, journalist Samira Ahmed inquired about Reeves’ potential interest in portraying B on screen, noting the character’s resemblance to him. While Reeves did not provide a definitive answer, he expressed that the character holds significant personal meaning for him and indicated a desire to play the role.
When asked about the status of a film project, Reeves, accompanied by the novel’s editor Keith Clayton, confirmed that a film adaptation is in the works, but acknowledged the difficulties of film production.
Expanding on the concepts surrounding the potential film project, the star of **The Matrix** expressed, “From the very inception of this idea, I envisioned a way to take this character and the intricately crafted world and allow various mediums and artists to contribute their own narratives. For instance, in the comic book adaptations, we’ve collaborated with a diverse range of writers and artists, each bringing their unique perspective to the stories. Moreover, in our recent novel project, we partnered with the talented writer China, which added another layer of creativity to the universe.”
He further elaborated, “Currently, for the film adaptation, we are collaborating with a writer named Mattson Tomlin, who has provided us with an exciting director’s draft. I’m genuinely enthusiastic about the prospect of allowing other artists to engage with this material, as I believe that diverse interpretations can lead to fresh and captivating creations. Ultimately, I’m hopeful that this collaborative approach will yield some truly remarkable and innovative content.”
In March 2021, it was announced by Variety that actor Keanu Reeves would not only star in but also produce an ambitious film and anime series adaptation of the comic series BRZRKR for Netflix. This revelation sparked considerable excitement among fans of the original comic, which was co-created by Reeves himself.
Fast forward to October 2022, during an interview with Collider, Reeves shared some intriguing insights about the progress on the film. He informed fans that a script had been completed by screenwriter Mattson Tomlin. However, there was some uncertainty about whether the script would receive the green light from the studio. Reeves expressed a keen interest in taking on the role of director for the project, reflecting on his previous directing experience with Man of Tai Chi. He remarked, “I know how it’s a lot of work, but the film that I directed, Man of Tai Chi, was born out of my involvement in the writing process. I felt a strong attachment to it and didn’t want to hand it over to someone else. I thought, ‘Oh, okay. I have to direct this.’ While I am not at that point yet with BRZRKR, I need to read the script first. I’m also open to the idea of collaborating with someone else and seeing what unique vision they might bring to the project.”
As the excitement continued to build, the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con in July provided another update. During the event, Tomlin confirmed that he had submitted his latest draft of the film script, indicating that the project was progressing and might soon move closer to production. This news reignited anticipation among fans eager to see how Reeves would bring his vision of BRZRKR to life on screen.
