Keanu Reeves to lead '47 Ronin'

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http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117997052.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

Keanu Reeves to lead '47 Ronin'
Chris Morgan to write Universal feature
By MICHAEL FLEMING

Keanu Reeves will star in "47 Ronin," an epic period film for Universal Pictures based on the true tale of a band of samurai swordsmen who avenged the death of their master in 18th century Japan.

Chris Morgan, who co-wrote "Wanted" and penned the upcoming "Fast and Furious" for Universal, is writing the script. Scott Stuber will produce through his Stuber Prods. banner.

Reeves stars in sci-fi remake "The Day the Earth Stood Still," which Fox bows Friday.

In "47 Ronin," he will play one of the swordsmen; the group and their master are revered in Japan for their revenge attack on Dec. 14, 1702.

The film will tell a stylized version of the story, mixing fantasy elements of the sort seen in "The Lord of the Rings" pics, with gritty battle scenes akin to those in films such as "Gladiator."

Morgan is writing the script and tailoring it so that Reeves -- who's half-Asian -- can fit the role as one of the swordsmen. The intention is to begin shooting next year after a director is hired.

Walter Hamada and Chris Fenton will be exec producers.

Under his U-based shingle, Stuber is shooting the Vince Vaughn starrer "Couples Retreat" and is preparing for the release of the Joe Johnston-directed "The Wolfman," the Jennifer Aniston starrer "Traveling" and "Repossession Mambo." Stuber is prepping "Your Highness," with David Gordon Green to direct and Danny McBride to star.
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Keanu Reeves will star in "47 Ronin," an epic period film for Universal Pictures based on the true tale of a band of samurai swordsmen who avenged the death of their master in 18th century Japan
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Ronin are masterless Samurai. :huh: Anyway could be cool if they get a good director.
 
It's just that Keanu is a really bad actor. I hope he just plays a supporting role and isn't the star. He does action okay but I just don't think he could pull off an 18th century samurai. I can't imagine this succeeding unless when they say "stylized" they mean set in computers or space.

In addition this writer has Wanted and Fast & Furious in his resume. Smells of critical failure and Box office mediocrity. Aren't the Fast & Furious series going straight to video yet?
 
Hunter Rider is confused about the synopsis mentioning the death of the ronins' master. But I think in the story of the 47 Ronin, their master is killed and that is why they walk masterless. Or whatever.
 
I think Keanu could pull it off...these guys are reserved, controlled warriors...reserved is something Keanu pulls off really well. Which is why I think he will OWN in The Day the Earth Stood Still.
 
this sounds..kinda cool actually!

And Keanu is Asianish. Isn't he half?
 
OsGom said:
It's just that Keanu is a really bad actor. I hope he just plays a supporting role and isn't the star. He does action okay but I just don't think he could pull off an 18th century samurai. I can't imagine this succeeding unless when they say "stylized" they mean set in computers or space.

In addition this writer has Wanted and Fast & Furious in his resume. Smells of critical failure and Box office mediocrity. Aren't the Fast & Furious series going straight to video yet?
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Its good that Keanu picks a lot of big budget special effects movies because it hides the fact his not the greatest of actors.
 
Carl Erik Rinsch to Direct 47 Ronin

Posted on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta

Commercial director and Ridley Scott protege Carl Erik Rinsch has finally found a project for his feature film directorial debut. Rinsch is in final talks to helm the Keanu Reeves epic period samurai film 47 Ronin (not to be confused with the adaptation of Frank Miller’s graphic novel Ronin). Rinsch is not only Scott’s protege, a commercial director for Scott’s company RSA, but he is also romantically involved with Ridley’s daughter Jordan. So basically, he’s “in the family.”

You might recognize Rinsch’s name as he was originally tapped to direct a prequel/remake of Alien, but Fox convinced Ridley Scott to helm the project himself. I was one of the few people actually interested in Rinsch’s involvement. Rinsch’s commercials show an amazing sense of imagination, visual effects artistry and composition. We’ve profiled his amazing commercials on the site, more than once. If you havent checked them out yet, you should do so now.

Variety says that the film is a “priority” “large budget” project for Universal, which makes it all the more unusual that the studio is entrusting a first time feature director with the potential tentpole feature. Wanted screenwriter Chris Morgan has described the project as a “great, Gladiator-esque, 300-like big action movie with samurai and ninja.”

“It’s a time in Japanese culture when it was all about [the] bushido
Code: 
 and honor, and putting internal things over external things — swords that were made to be functional instead of ornamental, that kind of stuff,” Morgan previously told MTV. “this turning point in the culture when that started to shift. Society started to be more about external kind of things. The story is about these samurai whose lord is killed in an unfair way.”

Based on a true 18th Century Japanese story, the film follows a band of samurai swordsmen who are shamed into becoming the titular ronin — a Japanese word meaning lordless samurai, and must avenge the death of their master. The construct a huge plan and sacrifice everything to see it through.

I was really excited to see Rinsch direct a sci-fi project, as his commercials suggest he would be great at creating imagery in that visual arena. I’m not sure how I feel about Keanu playing a samurai, but if the project is even half as good as Morgan is hyping it up to be, combined with the potential of Rinsch, count me in.[/QUOTE]

[URL="http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/11/17/carl-eric-rinsch-to-direct-47-ronin/"][B]LINK[/B][/URL]
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Holy crap. Haven't thought about this project in forever. I'm not as familiar with Rinsch, but his involvement sounds good in theory.
 
Keanu is a very capable actor. Where peole get the notion that he's a bad actor is beyond me. I take it they've never seen The Gift, Hardbal, Devil's Advocate, Sweet November, or The Watcher? :huh:
 
For the most part, Reeves has taken roles that play to his strengths and within his limitations as an actor. He's played a lot of characters that have required he be somewhat dumbfounded, or just all-around naive. He's also great at playing ass****s, like in The Gift, Street Kings and to a lesser extent, Constantine. I think his biggest missteps have been Dracula and Little Bhudda.
 
Street Kings was pretty cool. Though, I don't know how well he'll fit into this story, unless it's played with people of all ethnicities and placed in some fantasy world that only looks like Japan.
 
I think Keanu is a good actor but that still doesn't make him Japanese.
 
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