Keanu Reeves goes way of the samurai in '47 Ronin'

Wednesday 10th December, 05:35 AM JST

LOS ANGELES —

Keanu Reeves is to star in a period film about a band of samurai swordsmen who avenge the death of their master in 18th century Japan, Daily Variety reported Tuesday.

Reeves, the star of the upcoming science fiction thriller “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and the “Matrix” films, will play one of the vengeful samurai in the movie titled “47 Ronin.”

The film, which is being produced by Universal Pictures, is based on the true story of a group of samurai who plotted revenge after their master was forced to commit suicide for assaulting a court official.

Variety said the film would mix fantasy elements with gritty battle scenes similar to those in period epics such as “Gladiator.”

Filming is set to begin in 2009.

Wire reports

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Latest 15 of 19 Total Comments Show All

soldave at 11:08 AM JST - 10th December

rjd - I think if you actually read the article you can find a very brief summary of the plot.

While putting Western actors in Asian (and more specifically, Japanese) roles is annoying, it is still usually preferable to employing Japanese actors who seem very wooden in their English speaking roles as they learn the lines by rote generally.
fatloser at 11:10 AM JST - 10th December

Why not do it!!!!!!!!! They already dragged a Japanese guy into Batman!!!!!!!!!!! Why not have KR as the emperor of Japan!!!!!!!!!!!
whyamiinjapan at 11:26 AM JST - 10th December

After "Bill and Ted's . . ." (the FIRST one) Keanu hasn't impressed me. Crappy actor. But he did well in . . . that movie he played Buddha. That was good.
Sarge at 11:31 AM JST - 10th December

whyamiijapan - What about his brilliant performance as Marlon in I Love You to Death?
telecasterplayer at 12:37 PM JST - 10th December

"Bill and Ted.." cemented Keanu for me. I can't look at him in anything without imagining him speaking like a San Dimas kid. "Dude, we got to totally avenge Lord Asano! Kira Yoshinaka is totally bogus!" Too bad George Carlin ("Rufus") is dead.
ThreeTigers at 02:18 PM JST - 10th December

Cool!
Sarge at 03:14 PM JST - 10th December

whyamiinjapan - And what was wrong with Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey? That was EXCELLENT as well!

Col. Oates: Get down and give me infinity!

Bill: Dude, there's no way I can possibly do infinity pushups.

Ted ( Reeves ): Maybe if he lets us do them girly-style.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! I think Reeves is way more suited for comedy than something like 47 Ronin...
dennis0bauer at 03:34 PM JST - 10th December

Keanu is no Toshiro Mifune
carlosgodoy1 at 04:35 PM JST - 10th December

I recommend Street Kings, another movie with Keanu. Very good plot and good acting by KR. Check it out
vajra at 11:34 PM JST - 10th December

Reeves will probably be working with Hiroyuki Sanada in this one and that could help his fight scenes a bit .
Rigs83 at 01:32 PM JST - 11th December

He's a white dude from Kali and no wire-fu, make-up or special effects can change that. His only memorable line in the Matrix movies was "Whoa". Hollywood please stop trying to rip off Asian Cinema by placing Western actor in the same instance and act like that doesn't insult the original vision. John Sturges showed respect to Kurosawa's masterwork Seven Samurai and adapted to the American west in The Magnificent Seven with great care and Kurosawa loved it so much he gave Sturges a sword
tokyokitty at 04:48 PM JST - 11th December

is this The Last Samurai Part 2?
rurika at 03:53 AM JST - 13th December

Keanu Reeves isn't "white" or "western". He is caucasian/asian mix and he lived in the middle east before moving to Canada.
judochick at 05:37 AM JST - 16th December

after his character in the movie kills Kira, the first thing he says is, "woah!"
zaichik at 03:43 PM JST - 16th December

Hmmmm....the only thing more wooden than Keanu in your average movie is the set.

I did like him in The Replacements, though (but I liked Rhys Ifans better!)