Keanu Reeves to Star in The Day the Earth Stood Still Remake

Here is an interesting bit of news to wake up to. Variety is reporting that Reeves has signed on to play Klaatu, the lead role made famous by Michael Rennie in the original 1951 film.

It will definitely be interesting to see if this remake can be made relevant. The original was made in the wake of fears of communism and nuclear war. The Day the Earth Stood Still was a science fiction film that stepped up as a warning of the dawning nuclear age. It has stood the test of time, I guess it was inevitable that the Hollywood remake machine would get their claws on it.

Reeves is an interesting choice. He is not a great actor, often said to have the skills of a 2x4, but he does put himself out there in a variety of roles and appears to be a hard worker. His stiff style may fit the demeanor of an alien visitor.

I am wary of remaking this classic, but I am also interested in seeing what they do with it. Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose) directs from a script by David Scarpa (The Last Castle). It is set to start production late Fall or early 2008.