Keanu Reeves has signed on to star in 20th Century Fox’s remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still. The Matrix star will play Klaatu (played in the original film by Michael Rennie), an alien who arrives on Earth accompanied by a large humanoid robot named Gort, with a warning to world leaders that their continued aggression will lead to annihilation by species watching from afar. Klaatu is famous in part due to the phrase “Klaatu barada nikto!” used in the film and its re-use in the Bruce Campbell cult film Army of Darkness.
The remake will be directed by Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Hellraiser: Inferno) from a script by David Scarpa (The Last Castle). Fox if fast-tracking the film into production for a late 2007 or early 2008 start (presumably before the proposed strike in March). The studio hopes to make this a huge tentpole film.
The original 1951 Robert Wise film was considered one of the best Science Fiction films of all time (#7 on Arthur C Clarke’s List) and was debated for it’s religious symbolism and many interpretations. Bernard Herrmann score is also notable, partly because of its use of two theremins. The film is currently ranked #167 of all time on IMDb, with a 8.1 rating.
A remake has been rumored to be in development for a few years now. I believe I first heard rumblings back when War of the Worlds went into production. It will be interesting to see how this story will be handled in contemorary times, with good special effects. Will the charm be lost?
source: Variety
August 27th, 2007 at 3:39 am
well if anybody can save the world from itself, then its Keanu Reeves.
August 27th, 2007 at 7:00 am
I have never seen the movie and never really heard about it before but what I thought was interesting that the fact that Jabbas Skiff Guards from Return of the Jedi are names Klaatu, Barada, and Nikto, and the fact that this little tidbit wasnt mentioned!
August 27th, 2007 at 7:25 am
May be a good movie
August 27th, 2007 at 7:38 am
The original movie had was dry but had a clear message to mankind “smarten up.” Obviously that didn’t happen I wonder what the message will be this time.
Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrrows
August 27th, 2007 at 8:57 am
Looks like this will be pretty successful. Go Keanu!
August 27th, 2007 at 9:17 am
I like Keanu,
but I fear of the remakes. I mean, I also like Tim Burton, but his remakes of “Planet of the Apes” were disastrous, while of the original were really great and had the charm of that epoch.
There are some movies that are great in its eternity (like “Metropolis”), but there are lots of movies that have their fame time - e.g. “Planet of Apes”, or also “The Day the Earth Stood Still”…
But who knows?..
August 27th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
I think Keenu can do a good Alien Klaatu … Cold, emotionless….
(The Original is almost always better than any remake)
I like the first one because it is relevent even today, if you have not seen it I would recommend it (yes the Effects are cheesy, but c’mon it was the 50’s)
August 27th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
Well, as one of my brighter friends pointed out long ago, when it comes to science fiction, Hollywood studios are afraid of making anything that doesn’t have extended chase scenes and/or demolition scenes. I expect that’ll be the case here too.
August 31st, 2007 at 9:18 am
Raph Fiennes would have been a far better choice for Klaatu. He has that classic urbane style and demeanor that Keanu doesn’t. I hope he can pull it off because it will be sad to see such a classic movie fail because the lead doesn’t have the gravitas.
November 7th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
You got to be kidding me, Keanu is going to play the lead ?
Maybe if he played Gort, but Michael Renne had this air of dignity and intelligence which Keanu couldnt imitate if he had 10 years to practice.
November 7th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
Well, Keanu may be limited as an actor, but his off-kilter line deliveries might actually work for the lead role. He’s always seemed like he was doing his own thing in his own (inner) world, regardless of what a particular role called for. For once, the role might actually fit his “talents” as an actor.