Netflix's long-in-the-making action thriller Maelstrom has a new star. Keanu Reeves is set to lead the film for director Jaume Collet-Serra, taking over the role from Alan Ritchson, who has exited the project.
Ritchson's reasons for leaving have not been disclosed, and Netflix has not commented publicly on the change.
One Marshal, One Witness And A Hurricane
The setup for Maelstrom sounds like it was built for an action star. Reeves will play a Federal Marshal assigned to protect the fiancee of an arms dealer who has turned witness. Over the course of one brutal night, he has to keep her alive as a hurricane knocks out communication, strands them without backup and sends the dealer's men straight to their safe house.
That kind of contained, siege-style story is right in Collet-Serra's wheelhouse. The director has a long history with tight thrillers, from Non-Stop and The Commuter to The Shallows, and he recently had a big streaming hit with Netflix's Carry-On, which kept Taron Egerton trapped in an airport for most of its runtime.
A Script More Than 30 Years In The Making
What makes Maelstrom especially interesting is how long it has been around. The project was first set up as a spec script at Warner Bros. back in 1993, which means it has been working its way through Hollywood for over three decades.
The first draft was written by the late Gregory Fitzpatrick, and the current version is by Mark Bianculli. Jeff Robinov is producing alongside Tabitha Shick of Talking Pictures.
Ritchson was in talks to lead the film earlier this year, and it seemed like a natural fit given how comfortable he has become carrying action on Reacher. He has plenty on his plate, though, with Reacher season five already confirmed and other projects in the mix.
Keanu Reeves Keeps Stacking His Slate
For Reeves, this is the latest in a growing list of projects since John Wick: Chapter 4. He recently entered talks to lead James Wan's remake of the South Korean crime thriller The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil at Paramount, where he is also expected to return as the voice of Shadow in Sonic the Hedgehog 4.
He is also developing an adaptation of Oliver Lowe's upcoming novel Kill Current: A Jon Hendricks Thriller, which will be the first project from his new banner Two Dragonflies. On top of that, he has the Warner Bros. sci-fi film Shiver and Ruben Ostlund's The Entertainment System Is Down on the way.
Fans hoping for more John Wick are still waiting on several projects, and we have a full rundown of the four John Wick projects that still do not have release dates. In the meantime, Maelstrom gives Reeves another chance to do what he does best, which is fight his way through a seemingly impossible night against a small army.
What We Still Do Not Know
There is no word yet on who will play the witness Reeves is protecting, or who will lead the arms dealer's crew. Netflix also has not shared when filming will begin or when the movie could release. Considering how quickly Carry-On went from production to the top of Netflix's charts, it would not be surprising to see Maelstrom move fast once cameras start rolling.
One question some fans are already asking is whether a movie with Reeves in the lead could get a bigger theatrical push. For now, it is set up as a Netflix film.
Are you excited to see Keanu Reeves take over Maelstrom, or were you hoping to see Alan Ritchson in the role?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.