Related Sections: Animation Movies News
Fox eyes Keanu Reeves to star in a Cowboy Bebop movie
Twentieth Century Fox is bringing the Japanese anime TV series Cowboy Bebop to the big screen, with The Day the Earth Stood Still star Keanu Reeves attached to star as a bounty hunter traveling through space in 2071, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
One of the big titles in anime, Bebop is set in a time where "astral gates" make interstellar travel possible. Humanity, decimated by a lunar explosion resulting from a gate accident, spread out across the solar system, as did crime, which gave rise to the use of bounty hunters.
Reeves would play Spike Spiegel, a bounty hunter and former member of a crime syndicate. Spiegel, along with Jet Black, a fellow bounty hunter and former cop, are the two pilots of the spaceship Bebop. Peter Craig is writing the script.
The show, which first aired on Tokyo TV and on satellite broadcaster Wowow during the late 1990s, was strongly influenced by American music, even featuring action sequences—both space battles and mano a mano—timed to U.S. melodies.
By Alex at 3:38 AM ON 01/16/09
I know alot of people hate on Keanu, but I think he will be perfect as Spike.
By Highway Man at 6:03 AM ON 01/16/09
I like Keanu Reeves, but he might be to old to play Spike.
By eobet at 6:32 AM ON 01/16/09
I hope they don't change the ending for the series, the entire sequence was brilliant.
The music for the series was also very iconic, but some tracks are complete rip-offs. They copied Sting's Shape of my Heart and a Thelonius Monk song where they didn't even bother to change more than one or two notes.
Still, the tracks Rain and Blue are some of the best I've heard in Anime, and Bebop just wouldn't be Bebop without all the atmospheric music throughout the series.
By Tokrath at 8:39 AM ON 01/16/09
Don't get me wrong I have nothing against Keanu but I don't like the idea of him playing Spike.
99.9% of the time Keanu falls into one of two rolls. The brooding sulking reluctant person as he was as Neo or the happy go lucky smirking stoner Ted. I don't see Spike as falling into that so Keanu isn't the right person for it.
By Ghidora at 9:37 AM ON 01/16/09
I think Keanu is wrong for the role of Spike. Like Tokrath, I only see him able to play two personalities, neither of which is Spike.
By budgethero at 10:01 AM ON 01/16/09
WARNING!WARNING trivial geek nit pic ahead! WARNING!WARNING
the astral gates didn't allow inter*stellar* trave, they allowed interplanetary travel, ie to travel from one planet in our solar system to another in our system.
By Chaintinker at 11:34 AM ON 01/16/09
Ok, so is Vin Diesel going to be playing Jet?
:)
By TheAdlerian at 12:45 PM ON 01/16/09
At least he's part Asian!
By Nid at 2:31 PM ON 01/16/09
You know. The voice of SPike is great. How does the voice actor look like?
keannu is good. how about
Ben Kingsley as jet. He is a pretty tough actor
jessica biel as fay
I pulled this trio out of my ass. Will come up with more as requested.
By S.W. at 2:58 PM ON 01/16/09
NO! NO! NO! HELL NO! If this turns out to be the case then I am officially going to boycott this movie. Ugh, after his performance in DESS I don't think any hardcore Cowboy would want to see this actor in the role of their beloved Spike Spiegel.
Heck, they should just leave the series where it is... Too many bad things come out of live action movies being based on animated features or video games. Haven't people learned this yet?
By S.W. at 2:59 PM ON 01/16/09
NO! NO! NO! HELL NO! If this turns out to be the case then I am officially going to boycott this movie. Ugh, after his performance in DESS I don't think any hardcore Cowboy would want to see this actor in the role of their beloved Spike Spiegel.
Heck, they should just leave the series where it is... Too many bad things come out of live action movies being based on animated features or video games. Haven't people learned this yet?
By lupin1375 at 4:46 PM ON 01/16/09
Cowboy Bebop is my favorite TV series of all time and I disagree with this choice. Just because Reeves is a huge star doesn't mean he's right for this part. I don't think he is but that's the way that Hollywood works: They cast big stars just to make money, regardless of how appropriate they are to the part.
I smell a train-wreck that will tarnish the reputation of this wonderful series, like Aeon Flux. Also, if any of you are familiar with the Cowboy Bebop manga, you know what I'm talking about.
By Randall at 7:53 PM ON 01/16/09
Keanu has the look for Spike, but not the acting range; while I thought he was a good fit for Klaatu (his wooden acting was actually an asset there), the same cannot be said of Spike.
By jimspar at 11:53 PM ON 01/16/09
I wish they would stop casting Keanu Reeves. Period.
By Radox Redux at 11:09 AM ON 01/20/09
Meh. Why not? He's not perfect, but then... no actor is for Spike barring Terrance Hill back in the 1950's.
I'll be happy so long as they cast Ron Perlman as Jet. The obvious and perfect choice.
By Shucks at 12:54 AM ON 02/02/09
For the Roles:
Spike: Jeffrey Donovan
Jet: Jason Stathom
Faye: Megan Fox
There is your team.
By FoxFan at 6:31 PM ON 02/03/09
The casting will depend on which part(s) of the series they choose for the screen play.
Also they have to sell this to the people that give the go ahead for projects at the studio. Which may have been a very simple overview of the series. In that light, KR would appear a good fit for the Spike character. A smart ass loner.....
They could also choose to do a single episode as the basis for the movie. If it involves a lot of hand to hand fighting then I'd like Jason Stathom better as Spike. I like Megan Fox or Jessica Beil as Faye also.
Unless they choose to make Faye closer in age to Spike. Ed could easily be cut depending on the episode. But if they want Ed to be older (teen) but still kookie then Emily Osmet could play the part no problem. Jet could be played by several:
Ron Perlman, Vin Diesel, Michael Chiklis, or a twist and use someone like Laurence Fishburne.
Another twist would be Will Smith as Spike.
By jb at 7:34 PM ON 02/04/09
I can see Keanu as Spike, just hope they do the anime a good amount of justice
By Csensis at 12:35 AM ON 02/09/09
Copy and paste this: http://www.theshiznit.co.uk/feature/top-20-worst-casting-decisions-ever.php?page=5
By Csensis at 12:52 AM ON 02/09/09
Whomever ends up playing Spike needs to be able to move like him. And since Spike's style is modelled after Bruce Lee, I have no idea who could fill the roll. Certainly not Keanu.
By Dj at 10:29 AM ON 02/10/09
I think tak sakaguchi would make a great Spike. I saw him in Versus. This could be a cross-over role for him in America.
By dana_62 at 4:31 PM ON 02/21/09
I 'd like Ron Perlman as Jet. Dakota Fanning as Edward
By sue at 12:27 PM ON 03/11/09
everyone says he is a bad actor...give the guy a break, he's tired. He sleeps in a chamber. Keanu, mr. Reeves,if I may...just take 2-3 calcium pills with milk...sweet dreams!
By screenwriter23 at 12:16 AM ON 08/20/09
As a screenwriter..., I write all my scripts with Keanu in mind. How's this for an idea? They make a anatomically correct doll of him,..lifesize of course and all the women will buy one! Everyone wants one! Except,..they all bring it back to the store...why? Because women hate plastic shoved up there!! LOLOLOLOL (Just kidding*) Love ya Keanu...Thanks for the inspiration to write*
((((((((Smile would ya)))))))))
Visit mobile.syfy.com/wire on your mobile device.
screenwriter23:
As a screenwriter..., I write all my scripts with Keanu in mind. How's this for an idea? They make a anatomically c...More »