Keanu Reeves has found his next project: a reimagining of a popular crime thriller. Reeves has played similar characters within the genre before, so it’s imperative for the film to avoid this major trap.
Reeves is in talks to headline The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil, Paramount‘s reimagining of the 2019 South Korean movie of the same name. James Wan is attached to direct. Don Lee, also known as Ma Dong-seok, will star alongside Reeves. Lee starred in the original film and will reprise his role as the titular gangster. Reeves’ character has not been announced, but he will likely play the cop who teams with the gangster to hunt a serial killer.
Reeves headlining another crime movie with action and thrills is a smart career move. However, Reeves must bypass the urge to follow Hollywood’s biggest cliché.
Keanu Reeves’ next movie cannot play like another John Wick movie
At this point in his career, Reeves is probably best known for playing John Wick, a former hitman who comes out of retirement to exact revenge on those who wronged him. The actor plays Wick as a brooding figure who barely talks. However, Wick has an intensity that few can match, and his combat skills are elite, especially with a gun in his hand.
Hollywood loves nothing more than a hit, and once that happens, they’ll do everything to replicate it. Think about how many times Sylvester Stallone played a gritty action star after First Blood. The same can be said for Arnold Schwarzenegger as a muscled-up soldier. It works a few times, but after a while, it becomes quite repetitive.
Reeves has mastered John Wick at this point, and a fifth movie is already in development. The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil should not be Paramount trying to make John Wick 6. It needs to utilize Reeves differently. If Reeves’ role in Wan’s film involves playing a grieving man who lets his actions do the talking, it’s a misuse of the actor’s talents. If that happens, why watch The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil when you can just watch John Wick movies?
Reeves has been an excellent action hero since the 1990s, starring in films like Point Break, Speed, and The Matrix. Reeves knows how to balance different characters within the genre. The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil sounds like an excellent vehicle for Reeves. Hopefully, he gets to play a character who isn’t sad about a dog.