- Keanu Reeves is co-writing a novel, The Book of Elsewhere, set in the BRZRKR universe with author China Miéville.
- Reeves is considering directing the live-action adaptation of his comic book BRZRKR and wants a collaborator.
- BRZRKR follows an immortal warrior’s 80,000-year fight through the ages, and Reeves is determined to make it an R-rated story.
Keanu Reeves, best known for his role as John Wick, is collaborating with Boom! Studios on the BRZRKR series. He is now co-writing a novel with British author China Miéville, set in the same universe. The Book of Elsewhere, to be published by Random House’s Del Rey, is a “genre-bending epic of ancient powers, modern war, and an outcast who cannot die.” The novel takes place in the BRZRKR universe, a comic book series created by Reeves and Matt Kindt about an immortal warrior fighting throughout history. Plot details for the novel are being kept secret for the time being.
Reeves expressed his excitement in working with Miéville in a statement to ABC News: “It was extraordinary to have the opportunity to collaborate on The Book of Elsewhere with one of my favorite authors, China Miéville. China did exactly what I was hoping for – he came in with a clear architecture for the story and how he wanted to play with the world of BRZRKR, a world that I love so much. I was thrilled with his vision and feel honored to be a part of this collaborative process.”
Reeves is also considering directing the upcoming live-action adaptation of his comic book BRZRKR. In a 2022 interview with Collider, Reeves shared that he had just received the script for the action film, written by Mattson Tomlin. He acknowledged that it’s “early days” but said there’s a “33%” chance he could direct the Netflix project. “I know how it’s a lot of work, but the film that I directed, Man of Tai Chi, was born, I became the director because I was part of the writing process, and I didn’t want to hand it over. I was like, oh, okay. I have to direct this. I’m not quite there yet on ‘BRZRKR’. I have to read the script, but I’m also interested in having a collaborator and what they could bring to it.”
Reeves has directed one film before, the 2013 martial arts movie Man of Tai Chi. He directed the film because he didn’t want to hand it over to someone else and might do the same for BRZRKR, which he co-wrote with Matt Kindt. If he takes on the directing role, it will ensure that the live-action adaptation stays true to his vision.
BRZRKR, based on the comic book series written by Reeves and Kindt, follows an immortal warrior who fights through the ages over 80,000 years. The character, known only as “B,” is half-mortal and half-God, cursed and driven to violence at the sacrifice of his sanity. He eventually finds refuge working for the U.S. government to fight battles too violent and dangerous for anyone else. In exchange, he hopes to learn the truth about his blood-soaked existence and how to end it. Reeves is adamant that the live-action BRZRKR must be R-rated, and Netflix is on board with that decision.
Last year, Reeves reprised his role as John Wick in John Wick: Chapter 4, directed by Chad Stahelski and featuring an all-star cast, including Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, and Lance Reddick. The film was hailed as one of the best movies of 2023 and one of the best action movies of all time.