Keanu Reeves as Spike in Cowboy Bebop Movie?!

dastly75

dastly75

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Just last week we discovered that Fox is developing a live-action Cowboy Bebop movie based on the popular anime series. Remarkably, the project still isn't officially announced and Fox is still keeping it under wraps. However, a good friend inside the industry who is a very reliable source wrote in to tell me that the film is being fast tracked inside the studio and will most likely be out by 2010. He also revealed that Keanu Reeves has been attached as the lead character Spike for over eight months now and is still set for the role. Unfortunately there isn't a writer or director attached yet, but with some new forward momentum coming from last week's announcement, I don't think it will take too long.

Yep, you heard that right, the same guy who played Neo will be taking on the role of Spike Spiegel, a former member of the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate who is haunted by the memory of his time in the organization. As we mentioned previously, the show first aired in Japan in early 1998 and was brought over to America in 2001 on Adult Swim. The series follows the adventures of a group of bounty hunters traveling on their spaceship, the Bebop, in the year 2071. If you're looking for more details regarding this live-action Cowboy Bebop movie, here's yet another juicy tidbit. With Keanu Reeves involved, it's obvious this is no small project. My source also told me that if everything stays the same, the budget on this will be insane.

Whether or not you believe it, the new trend in Hollywood is Asian culture. The first three big films that will open the door for more to come are Dragonball, Street Fighter, and Tekken. And we already announced live-action adaptations of Akira and Ghost in the Shell as well, so why not throw Cowboy Bebop into the mix as well? By 2012 we'll probably see all kinds of anime and manga adapted from Berserk to Hellsing and more. Jumping back to Cowboy Bebop, I have a feeling the initial reaction to Keanu is going to be negative, but just look at Day the Earth Stood Still. After seeing some additional footage, Keanu looks like the perfect fit for Klaatu and I can't wait to see that. Can we give him a chance in Cowboy Bebop?
Source:
http://www.firstshowing.net/2008/07/30/rumor-keanu-reeves-as-spike-in-cowboy-bebop-movie/
 
disappointment.jpg
 
Pfff. They'll never actually go through with making the movie. Just look at Evangelion (which I'm glad they're not making, because Evangelion is the series that ruined anime for me).

After what happened with Speed Racer, I'm not counting on seeing many of these anime-to-Hollywood adaptations actually happening (Dragonball doesn't count, because it was already deep in actual filming by the time Speed Racer came out and promptly bombed). I even have my doubts about Robotech actually happening, as much as I would love for it to work out.
 
[quote name='CoffeeEdge']After what happened with Speed Racer, I'm not counting on seeing many of these anime-to-Hollywood adaptations actually happening (Dragonball doesn't count, because it was already deep in actual filming by the time Speed Racer came out and promptly bombed). I even have my doubts about Robotech actually happening, as much as I would love for it to work out.[/QUOTE]

It's a shame that Speed Racer bombed.


As for the topic, I'll reserve judgement until I see him in the role in a trailer or something.
 
"My source also told me that if everything stays the same, the budget on this will be insane."

"By 2012 we'll probably see all kinds of anime and manga adapted from Berserk to Hellsing and more."

I don't know anything about this site, FirstShowing.net, but from the quote you posted it doesn't seem credible at all... so poorly written, baseless assumptions stated as fact (the above two excerpts).

The entire last paragraph is complete crap.

Is "my friend said..." from this guy anything worth giving a second thought?
 
[quote name='Koggit']"My source also told me that if everything stays the same, the budget on this will be insane."[/QUOTE]

Indeed, I find that really dubious. IF they do go through with a Cowboy Bebop adaptation any time soon, there is no way in hell that Fox would approve a budget in the "insane" range (and for the record, I would say that $150 million is the very, very bottom of the "insane" range).

Speed Racer is going to set a precedent. Because of what happened with that film, no studio is going to sign off on an "insane budget" for an adaptation of an anime, until one of these adaptations (one with a more modest price tag) actually manages to turn a profit, and prove that this sort of movie can actually be anything other than a money pit.
 
I can just barely muster the gumption to comment. I wouldn't doubt that Hollywood would like to jump on a potentially profitable bandwagon, but it would help if they looked before they leaped. Seems the damned thing hitched up and started heading out of town a few years ago and they may fall flat on their asses instead. ;)

Rushing a movie like this is probably going to result in the usual. Even though everyone attached at the top wants to keep true to the original series the script is going to be sub-par, it's going to be a poor first installment in what they hope would be a series that will never come to fruition, it will cost far more than it will take in, they will get plenty of names to be in it just to get asses in seats and to up the budget, and the fans will be moderately incensed to the point where they don't get the important fan dollars and support (which usually amounts to little, but it never hurts).

Just my guess, though. I'd like for it to be good, but whenever I hear "rush" in associated with anything that should take a fair amount of time to get up-and-running it more-often-than-not results in a steaming pile of "skip it."
 
Keanu's not sarcastic enough to play spike. Also, Hollywood won't start making a bunch of anime movies until there's one that proves they'll make money. See also comic book movies before and after Spider-Man
 
[quote name='dastly75']
Just last week we discovered that Fox is developing a live-action Cowboy Bebop movie based on the popular anime series. Remarkably, the project still isn't officially announced and Fox is still keeping it under wraps. However, a good friend inside the industry who is a very reliable source wrote in to tell me that the film is being fast tracked inside the studio and will most likely be out by 2010. He also revealed that Keanu Reeves has been attached as the lead character Spike for over eight months now and is still set for the role. Unfortunately there isn't a writer or director attached yet, but with some new forward momentum coming from last week's announcement, I don't think it will take too long.

Yep, you heard that right, the same guy who played Neo will be taking on the role of Spike Spiegel, a former member of the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate who is haunted by the memory of his time in the organization. As we mentioned previously, the show first aired in Japan in early 1998 and was brought over to America in 2001 on Adult Swim. The series follows the adventures of a group of bounty hunters traveling on their spaceship, the Bebop, in the year 2071. If you're looking for more details regarding this live-action Cowboy Bebop movie, here's yet another juicy tidbit. With Keanu Reeves involved, it's obvious this is no small project. My source also told me that if everything stays the same, the budget on this will be insane.

Whether or not you believe it, the new trend in Hollywood is Asian culture. The first three big films that will open the door for more to come are Dragonball, Street Fighter, and Tekken. And we already announced live-action adaptations of Akira and Ghost in the Shell as well, so why not throw Cowboy Bebop into the mix as well? By 2012 we'll probably see all kinds of anime and manga adapted from Berserk to Hellsing and more. Jumping back to Cowboy Bebop, I have a feeling the initial reaction to Keanu is going to be negative, but just look at Day the Earth Stood Still. After seeing some additional footage, Keanu looks like the perfect fit for Klaatu and I can't wait to see that. Can we give him a chance in Cowboy Bebop?
Source:
http://www.firstshowing.net/2008/07/30/rumor-keanu-reeves-as-spike-in-cowboy-bebop-movie/[/quote]

Wow, now here's a shock. When I first heard about this shit, I got mad and sad all at the same freakin' time. Keanu is a bad actor, lets face it, he is terrible in everything he did. Come on Matrix lovers, you know as well as I do that that movie really sucked.

This made me mad and sad because Cowboy Bebop is my favorite show, anime, ... well.. it's my favorite everything.. And I don't want to see something as bad as Keanu ruin it.

And besides, he doesn't have the hair or the attitude to be Spike.
 
[quote name='CoffeeEdge']I even have my doubts about Robotech actually happening, as much as I would love for it to work out.[/quote]

After the success of Transformers (and to a lesser extent movies like Cloverfield, the Host), Robotech is a no-brainer.

Americans may not be enamoured with shiny live-action anime movies, but we do love watching towering monsters and robots ripping up the city as much as the next Godzilla fan.
 
Transformers was definitely an exception to the rule, so many people have fond memories of the cartoon (even young teens, due to the recent revival of the cartoon). Without coming from such classic source material I doubt Transformers would've done anything in the box office. It was a pretty bad movie.
 
Hey Hollywood! I've got a great idea for the next summer blockbuster! How about a live action Lupin the 3rd movie starring Anthony Hopkins as Lupin, Shia LeBoufe as Jigan, Maggie Gyllenhal as Fujiko, Raul Juila as Ishikawa and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Inspector Zenigata! Sure Raul's been dead for years but with today's technology it just might work! Dark Knight eat your million making heart out!

Better yet how about Gantz with the entire cast of One Tree Hill!

Macross Plus with Morgan Freeman and Paris Hilton?

Gungrave with Jet Li as Harry MacDowel and Chris Tucker as Bear Walken!

...fuck. Trailer or not I can't imagine this movie not finding a way to bomb horrendously if it ever gets made. At least with Akira we've got Dicaprio to which I thank his performances The Departed and Blood Diamonds for quelling my nerd angst and giving me hope he'll do some sort of justice to the anime. ...But Keanu as Spike given his track record? Jesus christ. I'd rather they pull a bum off the damn street and call it a day.
 
[quote name='camoor']After the success of Transformers (and to a lesser extent movies like Cloverfield, the Host), Robotech is a no-brainer.[/QUOTE]

Transformers isn't the same, because it has maintained at least some level of popularity ever since the original cartoon came out. They were still selling millions of Transformers toys every year, even before the movie. Can't say the same for Robotech.

Also, to you guys groaning: you DO realize that this is a completely unsubstantiated rumor, right?
 
i think "Speed" era Keanu could pull off the look with long hair.. however in the "earth" trailer he wasn't looking too trim

but yeah this is probably going to be a trainwreck if it's ever made lol. i don't think the feel and style of cowboy bebop would translate to real life

a berserk movie would be fucking awesome if done right... sigh :cry:
 
I don't think cowboy bebop is that hard to adapt into a live film - they just have to stick to the crime syndicate storyline or have them chase after a bounty. The series always focused on the characters, the space/futuristic theme is just a set piece. A mix between A Better Tomorrow and Blade Runner. I wouldn't even mind if the actors don't look like the characters, as long as they act like them.

But I'd take an animated movie over a live one. Why would any studio be willing to bet on cowboy bebop though? It's a pretty old, short lived (only 26 episodes) anime series and most people haven't heard of it.
 
[quote name='jngx80']I don't think cowboy bebop is that hard to adapt into a live film - they just have to stick to the crime syndicate storyline or have them chase after a bounty. The series always focused on the characters, the space/futuristic theme is just a set piece. A mix between A Better Tomorrow and Blade Runner. I wouldn't even mind if the actors don't look like the characters, as long as they act like them.

But I'd take an animated movie over a live one. Why would any studio be willing to bet on cowboy bebop though? It's a pretty old, short lived (only 26 episodes) anime series and most people haven't heard of it.[/quote]


Without the style, music, and direction, the movie wouldn't be a Cowboy Bebop movie.

Adapting the series into a generic crime movie would probably render me ill.
 
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