Keanu Reeves Takes Over Netflix’s ‘Die Hard’-in-a-Hurricane Thriller ‘Maelstrom’ After Alan Ritchson’s Exit

Hollywood loves a script that refuses to die. Some stories sit on shelves for decades, passed around from studio to studio, until the right filmmaker and the right star finally line up. Netflix’s ‘Maelstrom‘ is one of the clearest examples of that cycle in recent memory.

The project is an action thriller that has been described as ‘Die Hard’ in a hurricane, and its path to the screen has just taken a surprising turn. It was first set up earlier this year with a different leading man, and it already has a high-profile director attached. Now the lead role has been recast with one of the biggest action icons in the business.

Keanu Reeves is set to star in the Netflix action movie ‘Maelstrom’ after ‘Reacher’ actor Alan Ritchson dropped out of the project. Jaume Collet-Serra, the filmmaker behind ‘Carry-On,’ is directing.

Variety reported the casting, which was first revealed by Page Six Hollywood. It is unclear why Ritchson is leaving the movie. He had been in talks for the lead back in July, though nothing had been officially signed at that point.

Ritchson remains busy with Netflix. He starred in ‘War Machine’ earlier this year, and he is still expected to return for a sequel, along with other projects for the streamer.

‘Maelstrom’ revolves around a Federal Marshal who is guarding the fiancée of an arms dealer seeking witness protection, as she prepares to testify against him. Events unfold over a single evening as a hurricane rolls in, blocking communication with the outside world and preventing reinforcements from arriving. The duo must then fight off the men working for the arms dealer while dealing with the natural disaster outside their window.

Reeves will play the Marshal. It’s a classic setup, a contained location, a ticking clock and an unstoppable storm, and it plays directly to his strengths.

The story behind the script is almost as dramatic as the plot. ‘Maelstrom’ began as a spec script that was sold to Warner Bros. in 1993 by producer Jeff Robinov, who was an agent at the time. Variety reported then that it was widely described as ‘Die Hard’ in a hurricane, and that it sold for roughly $225,000 to $625,000.

The first draft was written by the late Gregory Fitzpatrick, and screenwriter Mark Bianculli, known for ‘How to Rob a Bank,’ is now polishing it. Robinov, the former Warner Bros. Pictures president who shepherded ‘The Dark Knight’ trilogy and ‘The Hangover,’ is producing with Tabitha Shick. It is the first project under his new Netflix deal.

The revival reportedly came after the success of ‘Carry-On.’ Netflix executive Ori Marmur, who helped bring that film back to life, reportedly asked top producers to bring him their best unmade high-concept projects. That call put ‘Maelstrom’ back on the table.

Collet-Serra, whose credits include ‘The Shallows,’ ‘Jungle Cruise,’ ‘Black Adam’ and ‘The Woman in the Yard,’ is a natural fit. He knows how to build tension in confined spaces, and his previous work with Netflix was a hit.

Reeves is best known as Neo in ‘The Matrix’ films and as the title assassin in the ‘John Wick’ saga, which has spanned four films plus the spinoff ‘Ballerina.’ His other upcoming projects include ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 4,’ ‘Constantine 2’ and ‘John Wick 5.’ Taking on ‘Maelstrom’ adds yet another action title to that list.

The role also swaps one action star for another. Ritchson has been a hot commodity recently, but Reeves brings decades of credibility and fan loyalty.

Many details remain unannounced. Netflix has not shared a release date or a production start, and the woman under witness protection has not yet been cast. Further casting news is expected, since the film needs a co-lead and a villain to complete the story.

For now, the pairing of Reeves and Collet-Serra is enough to generate buzz. A storm-trapped thriller with a seasoned action star is a promising recipe, especially for a story that took more than three decades to reach the screen.

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