First Showing is reporting that Keanu “Whoah” Reeves is adding another straight-faced hero to his resume, playing intergalactic bounty hunter Spike Spiegel in the live-action adaption of anime cult-favorite, Cowboy Bebop.
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According to First Showing’s “inside source” at Fox studios, Cowboy Bebop has long been buried in the list of movies waiting to be green lit, with Reeves attached to the project for some time now. That bit of star-power, plus some early fan buzz, has motivated Fox to fast-track Cowboy Bebop for a 2010 release; though currently there is no director, writer, or script for the film.
For those who aren’t into anime, Cowboy Bebop follows the exploits of a team of bounty hunters, (”Cowboys” as their known,) who coast the cosmos aboard their spaceship, Bebop, tracking down the universe’s worst criminals and collecting the bounty on their heads. The plot thickens when the team’s strong but silent leader, Spike (Reeves) begins to run across his old buddies from a nefarious crime syndicate he used to belong to. The only thing standing in the gangsters’ way? Spike, and the crew of the Bebop.
If Reeves is attached, you can expect the scale of this flick to be big-budget epic. Warring spaceships and kung-fu throwdowns complete with gun fire. Nice. Between Cowboy Bebop, the upcoming Street Fighter: Legend of Chun Li and the live-action Dragonball movie, it seems Hollywood is trying to cash in on the anime universe.
Are you psyched for a Cowboy Bebop movie? Or is anime not your thing? Let us know what you think.
Source: First Showing
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154 Comments
Wow. I’m extremely jaded already. Cowboy Bebop never struck me as a series that could possibly be translated to live-action despite some of its realism, and the fact that they made a casting error like this just makes me more pessimistic of a film version.
Reeves might look a bit like Spike, but he’s got the personality of a wooden plank (Plank from Ed, Edd, and Eddy excluded). I think part of the appeal of the series was in the laid-back charisma of the main character. Reeves hasn’t shown us the ability to pull off that kind of charisma. God knows how bad this will be if he tries to rehash the Matrix. It wouldn’t matter if they got every Oscar-winning actor or actress to fill every other role.. If you’ve got a bad Spike, you’re going to have a bad movie.
I think I’m just going to pretend that they’re not making a Cowboy Bebop movie.
I think Ed Norton would be a really badass Spike. Faye might be hard to cast though, she is a unique looking woman. It would need to be someone tall and thin and very top-heavy with a widow’s peak hairline (which I’m sure can be achieved with hollywood makeup magic), black hair, and very pale skin. Her facial features would have to be petite and thin, like a thin small nose and thin lips and large almond-shaped eyes that pop under thick eyebrows. I think finding a no-name ex-eastern european model with no accent might not be an option so my only suggestion would be Kristin Kreuk or that girl that plays Inara on Firefly.
Mr. Norton certainly has the acting chops to pull off the character, It’s the look of Spike’s character that would conflict with a Norton performance. Their’s a good chance the movie will be an origin story, so getting everything just right is very important. That’s how I see it as a fan.
I want JOHNNY YONG BOSCH to play Spike! he’s perfect for the role. i think it would be a great transition for him to enter into live action movie from voice over shows. and he’s a good martial artist.
Hey MUSE pixar would only ruin the movie pixar cant make other than a sh*t kids movie
@ Krissy Rumore: It will be interesting to see how “Stray” comes out, which is in post production.
@ Ann Onee Moose: Saw “Street Kings” tonight. I’m thinking Keanu is looking a little, long in the tooth for a role like Spike. Hes’ already got a double chin! Maybe he should produce.
You know, I was thinking about Ed Norton as Spike the entire time I was reading this. And Ryan Reynolds — Also a good choice. Reeves is such a bad choice for the film.
As for Faye, Uma Therman in her Pulp Fiction days. Just pop a black wig on her, and there we go. Or, like some have already said, Angelina Jolie. She may not have the face for her, but she does have the body. I think she could pull off the role quite nicely. Or, like someone before me has already said, Famke Janssen, even. She would be a great choice when it comes to appearance, but what about when it comes to capturing the characters personality?
As for Jet, Ron Perlman is clearly the wisest choice for the role.
As for Ed, I am not sure as to who would be a good choice. Although Ed is a girl, a skinny 12 year old boy might be the best choice for the appearance, as their voice may still be a bit feminine as they are young. The only problem with capturing Ed is the personality. Finding a kid to act the way Ed does shouldn’t be too hard, but you have to keep in mind — a kid doesn’t exactlty have the acting experience needed for a movie like Cowboy Bebop.
But like someone has already said, I think auditions for the roles would be the best choice. Although, I am fairly certain they would still favor Reeves, even if he is clearly not the best choice.
All in all, though, I think making this movie isn’t such a good thing. I don’t think it will be the movie they are expecting it to be.
(Haha, just a funny thought, though. I am not for Reeves as this role, but it would be rather funny if he gets the role and completely blows us all away XD I highly doubt it, though.)
-Katia
Katia, if I had a choice I’d rather try to make a “Bebop” film. It’s a better property to translate than “Dragonball.”
He, he, I don’t envy those guys and gals one bit.
Haha, I have no interest in a “Dragonball” movie whatsoever.
Yeah I have to agree, the Dragonball-Z, fanbase just graduated from high school a few months back.
They should have done that film years ago.
(IMO)
Bad Timing ,,,
@Katia
I’m with you. I’m glad some of my boyz here at SR are interested enough to cover it.
Vic
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! all flavors of wrong! has the world gone completely mad?! there are some things that shouldn’t be touched, especially by Keanu Reeves! no, no, no, o god no! bebop is profound just as it is, listen to watanabe-sama! or if hollywood is itching for another cb movie, ANIMATE IT! Steven Blum IS Spike (at least in dubbed in english). i am an animefreak, that’s the audience that this proposed flick would be geared towards and at this rate it is likely to be an insult.
and just for the record, the only way any movie version could have any chance of retaining the soul of cowboy bebop is to involve yoko kanno.
see you later space cowboy…
Totally agree. On the anime site I go to, when this was announced, the response was widely negative.
With anime and other cult genres, people keep dipping into them to find hits (and money) but then quickly put off the core audience. Not clever.
At Vic –
Glad to know someone is with me on that.
Also, I agree with 790, they should have made that movie years ago, if at all.
Making these movies is a lame idea, I think. It is just an all around bad idea. You just won’t have the same feeling as the anime would to begin with, and you can’t work with a live action like you can with an anime. And like someone has already said, the core audience would be mostly turned off at the idea. They would never make back the money they spend on it. That is all they think of with the idea — the money. When in all reality, they will spend tons of money, thinking they will make back more than was actually spent, when in all reality, they won’t.
Probably won’t, rather.
-Katia.
Blum’s voice is incredible isn’t it.
If watanabe-sama couldn’t stop it going live we’ll have to either avoid it or pull for an excellent translation. I think out of so many animated properties it has the best chance to cross over, be a hit, and showcase to those who haven’t given Anime a chance to be changed by it. Then too, if it garners even a modest new audience and inspires them to go looking for the original material then perhaps it’s translation is worth it. Perhaps even convince the production companies in Japan that a few “extra sessions” would be a good thing. Personally I thought the show was a little light on cases solved to justify the fuel used. Like in “Speak Like A Child” to travel all the way to earth just to get a VCR.
Why is it so trendy to get upset about these kind of things? Not saying Keanu would be a good choice, but have a little faith. Even if the movie tanks, you’ll still have the original series and people who hate anime or don’t know about it will still be none the wiser.
I think it’s because the fans believe that something that’s, in their minds un doable, sullies the whole franchise. The story of Bebop, as you might know ended, but it did so in a way that you might be able to get another story or two out of it. I would rather see these stories IF they were to be told, in the anime form. This is because, barring a FEW kinds of mistakes they would be as good as the rest of the sessions. However what if someone who has production rights decides that they want to continue the story where the Anime left off? Pile on top of that the distinct possibility of ALL kinds of mistakes from casting to continuity to xenomorphs. People watching the new stuff can get the wrong impression about the original program, and by extension the people that cared enough to sell it to their friends and acquaintances. This is just one wrong direction, I’m sure others have other nightmares. If Yoko Kano isn’t on board it’ll bomb with me automatically.
The old man has basically said it all. Although, teacup, I do see your point, as well. You are right that it really won’t change much. But, like the old man said, people may get the wrong impression and such. I am still a bit iffy about the whole idea in the first place. But, I definitely agree, if Yoko Kano isn’t part of this, that really is something that needs to be reconsidered.
Spike – john Cusack. I don’t care how old he is.
Jet – Delroy Lindo. don’t care if he’s black. he’s perfect.
Faye – kate beckinsale, padded chest. purple hair a must.
Ed – unknown child with not bones…
te be directed by robert rodriguez and sinichro watanabe(these two have alrady had several meetings about this. check out the backrounds of bebop and the secret movie in episode one(…a very obvious tribute to desperado). aside from that. no keanu. no angelina. no ron.
check out the movie Constantine. Keanu Reeves emotes in it and his character has a penchant for taking out a soft pack of marlboros in a very familiar fashion.
Constantine is a horrible excuse in regard to stayin true to the source material. Originally called Hellblazer a good adult title under DC’s vertigo, with the character english in origin and physically based off the musician Sting. if anything, your just pushing the point onward that keanu should have nothing to do with Bebop.
I don’t see why Keanu shouldn’t take a bold step and fill the producers’ shoes. He was already key in acquiring the property and he would have more creative control than as an actor. He would certainly learn more than trying to act and co-produce at the same time. Plus, as he’s begun to get up there in years his action roles will only start to diminish. Why not strike now since another career beckons? He could be making stars instead of tarnishing his own..
producer is one thing actor is another. I am however, majorly pissed over hearing keanu is involved in any fashion (his agent is the one who bought the rights and is writing a script… this is only an excuse to keep his actor happy and popular and employed… if this is the path taken, this movie will be GARBAGE!) I was told by Sinichiro Wantanabe (creator and director of bebop) himself that he and Robert Rodriguez had planned to work on this film some where down the line, together.
alainvoid, i think you’re taking a rumor way too personally. if anything, someone else is more likely be cast as spike spiegel and people like yourself still wouldn’t be happy. let’s be honest, nothing adapted to film (comic books, novels, or otherwise) is ever truly faithful or even 90% to the original fans’ liking. i think in this case it’s the thought that counts. sure, some comic book films bombed, but it hasn’t stopped the original fans from doing what they were doing. and you can’t say that films like those, even the bad ones, didn’t pick up a few supporters along the way or inspired people who never even heard of it before to look at the source material themselves.
it’s not a rumor. here’s the link. http://www.ifmagazine.com/new.asp?article=6571. And as for upset by any adaption… I liked everything from the old punisher with dolph lundgren to a scanner darkly which took quite a few liberties but was a fantastic film. the dark knight is one of the best films I have ever seen and the current adapted batman franchise is a far cry from the comics (which is more or less a good thing.) There are a lot more detail in anime stories than most american cinema and it’s likely they’ll turn this into a formulaic three explosion summer film.
“I was told by Sinichiro Wantanabe (creator and director of bebop) himself that he and Robert Rodriguez had planned to work on this film some where down the line, together.”
Eww alainvoid, I was under the impression he was against a live action adaptation period. Did he say how he lost those particular rights? If you spoke to him, it would be nice to know more of the particulars? I’m losing my passion for these properties having any hope of even a fair outing as live action. Looks like I’ll be reading more books and watching a lot less at the movies..
I met sinichiro at an Anime Convention in Dallas a few years back. he discussed it at a panel after some one asked him about the secret hidden episode/movie of bebop which was an homage to the movie desperado. (Red eye, the first episode) After this, he had mentioned he had been contacted by rodriguez and the two met up in Austin at his studio, Troublemaker. he stated after that the he and robert wanted to work on an adaption of one of his works based in texas (all the bebop locations are visually based on texas cities and rural areas.) So as much as I’d love to ask him personally, he’s not a personal freind.. and my japanese is horrible!
@ alainvoid: I thought that maybe you had a chance to speak to him at a con where he was signing stuff. Don’t know if he’s into that or not. If you had, just wanted to know if he elaborated more than you wrote. Still It’s good to know, from his recent comments, I’d say he’s changed his mind somewhat, about his work going live action. More to the negative.. Thanks
Cheers
Keanu as Spike…. he can look like Spike. Acting? Spike’s head doesn’t bobble when he talks, downside for Reeves. Fighting? If Reeves can loosen up while fighting, then he’s good… Ron Pearlman SHOULD be Jet. Faye just needs to have black or dark DARK purple hair, leave it at that. Ed, they can pull off something, she’s not that hard to emulate, its just not that many people who coplay as her.
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