This Can't Be True! Reeves in The Day The Earth Stood Still Remake! (1 Viewer)

According to Moriarty over at AICN Reeves has just signed to play the Rennie role from the original.

God help us all. I hope this is a joke.

"Klaatu barada gnarly, dude!"

(Sorry, someone had to say it.)

Well, Michael Rennie had a reputation for being a wooden actor, so...

True, but at least he also had a reputation for being an ACTOR.

I like Keanu. He's aware of his limitations and he has actually improved as an actor.

Isn't this a sort of cold character anyway? He should be fine in the role. I'd worry about the rest of the film, they might bring in the Wachowski siblings to do some reshoots.

True.

I'm most concerned about the casting of the robot, Klatu. Or rather the design. I've always thought that Klatu was in the top 3 of robots, for design. He is really ominous and imposing just standing still. Then he moves and knees wrinkle.

I'd like them to use the same design and just fix his technical drawbacks.

I don't think that would be a very tough assignment with today's technology...

Well you're definitely not a fan of the film, one of the most famous sci-fi films ever. Otherwise you'd know 'Gort' was the name of the robot and 'Klaatu' was the alien emissary sent to Earth with a warning. Michael Rennie played Klaatu in the 1951 classic.

Keanu Reeves as Klaatu? pfft if I were making a list of 100 possible actors for the part, Keanu wouldn't be on there. Perfect for The Matrix but as Klaatu? Nic Cage must have been busy.

"Its twue!! Its twue"

[gag] Gort done in CGI! [gag]

What skinny, self absorbed teen sweetie will pay the woman who steals Klaatu's cold heart! Of course she will be divorced and have a bitter 5 or 6 year old son who ol' Klaat will befriend, before he goes down that wrong path. Bet Klaatu wont be Mr. Carpenter anymore. Cant have any symbolism in our sci-fi.

Don't forget that they had to add the line to effect that only the "almighty spirit" can bring someone back to life permanently. If I remember the documentary correctly, that wasn't in the original screenplay and had to be added to satisfy a certain crowd.

[sigh]Things have changed a lot since this movie was made, but some things haven't changed.

While Reeves wouldn't have been my first choice, maybe he can pull it off. The question will be if we can believe he'd be willing to turn the earth into toast.

On the surface, this does sound like a trainwreck.

What I'd be curious of is the director, Scott Derrickson and the writer. Anyone know their work? I only saw that Derrickson has done a horror film and a few other things, not a lot. I don't know those projects.

What I'd hope is that they make this a thoughtful and intelligent film, worthy of the Wise version. Perhaps on the level of the Jodie Foster film, Contact. That means to me that they limit the CGI and avoid excessive mindless action and destruction. But somehow, I think that the studio will feel a direct remake of the original will not play well to today's youth. Maybe if Spielberg was involved, this might turn out okay, but War of the Worlds didn't work for me, mostly because the Tom Cruise character was so unlikeable. The stack does appear to be loaded towards one big dissappointment.

The odds that this will be even close to the greatness of the original are remote. Reeves doesn't have the presence that Rennie had, the musical score won't be anywhere near as good as the great Bernard Hermann original, and I think Rick is right, much of the symbolism will be lost. It also wouldn't surprise me if this Klaatu babbles on a bit about global warming. Sigh...

Are there really no new ideas in Hollywood? Count me out of this disaster. The original is perfection and doesn't need to be tinkered with. What's next, a remake of "Gone with the Wind" or "The Wizard of Oz"

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

I think remaking this film is a huge mistake. There's no need to; despite being filmed decades ago, the film and its message still hold up very, very well.

Having said that...I'll be a lone voice of dissent and say I have no problems with Reeve's casting. Frankly, I think his stoicism and "woodeness" work in favor of the role rather than against it. This part could actually work - it's the rest of the film they're going to f**k up.

(Seriously - this film needs a remake even less than the original Halloween. WTF, Hollywood suits?)

Remaking this film is a travesty. The original film is perfect - one of the few perfect movies in the history of cinema.

I can see the CGI explosions already. Bad enough they remade Planet of the Apes into the montrosity the Burton film was. Enough! Enough of this shit!

The Day The Earth Stood Still is an excellent movie but I don't care if they remake it or any other movie because I don't have to see it, it doesn't effect the greatness of the original and it may actually get people to check out the original if they like the remake.

I love Halloween but if the remake is lousy (and advance word says that is), I don't care because it doesn't diminish the original in way, shape or form and the same is true for The Day The Earth Stood Still.

Yup. But Oz will be EXTREME!!!

The messages and themes contained in the original movie are even more valid today. I am not opposed to a remake that focuses on those aspects of the original. Obviously, major changes to the storyline to convey those ideas are necessary.