Keanu Reeves: The Samurai Voice

Keanu Reeves has pulled all sorts of roles from his magic hat over the years! From dodging bullets as a hacker to playing a lovable doofus in high school, he’s done it all. But now, he’s taking on a new challenge: lending his voice to a samurai in the upcoming stop-motion flick, Hidari. Because why not, right?

Introducing, Hidari!

The brainchild of Masashi Kawamura, Hidari is inspired by the legendary craftsman Hidari Jingoro from the Edo period. Reeves is set to bring this character to life, and if his history with animated projects tells us anything, it’s that he’s totally onboard with this wild ride.

A Journey of Loss and Revenge

The film’s plot thickens as it follows Jingoro, who has hit rock bottom. Not only has he lost his father figure, but he’s also grieving his fiancée and, as if that weren’t enough, he’s had a disastrous encounter that costs him his right arm! Talk about a rough day. But instead of wallowing in despair, our hero channels that grief into a quest for sweet, sweet revenge, all while crafting some stunning wooden masterpieces.

Keanu’s Past Roles Come to Mind

Now, if you know Keanu, this scenario might sound a bit… familiar. A downtrodden man out for vengeance? A missing limb? It’s almost like his characters, John Wick and Johnny Silverhand, decided to do the Dragon Ball Z Fusion Dance and emerged as Hidari! But don’t worry, originality is certainly in the air; Reeves is ready to bring his unique flair into the mix.

Excitement in Collaboration

Kawamura is over the moon about working with Keanu. He shared with Variety, “When someone with his experience watches your concept and says, ‘I want to be part of this,’ it’s a dream come true!” Imagine having Keanu Reeves not just as a voice actor but as a collaborator who helps to paint the entire world of your project. That’s what we call a win-win!

Reeves Is All In

Keanu is equally pumped, gushing about the ambitious vision behind Hidari. He believes this film has the ingredients to create something truly spectacular for audiences everywhere. And honestly, with Reeves on board, it’s hard to disagree!

A Passion for Animation

This isn’t Keanu’s first rodeo with voice acting. He’s been involved in several animated gems over the years, and his enthusiasm for animation shines through. Just ask Love, Death & Robots showrunner Tim Miller, who mentioned that during their meeting, Keanu was more interested in chatting about animation than the film they initially discussed! When offered a role in Miller’s project, he reportedly exclaimed, “Heck yes!” What a guy!

What’s Next?

Hidari is still in development, and we don’t have a release date just yet, but stay tuned! You can find all the latest updates on the movie’s official website. Get your samurai spirit ready because this is going to be epic!