News about the Keanu Reeves-starring adaptation of the comic book series, BRZRKR, has made its way out of San Diego Comic-Con. The screenwriter for the upcoming live-action film adaptation, Mattson Tomlin, spoke on the process and inspirations that he is borrowing for the script, and it was also confirmed that the previously announced anime series adaptation that will be joining the film Netflix will be developed by the animation studio Production I.G.
The information was announced at the BRZRKR panel at SDCC 2022. During the panel, which also consisted of Reeves and New York Times bestselling writer and series co-writer Matt Kindt and series illustrator by Ron Garney, Tomlin spoke on the pressure of adapting the script and gave some other films that are serving as inspiration which include 2006's Darren Aronofsky film The Fountain, The Tree of Life directed by Terrence Malick from 2011, and other Reeves projects like The Matrix, among others.
In addition to Tomlin's comments, the panel also included the announcement that Production I.G., the animation studio behind the likes of Ghost in the Shell, Haikyu!!, and "The Ninth Jedi" short that was a part of last year's animated anthology series, Star Wars: Visions will be working on the series. They also worked on the animated series a list of video games such as Persona 5 and Persona 5: Royale. The anime series will join the film on Netflix and will consist of two seasons, though neither project has a release date currently announced.
BRZRKR is a 12-issue limited comic book series that saw its first issue debut in March 2021. The story of the series follows a character known as B, a immortal warrior that has been deadly warrior across many different parts of human history. Now in modern day, B finds himself working with the U.S government to take on battles that are too dangerous for the average soldier in exchange for the truth behind his existence and how to bring it to an end.
The series is published by BOOM! Studios. The announcement of the live-action and anime adaptations of the comic series was first made back in March 2021 when Netflix gained the rights from BOOM! Tomlin was announced to be writing the screenplay to the upcoming live-action film in October 2022. BRZRKR is created by Reeves, and was co-written by him and Kindt. In addition to those two and Garney, other members of the comic team include Bill Crabtree, who did colors for the art, letters by Clem Robins, and character designs and covers by Rafael Grampá.
Both the BRZRKR live-action film and anime series adaptations do not have a release date or release window currently announced, though they will both premiere on Netflix. You can read the synopsis for the comic book series down below, and watch the trailer for Reeves next big release, John Wick 4.
BRZRKR is a brutally epic saga about an immortal warrior's 80,000 year fight through the ages. The man known only as B. is half-mortal and half-god, cursed and compelled to violence…even at the sacrifice of his sanity. But after wandering the world for centuries, B. may have finally found a refuge – working for the U.S. government to fight the battles too violent and too dangerous for anyone else. In exchange, B. will be granted the one thing he desires – the truth about his endless blood-soaked existence…and how to end it.