Keanu Will Be New Dr. Jekyll

Keanu Reeves is set to star in an upcoming retelling of the famous story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde according to the Hollywood Reporter. The movie is based on the Robert Louis Stephenson novella, “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” and will be a modern retelling.

Joining Reeves on the project are writer Justin Haythe and producers Erwin Stoff, Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher.   Nicolas Winding Refn is in negotations to direct.  The picture will be produced by Universal Pictures.

Robert Louis Stevenson’s tale about a doctor who scientifically develops an evil self has become so pervasive in popular culture that the phrase “Jekyll and Hyde” conjures the idea of a split personality. The story has been translated to the screen and stage dozens of times, with several deviations including comedy, kids (”Jekyll and Heidi”) and gender (1995’s “Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde”). The story has seen modern iterations as recently as 2007, when the BBC aired a miniseries with the story set in the present as Hyde ran amok in London.

Plot details for this “Jekyll” are being kept under wraps.

Universal clearly is enamored with the tale as it also has been developing a take on it with Guillermo del Toro, though the two couldn’t be more different.

Del Toro, who has an affinity for gothic horror as well as creature features, aims to stick more closely to the Stevenson tale. Also, del Toro’s project is on the slow track as the filmmaker works on “The Hobbit” for New Line and MGM, which is expected to take up the next five years. Even when he comes back, he likely will tackle one or two other Universal projects before his version, so a good amount of time will exist between the projects.