Keanu Reeves is in negotiations to star in a new live-action/animation hybrid Lego movie at Universal, with Josh Cooley set to direct. Deadline reports this based on sources around the project.
Reunion after Toy Story 4
It won’t be the first time Reeves and Cooley have teamed up in a toy franchise. Reeves provided the voice of Duke Caboom Toy Story 4 (2019), which was directed by Cooley. Universal has not commented so far. Also, no plot details are known yet; However, sources tell Deadline that it will be a mix of live-action and animation.
Ticking clock
Since 2020, Universal has owned the rights to Lego. The only film the studio has released in that time is the Pharrell Williams biopic Piece by Piece (2024), which grossed little at $10 million. Reeves’ involvement is an important victory for Universal, as the studio was under time pressure to get a film off the ground before the rights expired. According to Deadline’s sources, there was a high chance that the Lego rights would expire if they didn’t have a film in pre-production within six months.
Cooley as a carbon copy
After weeks of negotiations, Reeves was persuaded to agree to the leading role. The decisive factor for this choice was the involvement of Cooley, who next Toy Story 4 is known for Transformers One (2024).
Image: ‘Keanu Reeves’ via Depositphotos
