Keanu Reeves cast as lead in sci-fi thriller 'Replicas'

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Keanu Reeves has been cast as the lead in the science-fiction thriller Replicas, Lotus Entertainment and di Bonaventura Pictures announced Tuesday.

Reeves' film credits include Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Parenthood, Speed, Point Break and The Matrix trilogy. He can currently be seen in the blockbuster John Wick.

Production is slated to begin in the spring on Replicas, director Tanya Wexler's first big-screen project since her 2011 comedy Hysteria.

"After a car accident kills his loving family, a daring neuroscientist will stop at nothing to bring them back, even if it means pitting himself against a government-controlled laboratory, a police task force and the physical laws of science themselves," a synopsis of Replicas said.

Lotus Entertainment's Bill Johnson and Jim Seibel said in a joint statement they "loved the notion of taking the 'how far will a man go to save his family?' story hook and then adding a high-concept, sci-fi twist."

"Keanu has obviously had a lot of success in the sci-fi genre and we are excited to have him anchoring a story which we believe will have great appeal to audiences across the globe," Johnson and Seibel said.

"From my experience working with Keanu on The Matrix franchise through our collaboration on Constantine, I have always been impressed by Keanu's ability to bring a genuine level of humanity to the sci-fi genre through his performance," Lorenzo di Bonaventura added. "I am looking forward to collaborating with Keanu once again on this unique take on what lengths a person will go to alter the past, and the implications of those actions."