Keanu Reeves Takes on Action in a Shocking New Role – Forget John Wick and The Matrix!

Over a decade since 47 Ronin, Keanu Reeves is diving back into the era of feudal Japan and samurais in Hidari! However, in this venture, the star of John Wick won’t physically appear as this project is a stop-motion animated feature film!

Directed by Masashi Kawamura, this action film follows up on the director’s experimental short film, which has garnered over 5 million views on YouTube since it was released in 2023. According to Variety, Keanu Reeves will lend his voice to the hero, the legendary Edo period artisan, Jingoro Hidari.

A Hero Bent on Revenge

Betrayed by those desperate to bury the secrets of the Edo Castle’s reconstruction, Jingoro loses everything: his father figure, his betrothed, and even his right arm. On the brink of despair, the legendary artisan channels his pain into an unwavering quest for vengeance.

Equipped with his exceptional carpentry skills and a set of deadly mechanical prosthetics, Jingoro carves his path to justice. Along with his loyal companion, the “Sleeping Cat,” he confronts his adversaries in an enthralling tale of revenge and self-discovery.

“I am thrilled by the vision behind Hidari. From the concept to the final script, the team has crafted something truly extraordinary. This feature film has all the makings of an exceptional movie, which I am eager to see and excited to be a part of. I believe this project has the potential to deliver a unique experience to audiences worldwide”, Keanu Reeves stated.

This feature film has all the makings of an exceptional movie, which I am eager to see and excited to be a part of.

“I am extremely excited to collaborate with Keanu. When someone with his experience and creative vision looks at your concept and says: I want to be a part of this, it’s an incredible feeling. He’s not just lending his voice to Hidari; he’s also helping us shape and develop this universe, and I can’t wait to see how far we will go together”, director Masashi Kawamura added.

More Than Just a Voice

Keanu Reeves is no stranger to voice acting! He has notably lent his voice to Duke Kaboom in Toy Story 4 (and soon in the 5th installment) and voiced Shadow in the live-action Sonic saga.

It’s worth noting that Hidari is produced by Noriko Matsumoto. She has positioned Dwarf Studios as one of the leading Japanese studios collaborating with international streaming platforms, notably with the hugely successful Netflix series Rilakkuma. For now, Hidari does not have a release date. We’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out more!

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