Have you ever heard of a movie that sounds so absolutely bonkers you just have to see it? That just happened to me with the announcement of a new project coming from Tim Miller and Keanu Reeves. Miller rose to prominence as the director of 2016's Deadpool, which launched the character into mainstream popularity, leading to two successful sequels—Deadpool 2 and the immensely popular Deadpool & Wolverine. Keanu, on the other hand, has continued building his reputation as a full-fledged action star in the past few years thanks to the John Wick franchise.
Now, the two creatives are coming together for a special project. The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Warner Bros. is in final negotiations to purchase a package deal for Shiver, a sci-fi film about a smuggler directed by Miller and starring Keanu Reeves. The movie is being produced by Aaron Ryder (producer of The Prestige, The Founder and Dumb Money) and Matthew Vaughn (director of Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class and Kingsman). The project was written by Ian Shorr, who penned the 2021 sci-fi Infinite, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Mark Wahlberg.
According to THR, the project is said to be similar to Blake Lively's 2016 shark movie The Shallows, and Tom Cruise's 2014 sci-fi time-loop movie Edge of Tomorrow. "Why in the world is Shiver being compared to a shark movie and a time-loop alien-invasion story," you ask? That's because the film is about a smuggler, trapped in a time loop, while trying to survive a goddamn shark attack in the middle of the Caribbean Sea.
THR stated that the story "centers on a ne’er-do-well smuggler who finds himself in the middle of a deadly double-cross while on a job in the Caribbean Sea, resulting in him surrounded by bodies, hostile mercenaries and thirsty sharks alike. He next finds himself a deathly time loop and scrambling to break the cycle."
Considering Warner Bros. is still in negotiations to buy the package, the release date for this project could be quite far away. However, if the deal goes through, let's all cross our fingers for Shiver to come out as soon as possible. I don't know about you, but I cannot—and I say this without a hint of sarcasm—wait to see Reeves fighting sharks while in a time loop.
Given its description, the project will likely have a considerable budget. However, it sounds so uneblievably out there that its premise alone has the potential to hook general viewers. Adding to that Keanu Reeves, whose mass appeal has arguably been largely responsible for the success of the John Wick movies, and Shiver has a lot of potential to find an audience—even in today's fluctuating entertainment market.
What do you think about Shiver? Does it sound like a movie you'd like to watch? Why is your answer yes? Let me know in the comments.