Keanu Reeves Led CIA Espionage Thriller After John Wick Officially Drops First Teaser

Keanu Reeves is set to lead a new CIA thriller. The film is an adaptation of Oliver Lowe’s upcoming novel, Kill Current: A Jon Hendricks Thriller. The novel is designed to be continued as a series, so if it earns success, Reeves could be set for a new franchise. According to Deadline, Erik Feig’s The Arena has preemptively acquired the rights for the upcoming novel. The studio will finance and produce the adaptation. Reeves is also the producer of the film while playing the lead character.

Kill Current, the edge-of-your-seat geopolitical thriller, is set to be published in May 2027 by Zando.

Keanu Reeves Plays Jon Hendricks in CIA Thriller Novel Adaptation

Credit: Summit Entertainment

From John Wick to Jon Hendricks, the action star is now taking on the role of a burned-out CIA agent. The novel follows Hendricks, who left the field after a failed mission. He has been living as a professor ever since. However, when his handler pulls him back into the agency, Hendricks must wear his spy hat and avenge a missing protege he himself mentored.

Speaking about this new role, Reeves told Deadline,

I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity to develop the character Jon Hendricks with these wonderful collaborators and that this is the project that launches Two Dragonflies which I share with my partner, Alexandra Grant.

Two Dragonflies is a new production banner established by Keanu Reeves and his longtime partner, Alexandra Grant, to produce stories across film, TV, literature, animation, and more art-related fields. The Kill Current adaptation will mark the first project under their joint banner.

Grant has also expressed her own thoughts about this new exciting project. She told Deadline,

Taking Kill Current from publishing into film form, and aligning with The Arena, Oliver Lowe and Zando is the kind of creative work Keanu and I have set up Two Dragonflies to do.

Everything We Know So Far About Keanu Reeves’ New CIA Thriller

The Arena has already released a short teaser of the Kill Current adaptation. The 32-second black and white clip shows a silhouette of a man moving through a maze, sparking curiosity about Reeves’ lead role. Watch the teaser here:

Speaking about the development, Erik Feig told Deadline, “This project further underlines our focus on launching high-concept IP for global audiences across different media.”

The CEO of The Arena added,

Keanu Reeves is a singular talent and synonymous with the kind of intelligent action franchises we are aiming to make. We are thrilled to work with him and Alexandra Grant and equally thrilled that Matt Reilly and Melissa Goodall were able to swoop in and get this!

Molly Stern, the founder and CEO of Zando, who will be publishing the novel, described it as a “geopolitical thriller for the modern era.” Stern said,

“Kill Current is rooted in the issues shaping today’s world — semi-conductors, global supply chains, technological and information warfare. It delivers the fast-paced, globe-trotting read and complex, intriguing characters that thriller fans of any era crave.”

Meanwhile, apart from Kill Current, Reeves is keeping himself busy with several other works. His most prominent upcoming project is the fifth installment of the John Wick franchise, which has already surpassed $1 billion at the worldwide box office. It is currently in development at Lionsgate. In addition, the Matrix star is also set for a new sci-fi thriller Shiver, from Deadpool maker Tim Miller. Reeves is also starring in Palme d’Or winner Ruben Östlund’s upcoming black comedy, The Entertainment System Is Down.