The only thing more pleasantly surprising than Keanu Reeves returning to leading man status with JOHN WICK was the heralding of new filmmakers David Leitch and Chad Stahelski who proved they have the chops to helm an action-packed big screen venture. They may get the chance to do it again with an even larger scale now that they have been offered directing duties on Universal's COWBOY NINJA VIKING.
Variety reports that the pair of second unit directors were given the seal of approval by Chris Pratt who was tentative to commit to the film unless it had the right filmmakers. Universal plans to fast track production before Pratt's busy schedule kicks into overdrive with Antoine Fuqua's THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN and James Gunn's GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 2.
For those unfamiliar with COWBOY NINJA VIKING, here is a synopsis.
Based on writer A.J. Lieberman and artist Riley Rossmo’s graphic novel, the story follows a man who suffers from multiple personality disorder and is put into a government program to be turned into a super-soldier with the attributes of a cowboy, a ninja and a viking.
That plot sounds just crazy enough to work on the big screen and would put Chris Pratt into another cowboy-type role. If the Indiana Jones rumors turn out to be true, we may have found the contemporary Steve McQueen or Clint Eastwood, albeit one with a better sense of humor.
COWBOY NINJA VIKING has no production or release date, but expect to see it in 2016 at the earliest.
