Keanu Reeves is heading back into deep-space territory. The actor is set to star in “Shiver,” a new sci-fi thriller from Tim Miller, the director of “Deadpool.” The project is currently in advanced negotiations at Warner Bros., which is close to finalizing a deal after an intense bidding war for the pitch.
While plot details remain tightly guarded, sources describe “Shiver” as a high-concept, character-driven thriller with the scale and ambition of a major studio tentpole. For Reeves, it’s another step into cerebral genre filmmaking following years of balancing action iconography with more introspective material.
Miller, who first made his mark with “Deadpool” and expanded his creative range through the animated anthology “Love, Death & Robots,” is expected to direct from an original concept. The pairing reunites the two in spirit—Reeves and Miller previously developed the project “Secret Level” at Netflix, a live-action and animation hybrid that aired in 2024, but mainly went under the radar of critics and audiences. That collaboration, rooted in shared interests in visual innovation and existential sci-fi, seems to have paved the way for “Shiver.”
For Warner Bros., “Shiver” signals a renewed push into prestige genre filmmaking—ambitious, adult-skewing sci-fi that bridges blockbuster spectacle and auteur sensibility. Reeves’ enduring box office power and Miller’s kinetic visual style make the pairing a natural fit.
Though the story remains under wraps, early buzz describes “Shiver” as something grand and psychological—a world where isolation, identity, and technology collide. It’s the kind of premise tailor-made for both Reeves’ stoic physicality and Miller’s sleek, muscular storytelling.
Pending final negotiations, production could move quickly, with Warner Bros. reportedly eyeing “Shiver” as a potential franchise starter. For now, the title alone—spare, enigmatic, and evocative—suggests a return to the existential cool that has defined Reeves’ best work.
