Rami Malek‘s Hollywood breakout came partly thanks to his role on “Mr. Robot,” which landed him an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in 2016. Now Malek returns to TV for his first small-screen role since “Mr. Robot” ended. Deadline reports that Malek will play legendary silent film star Buster Keaton in a limited series from Warner Bros. Television.
That’s already an exciting proposition, but there’s even more to this project than that. It looks like “The Batman” director Matt Reeves not only produces the project through his 6th & Idaho Productions, but he’ll helm the entire limited series, too. Malek and David Weddle will also co-produce the project. Also potentially on board: three-time Emmy winner Ted Cohen, whose writing credits include “Succession,” “Friends,” and “Veep.” If Cohen signs on, he’ll use the James Curtis book “Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker’s Life‘ as his primary source material, but negotiations are still underway for rights to adapt.
WB TV has the series ready to shop for streamers and networks. Maybe it lands at HBO Max? It would make sense, given that Reeves also has his “The Batman” spinoff series in development for the streaming platform, including “The Penguin” with Colin Farrell. “The Batman” was also one of Warner Bros’ biggest films last year, with a worldwide box office gross of nearly $771 million. So, Reeves’ role in the project may have a say in where it ultimately lands.
But is Malek a good fit to play deadpan silent star Keaton? One of the most influential and popular movie stars of his day, Buster Keaton’s career highlights include “The Electric House,” “Steamboat Bill Jr,” “Sherlock Jr,” and, what many critics and historians consider his masterpiece, “The General.” Keaton remains an influential figure in filmmaking today, with legendary directors as varied as Orson Welles, Martin Scorsese, and Mel Brooks citing him as an inspiration. Malik tackling Keaton’s straight-faced antics and dangerous physical gags may be his next role after Christopher Nolan‘s upcoming “Oppenheimer.” It’s an ambitious role, but Malek’s an intriguing choice to play Keaton.
But the bigger question remains how this project may interfere with Reeves’ other projects, like his upcoming sequel to “The Batman.” Whatever the case, Warner Bros. and Reeves will be business partners for a large chunk of the rest of the 2020s.