The Hollywood Reporter reports Keanu Reeves is set to star in a modern retelling of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson novella “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” this time to be called simply Jekyll with Revolutionary Road scripter Justin Haythe aboard to draft the screenplay for Universal and Nicolas Winding Refn (Pusher trilogy) in negotiations to direct.
Robert Louis Stevenson’s tale focuses on a doctor who scientifically develops an evil self is commonly used to depict split personality, but it appears this new take won’t be traveling the dark and gothic path most often think of when the names Jekyll and Hyde are mentioned. Universal is keeping quiet on the story specifics, but THR does mention Guillermo del Toro is also working on an adaptation of Stevenson’s work that will stick closer to the original tale and thus making the two projects vastly different. Del Toro also isn’t likely to begin working on his for some many years as The Hobbit will dominate the next five years of his career and there is no telling where he will go from there.
As I mentioned above, Refn is best known for writing and directing the Pusher trilogy of films, a trilogy I have been told is quite good and is actually available on Netflix Instant Play if you are interested. I have had it in my queue for some time, but just haven’t hit “play” as of yet.
On top of penning Revolutionary Road in 2008, Justin Haythe also wrote the 2004 lackluster thriller The Clearing, which starred Robert Redford and Willem Dafoe. He is also working on a remake of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea for Fox.
