October 27, 2026

Keanu Reeves replaces Alan Ritchson in Netflix’s ‘Maelstrom’

The streaming service revives the 1990s spec script as part of a major film deal with former Warner Bros chief Jeff Robinov

Keanu Reeves replaces Alan Ritchson in Netflix’s ‘Maelstrom’
Actor Keanu Reeves gestures during the "Black Carpet" of the Canadian premiere of The Matrix Resurrections film in his former home town of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Dec 16, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio

bdnews24.com News Service

Published : 26 Oct 2026, 11:30 PM

Updated : 26 Oct 2026, 11:30 PM

Action star Keanu Reeves is set to lead the upcoming Netflix feature Maelstrom, stepping into the project following the departure of Reacher actor Alan Ritchson, according to an industry report by Variety.

The film, directed by Carry-On filmmaker Jaume Collet-Serra, centres on a Federal Marshal tasked with guarding an arms dealer's fiancée as she prepares to testify against her former partner.

The narrative unfolds over a single evening as an approaching hurricane severs external communications and prevents law enforcement reinforcements from arriving.

The casting news was first reported by Page Six Hollywood, though the underlying reasons for Ritchson's exit remain undisclosed. Screenwriter Mark Bianculli is currently revising the screenplay, working from an original draft by the late Gregory Fitzpatrick.

Netflix acquired and revived the project, which was initially sold to Warner Bros in 1993 as a high-concept spec script described as "Die Hard in a hurricane," the US trade publication reported.

The film represents the initial project launched under a new deal between Netflix and producer Jeff Robinov, the former president of Warner Bros Pictures.

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