BRZRKR, the comic book series created and written by Keanu Reeves and Matt Kindt (Folklords, Grass Kings) and illustrated by Ron Garney (The Amazing Spider-Man, Uncanny X-Force), will be adapted into an anime series for Netflix.
Although the initial announcement of a Kickstarter Campaign launched by BOOM! Studios for Keanu Reeves inspired an understandable backlash from comic book professionals who sometimes struggle to have their own books published, the campaign was unsurprisingly successful. Ultimately, 14,571 backers pledged $1,447,212 to launch the series. Since its original publication date in February 2021, the first issue sold more than 615,000 copies, the highest-selling comic book debut in the U.S. in almost 30 years.
The series tells the story of a man known only as B. Half-mortal and half-god, B. is cursed and compelled to violence, even at the sacrifice of his own sanity. After wandering the world for centuries, the Berzerker finds refuge working for the U.S. government to fight battles too violent and too dangerous for anyone else. In exchange for his service, B. will be granted the one thing he desires most: the truth about his blood-soaked existence and how to end it.
BOOM! Studios has a first-look deal for live-action and animated television series with Netflix, and in March 2021, Netflix announced that it was developing a live-action film adaptation as well as an anime series based on the comics with Reeves cast as the lead. In October 2021, Mattson Tomlin was announced as writer for the live-action film adaptation.
At San Diego Comic-Con 2022, Keanu Reeves announced that BRZRKR will be adapted into an anime series for two seasons. BRZRKR is in pre-production with the Japanese animation studio Production I.G, who are internationally beloved for their series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2002), Blood+ (2006), and Haikyu!! (2014).
There should no doubt that the anime series will be as artfully animated and visually engaging as any series produced by Production I.G. How the story of the comic translates to the small screen in animation remains to be seen, but audiences with a special place in their hearts for Keanu are ready for it.
(featured image: BOOM! Studios)
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