Keanu Reeves as a Samurai Swordsmen in 47 RONIN!

By Matt Holmes / June 25, 2011

Keanu Reeves will lead the Universal Pictures epic 47 RONIN, the true life tale of a band of samurai's who avenged the death of their master in 18th century Japan. Unlike Tom Cruise in THE LAST SAMURAI... Reeves won't be playing an American but actually one of the Japanese samurai's. Hmmm.... Chris Morgan, co-writer of WANTED, will write the script which will delve into fantasy...

The film will tell a stylized version of the story, mixing fantasy elements of the sort seen in "The Lord of the Rings" pics, with gritty battle scenes akin to those in films such as "Gladiator."

Once a director is found, the movie will begin filming next year according to Variety. Hiroshi Inagaki shot a much famed version of this classic part of Japanese history in 1962.