Jennifer Connelly joins Keanu Reeves in 'THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL'
The Oscar-winning beauty has climbed aboard the remake of the sci-fi classic, which features Constantine star Reeves as Klaatu.
Variety's TATIANA SIEGEL and MICHAEL FLEMING report that 20th Century Fox has signed Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly (Hulk) to star alongside Keanu Reeves (The Matrix) in its remake of Robert Wise's highly-praised science fiction film The Day the Earth Stood Still.
Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose) will direct from the script by Ryne Douglas Pearson and David Scarpa (who wrote separately). Erwin Stoff and Paul Boardman will produce.
In Day, a humanoid alien named Klaatu (Reeves, succeeding the original's Michael Rennie) and his giant robot, Gort, arrive to warn Earth to live peacefully or face destruction. Klaatu is befriended by Commerce Dept employee Helen Benson (Connelly, inheriting the role from 1951's Patricia Neal).
The film begins its Vancouver shoot in December, giving Connelly time to complete work on New Line's ensemble comedy He's Just Not That Into You before joining Day.
According to Variety's report, Oscar winner Kathy Bates (Misery) is negotiating to co-star in the flick.
ALEX BILLINGTON of First Showing has stated that, of the remakes and sequels hitting cinemas in the next year, Day has enjoyed the least amount of buzz.
"No one wants to see it get remade, even with the right director or cast," he wrote. "The writers are both rather inexperienced and the director isn't exactly a legend either. Even with Jennifer Connelly and Kathy Bates, I don't think anyone's expectations are changing."
[Thanks to ANI and to JEFF GILES at Rotten Tomatoes for additional info.]