Warner Bros. is developing a new limited series that is set to star Emmy and Oscar-award winner Rami Malek, known for his roles as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody and Elliot Alderson in Mr. Robot, and will be produced by Matt Reeves, who is known for producing The Batman and directing Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, according to Deadline.
The series will follow Buster Keaton, a vaudeville-turned-silent comedy movie star, via Deadline. Keaton starred and directed in movies such as The Playhouse, Cops, The Electric House, Sherlock Jr, and The General, which was concluded to be his masterpiece and inspired Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver, Goodfellas) and Orson Welles (Citizen Kane, The Lady from Shanghai), via Deadline. According to Deadline, Keaton’s career declined after he signed a contract with MGM Studios, causing him to lose his artistic independence, divorce his wife, and become an alcoholic.
Warner Bros. is in talks with three-time Emmy winner Ted Cohen, known for Friends, Succession, and Veep, to write and executive produce the series, via Deadline. Writer of Spencer Tracy: A Biography, James Curtis’ biographical novel, Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker’s Life, is currently being used as source for the series, and Warner Bros. is attempting to secure the book, according to Deadline.
Reeves’ 6th & Idaho Productions has an overall deal with Warner Bros, and Reeves is currently working on his The Batman HBO Max spinoff series at The Penguin, set to star Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin, The Batman), via Deadline. Alongside Reeves, Malek and David Weddle (Battlestar Galactica, For All Mankind) are set to produce the series, according to Deadline.