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Rami Malek to Lead Buster Keaton Miniseries From Matt Reeves
Warner Bros. Television is in talks to develop a limited series based on the life of silent film star Buster Keaton. The project would star Rami Malek as Keaton. Should the project score an official series order, this would mark Malek’s first major TV drama in more than three years since "Mr. Robot" ended its four-season run. The project is being primed to be shopped to streamers and networks.
“The Batman” director Matt Reeves would direct the limited series and produce via his 6th and Idaho Productions banner, which is under an overall deal at Warner Bros. TV. Malek and David Weddle also produce. Ted Cohen, who’s best known for his work on popular shows like "Friends", "Succession", and "Veep", is in talks to serve as executive producer and writer. James Curtis’ 2022 biography “Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker’s Life” may serve as source material for the series, as the studio is negotiating the rights for the book. Buster Keaton has been an inspiration for other acclaimed filmmakers, including Martin Scorsese and Mel Brooks.
Buster Keaton, who lived from 1895 to 1966, is thought of as one of the most prominent stars of the silent film era aside from Charlie Chaplin. He got his start as a child in vaudevile acts alongside his parents, who were traveling performers, before transitioning into film in the late 1910s. Keaton’s first movie was Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle’s silent comedy “The Butcher Boy.” Working with high ranking creatives and executives including Douglas Fairbanks, Joseph M. Schenck and Edward F. Cline, he became known for performing exaggerated stunts and physical comedy with a deadpan facial expression. After forming Buster Keaton Productions with Schenck, he also began directing, with his best known films including “Sherlock Jr.,” “Steamboat Bill, Jr.” and “Our Hospitality,” among others. Keaton also went on to work under deals at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Columbia Pictures as well as various independent producers.
Rami Malek is best known for starring as Elliot Alderson in USA’s “Mr. Robot” from 2015 to 2019 as well as for playing Freddie Mercury in Bryan Singer’s 2018 biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The latter earned him the best actor award at several awards shows including the Oscars. Malek’s other credits include Fox’s “The War at Home” and HBO’s “The Pacific” as well as “Short Term 12,” “Papillon”. He also starred as the main villain in Daniel Craig’s 007 swan song, "No Time to Die", which amassed over $774M worldwide.
