Keanu Reeves is making his way to the small screen for his first lead role in a TV series.
The 48-year-old actor will be star in and produce the new action-drama "Rain," a show based on the best-selling book series by Barry Eisler, reports Deadline.com. The hour-long series will be the first TV show to debut from Slingshot Global Media since the company formed in February.
"We are extremely excited to be working on a beloved property with such a talented and hard-working actor as Keanu," said Slingshot's CEO David Ellender. "This series will be the launch pad for the company and highlight our talent-focused, quality-based approach within the ever-changing and expanding television space."
Teaming up with Reeves and Eisler as executive producers are Chad Stahelski and David Leitch. This is Reeves' first starring role on the small screen, despite having guest roles in several other television shows.
The actor will play John Rain, a half-Japanese and half-American ex-soldier and assassin, who has mastered the craft of making his target's death seem like a result of natural causes. But his character struggles to find his identity outside of being a killer because the duties of his career prevent him from keeping close relationships.
"As a huge fan of Barry's work, I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to bring his iconic character and incredible world to life," Reeves said. "I'm looking forward to partnering with Slingshot on my first series, and reteaming with Chad and David."
Reeves' debut follows the Hollywood trend of well-known movie stars, such as Kevin Spacey, Halle Berry and Matthew McConaughey, who found more stable roles on the small screen.
