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Keanu Reeves in Talks to Star in Universals New LEGO Live-Action/Animation Hybrid
Keanu Reeves is reportedly negotiating to play the lead in a new LEGO film that would combine live‑action and animation, according to Deadline. The project would be directed by Josh Cooley, who helmed Pixar’s Toy Story 4 and voiced Reeves’ character, Duke Caboom, in that film and its 2026 sequel, Toy Story 5.
Universal Pictures has held an exclusive five‑year agreement with the LEGO Group since April 2020 to develop, produce and distribute theatrical releases based on LEGO intellectual property. The deal, announced by Universal and LEGO in a joint press release, gave the studio rights to create new LEGO‑themed movies and original ideas. Despite the agreement, no theatrical LEGO titles have yet appeared under Universal’s banner. In late 2024, reports mentioned that three projects were in development, but none have progressed to production or release.
The rumored Reeves‑Cooley collaboration would mark a reunion for the actor and the director. Reeves first voiced Duke Caboom in Toy Story 4 (2019) and reprised the role in Toy Story 5 (2026), which opened to a $312 million global box office haul and became the biggest opening weekend of 2026 and the largest opening in the franchise’s history.
Universal’s prior LEGO partnership was with Warner Bros., which produced The LEGO Movie (2014), The LEGO Batman Movie (2017), The LEGO Ninjago Movie (2017) and The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part (2019). Those titles remain part of Warner Bros.’ library. The shift to Universal was announced when Warner Bros. let the rights lapse after the 2019 film’s underperformance.
The hybrid format is a departure from the fully animated LEGO films of the past. Deadline reports that the new project would feature live‑action sequences intercut with animated LEGO worlds, a technique that has been used in recent franchises such as Spider‑Man: Into the Spider‑Verse and The LEGO Batman Movie.
Cooley, a former storyboard artist and voice actor, has directed two feature films: Toy Story 4 (2019) and Transformers One (2024). He co‑wrote the screenplay for Inside Out (2015), which earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Reeves, known for his work in action franchises such as The Matrix and John Wick, has also voiced characters in video games and other animated projects. His recent voice work in Toy Story 5 demonstrates his continued association with the LEGO‑themed universe.
Universal’s LEGO deal, signed in 2020, was intended to launch a new slate of films. The studio’s lack of releases has led industry observers to question the pace of development. The current negotiations with Reeves suggest that Universal is still pursuing new projects, but the timeline for production and release remains unclear.
If the deal is finalized, the film would be the first LEGO title produced by Universal in the five‑year partnership. It would also be the first LEGO‑themed movie to feature a live‑action/animation hybrid under the Universal banner.
The project’s status is still early. Universal has not issued a statement, and no official title or release date has been announced. The next public update is likely to come from Universal or the LEGO Group, or from Reeves himself, if the negotiations move forward.
In summary, Keanu Reeves is in talks to star in a new LEGO film directed by Josh Cooley, with Universal holding the rights to produce LEGO movies since 2020. The film would be a hybrid of live‑action and animation and would reunite Reeves with Cooley, who voiced Reeves’ character in Toy Story 4 and Toy Story 5. No official confirmation or timeline has been released, and the project remains in the negotiation phase.
Universal Pictures has held an exclusive five‑year agreement with the LEGO Group since April 2020 to develop, produce and distribute theatrical releases based on LEGO intellectual property. The deal, announced by Universal and LEGO in a joint press release, gave the studio rights to create new LEGO‑themed movies and original ideas. Despite the agreement, no theatrical LEGO titles have yet appeared under Universal’s banner. In late 2024, reports mentioned that three projects were in development, but none have progressed to production or release.
The rumored Reeves‑Cooley collaboration would mark a reunion for the actor and the director. Reeves first voiced Duke Caboom in Toy Story 4 (2019) and reprised the role in Toy Story 5 (2026), which opened to a $312 million global box office haul and became the biggest opening weekend of 2026 and the largest opening in the franchise’s history.
Universal’s prior LEGO partnership was with Warner Bros., which produced The LEGO Movie (2014), The LEGO Batman Movie (2017), The LEGO Ninjago Movie (2017) and The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part (2019). Those titles remain part of Warner Bros.’ library. The shift to Universal was announced when Warner Bros. let the rights lapse after the 2019 film’s underperformance.
The hybrid format is a departure from the fully animated LEGO films of the past. Deadline reports that the new project would feature live‑action sequences intercut with animated LEGO worlds, a technique that has been used in recent franchises such as Spider‑Man: Into the Spider‑Verse and The LEGO Batman Movie.
Cooley, a former storyboard artist and voice actor, has directed two feature films: Toy Story 4 (2019) and Transformers One (2024). He co‑wrote the screenplay for Inside Out (2015), which earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Reeves, known for his work in action franchises such as The Matrix and John Wick, has also voiced characters in video games and other animated projects. His recent voice work in Toy Story 5 demonstrates his continued association with the LEGO‑themed universe.
Universal’s LEGO deal, signed in 2020, was intended to launch a new slate of films. The studio’s lack of releases has led industry observers to question the pace of development. The current negotiations with Reeves suggest that Universal is still pursuing new projects, but the timeline for production and release remains unclear.
If the deal is finalized, the film would be the first LEGO title produced by Universal in the five‑year partnership. It would also be the first LEGO‑themed movie to feature a live‑action/animation hybrid under the Universal banner.
The project’s status is still early. Universal has not issued a statement, and no official title or release date has been announced. The next public update is likely to come from Universal or the LEGO Group, or from Reeves himself, if the negotiations move forward.
In summary, Keanu Reeves is in talks to star in a new LEGO film directed by Josh Cooley, with Universal holding the rights to produce LEGO movies since 2020. The film would be a hybrid of live‑action and animation and would reunite Reeves with Cooley, who voiced Reeves’ character in Toy Story 4 and Toy Story 5. No official confirmation or timeline has been released, and the project remains in the negotiation phase.
