John Wick Meets Reacher In This Must-Read Thriller That Keanu Reeves Is Adapting Next

Published Nov 14, 2026, 4:31 PM EST Cher Thompson is a Senior Staff Writer at Screen Rant, where she covers everything from explosive reality TV moments to cast interviews about the twists and turns of scripted dramas. With a background in creative writing, marketing, and teaching, Cher knows how to spot both the storytelling genius and the guilty pleasures in pop culture. Her work blends wit with insight, making readers feel like they’re chatting with a friend who just happens to know way too much about TV. After starring in the John Wick film franchise and witnessing the success of the Jack Reacher adaptations, Keanu Reeves' next major movie project will blend the two seamlessly using an exciting new title as its foundation. The best action thrillers in recent memory have managed to combine a strong story from the central character, creating compelling stakes that feel bigger than simple survival. With most of the protagonists in the action thriller genre coming from a place of expertise, being highly trained operatives or experienced investigators, the appeal of their stories comes from the creative ways they resolve massive conflict. With many action thrillers having adapted their worlds from novels or written work, some of the most memorable franchises have come from source material that established the world and tone of the story, like the Reacher franchise. Others, like John Wick, have come from original spaces, but were inspired by real stories that were then inflated into fictional settings with higher, more intense stakes. Reeves, the star of the John Wick films, is moving into a space with his next project that feels more aligned with the Reacher franchise, despite still being on the big screen in his new film. Inspired by an upcoming novel by Oliver Lowe, Reeves will star in Kill Current. The novel, which is set to release in May 2027, is the first of a series focusing on Jon Hendricks, a cynical former CIA operative who returns to the field after a mysterious murder brings him to the center of the crime. With Reeves set to star and produce, the upcoming adaptation of Kill Current is giving audiences the chance to jump in on the ground floor. Kill Current Combines Reacher's Momentum With A High-Tech Espionage Story Zando The first of a new series focused on CIA agent Jon Hendricks, Kill Current sees the former operative having retired from active duty, but returning to the field when his former trainee, Rivers Elliot, disappears. Hendricks looks to find Rivers, but the investigation quickly spirals out of control when a piece of technology that isn't meant to be sustainably used for at least another decade becomes a part of the case. With international travel and a larger geopolitical conflict at hand, things twist and turn for Hendricks throughout the novel, leading him to conclusions he never could've imagined on his own. With the novel being compared most consistently to the Reacher franchise, Kill Current has echoes of the Lee Child series in its larger story, and has also been compared to John le Carré's work, as well. While Hendricks isn't a carbon copy of Jack Reacher, he definitely has many of the same qualities as the wandering hero, but the technological focus of the series provides a different element to the story. With a planned series in the works, Kill Current is just the opening of what will likely be a far longer story, which could be great for the adaptation side of the franchise. Keanu Reeves Kill Current Adaptation Could Launch A Whole New Franchise As someone who's known to take his work seriously, knowing that Reeves is behind the adaptation of Kill Current is an exciting step in the right direction. While it was only announced in September 2026, Kill Current's adaptation has already been pushed into development, which means there's a great chance it comes to fruition. As the first major project from Reeves production company, Two Dragonflies, it's clear that Reeves' involvement in the adaptation is more than just a face for the film. Instead, being on the development side, Reeves is proving that he's bringing his past experiences to the universe in order to create a franchise. For readers looking for a new thriller series to dive into on the ground floor, Kill Current should be a viable option, especially considering that there's already movement on a film adaptation. With Reeves working on the adaptation in a more extensive way and the novel itself receiving praise as the first a hopefully successful series, Kill Current is prepared to be the next action thriller to reach Reacher and John Wick levels of hype.