Keanu Reeves took the stage to an attentive, standing room-only audience to discuss his upcoming film “Replicas” at New York Comic Con on October 5. “Replicas” is the story of neuroscientist William Foster, played by Reeves, who brings back to life his wife and children that were killed in a tragic car accident. In the science fiction thriller, human bodies can be cloned and consciousness transferred from one body to another, though it’s against the law to do so. “What William is doing — he has to start playing with their memories,” Reeves told the crowd. “He can’t have them remember the car crash or that they’re dead, so he starts diving into the data that he has in order to change who they are.”
What attracted Reeve to the project was the family dynamic, saying, “with all of this darkness and tragedy, there was the relationship of the family, and that was really different for me,” and the ethical and philosophical questions that “Replicas” raises. “There’s an idea of control, an impulse to create and manifest. This film is having a conversation with that,” Reeves proposed. Director Jeffrey Nachmanoff, also in attendance, said, “There are some moral questions, ethical questions about what it means to recreate life and bring people back that we ask in the film. It asks what makes “you” you. Are you still you if you’re brought back in a different body?”
Of course, it wouldn’t be New York Comic Con without some questions from the audience—the main one being: Will there be another “Bill & Ted” film? “Yes,” Reeves revealed. “It’s called ‘Bill & Ted Face the Music.’ They’re still trying to save the world, and they’re still trying to finish the song. But they’re old with wives and children.” When asked if there would be another “Matrix” film, Reeves said, “I don’t know anything about it.”
“Replicas” was shot in Puerto Rico last year, so Reeves mentioned to great applause that he has partnered with New York Comic Con to support the rebuilding efforts from Hurricane Maria with the Puerto Rico Film Friends Relief Fund. “There’s such a talented filmmaking community down there that took such good care of us while we were filming,” said Nachmanoff, “so we are doing whatever we can do support them in their time of need.”
For more on the fundraising efforts, please visit New York Stands with Puerto Rico.