Actor Keanu Reeves has just signed on to star in a remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still. According to Variety, the re-imagining of Robert Wise's 1951 sci-fi classic is coming from 20th Century Fox.

Reeves will be playing Klaatu, a humanoid alien from space who visits Earth with his trusty, indestructible robot pal. He warns world leaders that their continued warring with each other will eventually lead to complete world annihilation by a species watching from the deep recesses of space.

David Scarpa wrote the updated script, with Erwin Stoff producing. The film will either begin production late this fall or early in 2008.

The Day the Earth Stood Still was released December 12th, 2008 and stars Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates, Jaden Smith, John Cleese, Jon Hamm, Kyle Chandler, Robert Knepper. The film is directed by Scott Derrickson.