"Matrix" star channels his inner alien

Keanu barada nikto!

Variety is reporting that Keanu Reeves will star in 20th Century Fox's remake of "The Day the Earth Stood Still."

The 1951 Robert Wise original starred Michael Rennie as Klaatu, a humanoid alien who arrives on Earth with his indestructible robot Gort. Klaatu's mission is to warn the Earth's leaders that an alien race will annihilate them if they don't make up and play nice.

The mean part of us wants to say that Reeves will play Gort.

In reality, he's signed on to play Klaatu, according to the trade paper.

David Scarpa wrote the new script and Scott Derrickson ("The Exorcism of Emily Rose" will direct. The plan is to begin production by early 2008.

Reeves was most recently seen in 2006's "The Lake House" and "A Scanner Darkly." The "Matrix" and "Feeling Minnesota" star has just completed work on David Ayer's "The Night Watchman" for 20th Century's specialty division Fox Searchlight.