Michael Keatonis joining Robert De Niro in the cast of an upcoming Netflix crime thriller. Last year’sBeetlejuice, Beetlejuiceproved a triumph for Keaton, returning to one of his most famous roles for the first time in nearly 40 years. De Niro, meanwhile, has been incredibly busy of late, starring in both the Netflix seriesZero Dayand the gangster filmThe Alto Knights.
Both are genuine screen legends with numerous iconic performances to their names,but only once have De Niro and Keaton found themselves on the same cast-list. Released in 1997, Quentin Tarantino’s Elmore Leonard adaptationJackie Brownfeatured De Niro as small-time crook Louis Gara, and Keaton as ATF agent Ray Nicolette (the same character he played in another Leonard adaptation, Steven Soderbergh’sOut of Sight).
Keaton Joins De Niro In The Cast Of Netflix’s The Whisper Man
The Russo Brothers Are Producing
28 years after starring together inJackie Brown, De Niro and Keaton will team for another crime thriller, as Keaton reportedly joins the cast ofThe Whisper Man. De Niro was previously reported to be headlining the Netflix thriller, produced by the Russos, with James Ashcroft directing from a script by Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer. Adapted from a novel by Alex North,the movie follows a crime writer whose son goes missing, forcing him to enlist the aid of his estranged detective father, in an investigation that leads to a notorious serial killer who has been jailed for years.
The Whisper Manalready boasted plenty of star power thanks to De Niro and other previously-revealed cast members,and now Keaton is joining the movie as well, in a role described as more-or-less of a cameo(viaDeadline). No specifics have been revealed about either De Niro or Keaton’s role in the film.
Our Take On Keaton Joining The Whisper Man
The Cast Was Already Stacked
Announced back in February with De Niro in the lead,The Whisper Manhas since stacked its cast with more big acting talents. In addition to the just-reported Keaton,the film also stars Adam Scott, Michelle Monaghan, John Carroll Lynch, Hamish Linklater, Owen Teague and Acston Luca Porto. The cast was previously reported to be assembling some time this spring to begin shooting.
Keaton’sWhisper Manrole being basically a cameo might sound disappointing, as it means he won’t be sharing the screen with De Niro very much, if at all. The two had no scenes together inJackie Brown, of course, as their storylines didn’t converge, and it’s possible their new movie won’t see them truly collaborating either. Keaton and De Niro appearing in the same scene might not be as momentous as whenDe Niro and Pacino finally faced off all those years ago inHeat, but it would nevertheless be a fun moment for moviegoers.
Netflix is following their usual habit of not unveiling much information about upcoming projects, keepingThe Whisper Manshrouded in secrecy. De Niro is likely playing the retired detective at the heart of the story, while Keaton’s role is more difficult to guess, given that he is only dropping in for what is essentially a cameo appearance, meaning he could be playing just about anything.
The Russo Brothers' 2025 Netflix movieThe Electric Statecost a reported $320 million to make, and was panned by critics.
The Whisper Mandoes not yet have a release date from Netflix.
