Keanu Reeves Film ’47 Ronin’ Delayed Again, Extensive Reshoots Planned

'47 Ronin' - the samurai tale starring Keanu Reeves - was originally set for release this November. It was then pushed back to February, 2013 claiming they wanted to "perfect the 3D" effects. But now the film is being pushed back even further - over a year after it was originally scheduled to hit theaters. So what gives?

'47 Ronin' is now scheduled to hit theaters on December 25, 2013 (where it will go up against Ben Stiller's 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty'). According to The Film Stage, the reason given was "extensive" visual effects work and reshoots for the project.

Of course, the Universal spin on the news is that they couldn't meet the February date because reshoots had to be rescheduled because of the Olympics (??). What it likely means is that the film isn't any good and they're thinking of ways to fix it in post-production.

If you're new to the film, here's the official synopsis:

From ancient Japan’s most enduring tale, the epic 3D fantasy-adventure 47 Ronin is born. Keanu Reeves leads the cast as Kai, an outcast who joins Oishi (Hiroyuki Sanada), the leader of the 47 outcast samurai. Together they seek vengeance upon the treacherous overlord who killed their master and banished their kind. To restore honor to their homeland, the warriors embark upon a quest that challenges them with a series of trials that would destroy ordinary warriors. 47 Ronin is helmed by visionary director Carl Erik Rinsch (The Gift). Inspired by styles as diverse as Miyazaki and Hokusai, Rinsch will bring to life the stunning landscapes and enormous battles that will display the timeless Ronin story to global audiences in a way that’s never been seen before.

Director Rinsch is actually the son-in-law of 'Prometheus' director Ridley Scott and it'll be interesting to see if they call on the old man to give some advice in the coming months.