The greatMichael Keatonis set to return to the director’s chair after a decade withKnox Goes Away. Keaton will also star in the film as a contract killer with dementia trying to make amends with his son. Described as a noir thriller,Knox Goes Awayis written by Gregory Poirier (Rosewood, Missing) and will be released in theaters August 18, 2025. You can watch the newly released trailer above. The plot synopsis forthe hitman filmreads as follows:
“Academy Award® nominee Michael Keaton directs and stars in this unpredictable thriller as John Knox, a hit man attempting to make amends before his recently discovered dementia takes over. Aided by a trusted friend (Academy Award® winner Al Pacino) with his own shady past, Knox races against the police — and his own rapidly deteriorating mind — to save his estranged son (James Marsden) from a vengeance-fueled mistake and “cash out” before it’s too late. Also starring Oscar® winners Ray McKinnon and Marcia Gay Harden.”
The hitman with a memory loss angle makesKnox Goes Awayappear similar to the recently released action filmMemory,whichfeatures Liam Neesonas an assassin with Alzheimer’s disease who goes on the hunt for his employer after a botched job. Both the films have protagonists in similar predicaments, butKnox Goes Awayseems to be more contained and personal than Liam Neeson’s globe-trotting, action-heavyMemory.
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Michael Keaton last made a foray into film direction with 2008’sThe Merry Gentleman. He played a hitman in that film as well.The Merry Gentlemanstars Kelly Macdonald as a young woman who escapes an abusive relationship and forms a friendship with Keaton’s character. The film received mostly positive reviews, with praise aimed toward the cast’s performances.
ForKnox Goes Away, Keaton will be teaming up withSpotlightproducer Michael Sugar and Ashley Zalta. Seeing as how several actors have found success stepping behind the camera, we expect Keaton, a veteran of the industry, to deliver withKnox Goes Awayas well. Keaton also played an actor who took a shot at directing in the filmBirdman; hopefully makingKnox Goes Awaywasn’t as challenging as that chaotic process.
Related:Tim Burton Explains Why He Wanted Michael Keaton as Batman
The Keatonaissance: Michael Keaton Continues His Renaissance
Speaking ofBirdman, that was roughly the beginning of Michael Keaton’s renaissance in the industry. While he never went away, and never stopped making great films, Michael Keaton was out of the spotlight for a while — until he madeSpotlight, that is. It wasBirdmanin 2014, followed bySpotlightin 2015, that really sped up Keaton’s acclaim train. That led to roles inThe Founder, Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Trial of the Chicago 7,andDopesick, all of which garnered high praise for Keaton’s performances.
Keaton has also blown up the internet by returning to his Batman character withThe Flash. Keaton was excited aboutdonning the Batsuit againand has praised director Andy Muschietti’s vision for the film. Speaking onThe Jess Cagle Showon SiriusXM, Keaton said at the time:
“When it came around again first of all I was getting curious about it. I thought, ‘Boy, what would that be like?’ And then, coincidentally, there were murmurs, and I got a call from Warner Bros. They wanted to talk to me about something and there was hints of Batman. It has to be good. There’s no reason to do it if it’s not good. It’s not gonna really change anything. And I just jumped in and had fun. And why would you not? You know, I mean, director Andy Muschietti is fantastic, and he’s really creative. I don’t know. It’s fun.”
Keaton is getting even more renewed interest with the highly anticipated sequel toBeetlejuice, which may be part of a whole trilogy. In the meantime,Knox Goes Awayis coming exclusively to theaters July 15, 2025, from Saban Films. Alongside Keaton, the full cast includes James Marsden, Suzy Nakamura, John Hoogenakker, Joanna Kulig, Ray Mckinnon, and Lela Loren, with Marcia Gay Harden and Al Pacino.
