Aziz Ansari's directorial debut, Good Fortune, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 6, 2025, features Keanu Reeves in a role that is a departure from his usual action-oriented characters. Ansari revealed that he was initially intimidated by Reeves, considering him an icon of the screen. However, after spending time with Reeves, Ansari found him to be a great friend and collaborator.

Ansari confessed that he was initially doubtful that Reeves could take on the role of Gabriel, an angel, because Reeves seemed to be on "a different planet". To overcome his star-struck feelings, Ansari invited Reeves to his house for Indian food and conversation, followed by dinner outings and quality time spent together. This personal approach helped Ansari to connect with Reeves and convince him to join the cast.

Good Fortune follows Gabriel (Reeves), a "well-meaning but rather inept angel," whose attempt to teach Arj (Ansari), a struggling man, that money doesn't solve problems by swapping his body with his wealthy employer Jeff (Seth Rogen) goes awry. As a result, Gabriel loses his wings, and the work he performed as an angel starts to unravel. The film also stars Keke Palmer and Sandra Oh.

Ansari explained that while he and Rogen were comfortable with comedy, bringing Reeves, known for action roles, into the mix felt like a risk. However, Reeves embraced the comedic aspects of the role. Ansari even joked about how he and Rogen would be asking Reeves for guidance if they were making an action movie.

Reeves, while known for The Matrix and John Wick franchises, started his career with comedies like the Bill & Ted movies. In Good Fortune, Reeves plays Gabriel as the "soul of the movie," doing a "wonderful job". Ansari also tailored the role to Reeves's "otherworldly" acting style after he signed on. According to Ansari, Reeves's casting and the development of the Gabriel storyline made the movie sweeter.

Interestingly, Reeves revealed that filming Good Fortune was almost halted due to a serious on-set knee injury. Despite the injury, Reeves remained committed to completing the project.

Ansari also shared that his experience on the Netflix series Master of None helped him write the role of Gabriel for Reeves. He learned how to turn conversations with his cast into lines that allowed the actors to bring their own voice to the character. He emphasized the importance of shaping the character with the actor, rather than trying to force the actor to fit the character.

Good Fortune is scheduled to be released in the United States on October 17, 2025.