Who could ever erase the memory of Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock racing through the busy streets of Los Angeles aboard a city bus equipped with a time bomb? Speedreleased in theaters in June 1994, grossed an astronomical $121 million at the box office.
Even more than two and a half decades after its debut, this film remains an enduring classic that keeps audiences in suspense. Here are some lesser-known facts about this iconic blockbuster that could shed light on its enduring popularity.
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Keanu Reeves wasn’t the first choice for the role
According to Screenrant, Stephen Baldwin was offered the opportunity to play Jack Traven but turned it down, expressing that the character too closely resembled John McClane from Die hard. During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, screenwriter Graham Yost reflected on the process of narrowing down the list of possible male protagonists. He mentioned that action superstar Tom Cruise was also in the running for the role.
Yost said THIS:
“We first went to the Toms – you know, you go to Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks – and I think of Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson, who were going to do Money Train. We have taken many different paths. Yost said. “As I recall, someone’s kid at the studio said, ‘What about Keanu Reeves?’ He is beautiful.’ And we all looked at each other and said, “Well, Bill and Ted?” And then we said, “Well, wait a second, he was great in Parenthood, let’s meet him.” »
Bont’s director insisted that Keanu Reeves cut his long hair. De Bont’s reasoning was clear: he aimed to change people’s perception of Keanu in his Bill and Ted character and “think of Keanu as an adult actor.»
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Keanu Reeves shared great rapport with Speed Co-star
In Speed, Keanu Reeves took on the role of Jack Traver, with Sandra Bullock as Annie Porter. The film’s antagonist, Howard Payne, was brought to life by the late actor Dennis Hopper. For Reeves, collaborating with the legendary Hopper was a career highlight.
The late actor held an extremely influential position in the Hollywood world. Sadly, Hooper bid farewell to the world on May 29, 2010.
Bullock and the Canadian actor developed a strong bond while working together on set. Although they were never romantically involved, rumors swirled that they both had a mutual crush. The 59-year-old actress fondly recalled her experiences working with Reeves while filming his 1994 film.
The actress also mentioned that, according to her, Reeves maintains friendly relations with all the women he has been involved with, and she believes that probably no one has a negative opinion towards the Canadian actor.
Speed is available for streaming on STARZ.
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Source: THIS
