Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, stars of Speed, celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the full-throttle thriller. The two stars reunited with director Jan de Bont for a special screening of the film, reminiscing about their experience on set.
Speedthe iconic thriller directed by the Dutchman Jan de Bont in 1994, he celebrated his 30th anniversary and, for the occasion, the protagonists Keanu Reeves e Sandra Bullock they made the fans happy. On Tuesday 8 October the two stars participated in one special screening of the film with a high rate of suspense and speed, which was held as part of the Beyond Fest in Los Angeles. The director, now 80, was also present.
Winner of two Oscar Awards (Best Sound and Best Sound Editing), Speed tells the race against time of a mad terrorist (Dennis Hopper) and the SWAT officer Jack Traven (Reeves), who hunts him. After carrying out two attacks, the criminal places one bomb on a bus: if the vehicle were to travel below 50 miles per hour, the device will explode. When the driver is seriously injured, she will be the most scared Annie (Bullock) to get behind the wheel and try, with Jack’s help, to save the passengers from the worst.
“We knew we were doing something crazy,” Reeves said to the packed house. “I was behind the wheel of a bullet – echoed the colleague, joking – so I was happy to still be alive at the end of the day. I mean, for me it was something new, so I wasn’t aware of what was happening or what it felt right or what not, but I was just in. So I guess, as an actress and because I was a beginner, I got behind the wheel and wanted everyone to be safe.”
Jan de Bont he in turn expressed words of great esteem for the two stars, whose contribution was fundamental to the gigantic success of Speedwhich grossed more than $350 million worldwide.
What they had to do is just incredible. But the relationship that those two created together is absolutely incredible. And seeing it on screen again tonight, it was so real. They were absolutely perfect. All the emotions were right, all the laughter was right, all the smiles, the little quips… It was really cool. And I have to tell them how great they were.
The acclaim received from Speed paved the way for the less than successful sequel Speed 2 – Without limitsagain directed by de Bont. Sandra Bullock reprized her role as Annie, but this time alongside Jason Patric in the role of the protagonist’s new boyfriend. Willem Dafoe he played the dangerous and vengeful John Geiger. To put it mildly, the sequel wasn’t as warmly received as the original. With just $164 million grossed, it was a real commercial disaster.
Despite the flop, Sandra Bullock doesn’t give up. During the event, she reiterated that she wouldn’t think twice about saying yes to a hypothetical Speed 3. It’s not the first time that the actress declares that she wants to act alongside Reeves again, but this time she openly urged Hollywood leaders to take the risk and turn Speed into a trilogy. “I don’t know if we’re still in an industry willing to tolerate it and brave enough to do it,” he said. “Maybe I could be wrong. If Jan can’t do what he has in mind for the public, then he’s failed, it seems. I don’t know what we could do if it was good enough for the public.”
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As for future projects, Keanu Reeves it will be once again John Wick in the long-awaited spin-off Ballerina con Ana de Armascoming in 2025. He is also producing the adaptation of BRZRKRthe comic book series he co-wrote with Matt Kindt. Sandra Bullock instead she is ready to star in the sequel to Loves and Spells1998 romantic fantasy directed by Griffin Dunne. Warner Bros. has officially announced that a second installment is in production and that Bullock and Nicole Kidman they will return to the roles of the sisters Sally e Gillian Owens. If all goes as planned, the divas will also be producers. There screenplay of the sequel will bear the signature of the original screenwriter Akiva Goldsman.
