Keanu Reeves Says ‘Speed’ Production Actually Caused Car Accidents: ‘People Were Screaming’
Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock caused a bit of a stir during the production of their iconic 1994 action film “Speed” — and it wasn’t because of their shared star power.
During a Beyond Fest 2024 panel moderated by IndieWire editor Jim Hemphill, both actors reflected on how maneuvering one of the buses used in the film led to real car accidents. Jan de Bont’s blockbuster recently celebrated its 30th anniversary.
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“Don’t you remember that day on the bus, though?” Reeves asked Bullock onstage. “When we were crashing through all the cars on the street? I remember we were a little under-informed. We were all on the bus and then we were driving down by San Diego or something. We were set by the ocean, and all of a sudden, we’re actually hitting cars. Boom! Boom!”
Reeves continued, “Everyone on their bus lost their mind. People were screaming.”
Co-star Bullock actually got her bus driver’s license for the film despite not actually driving on camera. So don’t worry, Bullock’s driving isn’t to blame!
“The fun part was that I was at the helm of the bus, but in the back, there was someone driving along the roof. Someone was driving, and I was being careened into whatever [director] Jan [de Bont] felt I needed to smash into,” she said. “But never, never [was I actually driving]. I did get my Santa Monica bus driver’s license. I did! It’s not an easy vehicle to maneuver.”
The “Speed” production used 11 buses total, and nearly two dozen cameras, according to Reeves. The actor originally turned down the role before Jan de Bont, previously the “Die Hard” cinematographer, joined the project.
“We’re dealing with a master cinematographer here, so the handrails [on the bus] were actually tracks for the punchy cameras. I counted 22 cameras once in the front,” Reeves said. “So, I’d be here doing my thing, and Sandra would be driving. In front of us, there’d be like 22 cameras. One camera for Sandra’s hands, one camera for when I turned.”
And with the rise in technology in recent years, would the duo ever revisit the film for a third installment? (Bullock infamously said flop “Speed 2” is why she has a no-sequels rule to this day. Reeves did not return for the sequel.)
“It would require a lot from everybody,” Bullock said. “I don’t know if we’re in an industry anymore that’s willing to tolerate it and be brave enough to do it. Maybe I could be wrong. … If [Jan de Bont] can’t make [what’s in his brain] for the audience, then he’s failed… I don’t know what we could do that would be good enough for the audience.”
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