When Speed came out in 1994, it was one of the biggest movies of the summer, making $121 million domestically at the box office and turning Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock into household names. The premise of a bus that will explode if it goes below 50 mph puts butts in seats, but it’s the chemistry between Reeves and Bullock that turned the film into an instant classic. Bullock, however, was not the first name looked at for the role of Annie Porter. There were a few other future big names discussed, including an up and comer named Halle Berry. You can argue that Berry would have been great in the role too, but she said no once she read an early script, and, well, we can’t really blame her.
Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock Weren’t the First Choices for ‘Speed’
Speed might a classic ’90s action movie, but it endured a lot of growing pains from page to screen. One of those changes was the potential cast. They might feel like no-brainers today, but Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock weren’t the first or second choices for Jack Traven and Annie Porter. In a 2014 interview with Entertainment Weekly, writer Graham Yost revealed that Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Wesley Snipes, and Woody Harrelson were all considered first, before Reeves’ name came up.
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Annie Porter’s character wasn’t easy to cast either. Before Bullock got the gig, Ellen DeGeneres was shockingly looked at, as was Halle Berry, since in the first version of the Speed script, Annie was a Black ambulance driver. Berry would have been a good choice for the part, but it was the first version of that script that also ended up taking her out of the running.
Originally, the Bus in ‘Speed’ Wasn’t Going to Leave the Parking Lot
In a recent interview on Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, Halle Berry sat down to talk about her iconic acting career, one which includes a historic Oscar win, and is still going strong. During the discussion, Halle Berry brought up how she passed on Speed. Now, just why in the world would an actress, who was still finding her way, say no to a huge studio movie? As it turned out, she had a very good reason for declining.
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“Pop quiz, hot shot!”
In an earlier version of the Speed script, the bus never leaves the parking lot. Laughing, Halle Berry said, “So who would say yes to that? A bus going around and around in like, this supermarket parking lot.” Thinking Speed would be a bust, she decided she didn’t want to be a part of it. Berry confessed to loving Speed when she saw the final version, but you certainly can’t blame her for saying no to what she originally read.
‘Speed’ Consistently Raises the Stakes
Speed has one of those great “what if” premises that immediately gets your attention, and Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock are perfect together, but none of that would have mattered if the premise didn’t live up to its potential. Imagine Speed with a bus just going around in circles in a parking lot. That would have lacked any tension whatsoever.
The final version of Speed, directed by Jan de Bont (who had a fantastic followup with Twister) makes use of its entire setting. With it taking place in Los Angeles, the bus is put on the freeway during the middle of the day, where there are tense situations to overcome around every turn. What if the driver is shot and Annie has to drive the bus? What if a bridge is out up ahead? What if the bus is running out of gas? We barely have time to catch our breath between those big moments, and although we have to suspend our disbelief at times (the gap jump is a little silly), it’s so exciting that we don’t care. Halle Berry saying no, because the script mattered more than anything else, spoke to where her career was heading. Now if she’d only said no to Catwoman a decade later…
Speed is available to rent on Prime Video in the U.S.
A high-octane thriller featuring Jack Traven, a Los Angeles police officer who must deal with a terrifying hostage situation on a city bus. The bus is wired to explode if it drops below 50 mph, forcing Jack to work with the passengers, including the resourceful Annie Porter, to keep the vehicle moving and avoid disaster. The film is a gripping blend of action and suspense, with Jack and Annie facing numerous obstacles and the cunning schemes of the bomber, Howard Payne. It explores themes of heroism and resilience under pressure, delivering relentless excitement and tension.
- Release Date
- June 10, 1994
- Runtime
- 116 minutes
- Writers
- Graham Yost
Rent on Prime Video
