Keanu Reeves recalls turning down Speed 2: ‘An ocean liner?... I had the feeling it wasn’t right’

Keanu Reeves has reflected on his decision not to star in Speed 2.

The actor, 57, starred in the original 1994 action film Speed as Jack Traven, an officer in the Los Angeles Police Department’s Swat team who has to prevent a bomb exploding on a city bus by keeping its speed above 50mph.

His co-star Sandra Bullock returned for the 1997 sequel, Speed 2: Cruise Control, with Jason Patric taking over the leading role as officer Alex Shaw in the film, which sees the action play out on a luxury cruise ship.

Speaking on The Graham Norton Show via a video call from the US, Reeves said: “At the time I didn’t respond to the script.

“I really wanted to work with Sandra Bullock, I loved playing Jack Traven, and I loved Speed, but an ocean liner?

“I had nothing against the artists involved, but at that time I had the feeling it just wasn’t right.”

Speed 2: Cruise Control did not receive the same positive feedback as its predecessor. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of four per cent, and the website’s consensus reads: “Speed 2 falls far short of its predecessor, thanks to laughable dialogue, thin characterisation, unsurprisingly familiar plot devices, and action sequences that fail to generate any excitement.”

Despite opting out of Speed 2, Reeves is returning to another of his celebrated roles as Neo in the Matrix sci-fi series, alongside Carrie-Anne Moss who will reprise her role as Trinity.

The long-awaited fourth Matrix film, titled The Matrix Resurrections, is the first new instalment in the franchise since 2003’s The Matrix Revolutions.

The film is directed by Lana Wachowski, who directed and wrote the previous Matrix movies with her sister Lilly.

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Talking about the much-anticipated movie, Reeves said: “Hopefully people will enjoy it – it’s very exciting, and it was an extraordinary experience to make it.”

He also addressed the pressing question of how his character, who was believed to have died 18 years ago, is still alive in the new film, saying: “I had the same question – when the director asked me what I thought about doing another Matrix film.

“I said, ‘What? That sounds amazing but I’m dead.’ She was like, ‘Are you?’ and I said, ‘Do tell!’

“She wrote a beautiful story, and I love playing the character. How I am alive will all be explained.”

The Matrix Resurrections is due in cinemas on 22 December.

The Graham Norton Show, airs on BBC One on Friday 10 December and will be available afterwards on BBC iPlayer.

Additional reporting by Press Association