Speed 3 For Sandra Bullock? She Sounds Ready To Reunite With Keanu Reeves Under One Very Important Condition
Pop quiz, hot shots.
In the spring of 1994, no one could have predicted one of the best action movies of all time was on the way, co-starring Ted “Theodore” Logan portrayer Keanu Reeves and the relatively unknown Sandra Bullock. (And Dennis mother-fluffing Hopper, of course.) Speed was lightning in a bottle on film, and its Jason Patric-starring, seafaring sequel could not replicate the initial feature’s kinetic majesty. But could Speed 3 ever happen to right that wrong?
It’s a question that fans of the Jan de Bont blockbuster have been asking for literal decades now, as Speed itself is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its 1994 debut. And while Reeves himself seemed dismissive of the idea back in 2014, pop culture is now in a place where it seems feasible that Speed 3 could pop up on the 2025 movie schedule, assuming all parties involved are interested. And Sandra Bullock seems down if there are any Hollywood studios ready to let de Bont do his thing.
Speaking at a Q&A alongside Keanu Reeves and the filmmaker himself (via THR), Bullock addressed the notion of whether a third Speed film is possible, first joking that it would be “the geriatric version,” and that it wouldn’t be so fast. But then she offered a more sincere outlook, saying:
For a bit more context, the stars and director had just discussed the hectic and totally CGI-free production that resulted in Speed's chaotic bus journey, the massive unfinished freeway stunt, the airport sequence and more. So it was in everyone's front of mind that the director was willing to go all out in order to make the most propulsive experience possible for audiences. (And seemingly without traumatizing his actors, thankfully.)
What's more, 20th Century Fox execs basically gave him free rein, with certain limitations, and de Bont took advantage in every way he could. Even when it involved trying to cover up a mishandled bus stunt that destroyed a bunch of cameras.
And by all means, maybe he's not the same kind of filmmaker now, and wouldn't necessarily be such a high-risk creative force behind the scenes. But then if that's the case, then having this whole hyped-up conversation about Speed 3 would be trivial, since the world doesn't need another haphazard sequel for Annie Porter. Just more of that instantly believable chemistry between Annie and Jack.
Bullock closed out her assessment with the admission that she doesn't even know herself what would be the perfect hook would be, but knows that it would have to be de Bont's vision or nothing at all. She continued:
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Keanu Reeves was put in “movie jail” for turning down Speed 2: Cruise Control, which ended up being one of the better career decisions he's made in a lifetime full of them. But this many years away from the explosive magnificence that started it all, returning to that world hopefully sounds like a more interesting idea for all involved. At least assuming Jan de Bont (and hopefully screenwriter Graham Yost) have only the best ideas for how to handle it.
Twisters proved that ‘90s blockbusters are able to be sequelized without the need to lean entirely on former casts and plotlines, and Speed is one of several action movies that could make a standalone sequel work. But only as a last resort. For now, I'm still hoping for Bullock and Reeves to share the screen again, where no one's age can go under 50.
Nick is a Cajun Country native and an Assistant Managing Editor with a focus on TV and features. His humble origin story with CinemaBlend began all the way back in the pre-streaming era, circa 2009, as a freelancing DVD reviewer and TV recapper. Nick leapfrogged over to the small screen to cover more and more television news and interviews, eventually taking over the section for the current era and covering topics like Yellowstone, The Walking Dead and horror. Born in Louisiana and currently living in Texas — Who Dat Nation over America’s Team all day, all night — Nick spent several years in the hospitality industry, and also worked as a 911 operator. If you ever happened to hear his music or read his comics/short stories, you have his sympathy.