Keanu Reeves was adamant he did not want to star in this one movie, but in the end he had no choice.
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It is very difficult to run out of examples showing the esteem with which Keanu Reeves is held in Hollywood. From flying solo with no security, to respecting personal space when meeting up with female fans, there are seemingly endless reasons why the actor is considered one of the nicest movie stars alive.
Reeves has been in the industry for nearly four decades since he got his start as a correspondent for Going Great in 1984. The newsmagazine show aired on CBC in his native Canada, and Nickelodeon in the United States. His Hollywood breakthrough came in the early ‘90s, with roles in movies like My Own Private Idaho, Point Break, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Speed.
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In 1999, he played the main starring role in The Matrix, a part that would catapult him to the highest echelons of recognition for acting. He also saw his net worth skyrocket after returning to multiple sequels within the Wachowskis franchise. Reeves would go on to cement his status with top-level performances in the John Wick series, as well as other films like Constantine, Destination Wedding and Man of Tai Chi.
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Like any of his peers, Reeves has also said no to a number of projects, including the war film Platoon, and a sequel to his 1994 action thriller movie Speed. On one such occasion, however, he could not have his way, and was forced to shoot the movie anyway.
Keanu Reeves Did Not Want To Star In The Watcher
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The one film that Keanu Reeves did not want to star in but was forced to anyway was The Watcher, a 2000 psychological thriller directed by Joe Charbanic. The film’s plot follows David Allen Griffin (the character played by Reeves), a serial killer who sends taunting letters to retired FBI agent Joel Campbell (James Spader), the man who had previously been in charge of catching him.
Campbell is haunted by the case and the fact that he was unable to catch Griffin before he retired from the FBI. When he starts receiving letters from Griffin, he becomes obsessed with tracking down the killer and putting him behind bars, and duly comes out of retirement to continue chasing him.
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The Watcher gave fans an opportunity to see Reeves playing a villainous character. Up until that point, he had mostly been cast in heroic roles, such as Neo in The Matrix or Jack Traven in Speed. Despite his protestations otherwise, the actor had no choice but to play the bad man in a movie he didn’t want to do.
Keanu Reeves Alleged That His Signature Was Forged In The Watcher Contracts
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Keanu Reeves would later reveal that he was very adamant he did not want to star in The Watcher after reading the script. After saying no, however, a friend of his went ahead and forged his signature on contracts committing him to the role of David Allen Griffin.
In an old interview with the Calgary Sun newspaper, Reeves spoke about his experience working on The Watcher, and he dropped a bombshell revelation: “I never found the script interesting, but a friend of mine forged my signature on the agreement,” he said, as was later reported by The Guardian.
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“I couldn’t prove he did and I didn’t want to get sued, so I had no other choice but to do the film,” Reeves continued. There had also been prior rumors that he was not happy to learn that he would be receiving a reported $1.5 million less than his co-star James Spader. He never commented on this speculation.
Keanu Reeves Was Also Forced To Sign A Gag Order
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Keanu Reeves’ interview with the Calgary Sun newspaper took place in September 2001, exactly one year after the official release of The Watcher. According to him, this was also the month when a gag order he was forced to sign regarding the circumstances of his involvement in the film was meant to expire. “If it’s September that means it’s been a year, so I can finally talk,” he said.
Despite the controversy surrounding Reeves’ role in The Watcher, the film was released to theaters starting September 8, 2000. The critical reception was mixed, with some reviewers criticizing the movie’s “formulaic plot” and “lackluster performances.”
However, some critics offered praise for the “tense atmosphere and suspenseful set pieces” in the story.
Audiences were similarly divided on the picture. The Watcher opened to a disappointing box office performance, grossing just $9.1 million domestically against a reported budget of $30 million. However, the film did perform better overseas, ultimately earning a total of $47.2 million worldwide.
On his part, Reeves did what he had to do and then moved on with his career, without ever revealing the identity of the said friend who betrayed his trust.
