Keanu Reeves is a Canadian actor who has appeared in films, television series and video games. He made his film debut in the short One Step Away in 1985. [1] The following year, Reeves appeared in the crime film River's Edge , and the television films Babes in Toyland , Act of Vengeance , and Brotherhood of Justice . His first lead role was as a teenager dealing with his best friend's suicide in the 1988 drama Permanent Record . [1] His breakthrough role came when he played time-travelling slacker Ted "Theodore" Logan in the science fiction comedy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) with Alex Winter, which was an unexpected commercial success. [2] Reeves followed this with a supporting role in Ron Howard's comedy Parenthood . In 1991 he starred in the action film Point Break with Patrick Swayze, the science fiction comedy sequel Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey , and the independent drama My Own Private Idaho . [3]
He starred as a police officer in the action thriller Speed (1994) with Sandra Bullock, which was a commercial and critical success. [3] However he followed this with a series of films that performed poorly at the box office, including Johnny Mnemonic (1995) and Chain Reaction (1996). [4] His career experienced a turnaround when he played computer hacker Neo in the science fiction film The Matrix (1999). [5] The film was a commercial success and received critical acclaim. [6] He reprised the role in its sequels, The Matrix Reloaded , The Matrix Revolutions (both 2003), and The Matrix Resurrections (2021). Reeves played exorcist John Constantine in Constantine and a dentist in the comedy-drama Thumbsucker (both 2005). He reunited with Bullock in the 2006 romantic drama The Lake House . In 2008, Reeves played alien Klaatu in The Day the Earth Stood Still .
Reeves played the titular assassin in the neo-noir action thriller John Wick (2014), which was a commercial success and had a generally positive reception from critics. He starred in its sequels, John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023). In 2016, he played the ghost of a stuntman in the American-Swedish television series Swedish Dicks . Reeves voiced Duke Caboom in the animated film sequel Toy Story 4 (2019), which grossed over $1 billion at the worldwide box office, [7] and in 2020 portrayed rock star Johnny Silverhand in the video game Cyberpunk 2077 . Reeves reprised his role as Silverhand alongside Idris Elba in Cyberpunk's Phantom Liberty expansion (2023), and will star alongside Elba in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024) as Shadow the Hedgehog. [8]
Key | † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
Year(s) | Title | Role(s) | Notes | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1984 | Hangin' In | Teen Client | [106] | |
1985 | Letting Go | Stereo Teen | Television film | [107] |
Night Heat | Mugger / Thug #1 | 2 episodes | [108] | |
Fast Food | Crackers | [109] | ||
1986 | The Disney Sunday Movie | Michael Riley (age 17) | Episode: "Young Again" | [110] [111] |
Babes in Toyland | Jack Nimble | Television film | [36] | |
Act of Vengeance | Buddy Martin | [112] | ||
Brotherhood of Justice | Derek | [36] | ||
Under the Influence | Eddie Talbot | [110] [113] | ||
1987 | Trying Times | Joey | Episode: "Moving Day" | [114] |
1989 | Life Under Water | Kip | Television film | [115] |
The Tracey Ullman Show | Jesse Walker | Segment: "Two Lost Souls" | [116] | |
1990 | Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures | Theodore "Ted" Logan | Voice; 13 episodes | [117] |
2009 | Bollywood Hero | Himself | Cameo; miniseries | [118] |
2016–2018 | Swedish Dicks | Tex | 13 episodes | [119] |
2020 | A World of Calm | Narrator | Voice; episode: "Living Among Trees" | [120] |
2023 | Ride with Norman Reedus | Himself | Episode: "The Utah Desert with Keanu Reeves" | [121] |
Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story | Host | Documentary series; also executive producer | [122] | |
2024 | Ancient Apocalypse | Himself | Season 2; recurring guest | [123] |
Secret Level † | TBA | Anthology series; Armored Core episode | [124] | |
Key | † | Denotes series that have not yet been released |
Year(s) | Title | Role(s) | Notes | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1995 | Hamlet | Prince Hamlet | Manitoba Theatre Centre | [125] |
2025 | Waiting for Godot † | Estragon | Broadway debut | [126] |
Key | † | Denotes productions that have not yet been performed |
Year | Title | Role(s) | Notes | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
2003 | Enter the Matrix | Neo | Live action FMV cutscenes and voice-over role | [127] |
2014 | Payday 2 | John Wick | John Wick Heists DLC pack | [128] |
2019 | Fortnite | Likeness only, DLC cosmetic. | [129] [130] | |
2020 | Cyberpunk 2077 | Johnny Silverhand | Voice and motion capture, as well as Phantom Liberty expansion | [131] [132] |
2021 | The Matrix Awakens | Himself and Neo | Voice, tie-in The Matrix Awakens tech demo for The Matrix Resurrections | [133] |
2024 | Shadow Generations | Shadow the Hedgehog | Voice; "Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Movie Pack" DLC | [134] |
Keanu Charles Reeves is a Canadian actor and musician. He is the recipient of numerous accolades in a career on screen spanning four decades. In 2020, The New York Times ranked him as the fourth-greatest actor of the 21st century, and in 2022 Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Reeves is known for his leading roles in action films, his amiable public image, and his philanthropic efforts.
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the first installment in the Matrix film series, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Joe Pantoliano, and depicts a dystopian future in which humanity is unknowingly trapped inside the Matrix, a simulated reality that intelligent machines have created to distract humans while using their bodies as an energy source. When computer programmer Thomas Anderson, under the hacker alias "Neo", uncovers the truth, he joins a rebellion against the machines along with other people who have been freed from the Matrix.
Laurence John Fishburne III is an American actor. He is a three-time Emmy Award and Tony Award winner known for his roles on stage and screen. He has been hailed for his forceful, militant, and authoritative characters in his films. He is known for playing Morpheus in The Matrix series (1999–2003), Jason "Furious" Styles in the John Singleton drama film Boyz n the Hood (1991), Tyrone "Mr. Clean" Miller in Francis Ford Coppola's war film Apocalypse Now (1979), and "The Bowery King" in the John Wick film series (2017–present).
The Matrix Revolutions is a 2003 American science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the third installment in The Matrix film series, released six months following The Matrix Reloaded. The film stars Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Jada Pinkett Smith, Monica Bellucci, Lambert Wilson, and Mary Alice who replaced Gloria Foster as the Oracle following Foster's death in 2001.
The Matrix is an American cyberpunk media franchise consisting of four feature films, beginning with The Matrix (1999) and continuing with three sequels, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, and The Matrix Resurrections (2021). The first three films were written and directed by the Wachowskis and produced by Joel Silver. The screenplay for the fourth film was written by Lana Wachowski, David Mitchell and Aleksandar Hemon, was directed by Lana Wachowski, and was produced by Grant Hill, James McTeigue, and Lana Wachowski. The franchise is owned by Warner Bros., which distributed the films along with Village Roadshow Pictures. The latter, along with Silver Pictures, are the two production companies that worked on the first three films.
Constantine is a 2005 American superhero horror film directed by Francis Lawrence in his directorial debut. Written by Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello from a story by Brodbin, it is loosely based on the DC Comics/Vertigo Comics Hellblazer graphic novels. The film stars Keanu Reeves as John Constantine, a cynical exorcist with the ability to perceive and communicate with half-angels and half-demons in their true forms and to travel between Earth and Hell. Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf, Tilda Swinton, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Djimon Hounsou, Gavin Rossdale, and Peter Stormare also feature.
David Leitch is an American filmmaker, stunt performer, stunt coordinator, and actor. He made his directorial debut on the action film John Wick (2014) with Chad Stahelski, though only Stahelski was credited. He later also directed the films Atomic Blonde (2017), Deadpool 2 (2018), Hobbs & Shaw (2019), Bullet Train (2022), and The Fall Guy (2024).
Man of Tai Chi is a 2013 Chinese-American martial arts film directed by Keanu Reeves in his directorial debut. It also stars Reeves, Tiger Chen, Iko Uwais, Karen Mok and Simon Yam. The film is multilingual, featuring dialogue in Mandarin, English and Cantonese. In the film, a young martial artist is pushed by the need of money to enter the world of underground fighting.
American actor Robert Downey Jr. made his acting debut in 1970's Pound, directed by his father Robert Downey Sr., at the age of five. In the 1980s, Downey was considered a member of the Brat Pack after appearing in the films Weird Science with Anthony Michael Hall (1985), Back to School with Rodney Dangerfield (1986), Less than Zero with Andrew McCarthy (1987), and Johnny Be Good again with Hall (1988). Downey also starred in the films True Believer (1989) and Chances Are (1989), and was a regular cast member on the late-night variety show Saturday Night Live in 1985.
John Wick is a 2014 American action thriller film directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad. Keanu Reeves stars as John Wick, a legendary hitman who comes out of retirement to seek revenge against the men who killed his dog, a final gift from his recently deceased wife. The film also stars Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, Dean Winters, Ian McShane, John Leguizamo, and Willem Dafoe.
John Wick: Chapter 2 is a 2017 American neo-noir action-thriller film directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad. The film is a sequel to John Wick (2014) and the second installment in the John Wick franchise. The film stars Keanu Reeves as the title character, with a supporting cast of Common, Laurence Fishburne, Riccardo Scamarcio, Ruby Rose, Lance Reddick, Peter Stormare, Bridget Moynahan, Franco Nero, John Leguizamo, and Ian McShane. In the film, retired hitman John Wick is forced back into his old life to fulfill a blood oath to crime lord Santino D'Antonio (Scamarcio).
Charles F. Stahelski is an American stuntman and filmmaker. He is considered a highly-influential figure in the action film genre. He first achieved prominence as a stunt performer and coordinator, notably as the key stunt double for Keanu Reeves on The Matrix (1999), and as the martial arts stunt coordinator on its first two sequels. He subsequently directed the 2014 film John Wick, starring Reeves, and its three sequels.
John Wick is an American neo-noir action film series and media franchise created by Derek Kolstad. It centers on the titular character portrayed by actor Keanu Reeves. Wick is a legendary hitman who is reluctantly drawn back into the criminal underworld after retiring. The franchise began with the release of John Wick in 2014, followed by three sequels: Chapter 2 in 2017, Chapter 3 – Parabellum in 2019, and Chapter 4 in 2023.
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is a 2019 American neo-noir action thriller film directed by Chad Stahelski from a screenplay by Derek Kolstad, Shay Hatten, Chris Collins, and Marc Abrams, based on a story by Kolstad. The film is the sequel to John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) and the third installment in the John Wick franchise. It stars Keanu Reeves as the title character, alongside an ensemble supporting cast including Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Mark Dacascos, Asia Kate Dillon, Lance Reddick, Anjelica Huston, and Ian McShane. The film centers on John Wick going on the run from a legion of hitmen after a bounty is placed for his murder.
Bill & Ted Face the Music is a 2020 American science fiction comedy film directed by Dean Parisot and written by Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon. It is the third film in the Bill & Ted film series, and the sequel to Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991). Alex Winter, Keanu Reeves, and William Sadler reprise their roles as Bill, Ted, and the Grim Reaper, respectively; while Kristen Schaal, Samara Weaving, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Anthony Carrigan, Erinn Hayes, Jayma Mays, Holland Taylor, Kid Cudi, Jillian Bell and Beck Bennett join the cast. In the film, Bill and Ted must write a song to unite humanity before space-time is destroyed. The script was laid out as early as 2010, but a production deal was not confirmed until 2018. Filming commenced on July 1, 2019.
The Matrix Resurrections is a 2021 American science fiction action film produced, co-written, and directed by Lana Wachowski, and the first in the Matrix franchise to be directed solely by Lana. It is the sequel to The Matrix Revolutions (2003) and the fourth installment in The Matrix film franchise. The film stars Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Jada Pinkett Smith. The film is set sixty years after Revolutions and follows Neo, who lives a seemingly ordinary life as a video game developer having trouble with distinguishing fantasy from reality. A group of rebels, with the help of a programmed version of Morpheus, free Neo from a new version of the Matrix and fight a new enemy that holds Trinity captive.
John Wick: Chapter 4 is a 2023 American neo-noir action thriller film directed and co-produced by Chad Stahelski and written by Shay Hatten and Michael Finch. The sequel to John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) and the fourth installment in the John Wick franchise, the film stars Keanu Reeves as the title character, alongside Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins, Clancy Brown, and Ian McShane. In the film, John Wick sets out for revenge on the High Table and those who left him for dead.
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina is an upcoming American neo-noir action thriller film directed by Len Wiseman and written by Shay Hatten. It is the fifth film in the John Wick franchise, serving as a spin-off set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4. It stars Ana de Armas in the lead role, alongside Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno and Norman Reedus in supporting roles. Anjelica Huston, Lance Reddick, Ian McShane, and Keanu Reeves reprise their roles from the previous films.
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