The leading actor of Speed, a classic action film released in theaters in 1994, is Keanu Reeves. At the time, it was hard to imagine anyone else in the role of a young police officer trapped in a bus that could explode if its speed dropped below 80 kilometers per hour. However, Reeves was not the first choice for the role. The filmmakers originally wanted a well-known Hollywood star to attract a large audience, and the two most famous Toms of cinema—Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise—were considered. Other actors, such as Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson, were also in the running. Graham Yost, the screenwriter of Speed, recalled in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that the team initially thought of Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks, as well as others. However, when they considered Keanu Reeves, who had recently appeared in Point Break and Dracula, they were unsure. "We all looked at each other and said, 'Uh... the guy from Bill & Ted?'" Yost said. The idea of casting Reeves seemed unusual at first, but they reconsidered when they remembered his performance in The Breakfast Club. Keanu Reeves arrived at the studio with a tall, slim frame and a stylish haircut. He had already demonstrated his ability to handle weapons and adopt a police-like attitude in Point Break. These qualities were exactly what the filmmakers were looking for. Reeves managed to convince the studio, and Speed went on to become a classic in action cinema. The film, which also features Sandra Bullock and Dennis Hopper, was a major box office success, earning $350 million worldwide and attracting 2.4 million viewers in French cinemas.