Johnny Depp was the first choice for The Matrix (Photo Credit – Koimoi)
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In the late ’90s, Depp was riding high off Donnie Brasco and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. They were all in on him for their sci-fi blockbuster. However, Warner Bros. had other ideas. They were pushing for Val Kilmer or Brad Pitt. In fact, they even promised to fast-track the project if Pitt said yes.
Both stars passed. Pitt had just wrapped Seven Years in Tibet and felt too drained to dive into another major project. Kilmer also wasn’t biting. With those two out of the running, the Wachowskis circled back to Depp. Warner Bros., however, wasn’t convinced.
That’s when the studio turned their attention to Leonardo DiCaprio. Fresh off Titanic, Leo was initially game but eventually bowed out, not wanting to dive into another heavy special effects film so soon after Cameron’s epic.
Finally, after what seemed like Hollywood’s biggest game of musical chairs, the role landed with Keanu Reeves. And the rest? Well, The Matrix became iconic with Reeves as its forever Neo. Would Depp have brought something different to the role? Sure. But can you really picture anyone but Keanu dodging bullets in slow motion? Yeah, me neither.
Sandra Bullock and Other Stars Were Almost Neo Before Reeves Seized the Role
The Wachowskis were determined to get Johnny Depp on board in the quest to find the perfect Neo. But Warner Bros. wasn’t on the same page. Enter Sandra Bullock. Producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and megaproducer Joel Silver, who had worked with Bullock on Demolition Man, thought she’d be a stellar choice for the role. They even toyed with the idea of rewriting the script to make Neo female if she said yes.
Bullock was sent the script, but she decided the role wasn’t for her, opting instead for Miss Congeniality the following year. Her loss was her gain, as she enjoyed major success with that role.
Meanwhile, other names like Will Smith were also considered. Smith later admitted he wasn’t mature enough back then to take on such a deep role. “I would have been trying to make jokes,” Smith confessed to Empire.
Ultimately, the studio loved Keanu Reeves. His alignment with the story and his take on Neo convinced the Wachowskis to go with him. Johnny Depp was the top choice, but Keanu Reeves brought something unique that made him the perfect Neo. And the rest? That’s cinematic magic.
