There is no arguing with the fact that The Matrix is a masterpiece. Since its 1999 release the film has won four Oscars, spawned two sequels (The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions), become a defining influence in the science-fiction genre, and relaunched Keanu Reeves to box office gold.
But in the process of bringing The Matrix to life, the part of Neo was nearly taken by a few other big name actors. Most notably, Sandra Bullock very nearly took the part of Neo, who would have been adapted to be a female lead.
The Matrix producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura, who fought to have Warner Bros. make the film, admitted to The Wrap that the sci-fi movies nearly looked very different.
“We went to Sandy Bullock and said ‘We’ll change Neo to a girl.” he said.
‘(Producer) Joel Silver and I worked with Sandy on Demolition Man,” he continued. “And she was – and continues to be – a very good friend of mine. It was pretty simple. We sent her the script to see if she was interested in it. And if she was interested in it we would try to make the change.”
“It just wasn’t something for her at the time. So really it didn’t go anywhere.” he said.
While Sandra Bullock now maintains that the part ultimately went to the right person, it’s hard not to imagine what The Matrix with a female lead would have been like.
Had Neo been played by Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio or Will Smith – who were all offered the part before Keanu Reeves – it would have been much of the muchness. But Sandra Bullock would have turned the film into a landmark moment for female leads.
That’s not to say that the film should have gone with Bullock, because Keanu Reeves really does nail this movie. But the fact that the producer considered this part relatively genderless is pretty damn cool, and it’s interesting to imagine what could have been.