Keanu Reeves is one of the most famous actors of our time, a magnetic star with millions of fans worldwide. Even though critics often accuse him of being an ‘incapable’ actor and some anti-fans believe he has been wasting his talents in movies like Sonic the Hedgehog, there is no denying the influence and power Reeves has.

Keanu Reeves in The Matrix | Credit: Warner Bros.

Famed for starring in The Matrix and playing the deadly hitman John Wick, not every project of Reeves has turned out to be good. And being a victim of his own humble personality, the actor once fell victim to Speak No Evil mantra and was forced to star in one of his worst movies of all time.

When Keanu Reeves Was Forced to Star in a Box Office Bomb

Keanu Reeves in The Watcher | Credit: Universal Pictures

Keanu Reeves is one of the nicest and most generous human beings on the planet probably. Despite his tragic life and more, the actor continues to be as humble and down-to-earth as ever. However, while being nice has its perks, it is not always a good thing, especially when it comes to his Hollywood career.

James McAvoy’s Speak No Evil just hit the theatres recently and it chronicles how one of the character’s refusal to speak up puts the whole family in mortal peril. Much like the film, Reeves’ refusal to speak up against an evil deed resulted in him starring in one of the worst movies of his career.

Back in the 2000s, the actor agreed to work for his pal Joe Charbanic in the film The Watcher. While he had agreed to star in a small role, his role as a sinister serial killer was elaborated following his success in The Matrix. However, soon after reading the script, Reeves tried to back down.

The reluctant Reeves was forced to star in the film following threats of lawsuits since his signature on the film’s agreement was forged by a friend. Unable to prove his innocence and being the nice guy he is, Reeves ended up working in the film, resulting in The Watcher being one of the worst films of his filmography (via Variety).

James McAvoy is Not Afraid of Repetition in Speak No Evil

Keanu Reeves is often criticized for lacking depth and gravitas in many of his portrayals, but he is also sometimes criticized for most of his roles allegedly being ‘repetitive’ and similar (see Reddit). However, on the other hand, his contemporary James McAvoy is not afraid of being repetitive.

Recently seen in the psychological horror-thriller Speak No Evil, McAvoy is the go-to guy of Hollywood when it comes to playing diabolical and menacing characters. Thanks to his work in Split, Glass, and now Speak No Evil, McAvoy’s roles do look similar on the surface. Yet, he has no qualms about repeating himself, as he tells The Hollywood Reporter.

I don’t mind retreading over old territory. To be honest with you, I’d say the majority of actors end up playing the same kind of person their entire career… If I have to play the same character a few times in a row, or many times in a row, to tell good stories that are different, then I don’t mind that at all.

So while McAvoy might not mind repeating himself, nor does the audience or the critics, the majority of whom enjoy him playing horrific characters that are far from his real personality.

Even though Reeves might be criticized for most of his roles being ‘nice guys’, involving not much talk and more action, McAvoy continues to gain fame for his almost similar portrayals.