Did you know Keanu Reeves was initially considered for Brad Pitt’s role in The Lost City?

Directors Adam and Aaron Nee revealed that Keanu Reeves was considered for Brad Pitt’s part in The Lost City but was unavailable due to scheduling conflicts. The Lost City cast included Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum as Loretta and Alan, as well as Daniel Radcliffe as Abigail, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Patti Harrison, Oscar Nunez, and Brad Pitt.

The film, directed by the Nee brothers and co-written with Oren Uziel and Dana Fox, was released in theatres in March to generally positive reviews from critics and audiences alike for the cast’s performances, solid humor, and nostalgic sense of adventure reminiscent of Romancing the Stone and The Mummy. The Lost City was also a minor box office success, generating more than USD 163 million against a projected USD 74 million production budget, and is presently the ninth highest-grossing picture of the year.

However, in an interview with ScreenRant when filmmakers Adam and Aaron Nee were asked about Brad Pitt’s notable appearance in the rom-com adventure, the team admitted that they weren’t sure they’d be able to obtain him for the part and had other performers in mind, most notably Keanu Reeves. Adam said, “I think we thought it was gonna be Keanu Reeves initially, but he was was tied up with John Wick and that’s where we were like, ‘Brad was always our first choice,’ but we didn’t think it was gonna happen. Then [Sandra] did Bullet Train and it came together. And I love Keanu, he would’ve been fun too.”

Meanwhile, Pitt appears in The Lost City as Jack Trainer, a mercenary whom Alan meets on a meditation retreat and hires to help him find Loretta. Pitt’s participation in the film was heavily debated even before the first teaser for the adventure rom-com debuted, with early rumours saying the Oscar winner would just have a cameo appearance, although Adam Nee subsequently revealed he had a more extended role.