Career Timeline of Keanu Reeves: Major Achievements and Milestones
How Keanu Reeves built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Keanu Reeves is a highly acclaimed Canadian actor and musician with a career spanning four decades. Renowned for his leading roles in action films, he is equally recognized for his positive public image and charitable work. He has received numerous awards and high praise, including being ranked among the greatest actors of the 21st century by The New York Times and being named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people.
1983: Coca-Cola Commercial Appearance
In 1983, Keanu Reeves appeared in a Coca-Cola commercial.
1984: Television Debut
In 1984, Keanu Reeves made his acting debut in the Canadian television series Hangin' In.
1984: CBC Correspondent and Acting Debut
In 1984, Keanu Reeves was a correspondent for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) youth television program Going Great and made his acting debut in Hangin' In.
1985: Stage Production of Romeo and Juliet
In 1985, Keanu Reeves played Mercutio in a stage production of Romeo and Juliet at the Leah Posluns Theatre in North York, Ontario.
1986: Television and Motion Picture Appearances
In 1986, Keanu Reeves appeared in television films such as Babes in Toyland, Act of Vengeance, and Brotherhood of Justice, as well as his first motion picture appearances in Youngblood and Flying.
1986: Feature Film Debut
In 1986, Keanu Reeves made his feature film debut in Youngblood.
1988: Starring in Teen Dramas
In 1988, Keanu Reeves starred in several dramas aimed at teen audiences, including The Night Before, The Prince of Pennsylvania, and Permanent Record, and had a supporting role in Dangerous Liaisons.
1989: Breakthrough Role
In 1989, Keanu Reeves had his breakthrough role in the science-fiction comedy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.
1989: Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Parenthood
In 1989, Keanu Reeves starred in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and the comedy-drama Parenthood.
1990: Acting Performances in Comedy
In 1990, Keanu Reeves portrayed an incompetent hitman in I Love You to Death and played a radio station employee in Tune in Tomorrow.
September 29, 1991: US Theatrical Release of My Own Private Idaho
On September 29, 1991, My Own Private Idaho, starring Keanu Reeves, was released theatrically in the United States after premiering at the 48th Venice International Film Festival.
1991: Formation of Dogstar and Interest in Music
In 1991, Keanu Reeves developed an interest in music and formed the alternative rock band Dogstar, playing bass guitar.
1991: Continued Success
In 1991, Keanu Reeves starred in Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, gained praise for My Own Private Idaho, and established himself as an action hero in Point Break.
1993: Roles in Film Adaptations
In 1993, Keanu Reeves had a role in Much Ado About Nothing, starred in Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, and Little Buddha.
1994: Leading Role in Speed
In 1994, Keanu Reeves played a leading role in the action film Speed, solidifying his status as an action star.
1994: Starring in Speed and Phoenix's Death
In 1994, Keanu Reeves starred in Speed alongside Sandra Bullock and Dennis Hopper. During production, his friend River Phoenix died, causing adjustments to the filming schedule.
1995: Prince Hamlet in Manitoba Theatre Centre production
In 1995, Keanu Reeves played Prince Hamlet in a Manitoba Theatre Centre production of Hamlet in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His performance received good reviews from some critics.
1995: Leading role in Johnny Mnemonic
In 1995, Keanu Reeves played the leading role in the cyberpunk action thriller "Johnny Mnemonic", directed by Robert Longo. The movie, set in 2021, revolves around a character with a cybernetic brain implant tasked with delivering a data package.
1996: Appearance in Chain Reaction
In 1996, Keanu Reeves starred in "Chain Reaction", a science fiction film with Morgan Freeman and Rachel Weisz. In the movie, he plays a researcher on the run after being framed for murder.
1997: Turned down Speed 2: Cruise Control and starred in The Devil's Advocate
In 1997, Keanu Reeves declined to star in "Speed 2: Cruise Control", despite being offered $12 million. He then appeared in "The Devil's Advocate" with Al Pacino and Charlize Theron, even taking a pay cut to make Pacino's casting possible.
1997: Role in The Devil's Advocate
In 1997, Keanu Reeves's performance in the horror film The Devil's Advocate was well received after several box-office disappointments.
1999: Starred in The Matrix
In 1999, Keanu Reeves achieved greater stardom with his role as Neo in The Matrix.
2000: Dogstar released Happy Ending
In 2000, Dogstar, Keanu Reeves's band, released their album "Happy Ending".
2000: Starred in The Replacements and The Watcher
In 2000, Keanu Reeves starred in the sports comedy "The Replacements" and the thriller "The Watcher", where he played a serial killer due to a forged contract.
2001: Starred in Sweet November and Hardball
In 2001, Keanu Reeves starred in the romantic drama "Sweet November", a remake of the 1968 film, and the sports comedy "Hardball", where he played a troubled young man coaching a Little League team.
2002: Dogstar disbanded
In 2002, Dogstar, the band featuring Keanu Reeves, disbanded after a decade together. They had released two albums, Our Little Visionary in 1996 and Happy Ending in 2000.
2003: Release of The Matrix Revolutions and Something's Gotta Give
In 2003, Keanu Reeves appeared in "The Matrix Revolutions", the third Matrix film. He also starred in the romantic comedy "Something's Gotta Give", with Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton.
2003: Reprising Neo
In 2003, Keanu Reeves reprised his role as Neo in The Matrix sequels Reloaded and Revolutions, becoming the highest-paid actor for a single production.
2003: Matrix sequels The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions were released
In 2003, Keanu Reeves starred in "The Matrix Reloaded" and "The Matrix Revolutions", the sequels to "The Matrix". The movies were released in May and November, respectively.
2003: Gifts to The Matrix Reloaded Stunt Team
In 2003, as a wrap gift for the twelve-person stunt team of The Matrix Reloaded, Keanu Reeves purchased Harley-Davidson motorcycles for each member.
2005: Played John Constantine
In 2005, Keanu Reeves played John Constantine in the movie Constantine.
2005: Starred in Constantine and Thumbsucker
In 2005, Keanu Reeves starred in "Constantine", an occult detective film, and "Thumbsucker", a comedy that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
2006: Starred in A Scanner Darkly and The Lake House
In 2006, Keanu Reeves appeared in the animated science fiction thriller "A Scanner Darkly", and the romantic drama "The Lake House" with Sandra Bullock. He also co-narrated the documentary "The Great Warming".
2008: Starred in Street Kings and The Day the Earth Stood Still
In 2008, Keanu Reeves starred in the crime thriller "Street Kings", and the science fiction film "The Day the Earth Stood Still".
2009: Meeting Alexandra Grant
In 2009, Keanu Reeves met Alexandra Grant at a dinner party, and they later collaborated on two books together.
2009: Private Cancer Foundation
In 2009, Keanu Reeves stated that he founded a private cancer foundation to aid children's hospitals and support cancer research, in response to his sister's battle with leukemia.
2009: The Private Lives of Pippa Lee Premiere
In 2009, Keanu Reeves's sole release was Rebecca Miller's "The Private Lives of Pippa Lee", which premiered at the 59th Berlin International Film Festival. The romantic comedy received an amicable review.
2010: Henry's Crime Release
In 2010, Keanu Reeves starred in the romantic comedy "Henry's Crime", about a man who is released from prison for a crime he did not commit, and then targets the same bank. However, the film was not a box office hit.
2011: Ode to Happiness Release
In 2011, Keanu Reeves's only work was the adult picture book titled "Ode to Happiness", which he wrote, complemented by Alexandra Grant's illustrations.
2011: Co-founding ARCH Motorcycle Company
In 2011, Keanu Reeves, an avid motorcyclist, co-founded ARCH Motorcycle Company with Gard Hollinger, which builds and sells custom motorcycles.
2012: Side by Side Documentary
In 2012, Keanu Reeves co-produced and appeared in the documentary "Side by Side", interviewing filmmakers about digital and photochemical film creation. He also starred in the independent drama "Generation Um...", which was critically panned.
2013: Directorial Debut
In 2013, Keanu Reeves made his film directorial debut with Man of Tai Chi.
2013: Man of Tai Chi and 47 Ronin Release
In 2013, Keanu Reeves starred in his directorial debut, the martial arts film "Man of Tai Chi", which premiered at the Beijing Film Festival and the Cannes Film Festival but was a commercial disappointment. Also in 2013, he played Kai in the fantasy "47 Ronin", which premiered in Japan but failed to gain traction and was a box office flop.
2014: Career Comeback
In 2014, Keanu Reeves made a career comeback by playing the titular assassin in the action film series John Wick.
2014: John Wick Release
In 2014, Keanu Reeves made a career comeback playing the title role in the action thriller "John Wick", directed by Chad Stahelski. The film was released on October 24 in the United States and proved to be a box office success.
2015: Knock Knock, Deep Web, and Mifune: The Last Samurai Releases
In 2015, Keanu Reeves starred in the horror feature "Knock Knock", a remake of the 1977 film Death Game. He also narrated the documentaries "Deep Web" and "Mifune: The Last Samurai".
2015: Coppola Interview on Dracula
In a retrospective interview in 2015, director Francis Ford Coppola commented on Keanu Reeves's efforts in Bram Stoker's Dracula, noting his hard work but ultimately stilted performance.
2016: Multiple Film Releases in 2016
In 2016, Keanu Reeves appeared in five film releases including "Exposed", "Keanu" (voice role), "The Neon Demon", "The Bad Batch", and "The Whole Truth". He also appeared in the web television series "Swedish Dicks".
2017: John Wick: Chapter 2 and To the Bone Release
In 2017, Keanu Reeves reprised his role in "John Wick: Chapter 2", a critical and commercial success. He also starred in the drama "To the Bone", which premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and was distributed on Netflix in July. Reeves made cameo appearances in the films "A Happening of Monumental Proportions" and "SPF-18".
2017: Founding X Artists' Books
In 2017, Keanu Reeves, Jessica Fleischmann, and Alexandra Grant founded book publisher X Artists' Books (XAB).
2018: Destination Wedding, Siberia, and Replicas Release
In 2018, Keanu Reeves reunited with Winona Ryder in the comedy "Destination Wedding". He also co-produced and starred in the thrillers "Siberia" and "Replicas".
2019: John Wick: Chapter 3, Toy Story 4, KeanuCon, and Always Be My Maybe
In 2019, Keanu Reeves starred in "John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum", voiced Duke Caboom in "Toy Story 4", was honored with a film festival called KeanuCon, and played himself in "Always Be My Maybe". He also travelled to São Paulo to produce a Netflix series, "Conquest".
June 2020: Volunteering for Camp Rainbow Gold
In June 2020, Keanu Reeves volunteered for Camp Rainbow Gold, an Idaho children's cancer charity.
2020: Portrayed Johnny Silverhand
In 2020, Keanu Reeves portrayed Johnny Silverhand in the video game Cyberpunk 2077, and reprised his role as Ted in Bill & Ted Face the Music.
2020: Bill & Ted Face the Music and The SpongeBob Movie Release
In 2020, Keanu Reeves starred in "Bill & Ted Face the Music" and appeared in "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run" as a tumbleweed named Sage.
March 2021: BRZRKR Comic Book Series Launch
In March 2021, Keanu Reeves co-wrote the comic book series "BRZRKR", and the first issue was published. Issue #1 sold over 615,000 copies, making it the top-selling single issue since Star Wars #1 in 2015.
December 2021: The Matrix Resurrections Release
In December 2021, Keanu Reeves returned to the screen for "The Matrix Resurrections", the fourth film in The Matrix franchise. Carrie-Anne Moss also reprised her role as Trinity.
2021: BRZRKR Franchise
In 2021, Keanu Reeves co-wrote and created the BRZRKR franchise, starting with the original comic book.
2021: Neo in The Matrix: Resurrections
In 2021, Keanu Reeves reprised his role as Neo in The Matrix: Resurrections.
March 2023: Auction for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
In March 2023, after filming John Wick: Chapter 4, Keanu Reeves, Chad Stahelski, and Dave Camarillo signed a training uniform that was auctioned off to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
October 2023: BRZRKR Comic Book Series Conclusion
In October 2023, the comic book series "BRZRKR", co-written by Keanu Reeves, concluded with the publication of its third volume.
2023: Dogstar Album Release, BRZRKR: Bloodlines Release, and Ride with Norman Reedus Appearance
In 2023, Keanu Reeves' band Dogstar released the album "Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees" and began a 25-date tour. In July, Boom! Studios published the first issue of "BRZRKR: Bloodlines", titled Poetry of Madness. Reeves appeared as the featured guest for the season 6 premiere episode of "Ride with Norman Reedus". In November of that year, he appeared as the host for and executive produced the 4-part documentary series Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story for Hulu and Disney+.
2023: Album Release
In 2023, Keanu Reeves, as a member of the band Dogstar, released albums including Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees.
May 2024: Netflix Wins Litigation Over Conquest Series
In May 2024, Netflix won a litigation concerning the rights to the "Conquest" series, which was produced by Reeves. Netflix gained ownership of the footage and was reimbursed $8.78 million due to misused production funds by creator Carl Erik Rinsch.
August 21, 2024: Release of The Lost Book of B
On August 21, 2024, another BRZRKR Bloodlines spin-off, titled "The Lost Book of B" was released.
October 2024: Motorsport Debut in Toyota GR Cup North America
In October 2024, Keanu Reeves made his motorsport debut in the Toyota GR Cup North America, finishing 25th in Race 1 and 24th in Race 2 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
December 20, 2024: Release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3
On December 20, 2024, "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" was released, featuring Keanu Reeves as the voice of Shadow the Hedgehog.
2024: Voicing Shadow the Hedgehog
In 2024, Keanu Reeves is set to voice Shadow the Hedgehog in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
2024: Contract with Windsor Spitfires
In 2024, Keanu Reeves signed a one-day contract with the Windsor Spitfires, and signed items which were auctioned off in benefit of the Canadian Mental Health Association of Windsor-Essex.
2024: Expansion of BRZRKR Franchise
In 2024, the BRZRKR franchise expanded to include numerous spin-offs, including The Book of Elsewhere.
January 2025: Uncredited Role in Severance
In January 2025, Keanu Reeves had an uncredited voice role as a stop-motion Lumon building in the second season of the television series "Severance".
June 2025: Reprising Role as John Wick in Ballerina
In June 2025, Keanu Reeves reprised his role as John Wick in the series spin-off film "Ballerina", starring Ana de Armas.
September 2025: Broadway Debut in Waiting for Godot
In September 2025, Keanu Reeves made his Broadway debut in a production of "Waiting for Godot" directed by Jamie Lloyd, alongside Alex Winter.
2025: Documentary film about Benny Urquidez release
In 2025, Keanu Reeves will co-produce a documentary film about the life of Benny Urquidez.
2077: Portrayed Johnny Silverhand in Cyberpunk
In 2077, if it were real, Keanu Reeves would be known for having portrayed Johnny Silverhand in the video game Cyberpunk 2077 and its expansion
Mentioned in this timeline
Coca-Cola is a globally recognized cola soft drink produced by...
Cyberpunk is a action RPG by CD Projekt Red set...
Sonic the Hedgehog is a media franchise created by Yuji...
Winona Ryder is an American actress who gained recognition in...
China officially the People's Republic of China PRC is an...
Charlize Theron is a highly acclaimed South African and American...
Trending
3 months ago Trump's $1M Fundraiser Causes Road Closures and Simulated Gunfire at Mar-a-Lago.
2 months ago Kylie Beck stuns at Miami game; Syracuse faces No. 18 Miami Hurricanes.
1 month ago Julian Sayin: Ohio State's Key to Michigan Victory; Quarterback's Debut Anticipated
1 month ago Week 13 College Football: Meltdowns, Sad Fanbases, and the Bottom 10 Teams.
Ricky Dene Gervais is an English comedian actor writer producer and director known for his significant contributions to television He...
1 month ago Bryan Adams Stuns at Wedding & Wows San Jose with Pat Benatar!
Popular
Stranger Things created by the Duffer Brothers is a popular...
XXXTentacion born Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy was a controversial yet...
Turning Point USA TPUSA is an American nonprofit organization founded...
Candace Owens is an American conservative political commentator and author...
Bernie Sanders is a prominent American politician currently serving as...
Jupiter is the fifth and largest planet from the Sun...