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. He's recognized for leading roles in action films, earning accolades such as 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. Beyond his on-screen achievements, Reeves is known for his likable public persona and philanthropic activities.
1983: Coca-Cola Commercial Appearance
In 1983, Keanu Reeves appeared in a Coca-Cola commercial.
1984: Acting Debut in Hangin' In
In 1984, Keanu Reeves made his acting debut in the Canadian television series Hangin' In.
1984: Correspondent for CBC and Acting Debut
In 1984, Keanu Reeves was a correspondent for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation youth television program Going Great and made his acting debut in an episode of the television series Hangin' In.
1985: Start of Film Career
In 1985, Keanu Reeves began his prolific film career.
1985: Playing Mercutio in 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 including Babes in Toyland, Act of Vengeance and Brotherhood of Justice, and in motion pictures such as Youngblood and Flying. River's Edge also premiered in 1986 at the Toronto International Film Festival.
1986: Feature Film Debut in Youngblood
In 1986, Keanu Reeves made his feature film debut in Youngblood.
1987: Release of River's Edge
In 1987, the film River's Edge was released, becoming one of Keanu Reeves' acclaimed films.
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, Permanent Record, and Dangerous Liaisons.
1989: Release of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
In 1989, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure was released, becoming one of Keanu Reeves' acclaimed films.
1989: Breakthrough Role in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
In 1989, Keanu Reeves had his breakthrough role in the science-fiction comedy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.
1989: Starring in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
In 1989, Keanu Reeves starred in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, portraying a slacker who travels through time.
1989: Starring in Parenthood
In 1989, Keanu Reeves starred in the comedy-drama Parenthood directed by Ron Howard.
1990: Performances in Film and Music Video
In 1990, Keanu Reeves portrayed an incompetent hitman in I Love You to Death and played Martin in Tune in Tomorrow. He also appeared in Paula Abdul's music video for Rush Rush.
September 29, 1991: US Release of My Own Private Idaho
On September 29, 1991, My Own Private Idaho, starring Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix, had its theatrical release in the United States. The film premiered at the 48th Venice International Film Festival and was positively received.
1991: Formation of Dogstar and Dracula Role
In 1991, Keanu Reeves formed the alternative rock band Dogstar and also played Jonathan Harker in Francis Ford Coppola's Gothic horror Bram Stoker's Dracula.
1991: Starring in Point Break
In 1991, Keanu Reeves starred alongside Patrick Swayze in the action thriller Point Break, playing an undercover FBI agent. He took surfing lessons to prepare for the role.
1991: Release of My Own Private Idaho
In 1991, My Own Private Idaho was released, becoming one of Keanu Reeves' acclaimed films.
1993: Roles in Various Films
In 1993, Keanu Reeves had a role in Much Ado About Nothing and starred in Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and Little Buddha.
1993: Release of Much Ado About Nothing
In 1993, Much Ado About Nothing was released, becoming one of Keanu Reeves' acclaimed films.
1994: Leading Role in Speed
In 1994, Keanu Reeves established himself as an action hero with a leading role in Speed.
1995: A Walk in the Clouds Release
In 1995, Keanu Reeves appeared in the romantic drama "A Walk in the Clouds", which garnered mixed-to-negative reviews. He plays a young soldier returning home from World War II.
1995: Hamlet Performance
In 1995, Keanu Reeves briefly retreated to the theatre playing Prince Hamlet in a Manitoba Theatre Centre production of Hamlet in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His performance received positive reviews.
1995: Johnny Mnemonic Release
In 1995, Keanu Reeves starred in the cyberpunk action thriller "Johnny Mnemonic", directed by Robert Longo and based on the 1981 story by William Gibson. The film received mainly negative reviews, with critics feeling Reeves was miscast. As part of the film studio's marketing efforts, a CD-ROM video game was also released.
1996: Chain Reaction and Feeling Minnesota
In 1996, Keanu Reeves appeared in "Chain Reaction", which was not a critical success. He also starred in the independent crime comedy "Feeling Minnesota", which was described negatively. He turned down an offer to star in "Speed 2: Cruise Control".
1997: The Last Time I Committed Suicide and The Devil's Advocate
In 1997, Keanu Reeves appeared in "The Last Time I Committed Suicide", which gained mixed reviews. He also starred in the supernatural horror "The Devil's Advocate" alongside Al Pacino and Charlize Theron, which attracted positive reviews.
1997: Performance in The Devil's Advocate
In 1997, Keanu Reeves's performance in the horror film The Devil's Advocate was well received.
1999: Starring as Neo in The Matrix
In 1999, Keanu Reeves achieved greater stardom with his role as Neo in The Matrix.
1999: The Matrix Release
In 1999, Keanu Reeves starred in the critically acclaimed science fiction film "The Matrix". To prepare for the film, Reeves had read Kevin Kelly's Out of Control: The New Biology of Machines, Social Systems, and the Economic World, and Dylan Evans's ideas on evolutionary psychology. The Matrix proved to be a box office success and received Academy Awards.
1999: Release of The Matrix
In 1999, The Matrix was released, becoming one of Keanu Reeves' acclaimed films.
2000: The Replacements and The Watcher Releases
In 2000, Keanu Reeves starred in the sports comedy "The Replacements". Against his wishes, he also starred in the thriller "The Watcher". He had a supporting role in Sam Raimi's "The Gift".
2001: Sweet November and Hardball Releases
In 2001, Keanu Reeves starred in the romantic drama "Sweet November", a remake of the 1968 film, and the sports comedy "Hardball". Both films received generally negative receptions.
2002: Dogstar Disbanded
In 2002, Keanu Reeves' professional music career came to an end when Dogstar disbanded after a decade together.
2003: Highest Paid Actor for The Matrix Sequels
In 2003, Keanu Reeves became the highest paid actor for a single production for reprising the role of Neo in The Matrix sequels Reloaded and Revolutions.
2003: The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions and Something's Gotta Give Releases
In 2003, Keanu Reeves returned to The Matrix sequels with "The Matrix Reloaded" and "The Matrix Revolutions". He also starred in the romantic comedy "Something's Gotta Give".
2003: The Matrix Revolutions and Something's Gotta Give releases
In 2003, The Matrix Revolutions, the third installment, was met with mixed reception. Also in 2003, Reeves starred in Something's Gotta Give, a romantic comedy, with Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton. Something's Gotta Give received generally favourable reviews.
2003: Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Gift to 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 of the members as a thank you for their help in making the film.
2005: Playing John Constantine
In 2005, Keanu Reeves played John Constantine in Constantine.
2005: Constantine and Thumbsucker Releases
In 2005, Keanu Reeves played the title role in "Constantine", an occult detective film, which grossed $230 million worldwide. He also appeared in "Thumbsucker", a comedy adapted from the 1999 Walter Kirn novel.
2006: A Scanner Darkly and The Lake House Releases
In 2006, Keanu Reeves appeared in "A Scanner Darkly", which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. He also starred in "The Lake House", reuniting him with Sandra Bullock. Towards the end of 2006, he co-narrated "The Great Warming", a documentary about climate change mitigation.
2008: Enthusiasm for Bill & Ted 3
As early as 2008, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter had shown enthusiasm for a third Bill & Ted film, but the project went into development limbo.
2008: Street Kings and The Day the Earth Stood Still Releases
In 2008, Keanu Reeves collaborated with director David Ayer on "Street Kings". He also starred in "The Day the Earth Stood Still", a loose adaptation of the 1951 film.
2009: Razzie Awards Nomination
In 2009, "The Day the Earth Stood Still" was nominated for Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel at the Razzie Awards.
2009: The Private Lives of Pippa Lee Premiere
In 2009, Rebecca Miller's The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, starring Keanu Reeves, premiered at the 59th Berlin International Film Festival and received positive reviews.
2010: Henry's Crime Release
In 2010, Keanu Reeves starred in the romantic comedy Henry's Crime, a film about a man who targets the same bank he was imprisoned for robbing. The movie was not a box office success.
2011: Ode to Happiness Release
In 2011, Keanu Reeves released an adult picture book titled Ode to Happiness, which he wrote and Alexandra Grant illustrated.
2011: Co-founded ARCH Motorcycle Company
In 2011, Keanu Reeves, who is 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 with Man of Tai Chi and 47 Ronin Release
In 2013, Keanu Reeves made his directorial debut with the martial arts film Man of Tai Chi, which premiered at film festivals but was a commercial disappointment. He also starred in the fantasy film 47 Ronin, which was a box office flop and poorly received.
2013: Directorial Debut with Man of Tai Chi
In 2013, Keanu Reeves made his film directorial debut with Man of Tai Chi.
2014: Release of John Wick
In 2014, John Wick was released, becoming one of Keanu Reeves' acclaimed films.
2014: Career Comeback with John Wick
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 played the title role in the action thriller John Wick, marking his return to the action genre. The film was a box office success.
2015: Knock Knock and Documentary Narration
In 2015, Keanu Reeves starred in the horror feature Knock Knock, a remake of Death Game. He also narrated the documentaries Deep Web and Mifune: The Last Samurai.
2015: Coppola's Retrospective Interview
In 2015, director Coppola gave a retrospective interview regarding Keanu Reeves role in Dracula.
2016: Five Film Releases
In 2016, Keanu Reeves appeared in five film releases: Exposed, Keanu (voice role), The Neon Demon, The Bad Batch, and The Whole Truth. He also appeared in the web television series Swedish Dicks.
2016: High Earnings from The Matrix Franchise
In 2016, The Hollywood Reporter calculated that Keanu Reeves had earned $250 million for The Matrix franchise, making him one of the highest-paid actors.
2017: Release of John Wick: Chapter 2
In 2017, John Wick: Chapter 2 was released, becoming one of Keanu Reeves' acclaimed films.
2017: John Wick: Chapter 2 Release and To the Bone
In 2017, Keanu Reeves reprised his role in John Wick: Chapter 2, which was a commercial and critical success. He also starred in the drama To the Bone, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and made cameo appearances in A Happening of Monumental Proportions and SPF-18.
2017: Founded X Artists' Books
In 2017, Keanu Reeves, along with Jessica Fleischmann and Alexandra Grant, founded a book publisher called X Artists' Books (also known as XAB).
2018: Destination Wedding, Siberia, and Replicas
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, which received negative reviews. Replicas was also a box office failure.
2019: John Wick: Chapter 3, Toy Story 4, KeanuCon, Always Be My Maybe, and Conquest
In 2019, Keanu Reeves starred in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, which was a box office hit. He voiced Duke Caboom in Toy Story 4, and a film festival called KeanuCon was held in his honor. He also appeared in Always Be My Maybe and produced the Netflix series Conquest.
2019: Voicing Duke Caboom in Toy Story 4
In 2019, Keanu Reeves voiced Duke Caboom in Toy Story 4.
2019: Releases of John Wick: Chapter 3 and Toy Story 4
In 2019, two of Keanu Reeves' acclaimed films were released: John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Toy Story 4.
June 2020: Volunteering for Camp Rainbow Gold
In June 2020, Keanu Reeves volunteered for Camp Rainbow Gold, an Idaho children's cancer charity.
2020: Portraying Johnny Silverhand in Cyberpunk 2077
In 2020, Keanu Reeves portrayed Johnny Silverhand in the video game Cyberpunk 2077 as well as its expansion.
2020: Bill & Ted Face the Music and The SpongeBob Movie
In 2020, Keanu Reeves starred in Bill & Ted Face the Music, the third film in the series. He also appeared in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run as a tumbleweed named Sage.
March 2021: BRZRKR Comic Book Series Publication
In March 2021, the first volume of the comic book series BRZRKR, co-written by Keanu Reeves, was published.
December 2021: The Matrix Resurrections Release
In December 2021, Keanu Reeves returned to the screen for the fourth film in The Matrix franchise: The Matrix Resurrections. The film was a box office disappointment.
2021: Co-Writer of BRZRKR Franchise
In 2021, Keanu Reeves co-wrote and created the BRZRKR franchise, which started with the original comic book.
2021: Reprising Roles
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 an exclusive training uniform that was put up for auction to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
March 24, 2023: John Wick: Chapter 4 Premiere
On March 24, 2023, John Wick: Chapter 4 premiered with Keanu Reeves reprising his role, and received critical acclaim.
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, Tour, and TV Appearances
In 2023, Keanu Reeves' band Dogstar released their album Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees and embarked on a tour. He also appeared on Ride with Norman Reedus and hosted/executive produced Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story.
2023: Releasing Album with Dogstar
In 2023, Keanu Reeves, as a member of the musical band Dogstar, released albums including Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees.
2023: Website Dedicated to Reeves' "Whoa" Moments Created
In 2023, web developer Avi Mamenko created a website dedicated to chronicling every time Keanu Reeves has spoken the word "whoa" in his film career to honor him.
April 2024: Casted as Shadow the Hedgehog in Sonic the Hedgehog 3
In April 2024, Keanu Reeves was cast as the voice of Shadow the Hedgehog in the film "Sonic the Hedgehog 3", and also voiced the character in a DLC for the video game Shadow Generations (2024).
May 2024: Netflix Wins Litigation Over Conquest Series
In May 2024, Netflix won litigation over the rights to the Reeves-produced Conquest series, regaining ownership of the footage and reimbursement of $8.78 million from creator Carl Erik Rinsch.
August 21, 2024: Release of "The Lost Book of B"
On August 21, 2024, Keanu Reeves released another BRZRKR Bloodlines spin-off comic book, titled "The Lost Book of B".
December 20, 2024: Release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3
On December 20, 2024, Keanu Reeves voiced Shadow the Hedgehog in the third installment of the Sonic the Hedgehog film series, "Sonic the Hedgehog 3".
2024: Voice of Shadow the Hedgehog
In 2024, Keanu Reeves is expected to voice Shadow the Hedgehog in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
2024: Motorsport Debut
In 2024, Keanu Reeves made his motorsport debut in the Toyota GR Cup North America at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, finishing 25th in Race 1 and 24th in Race 2.
2024: Contract with Windsor Spitfires and Auction
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.
January 2025: Uncredited Role in Severance
In January 2025, Keanu Reeves had an uncredited role voicing a stop-motion Lumon building in the second season of the television series "Severance".
2077: Cyberpunk 2077 Release
Keanu Reeves appeared as Johnny Silverhand in the video game Cyberpunk 2077, released in 2077.
2077: Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Keanu Reeves reprised his role as Johnny Silverhand in the Cyberpunk 2077 expansion, Phantom Liberty, released in 2077.
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