A Different Beloved Actor Almost Played Brad Pitt's Role In The Lost City

Every so often, a romantic comedy comes along that catches lightning in a bottle. In 2022, "The Lost City" caught audiences almost completely off guard, earning itself an 83% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and over $163 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo). According to most reviewers, the film's praise and success are all thanks to the film's entertaining blend of action, comedy, and a perfect cast in the form of Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, and Daniel Radcliffe.

In the movie, Bullock plays Loretta Sage, a wildly successful romance writer who secretly wants something more out of her life and wishes she went on adventures like the characters in her books. The writer is thrown head first into the hunt for a hidden treasure in a (you guessed it) lost city when billionaire Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe) kidnaps her because Loretta based her work on real-life research.

The central cast of "The Lost City" has been met with plenty of praise online. However, one of the biggest moments of the film is a surprise appearance by Brad Pitt in the role of CIA operative Jack Trainer. Tatum's hapless Alan Caprison hires the former soldier to help him save Loretta from the island. However, Caprison is shot in the head before they can all escape. It's a moment that forces Alan and Loretta to fend for themselves across the island — and it's a brilliant cameo from Pitt.

Interestingly, co-director Adam Nee recently revealed that the team behind the movie originally wanted a different beloved actor for this important role.

Paramount Pictures was clearly aiming to see a classic Hollywood action star take on the role of Jack Trainer, something that Brad Pitt certainly delivers. Indeed, from 2005's "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" to 2013's "World War Z" and 2014's "Fury," few would argue with the contention that Pitt is a bonafide action star. However, the directors were once looking to cast Keanu Reeves as Jack Trainer instead. 

Co-director Adam Nee recently spoke to Screen Rant about the alternate casting, explaining that Reeves didn't sign on for "The Lost City." "I think we thought it was gonna be Keanu Reeves initially," Nee said. "But he 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."

Nee went on to say that Bullock had recently worked with Pitt on David Leitch's "Bullet Train," which helped bring the star on board "The Lost City" — but he points out that Reeves would've been a great addition to the cast. "Then [Sandra] did 'Bullet Train' and it came together," Nee said. "And I love Keanu, he would've been fun too." 

From 2021's "The Matrix: Resurrections" to multiple entries in the John Wick franchise, Reeves has certainly been plenty busy over the course of the last few years. The as-of-yet untitled "John Wick 4" is due for release in 2023 (via Variety).