Over the last 30 years, Keanu Reeves has maintained a reputation as one of the most popular and beloved actors on the planet because he just seems like an all-round good guy, not to mention an incredibly generous one. Plenty of tales have surfaced about the star’s inherent kindness, and he’s never been motivated by money despite being one of the highest-paid names in Hollywood.
The 56 year-old has given away millions and millions of dollars throughout his career, whether it be through charitable donations or buying every member of the stunt team on The Matrix sequels a brand new motorcycle as a token of his appreciation. But now, the John Wick star has been drawn into the storm brewing between Warner Bros. and their contracted talent after the studio opted to announce every one of their 2021 movies for a simultaneous HBO Max and theatrical release without consulting anyone other than Wonder Woman 1984 duo Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins.
Not only that, but Gadot and Jenkins were reportedly paid millions of dollars each to compensate any loss of earnings from the inevitable drop in box office takings, which hasn’t gone down well with several other A-listers who have Warner Bros. movies awaiting release including Keanu Reeves, Denzel Washington, Margot Robbie, Will Smith, Hugh Jackman and Angelina Jolie.
“For the longest time, Warner Bros. has been known as the best home for talent, and that has been a significant competitive advantage,” Michael Nathanson, a founder of the MoffettNathanson media research firm, said in a phone interview. “With this move, they alienated the very talent they have worked so hard to attract. These aren’t engineers you can just replace.”
The latest reports indicate that the representatives of each star are demanding to know why the Wonder Woman 1984 team received what looks like preferential treatment from the studio while their clients were kept in the dark, and there’s even talk of a potential Directors Guild of America boycott. Legendary Pictures are already mulling legal action as well, and the seismic HBO Max bombshell seems to have generated some serious repercussions that’ll be felt for a long time to come.
