Speed 2: Cruise Control’ script was almost ‘Die Hard 3’ script.
You’re at a Hollywood party, nursing a drink, trying to fit in with all the glitz and glam around you, when you overhear a juicy tidbit.
Someone whispers, “Did you know that ‘Speed 2: Cruise Control’ was almost ‘Die Hard 3’? Thank goodness that didn’t happen!” And just like that, you’re hooked.
You want to know more. Well, lucky for you, we’re about to spill all the tea on this fascinating piece of cinematic history.
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Imagine it’s the mid-90s, and the folks at 20th Century Fox are looking for a way to follow up their blockbuster hit, ‘Speed.’
They needed a script that promised fast-moving vehicles, explosive action, and a new band of cold-hearted terrorists. ‘Dark Territory,’ a story originally slated for a sequel, would’ve been perfect, but it was snatched up for the sequel to ‘Under Siege.’ This left ‘Speed 2’ in a peculiar spot.
With ‘Dark Territory’ out of the picture, the producers turned to another action-packed script.
This script was originally designed for the third installment of the ‘Die Hard’ series. It revolved around a high-stakes hijacking of a cruise ship. Perfect for a ‘Speed’ sequel, right?
The adoption of this script for ‘Speed 2: Cruise Control’ left the ‘Die Hard’ franchise in a bit of a bind. But Hollywood is nothing if not resourceful.
They teamed up Bruce Willis with a witty and sassy partner, played by Samuel L. Jackson, and brought to life a story initially intended for ‘Lethal Weapon 4.’
But hold on, the musical chairs of scripts doesn’t end there. The fourth ‘Lethal Weapon’ installment was left high and dry, but, in the true spirit of improv, they pressed ahead and filmed the movie, reportedly without a script!
Now that’s what you call flying by the seat of your pants!
And here’s the kicker. The original ‘Die Hard,’ one of the most successful action films of all time, was initially envisioned as a sequel to ‘Commando.’
So, in a bizarre, roundabout way, you could say that ‘Speed 2’ is the spiritual successor to ‘Commando 4.’ Talk about six degrees of separation!
