Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
What’s the untold story behind CHAIN REACTION (1996)?
Legendary director Andrew Davis (The Fugitive, Under Siege, Above the Law, Holes) joins SpyHards to look back at his 1996 action thriller starring Keanu Reeves, Morgan Freeman, Rachel Weisz and Brian Cox.
In this exclusive interview, Andrew reveals how CHAIN REACTION evolved from a very different screenplay, why he reshaped the story, casting Keanu Reeves, filming in Chicago, staging the film's practical action sequences and why the movie's themes remain relevant almost thirty years later.
Whether you're discovering CHAIN REACTION for the first time or revisiting it after years away, this is the story behind one of Andrew Davis' most fascinating films.
In this interview we discuss:
• The original screenplay (Dead Drop)
• Why the story changed
• Working with Keanu Reeves
• Casting Rachel Weisz & Morgan Freeman
• Filming in Chicago
• Practical action filmmaking
• Hydrogen, science and the film's themes
• Looking back on CHAIN REACTION nearly 30 years later
If you enjoyed this interview, please leave a like, subscribe and let us know your favourite Andrew Davis film in the comments.
Support SpyHards on Patreon, hear more at this link: patreon.com/spyhards
🎙️ SpyHards is the world's leading spy movie podcast, covering James Bond, Mission: Impossible and the wider world of espionage cinema through exclusive interviews, reviews and specials.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
01:06 Why Revisit CHAIN REACTION?
05:10 The Original Script: DEAD DROP
12:25 Rewriting the Story
18:28 Hydrogen & A New Direction
23:40 Original Theatrical Trailer
25:22 Casting Keanu Reeves
31:31 Rachel Weisz & Morgan Freeman
33:47 Practical Filmmaking
43:18 Chicago as a Character
53:42 Action Sequences
#ChainReaction #AndrewDavis #KeanuReeves #MorganFreeman #RachelWeisz #MovieInterview #BehindTheScenes #SpyHards
What’s the untold story behind CHAIN REACTION (1996)?
Legendary director Andrew Davis (The Fugitive, Under Siege, Above the Law, Holes) joins SpyHards to look back at his 1996 action thriller starring Keanu Reeves, Morgan Freeman, Rachel Weisz and Brian Cox.
In this exclusive interview, Andrew reveals how CHAIN REACTION evolved from a very different screenplay, why he reshaped the story, casting Keanu Reeves, filming in Chicago, staging the film's practical action sequences and why the movie's themes remain relevant almost thirty years later.
Whether you're discovering CHAIN REACTION for the first time or revisiting it after years away, this is the story behind one of Andrew Davis' most fascinating films.
In this interview we discuss:
• The original screenplay (Dead Drop)
• Why the story changed
• Working with Keanu Reeves
• Casting Rachel Weisz & Morgan Freeman
• Filming in Chicago
• Practical action filmmaking
• Hydrogen, science and the film's themes
• Looking back on CHAIN REACTION nearly 30 years later
If you enjoyed this interview, please leave a like, subscribe and let us know your favourite Andrew Davis film in the comments.
Support SpyHards on Patreon, hear more at this link: patreon.com/spyhards
🎙️ SpyHards is the world's leading spy movie podcast, covering James Bond, Mission: Impossible and the wider world of espionage cinema through exclusive interviews, reviews and specials.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
01:06 Why Revisit CHAIN REACTION?
05:10 The Original Script: DEAD DROP
12:25 Rewriting the Story
18:28 Hydrogen & A New Direction
23:40 Original Theatrical Trailer
25:22 Casting Keanu Reeves
31:31 Rachel Weisz & Morgan Freeman
33:47 Practical Filmmaking
43:18 Chicago as a Character
53:42 Action Sequences
#ChainReaction #AndrewDavis #KeanuReeves #MorganFreeman #RachelWeisz #MovieInterview #BehindTheScenes #SpyHards
