Editing Speed (1994 film) (section)

===Writing===
Screenwriter [[Graham Yost]] was inspired to write ''Speed'' after hearing about the 1985 film ''[[Runaway Train (film)|Runaway Train]]'' from his father, Canadian television host [[Elwy Yost]]. Elwy mistakenly believed the train's out-of-control situation was caused by a bomb{{efn|Such a plot had incidentally been used in the 1975 Japanese movie ''[[The Bullet Train]]''.}}, leading Graham to think that such a concept would work better on a bus. He initially envisioned a bomb that would detonate if the bus dropped below 20&nbsp;mph, but a friend suggested raising the speed limit to 50&nbsp;mph.<ref>''[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]'' - ''Special Collectors' Edition - The Greatest Action Movies Ever'' (published in 2001)</ref> The film's ending was inspired by the 1976 film ''[[Silver Streak (film)|Silver Streak]]''. Originally titled ''Minimum Speed'', Yost renamed it ''Speed'' to avoid negative connotations associated with "minimum".<ref name="ew 20th yost">{{cite magazine |last=Bierly |first=Mandi |date=June 10, 2014 |title='Speed' 20th anniversary: Screenwriter Graham Yost looks back |url=http://ew.com/article/2014/06/10/speed-20th-anniversary-graham-yost/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518002930/https://ew.com//article/2014/06/10/speed-20th-anniversary-graham-yost/ |archive-date=May 18, 2019 |access-date=May 25, 2019 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref>

Yost's initial draft had the entire film set on the bus, with no elevator or subway sequences. The bus was meant to drive around [[Dodger Stadium]] and ultimately crash into the [[Hollywood Sign]].<ref name="ew 20th yost" /> After finishing the script, Yost presented it to [[Paramount Pictures]], which showed interest and suggested [[John McTiernan]] to direct. However, McTiernan declined, feeling the script was too similar to ''[[Die Hard]]'' (1988), and recommended [[Jan de Bont]] instead. De Bont, who had been the director of photography for action films like ''Die Hard'' and ''[[The Hunt for Red October (film)|The Hunt for Red October]]'' (1990), agreed to direct. [[Michael Bay]] had also expressed interest in directing.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weintraub |first=Steve |date=April 20, 2022 |title=Exclusive: Michael Bay Breaks Down the Making of 'Ambulance' in 60-Minute Q&A and Answers Tons of Fan Questions |url=https://collider.com/michael-bay-ambulance-interview-transformers-the-rock-future-projects/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130050005/https://collider.com/michael-bay-ambulance-interview-transformers-the-rock-future-projects/ |archive-date=November 30, 2022 |access-date=January 3, 2023 |website=Collider}}</ref>

Paramount ultimately passed on the project, believing audiences wouldn’t want to watch a film set almost entirely on a bus. Yost and de Bont then pitched the film to [[20th Century Studios|20th Century Fox]], who agreed to [[Greenlight|green-light]] the project but requested additional action sequences beyond the bus.<ref name="poststar">{{cite news |last=O'Hare |first=Kate |date=June 6, 2003 |title=The 'Bus Guy' triumphs |url=http://poststar.com/lifestyles/the-bus-guy-triumphs/article_ed56cbf6-c5e4-5a8c-b922-0057031ae0a5.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141125071414/http://poststar.com/lifestyles/the-bus-guy-triumphs/article_ed56cbf6-c5e4-5a8c-b922-0057031ae0a5.html |archive-date=November 25, 2014 |access-date=November 5, 2013 |newspaper=The Post-Star}}</ref> De Bont suggested starting the movie with a bomb on an elevator, drawing from his own experience of being trapped in an elevator while working on ''Die Hard''.<ref name="poststar" /> Yost used this opening to establish the cleverness of [[Los Angeles Police Department|LAPD]] [[SWAT]] officer Jack Traven, inspired by [[Perseus]]’ trickery with [[Medusa]].<ref name="ew 20th yost" /> De Bont also suggested concluding the film with a subway sequence to provide a final twist, which Fox approved.<ref name="ew 20th yost" /><ref name="poststar" />

[[Joss Whedon]] was brought in a week before filming began to rework the dialogue and improve the script. Whedon made significant contributions, including transforming Jack Traven’s character from a maverick hotshot into a more earnest and polite officer, removing forced one-liners, and creating the iconic line, "Pop quiz, hotshot."<ref name="ew 20th yost" /><ref name="Kozak">{{cite news |last=Kozak |first=Jim |date=August–September 2005 |title=''Serenity'' Now! |url=http://www.natoonline.org/infocus/05augustseptember/whedonuncut.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615162238/http://www.natoonline.org/infocus/05augustseptember/whedonuncut.htm |archive-date=June 15, 2011 |access-date=April 9, 2009 |work=In Focus}}</ref><ref name="Gerosa">{{cite magazine |last=Gerosa |first=Melina |date=June 10, 1994 |title=Speed Racer |url=https://ew.com/article/1994/06/10/keanu-reeves-next-action-star/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181111045051/https://ew.com/article/1994/06/10/keanu-reeves-next-action-star/ |archive-date=November 11, 2018 |access-date=2020-03-17 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> Whedon also reworked minor characters, such as turning Doug Stephens ([[Alan Ruck]]) from an unpleasant lawyer into a hapless tourist.<ref name="Kozak" /> Additionally, the character of Harry Temple was originally intended to be the film’s villain, but once [[Dennis Hopper]] was cast as Howard Payne, this role was adjusted, and Temple’s character remained non-complicit.<ref name="ew 20th yost" />