What Could've Been
Ever wondered what your favorite movie would’ve looked like with a different star in the lead role? The history of cinema is littered with near-misses and almost-castings—some of which could've (we think) been pretty awesome.
Take Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises for example. Imagine if...
Philip Seymour Hoffman ("The Dark Knight Rises")
Character: The Penguin
For the final film in Nolan's Batman trilogy, there was lots of speculation as to who the bad guy would be. A popular choice being bandied about the rumor mill was that it was going to be The Penguin—and that the part was going to be played by the great Philip Seymour Hoffman.
There were also rumors that...
Gareth Cattermole, Getty Images
Johnny Depp ("The Dark Knight Rises")
Character: The Riddler
Yup, there were rumors that Depp would be the Riddler in The Dark Knight Rises. It's an interesting idea, but it's Philip Seymour Hoffman as The Penguin that we think would've been amazing. No offence to Tom Hardy/Bane.
Georges Biard, Wikimedia Commons
Laurence Olivier ("The Godfather")
Character: Don Vito Corleone
In Francis Ford Coppola's mind, there were two men who could play Don Vito Corleone: Marlon Brando and Laurence Olivier. And while we now all know how great Brando was in the role, we can honestly say that we are very intrigued by the thought of Olivier. Although, Olivier wasn't intrigued by the possibility.
Sticking with The Godfather...
Allan warren, Wikimedia Commons
Jack Nicholson ("The Godfather")
Character: Michael Corleone
The number of big-name actors who were considered for (and even offered) the role of Michael Corleone before Al Pacino got it is the stuff of Hollywood lore. And one of those actors was the great Jack Nicholson. He turned it down though, feeling that the part should be played by an Italian-American actor.
We will say that Pacino was definitely the best choice, and he was brilliant in the role. But that doesn't mean we don't think Nicholson would've been great also. What do you think? Can you see it?
Easy Rider (2/8) Movie CLIP - You Got a Helmet? (1969) HD, Movieclips
Tom Cruise ("Salt")
Character: Edwin A Salt
If you've seen the 2010 film Salt and don't remember a character named Edwin A Salt—that's because it was changed to Evelyn Salt. That's right: the role that Tom Cruise was initially very interested in playing ended up being re-written, gender-reversed, and given to Angelina Jolie.
In the end, Cruise felt the role was too similar to his Mission Impossible character.
Frankie Fouganthin, Wikimedia Commons
Tom Cruise ("A Star Is Born")
Character: Jackson "Jack" Maine
Before Bradley Cooper was brought into the film as the lead (and also director), there were many actors considered for the role of Jackson "Jack" Maine in the 2018 remake of A Star Is Born. One of them being Tom Cruise. For a younger audience only familiar with Cruise as an action star, this could have been an opportunity for him to actually do some dramatic acting again. But it didn't work out.
Harald Krichel, Wikimedia Commons
Denzel Washington ("The Fate Of The Furious")
Character: Cipher
Yes, we're talking about the role that ended up in the amazingly capable acting hands of Charlize Theron. The producers really wanted to get Washington into the franchise, but it didn't work out (at least not yet).
Adam Chitayat, Wikimedia Commons
Chiwetel Ejiofor ("Spectre")
Character: Blofeld
The only thing more rumored about the James Bond franchise than who will play the villain in each film is who will play Bond (assuming they are in a transition period). Well, for 2015's Spectre, Daniel Craig was still onboard as Bond so there was nothing to talk about there. But as for the villain, Blofeld—before Christoph Waltz signed on, there was talk that the role could go to 12 Years a Slave star Chiwetel Ejiofor.
David Shankbone, Wikimedia Commons
Idris Elba (James Bond Franchise)
Character: James Bond
Yes, we know that Elba has come out and stated that he is not interested in the role—but come on, how great would he be as James Bond?
DFID - UK Department for International Development, Wikimedia Commons
Robin Williams ("Batman Forever")
Character: The Riddler
Back in the 90s, if you had a role that required a somewhat outrageous comedic persona, your first two choices were pretty much always going to be Robin Williams and Jim Carey. So, the fact that Williams was the first choice to play The Riddler in Batman Forever is no surprise. But he turned it down.
But, that wasn't the first time they'd tried to get Williams into the Batman franchise.
Eva Rinaldi, Wikimedia Commons
Robin Williams ("Batman")
Character: The Joker
Going back to the first Tim Burton Batman film, the studio had considered Williams for the role of The Joker—that ultimately went to Jack Nicholson. We love Nicholson, but can also see Williams asking "Where does he get those wonderful toys?"
Chad J. McNeeley, U.S. Navy, Wikimedia Commons
Bob Hoskins ("X-Men")
Character: Wolverine
Yes, we know—this one sounds completely wrong, given what we know today of how great Hugh Jackman has defined the role of Wolverine for almost two decades. But, as some of your comic book-loving friends could tell you—in the comic books, Wolverine is muscular, but short. The latter of which fits Bob Hoskins to a T.
Don't get us wrong, we love Jackman as Wolverine. But you can't tell us you aren't at least a little intrigued by this one.
Black Lion, The Long Good Friday (1980)
Christian Bale ("Steve Jobs")
Character: Steve Jobs
When Steve Wozniak and John Sculley praise the performances in a movie about Steve Jobs, then you know you got the casting right. And if you've seen the film and Michael Fassbender's performance as the titular character, then you most likely agree.
But, Christian Bale would've been awesome also, had that worked out. We have no doubt about it.
Bryan Cranston ("Gambit")
Character: "The Villain"
This one is a little different in that the film never got made (at least not yet). But at one point, there was a Gambit movie going around town with Channing Tatum set to star and, at one point, there was talk of Bryan Cranston playing the bad guy in the movie.
We don't know much more about it (especially since the movie never happened)—but it's Bryan Cranston, so we're in. Which leads us perfectly into the next one...
Martin Kraft, Wikimedia Commons
Bryan Cranston ("Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice")
Character: Lex Luthor
Bryan Cranston shaved his head to play Walter White on Breaking Bad and a few years ago, there were rumors that he'd shaved it again to play Lex Luthor. We don't know how close this one got to being a reality—but not close enough in our opinion. Instead, it ended up being Jesse Eisenberg taking the shears to his head.
And speaking of Superman villains...
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia Commons
Viggo Mortensen ("Man Of Steel")
Character: General Zod
Zach Snyder's attempt at making a good Superman movie didn't fail because they cast Michael Shannon in the role of General Zod. Shannon is a great actor and he was definitely not the problem with that movie. But that doesn't mean we can't be retroactively excited about the thought of Viggo Mortensen in that role.
Or even more excited about...
nicolas genin, Wikimedia Commons
Daniel Day-Lewis ("Man Of Steel")
Character: General Zod
Don't you just get goosebumps imagining General Zod telling Superman that he is going to drink his milkshake?
Sean Reynolds, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Matt Damon ("Spotlight")
Character: Michael Rezendes
When Spotlight was going into development, it was Matt Damon who many thought was the top choice for the role of Michael Rezendes. For one reason or another, though, it didn't work out and Mark Ruffalo got the part (and was great).
Interestingly enough, when Spotlight won Best Picture at the Academy Awards, one of the films it beat that year was The Martian, starring Matt Damon.
nicolas genin from Paris, France, Wikimedia Commons
Benicio Del Toro ("Star Trek Into Darkness")
Character: Khan
Benicio del Toro wasn't just rumored to be up for the role of Khan in JJ Abrams' 2013 film—del Toro even met with the director to talk about it. But, in the end, he stepped aside (not sure why) and the part would end up going to Benedict Cumberbatch.
Although, it does seem that JJ had an eye on a Latino actor at first, because along with the Puerto Rican del Toro....
Mingle Media TV, Wikimedia Commons
Edgar Ramirez ("Star Trek Into Darkness")
Character: Khan
Venezuelan-born actor Edgar Ramirez was also rumored for the Khan role.
Hailee Steinfeld ("The Hunger Games")
Character: Katniss
So, we would never say that casting Jennifer Lawrence was the wrong call. Because it wasn't. But that doesn't mean Hailee Steinfeld wouldn't have been a good choice as well. And as Kate Bishop in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Steinfeld showed that she's pretty good with a bow and arrow as well.
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia Commons
Jason Momoa ("The Crow")
Character: The Crow
When they announced they were going to reboot The Crow films, the first question on everyone's minds was...who was going to play the Crow—the role made famous (and infamous) by Brandon Lee in his final performance. Well, before they settled on Bill Skarsgård, one of the men they considered was Jason "Aquaman" Momoa.
The big, muscular Momoa would obviously have been a very different direction from Brandon Lee, but maybe not as different as another actor that was, at one time, rumored to be a potential Crow...
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia Commons
Bradley Cooper ("The Crow")
Character: The Crow
Yup. Supposedly, Cooper was in the mix at one point. We can't quite wrap our head around what this would've looked like—but we also kinda wanna see it. You?
Emma Stone ("Charlie's Angels")
Character: ?
We're talking about the 2019 franchise reboot here—not the blockbuster versions from the early aughts. So, it makes total sense that they would've wanted one of the biggest stars in Hollywood to be an "angel". But it never worked out. Would the film have been better with Stone? Maybe. But we have no doubt she would've been great in it.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/marinsd, Wikimedia Commons
Joaquin Phoenix ("Doctor Strange")
Character: Doctor Strange
During the early development of Marvel's first Doctor Strange film, Benedict Cumberbatch was who they wanted to play Doctor Strange. However, due to other commitments, Cumberbatch had to decline. Soon after that, talks began with Joaquin Phoenix to play the part—and the rumors really started gaining steam when he was seen purchasing Doctor Strange comic books.
In the end, Phoenix felt that Marvel had "too many requirements that went against [his] instincts for character", and the deal never materialized.
But wait. Guess who else Marvel considered before things eventually worked out with Cumberbatch?
Harald Krichel, Wikimedia Commons
Keanu Reeves ("Doctor Strange")
Character: Doctor Strange
Although they never talked to Reeves about the part, he was on Marvel's shortlist to play Doctor Strange when Cumberbatch was still unavailable. This would've been awesome. Awesomely good or awesomely bad...but totally awesome.
And while we're talking Keanu Reeves...
Governo do Estado de Sao Paulo, Wikimedia Commons
Will Smith ("The Matrix")
Character: Neo
As much as we would've been curious to see him in the role of Neo, we're pretty sure Will Smith regrets his decision more than any of us—he decided to do Wild Wild West instead.
An even more intriguing bit of possible Matrix casting was...
Silvia Elizabeth Pangaro, Shutterstock
Val Kilmer ("The Matrix")
Character: Morpheus
Laurence Fishburne brought some much needed gravitas to the role of Morpheus, and we think Kilmer could've done so as well.
Featureflash Photo Agency, Shutterstock
Charlie Hunnam ("Fifty Shades Of Grey")
Character: Christian Grey
Riding high off of the success of the Sons of Anarchy television series, Charlie Hunnam was poised to be one of the next big Hollywood movie stars. But when it was announced that he would be starring as Christian Grey in the much anticipated Fifty Shades of Grey film adaptation—fans were not happy.
They didn't think he, nor Dakota Fanning, were right for the leads—and in the end, their petitions led to a recasting of one of them. Do you think Hunnam would've been a bad choice?
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia Commons
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