Film Trivia: Casting Changes for Famous Roles...

[abok3]

Interesting how different some of these films could have been (for better or worse)...

- Arnold Schwarzenegger turned down the role of John McClane in Die Hard (198. The role went to Bruce Willis instead.
- Edward Norton and Leonardo DiCaprio turned turned down the role of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho (2000). The role went to Christian Bale instead.
- Heath Ledger turned down the role of Llewelyn Moss in No Country for Old Men (2007). The role went to Josh Brolin instead.
- Don Cheadle and Joaquin Phoenix were originally cast to play Frank Lucas and Richie Roberts in American Gangster (2007) a few years earlier. The roles wentto Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe instead.
- Brad Pitt turned down the role of Jason Bourne in The Bourne Identity (2002). The role went to Matt Damon instead.
- Johnny Depp turned down the role of Jackie Boy in Sin City (2005). The role went to Benicio Del Toro instead.
- Tom Cruise turned down the role of Donnie Brasco in Donnie Brasco (1997). The role went to Johnny Depp instead.
- Al Pacino turned down the role of Jimmy Conway in Goodfellas (1990). The role went to Robert De Niro instead.
- Mel Gibson and Ray Liotta turned down the roles of Ellerby and Dignam in The Departed (2006). The roles went to Alec Baldwin and Mark Wahlberg instead.
- Marilyn Manson was considered for the role of The Scarecrow in Batman Begins (2005). The role went to Cillian Murphy instead.
- Ashley Judd was considered for the role of Maggie Fitzgerald in Million Dollar Baby (2004). The role went to Hilary Swank instead.
- Mel Gibson turned down the role of Maximus in Gladiator (2000). The role went to Russell Crowe instead.
- James Gandolfini turned down the role of Carl Hanratty in Catch Me if You Can (2002) due to scheduling problems with The Sopranos. The role went to Tom Hanksinstead.
- John Travolta turned down the role of Paul Edgecomb in The Green Mile (1999). The role went to Tom Hanks instead.
- Will Smith turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix (1999). The role went to Keanu Reeves instead.
- Chevy Chase and Dave Chappelle turned down the roles of Forrest Gump and Bubba Blue in Forrest Gump (1994). The roles went to Tom Hanks and MykeltiWilliamson instead.

 

[maza4ever14]

Originally Posted by abok3

-Chevy Chase and Dave Chappelle turned down the roles of Forrest Gump and Bubba Blue in Forrest Gump (1994). The roles went to Tom Hanks and Mykelti Williamson instead.

wow that woulda been horrible

 

[docsback]

Thank God Pacino didn't take De Niro's role in Goodfellas.

 

[i am knowledge]

Nah man, Chappelle would have been a good Bubba in my opinion.

That was before he reached super star status and was automatically funny.

 

[an dee 51o]

I'm

over here imagining what Dave Chappelle would have been like as Bubba.

 

[frenchblue23]

I think if Will Smith had taken the role in the Matrix, I probably would have seen those movies.

 

[gullydagreat]

imo every single one the role changes went for the better..i couldnt see none of the roles played by the original castor

 

[nyelectric]

The Bad Boys project was originally developed in the mid '80s but was abandoned when a slew of cop comedies came out. The two biggest comedians at the timewere Jon Lovitz and Dana Carvey, so naturally they were slated for the main roles. When Michael Bay took over the project some years later he insisted oncasting Martin Lawrence and Will Smith.

 

[gko2408]

Will Smith would've made Neo better.

 

[frank 7he t4nk]

Originally Posted by MaZA4eVeR14

Originally Posted by abok3

-Chevy Chase and Dave Chappelle turned down the roles of Forrest Gump and Bubba Blue in Forrest Gump (1994). The roles went to Tom Hanks and Mykelti Williamson instead.

wow that woulda been horrible

That would have been some movie.

 

[darthska]

NYelectric:

---

The Bad Boys project was originally developed in the mid '80s but was abandoned when a slew of cop comedies came out. The two biggest comedians at the time were Jon Lovitz and Dana Carvey, so naturally they were slated for the main roles. When Michael Bay took over the project some years later he insisted on casting Martin Lawrence and Will Smith.
Oh my gosh, Bad Boys coming out in the late 80s with Lovitz and Carvey as the leads...

gko2408:

---

Will Smith would've made Neo better.
I have to agree, and that's the ONLY one that I think was made WORSE due to the first choice turning the offer down. At the time, Will wasfreaking on top of the world, fresh off of Independence Day, the end of Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Bad Boys, and Men in Black. I think he would have been solid,and ever since I first heard that he was originally cast, I've thought it unfortunate that he turned it down. Part of the reason for my thinking lies inthe fact that I abhor Keanu's acting, and I've never seen one minute of any of the Matrix movies... JUST because he's the lead actor.

And I think that there is one that should be called a push, where no clear advantage took place with the first actor or the actual actor: Mel Gibson in theGladiator. I love that movie, and I think Mel would have been fine. I think Russell did awesome, and I think Mel would have done equally awesome.

 

[hediondo19]

Edward Norton and Leonardo DiCaprio turned turned down the role of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho (2000). The role went to Christian Bale instead.
Kind of true. The original director, Mary Harron's, first choice was Bale, then when she found out DiCaprio was going to do the role, shedropped out of the film. Oliver Stone then came to direct, and Leo dropped out. Harron then came back on to direct and Bale once again became Pat Bateman.

 

[nyelectric]

Michal Bay fought hard to cast Will Smith to play Mike Lowrey, as many thought that his squeaky clean image wouldn't work for the film, and it jumpstartedhis movie career proving that he had some dimension as an actor. I'm with you on the Matrix, Ska. I only saw it once, when it came out, and I might haveseen it again if it wasn't for Keanu Reeves. There is no way I can take him seriously in this movie if I saw it again. I would be giggling the entire time.

 

[gko2408]

Originally Posted by 23ska909red02

NYelectric:

---

The Bad Boys project was originally developed in the mid '80s but was abandoned when a slew of cop comedies came out. The two biggest comedians at the time were Jon Lovitz and Dana Carvey, so naturally they were slated for the main roles. When Michael Bay took over the project some years later he insisted on casting Martin Lawrence and Will Smith.

Oh my gosh, Bad Boys coming out in the late 80s with Lovitz and Carvey as the leads...

gko2408:

---

Will Smith would've made Neo better.
I have to agree, and that's the ONLY one that I think was made WORSE due to the first choice turning the offer down. At the time, Will was freaking on top of the world, fresh off of Independence Day, the end of Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Bad Boys, and Men in Black. I think he would have been solid, and ever since I first heard that he was originally cast, I've thought it unfortunate that he turned it down. Part of the reason for my thinking lies in the fact that I abhor Keanu's acting, and I've never seen one minute of any of the Matrix movies... JUST because he's the lead actor.

And I think that there is one that should be called a push, where no clear advantage took place with the first actor or the actual actor: Mel Gibson in the Gladiator. I love that movie, and I think Mel would have been fine. I think Russell did awesome, and I think Mel would have done equally awesome.

I don't think it would've worked. It wouldnt've been Mel Gibson playing the role; it'd have been William Wallace. To me that wasMel's defining role and it would have been too hard picturing him as Maximus in a sword-fighting action movie. Plus wasn't he doing all those cheesylove comedies during this time.

 

[darthska]

^ Maaaaan, Mike Lowery was comedy!

They were both comedy.

both Bad Boys movies = appreciated

I don't even see how their would have been an enjoyable sequel with Lovitz and Carvey as the leads.

Yeah, they might have went ahead and made asequel, but it would have been worst than the first, and the first wouldn't have even done well (in my opinion, obviously).

 

[apocalypz]

- Will Smith turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix (1999). The role went to Keanu Reeves instead.

That woulda been

 

[ljlukelj]

Originally Posted by gko2408

Originally Posted by 23ska909red02

NYelectric:

---

The Bad Boys project was originally developed in the mid '80s but was abandoned when a slew of cop comedies came out. The two biggest comedians at the time were Jon Lovitz and Dana Carvey, so naturally they were slated for the main roles. When Michael Bay took over the project some years later he insisted on casting Martin Lawrence and Will Smith.

Oh my gosh, Bad Boys coming out in the late 80s with Lovitz and Carvey as the leads...

gko2408:

---

Will Smith would've made Neo better.

I have to agree, and that's the ONLY one that I think was made WORSE due to the first choice turning the offer down. At the time, Will was freaking on top of the world, fresh off of Independence Day, the end of Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Bad Boys, and Men in Black. I think he would have been solid, and ever since I first heard that he was originally cast, I've thought it unfortunate that he turned it down. Part of the reason for my thinking lies in the fact that I abhor Keanu's acting, and I've never seen one minute of any of the Matrix movies... JUST because he's the lead actor.

And I think that there is one that should be called a push, where no clear advantage took place with the first actor or the actual actor: Mel Gibson in the Gladiator. I love that movie, and I think Mel would have been fine. I think Russell did awesome, and I think Mel would have done equally awesome.

I don't think it would've worked. It wouldnt've been Mel Gibson playing the role; it'd have been William Wallace. To me that was Mel's defining role and it would have been too hard picturing him as Maximus in a sword-fighting action movie. Plus wasn't he doing all those cheesy love comedies during this time.

Braveheart?

 

[darthska]

^ That's what he's talking about. Mel Gibson played William Wallace in the Braveheart. He's saying that people would have watched the movie andthey would have been thinking about Mel in Braveheart (as William Wallace); essentially, the public would be watching William Wallace in The Gladiator, not MelGibson.

And... that's a good point, gko. Never thought about it that way. But when I made my reply earlier (that it should be called a push), I was definitely thinking about Mel as Wallace in Braveheart, so that kind of suggests your reasoning is accurate.

 

[thehealthinspector]

i dont really understand the dislike for keaneau reeves as Neo, im not a big keanau fan and i realize that some people think that the guy is a bland actor butwasnt that what Neo was at first? some bland character that worked some bs job with nothing going for him in the matrix and then some guy pulled out of thematrix totally confused continuing his blandness? im sure they could have found a more exciting character to play neo but something just seems very strange tome envisioning will smith as neo, maybe its because i cant comprehend will smith playing a bland neo but instead i picture mike lowry playing as neo

 

[nyelectric]

Originally Posted by 23ska909red02

^ Maaaaan, Mike Lowery was comedy!

They were both comedy.

both Bad Boys movies = appreciated

I don't even see how their would have been an enjoyable sequel with Lovitz and Carvey as the leads.

Yeah, they might have went ahead and made a sequel, but it would have been worst than the first, and the first wouldn't have even done well (in my opinion, obviously).

I don't even know how they would have called it Bad Boys with Lovitz and Carvey. But then again I have no idea how after seeing Bill and Ted,Point Break, and Speed Keanu was casted for anything.

I think Crowe in Gladiator was perfect.

i dont really understand the dislike for keaneau reeves as Neo, im not a big keanau fan and i realize that some people think that the guy is a bland actor but wasnt that what Neo was at first? some bland character that worked some bs job with nothing going for him in the matrix and then some guy pulled out of the matrix totally confused continuing his blandness? im sure they could have found a more exciting character to play neo but something just seems very strange to me envisioning will smith as neo, maybe its because i cant comprehend will smith playing a bland neo but instead i picture mike lowry playing as neo
I suppose you're right about Will Smith being Neo, but they definitely could have found someone better than Keanu. Every time he delivers aserious line I burst out laughing. He's a terrible actor with a ridiculous voice for drama.

 

[ljlukelj]

ohhh thats right! I totally forgot his character's name was William Wallace.

 

[darthska]

^ Me personally, I just hate Keanu's voice. I honestly have no clue how anyone can sit through a movie where he's the lead character.

I remembering enjoying Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, but thinking that is voice was 9 kinds of annoying.

And then he did more movies.

And more movies.

And still more

His first smash solidified it for me: I never need to sit through another film where he's the lead actor. His first smash? Speed. "You're on... abus going fifty... five miles an... hour what... do you do? What... do you do?"

Basically... what NYElectric just said.

My wife has some movie where Keanu's character meets this chick that's pregnant, but the baby's daddy left. So she has to return home to herfather's house, pregnant and without a partner. It was like, back in the 1920s or 30's or something. The two (Keanu's character and the woman) meton a bus, and (long story short) Keanu ends up joining her to her father's house, to act like he's her boyfriend, so she wouldn't be completelyalone when she tells Daddy Dearest that she's pregnant.

Dude was boiled, fried, hot, steaming, baked, refried GARBAGE. Certifiably terrible.

I might have found the movie marginally enjoyable if ANYONE not named'Keanu' would have been the main male character. But he was the main male character. And he did terrible. His delivery... is just disgusting.

 

[nyelectric]

Every time I see one of those Street Kings ads I start laughing. "Not quick e-nou-gh."

I like Russell Crowe, but I took exception to his accent throughout some of American Gangster. It wasn't too distracting, but it would have beeninteresting to see Joaquin Phoenix play Roberts. Don Cheadle could not, in my opinion, pull off Frank Lucas however.

 

[integra owner]

At first, I was thinking some of these would have been horrible casting calls for most of those movies, but then I started thinking-with the exception ofForrest Gump, the Matrix, and Arnold Schwarzenegger in Diehard, all of these would have been straight.

Before I get flamed, to me, the original Matrix wasn't about the acting, it was more about the entire idea. I could be wrong, but as big a name as WillSmith was even in 1999, I don't think the movie would have had the same effect as it did with Keanu Reeves, a subpar actor at best. Will's larger thanlife image would have taken over during some part of the movie.

 

[nimo007]

Originally Posted by abok3

- Edward Norton and Leonardo DiCaprio turned turned down the role of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho (2000). The role went to Christian Bale instead.

Damn Edward Norton would be

. That movie was all Christian Bale though

.