Entertainment
Top 10 Iconic Roles That Almost Went to Other Actors
It’s hard to believe that legends of the silver screen could have been played by anyone else. Sometimes, however, it seems that casting drama in movies makes history in more ways than one. In other words, who doesn’t have their favourite character who could have been portrayed differently by a different actor.
From Spider-Man to The Joker, these options that were never taken would have had a completely different flow in the film or show.
So without further ado, let us explore the top 10 iconic roles that another actor was considered for and see just how close we were to some other kinds of movies. You will be shocked to learn who was once cast in your favourite role!
1. Michael Corleone, “The Godfather”
Al Pacino was an underrated theatre actor with a single movie to his name. Well, that was until he starred as Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘The Godfather’. Nothing defines one’s career quite like this role for Al Pacino. Hollywood history books could have been quite different owing to the political correctness of 2004 though. Instead, one of Hollywood’s heavyweights went and starred in his films that would become eyesores for ‘Washington’ including ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ and ‘Chinatown’.
2. Rose, “Titanic”
James Cameron’s emotional and Oscar-awarded film scorched the earth for its main actors, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet but only just. The part of a British aristocrat Rose was so close to becoming part of Goop Queen Gwyneth Paltrow.
The British actress commented on rumors spread by a radio discotheque Howard Stern claiming that she was offered but refused this role: “I think I was really in contention for it. I was down to one of the last two so yes there is some of my style in the part, though I regret certain things throughout the decades. This is a lesson for us all. What is the point of clinging onto roles?”
3. James Bond, “Casino Royale”
In a conducted interview with The Guardian, Bond producer Barbara Broccoli confirms that her team ‘haven’t even begun’ searching for a new 007. So it is going to be some time before we find out who is appropriate to replace Daniel Craig, although it is unlikely to be Henry Cavill… or is it?
In a previous podcast, Cavil mentioned that the last time the Broccolis considered him for the role, he and Craig were the other choice but he was the younger option and ‘was probably not ready for this role at the moment.’ So does this mean that now that he’s older, it would be ‘his’ role? Or the antonym? Only time will tell.
4. Vivian Ward, “Pretty Woman”
Among the films responsible for jumpstarting Julia Roberts’ career is “Pretty Woman.” To this day, more than three decades into the future, this film is classified as one—if complicated. However, this actress was almost succeeded by a different red-headed actor, Molly Ringwald, who declined the part because she disliked the narrative, saying in an interview with the Guardian ‘Even then, I felt like there was something icky about it.’
5. Black Widow, “The Avengers”
Scarlett Johansson has featured as Black Widow in four of The Avengers and her own stand-alone movie, the Black Widow. She was not the first choice for this role, however, but a second choice. Their first choice was Emily Blunt, but she could not take the role because she was busy with the production of 2010’s ‘Gulliver’s Travels’, a decision she says she regrets.
6. Neo, “The Matrix”
Before Keanu Reeves took on what would be his most iconic role, it was Will Smith who was offered, the role of Neo. At that time, Smith had recently appeared in “Men in Black” and “Independence Day” and didn’t want to be associated only as ‘the alien movie guy’. Later, that worry combined with a chaotic pitch meeting with the Wachowskis made Smith turn down “The Matrix”, a decision he would later regret the most throughout his career.
7. Patrick Bateman, “American Psycho”
Throughout the making of “American Psycho,” there were a lot of struggles with the feelings of Patrick Bateman’s relevancy within the movie, which led to the dismissal, and re-employment, of Mary Harron as the writer and director. When American Psycho went into production, it cast Christian Bale, a relatively unknown actor at the time, as its lead while the production’s initial decision was to cast Leonardo DiCaprio in the role. As a result, the studio replaced Harron and in turn, O. Stone was appointed as director who “in turn had DiCaprio’s aspiration” but the actor pulled it out. As it turned out, Harron was able to have Bale, her first choice, star in the film, which changed his career significantly.
8. Elle Woods, “Legally Blonde”
Reese Witherspoon’s Elle Woods in the movie “Legally Blonde” is arguably the most well-known character attributed to the actress. However, before Witherspoon made her casting decision, Christina Applegate rejected the role of the mouse on account of having already portrayed a similar character in the sitcom “Married with Children” and wishing to avoid repetitive typecasting.
9. Andy Sachs, “The Devil Wears Prada”
Before “The Devil Wears Prada” came to be, Anne Hathaway was mostly dependent on her teen dramas for survival. But the studio looked at Rachel McAdams for the role before Hathaway got the role of Andy. McAdams refused several times claiming she wished to pursue low profile projects.
10. Dumbledore, “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”
Richard Harris played Albus Dumbledore in the first two installments of ‘Harry Potter’, however, he passed away before the commencement of the third installment. Ian McKellen, who had acted in the ‘Lord of the Rings’ series as Gandalf the wizard, was approached to replace him but McKellen said no to the offer as, in his opinion, the late Richard Harris wouldn’t have liked him as an actor. The latter was instead played by Michael Gambon in the other series.
This week’s top new streaming movies include some of the most popular films today, the newest originals from leading streaming networks, as well as other less hyped-up films that many noticed came out in cinemas. There’s a variety of films spanning many genres up in Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Max, Peacock, and Paramount+, many of which are just off their cinematic run. Some recently featured titles are also getting some recognition in the award season buzz.
This week still showcases some Christmas cheer to those impatient viewers who just cannot wait for the festive season. There are several Netflix productions such as Emilia Pérez that are starting to generate some anticipation due to the awards season. This is however the best week of the year for several people as it’s the release week for some of the most smashing blockbusters of the year: Transformers One, Twisters, and Deadpool & Wolverine.
#10 The Last Breath (2024)
Ever since Jaws showed us how interesting a shark movie can be, there has not really been a ‘good’ shark-related film after it which is universally appreciated and leaves a gap or potential like we saw in Under Paris’s recent effort. The Last Breath is an entertaining movie that makes viewers think thrice before entering the water but includes an interesting twist in how it tells its shark attack story. The Last Breath follows a group of college friends on a scuba diving trip in the Caribbean. All goes well until the group decides to investigate a WWII wrecked ship and unbeknownst to them, they are trapped and being stalked by sharks.
It is interesting to note that in The Last Breath, the ocean becomes as much a villain as the sharks in this narrative. The main characters have to make the horrible decision of either drowning in the sunken maze of the ship or getting eaten by the sharks in the confrontation. However, it does make for a suspenseful underwater thriller though still not able to match the Jaws.
#9 Hot Frosty (2024)
When it comes to the Christmas period, Netflix’s catalogue has several good and cozy options that I feel will find their way to people as the familiar annual collection of Christmas rom-coms has already begun in the year 2024. But no other film will probably ever beating the outrageous concept of Hot Frosty. One of the stars Lacey Chabert portrays a widow called Cathy who is not so much of a fan of Christmas and her problems are consistently solved by turning a magic snowman into a hot nice guy.
The movie goes headfirst in this merry premise with Dustin Milligan portraying Jack Snowman providing both humor and charm in the role. Some other comedic actors who feature in the film are also very notable; for example, Craig Robinson plays the sheriff who is trying to get to the root of Jack’s mysterious activities. This creates a wonderful and amusing approach to the festivities.
#8 Return Of The King: The Fall And Rise Of Elvis Presley (2024)
There are many amazing music documentaries in the world today, but there is something special about Elvis Presley that has lasted for several decades and therefore any film of him is worth watching. Return of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley is an account of an interesting and unique phase in Elvis’ career which transformed him into one of the biggest icons of world music.
The music-focused documentary looks at the era when Elvis’ music stopped resonating with the masses and he was slowly becoming well known as a family entertainer. But Elvis made an unforgettable comeback with an equally memorable television show which earned him the title ‘The King’. The interviews are interspersed with great footage of other legendary artists speaking about their love for Elvis, including Bruce Springsteen, and fans like Conan O’Brien.
#7 Close To You (2024)
After six years of absence from the big screen, Elliott Page comes back with a film called Close to You. Additionally, he made this film after transitioning into the character that he is today. Page returns home to celebrate his father’s birthday in Close to You. During the celebration, he encounters both his relatives and friends and learns how they feel about his decision to become a trans person.
The style of the film is intimate and very loose as if the viewer simply happens to be around the characters as they engage in highly spontaneous and unscripted chats. The page clearly portrays the private side of the ordeal in the film, answering many questions, criticisms or supportive comments which inevitably come in circumstances such as these.
#6 An Almost Christmas Story (2024)
For those still not prepared to settle down with the hour-and-a-half-long Christmas special can check out the shorter festive Christmas film which comes in the shape of An Almost Christmas Story. The animated movie depicts a young owl called Moon who is accidentally caught up in a tree chosen as the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree for the year. While finding his way around the big city, Moon meets and starts talking to a girl named Luna.
Although it is only a short film available on Disney+, there are some big names in the cast of An Almost Christmas Story. An and Two have co-written and directed the short film, David Lowery (The Green Knight) directed the film which was written in part by Alfonso Cuarón. It also features an incredible voice cast that includes Natasha Lyonne, John C. Reilly and Jim Gaffigan. It serves as a nice warm family Christmas collectible for viewers of all ages.
#5 Thelma (2024)
Thelma might be the most underappreciated film of the year; however, with it now streaming at home, new audiences should enjoy this delightful surprise. Oscar nominee June Squibb portrays Thelma, a widow who is swindled out of some money because of her goodness. Determined to show that she can function independently, she sets out to reclaim what was lost.
Although the movie may precisely be described as a revenge flick, it’s really about a woman who cherishes her life and aims to do all it takes to prove that she is not a liability. Squibb is wonderful in the lead role, and she manages to be funny, charming, and sweet all at the same time. Another great performance is given by the late Richard Roundtree as Thelma’s friend who is coerced into participating in the mission.
#4 Emilia Pérez (2024)
Every year, Netflix tries its level best to market one of its original films as an award-winning film during the award season. The film which seems to catch attention this time, and chances to sweep many nominations with it is the hyped musical titled Emilia Pérez. The main cast of the film Zoe Saldaña plays an unappreciated attorney bored of being at a dead-end and is approached by a powerful and dangerous drug kingpin named Emilia. The drug lord wants assistance in staging her death so that she can escape and fulfil her dreams.
The Emilia Pérez movie received a lot of positive reactions after its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival where it also took home the Jury Prize award and Best Actress award which was awarded to the four main actors of the film; Saldana, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, and Adriana Paz. Mixing music with crimes has never been done before and Emilia Pérez will undoubtedly not only be one of the most talked-about films of the Fall season but will also grab a lot of attention.
#3 Transformers One (2024)
Transformers has had its fair share of highs and lows over the decades as a franchise, but one thing that stood out about Transformers One was the fact that it catered to older fans and was animated. It is a prequel depicting the events behind Optimus Prime and Megatron in their prime friendship, on a planet named Cybertron, yet again, something goes haywire and the friends get all angry at each other and split up because they have got a ‘calling’.
Transformers movie fans have waited a long time for the action to be set in Cybertron and for the Transformers characters rather than the humans taking centre stage. Transformers One feels like accomplishing both and, oddly enough, seems like a good tale about two close friends growing apart. The voice cast includes Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry and Scarlett Johansson.
#2 Twisters (2024)
Fresh in the theatres across America, once a blockbuster this summer season is ‘Twisters.’ This movie comes after a long gap of 1996 and this movie was stuck because of the constant change of directors. This movie has a new generation of cast which features Daisy Edgar Jones, and Glen Powell amongst others which definitely excites the audience.
The film is interesting as it nicely ties in with the previous one but brings new levels of destruction as well. Nevertheless, the cast earns the highest praise – actors Edgar-Jones and Powell are among the brightest rising stars of Hollywood including Meryl Streep. They easily make Twisters exceed the expectations of the audience when it comes to storm disasters, which is the whole point of the franchise.
#1 Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
After an explosive performance at the box office which followed up with great audience reception, Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the most desirable streaming releases this year. This is the third movie in the Deadpool trilogy, but the first that puts the Merc with the Mouth voiced by Ryan Reynolds in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As expected, Deadpool did not come to Disney of his own accord, as the film is a multiverse tale with the perfect narrator, Deadpool, and his co-star Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine pursuing their dual motivations to not get wiped out.
It is amazing to watch Reynolds and Jackman bring their characters to life in such blood-filled and laughter-packed light. There are a lot of great action sequences where Deadpool and Wolverine exchange some truly funny lines. Along with Reynolds and Jackman, the movie features plenty of Wolverine and Deadpool & Wolverine cameos which are always guaranteed to be the best moments in the MCU.
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