Top 10 Actors Originally Considered for Famous Roles

[hairlesswookiee]

I knew of several of these, but a couple are new to man and freaking hilarious. I can't imagine if these are the people they stuck with.
10. Will Smith as Neo in the Matrix
9. Jim Carrey as Dr. Evil
8. Kevin Costner as Bill in the Kill Bill movies
7. Sean Connery as Gandolf
6. Robert Deniro as Josh Baskin in Big
5. Jean Claude Van Damme as the Predator
4. Nick Nolte as Han Solo
3. Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones
2. Bill Murray as Bruce Wayne in Batman (WTF???)
1. OJ Simpson as the Terminator


https://supertremendous.com/Content...considered-for-famous-movie-roles/Page-2.html

 

[Balsquat]

Imagine... 3 men and a baby
becomes "Three men and Indy"

 

[SnakeDoctor]

Others I've heard ...

Matthew Broderick as Alex P. Keaton
Sylvester Stallone as Axel Foley
Eric Stolz as Marty McFly
Lance Henrickson as The Terminator

SnakeDoc

 

[Darkseed]

OJ as the Terminator. It isn't too far a stretch

 

[Khev]

Richard Gere and Clint Eastwood passed on John McClane.

Michelle Pfeiffer turned down the role of Clarice in Silence of the Lambs.

Connery also declined playing Morpheus. Just imagine a Will Smith/Sean Connery Matrix duo. Yikes.

Chris Farley died before he could complete voice work as Shrek.

 

[Darthrazz]

Others I've heard ...

Matthew Broderick as Alex P. Keaton
Sylvester Stallone as Axel Foley
Eric Stolz as Marty McFly
Lance Henrickson as The Terminator

SnakeDoc

Eric Stoltz actually filmed about half of back to the future before he was let go. If you look carefully you can actually see him in some quick shots. Like driving the car or skatebording.

 

[karamazov80]

Pretty well known, but John Belushi was in line to be Peter Venkman before he died.

 

[The Mike]

Imagine... 3 men and a baby
becomes "Three men and Indy"

That's not right. Then you are indicating that the "baby" would have been Indy or else where is the other man from? It'd be Two Men, an Indy and a Baby if you are trying to make that joke.

Sean Connery as Gandolf

I loved Ian McKellan but Connery as Gandolf would have been epic IMHO.

2. Bill Murray as Bruce Wayne in Batman (WTF???)

Yup and in the original treatments Robin Williams was going to play the Nicholson Joker role...

1. OJ Simpson as the Terminator

OJ as the Terminator. It isn't too far a stretch

Ironically he was turned down because they thought he wouldn't be perceived as dangerous enough and that no one would believe him as a ruthless killing machine.

Al Pacino, Nick Nolte and Christopher Walken were all considered for the role of Han Solo and apparently Burt Reynolds was actually offered the part....

Some more that might blow your mind:

Russell Crowe was considered for Aragorn in LOTR
Tom Hanks considered for Field of Dreams
Robert Deniro was originally thought of for Joe Pesci's role in Home Alone
Eddie Murphy was offered Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Ralph Macchio was considered for Marty McFly in BTTF
Richard Grieco was originally the driving force for Speed
Johnny Depp was considered for Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Tom Cruise was originally offered Footloose

Tom Cruise in fact is the king of these:

Roles turned down by Tom Cruise:


Alexander

Director Oliver Stone originally wanted Tom Cruise in the lead role.


Always

Turned down a role in the movie Always.


Assassins

Cruise was considered for the role of Miguel Bain.
Actor who got the part: Antonio Banderas


Bad Boys (1983)

Cruise was considered for the role of Mick.
Actor who got the part: Sean Penn


A Beautiful Mind

Tom Cruise was considered for the role of John Nash.
Actor who got the part: Russell Crowe


The Bonfire of The Vanities

Cruise was considered for the part of Sherman McCoy.
Actor who got the part: Tom Hanks


Cold Mountain

Tom Cruise was considered for the role Inman.
Actor who got the part: Jude Law


Cry-Baby

Tom Cruise was reportedly considered for the role of Cry-Baby.
Actor who got the part: Johnny Depp


The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Tom Cruise was attached as the lead in the 90s, when Steven Spielberg was set to direct.
Actor who got the part: Brad Pitt


Donnie Brasco

Cruise was originally cast as Donnie Brasco but had to back out because production was pushed back.
Actor who got the part: Johnny Depp


The Doors

Tom Cruise was considered to play Jim Morrison.
Actor who got the part: Val Kilmer


Edward Scissorhands

Considered for the role of Edward Scissorhands.
Actor who got the part: Johnny Depp


Enemy of the State

Tom Cruise turned down the role of Robert Clayton because he was still working on Eyes Wide Shut.
Actor who got the part: Will Smith


The Few

Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer rumored to be headlining this World War Two epic. the production was later abandoned.
Actor who got the part: never made


Footloose

Set to play the lead role, but his schedule on "All The Right Moves" prevented him from accepting it.
Actor who got the part: Kevin Bacon


Ghost

Was Considered For The Role Of Sam Wheat.
Actor who got the part: Patrick Swayze


Hulk

Offered the part of Bruce Banner.


I Am Legend

According to the Toledo Blade, Tom Cruise turn down the lead role.
Actor who got the part: Will Smith


Indecent Proposal

Tom Cruise turned down the role of David.
Actor who got the part: Woody Harrelson


Iron Man

Tom Cruise was long considered for the project's lead role.
Actor who got the part: Robert Downey, Jr.


John Carter of Mars

Disney spent considerable time and effort developing with director John McTiernan a fantasy epic based on works by Edgar Rice Burroughs -- works that have eluded filmmakers since the '30s. In 2008, it was announced that Pixar will attempt a version of the same material.
Actor who got the part: Film Was Never Made


Judgment Night

Emilio Estevez was far down the list of actors for the role of Frank Wyatt. A trade paper story explained that the studio's despiration led to Estevez taking a much higher-than-expected payday. Actors who passed included Tom Cruise and Christian Slater.
Actor who got the part: Emilio Estevez


The Matrix

Supposedly considered for the part of Neo.


Miami Vice

Reportedly considered reteaming with his "Collateral" director Michael Mann by playing the role of "Sonny Crockett" in the movie version of the 'Eighties TV show.
Actor who got the part: Colin Farrell


Queen of the Damned

Tom Cruise decided not to return to the role of Lestat.
Actor who got the part: Stuart Townsend


Rumble Fish

Tom Cruise turned down the lead role in order to do "Risky Business" instead.
Actor who got the part: Matt Dillon


Speed

Tom Cruise was reportedly offered the lead role but declined.


The Talented Mr. Ripley

Cruise was originally considered for the role of Tom Ripley.
Actor who got the part: Matt Damon


Wall Street

Wanted the role of Bud Fox but did not get it.
Actor who got the part: Charlie Sheen


Washington Square

In 1993, Tom Cruise and director Mike Nichols considered remaking the Heiress, with Cruise to play Morris Townsend.
Actor who got the part: Ben Chaplin


What Makes Sammy Run?

Cruise is one of several actors mentioned to star in a movie version of the 1941 novel about a vicious hustler who climbs to the top of the movie industry.
Actor who got the part: Project Abandoned


Without Limits

Tom Cruise was originally considered for Steve Prefontaine but turned it down saying he was too old.
Actor who got the part: Billy Crudup

 

[karamazov80]

In recent years, I'm sure that Tom Cruise/Brad Pitt/Tom Hanks/Johnny Depp and a handful of others are offered 100s of roles a year, though. Pretty easy to go back with hindsight and say, "Johnny Depp was offered the role of Jennifer Aniston's ex in 'Bounty Hunters' but turned it down."

 

[ChaserFan]

I'm pretty sure that Tom Cruise as Iron Man one was just a rumour. I remember at the time, Jon stated that he had never even met Cruise before.

 

[Praedane]

RE: Sean Connery as Gandalf

"Isn't that just like an orc -- brings a club to a sword fight."

 

[CAhobbit]

1. OJ Simpson as the Terminator https://supertremendous.com/Content...considered-for-famous-movie-roles/Page-2.html

Seems like he did take up that role after all.

 

[SnakeDoctor]

https://www.notstarring.com (which apparently catalogues declined casting choices) shows the following ...

Paul Ruebens as Gozer in Ghostbusters
Brad Pitt as Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption
Chuck Norris as the Cobra Kai guy in The Karate Kid
Lucille Ball as Scarlett in Gone With the Wind
Charlton Heston as Chief Brody in Jaws
Michael Madsen as Vincent (Vic) Vega in Pulp Fiction
David Letterman as Ted Striker in Airplane
Tupac Shakur as Bubba in Forrest Gump

SnakeDoc

 

[The Mike]

I'm pretty sure that Tom Cruise as Iron Man one was just a rumour. I remember at the time, Jon stated that he had never even met Cruise before.

Tom was off the project before Jon even signed on.

Here is the article from 2004:

Iron Man - Tom Cruise Still Seeking Stark

The Comics Continuum spoke with Marvel Studios exec Kevin Feige about the Iron Man movie currently in-development at New Line Cinema that Don Murphy is producing. Feige called the second draft of the screenplay by Smallville's Alfred Gough & Miles Millar "awesome."

"There should be a director soon," Feige promised. IGN FilmForce has been able to confirm that the process is just beginning to find a director who can bring Iron Man to the big-screen by 2005.

And what about casting? Tom Cruise recently expressed interest (again) in the title role. "There have been discussions [with Cruise] over the last several years and there are a number of factors involved," Feige told the Continuum. "All we know is that we're putting all the pieces in place and then we'll find the best Tony Stark that we can get."

Past rumored contenders to star include Nicolas Cage and Leonardo DiCaprio

Here is Tom's quote from 2005

"It´s not happening. Not with me, they ... came to me at a certain point, and you know, when I do something, I want to do it right. And, you know, if I commit to something, it has to be done in a way that I know it´s going to be something special. And that ... as it was lining up, it just didn't feel to me like it was going to work."

As for Favreau's comments here they are:

As for the long-standing talk of Tom Cruise playing the lead: "I've never even met Tom Cruise, though I do think he is a great actor. He doesn't seem to fit with what Marvel is looking for at this time, but you never know what will happen. The rumor is false as far as I know," Favreau said.

That was in 2006 one year after Tom already swore it off. What was happening is once Favreau was signed the Cruise rumors began again but he never really get back into it with Marvel Studios. He was working with them back in 2002 though trying to get Iron Man on screen through his production studio.

 

[Deckard]

Forgive me if it's already been pointed out but the original Ghostbusters would have been something along the lines of :

Dan Aykroyd - Stantz
Jim Belushi - Venkman
Jeff Goldblum - Spengler
Eddie Murphy - Zeddamore

John Candy - Luis Tulley


Of all the what could have beens, the only one I wish had happened was Deniro in Home Alone, ly with Pesci. Could you imagine how much funnier it would be just based on them alone. Not that Marv did a bad job but Deniro getting smacked around by Pesci would have been epic.

 

[karamazov80]

David Letterman is surprising, since he didn't start his talk show didn't until after Airplane! was released.

With Tom Cruise, I also recall him wanting to do Spiderman back in the 90s, when James Cameron was considering it, etc.

 

[karamazov80]

Jeff Goldblum - Spengler

Sweet lord, I'm glad that never happened.

 

[ChaserFan]

I am so sorry Mike! Please forgive me!

 

[The Mike]

With Tom Cruise, I also recall him wanting to do Spiderman back in the 90s, when James Cameron was considering it, etc.

That is true but the one who almost got the role when Cameron was helming was DiCaprio. Check this out from December of 2004:

Dicaprio Slams Spider-Man And Star Wars Roles

Hollywood hunk LEONARDO DiCAPRIO was offered the roles of SPIDER-MAN and STAR WARS hero ANAKIN SKYWALKER, but turned them down because they failed to pass his "passion test".

The TITANIC hunk complains 92 per cent of the parts he's offered are appalling, and he was so disappointed by the SPIDER-MAN and STAR WARS: EPISODE I - THE PHANTOM MENACE scripts, he immediately rejected the blockbusters.

He explains, "Yeah, I turned down Anakin and Spider-Man straight away. I read almost all of the scripts but 92 per cent, to give you a precise number, are pure crap.

"If they're not able to get close to what you feel you deserve, you wonder who's financing it and backing it. Usually when I want to do something, I know immediately, and then I do it."

We almost had DiCaprio as Anakin Skywalker...imagine that....

Also check this out from 2000 about Spidey:

Web Casting
EW has the latest developments on the long-awaited superhero movie
By Gillian Flynn | Feb 02, 2000
Share Comments Add your comment The decade-long wait for a big-screen ''Spider-Man'' has sent fans crawling up walls. But Sam Raimi (''A Simple Plan'') is finally locked to direct the first film in Columbia's big-budget ''Spider-Man'' franchise, with shooting to begin in December for a fall 2001 release. The big question now: Who will fill the superhero's leotard? The Web has spun countless casting rumors, citing everyone from ''Batman'' sidekick Chris O'Donnell to Raimi's ''Army of Darkness'' star, Bruce Campbell.
Not likely, says a highly placed studio source. Instead, the source tells EW, Leonardo DiCaprio, Freddie Prinze Jr. (''Down to You''), and Jude Law (''The Talented Mr. Ripley'') have all expressed interest and are all contenders. Responds DiCaprio rep Ken Sunshine, ''He's obviously approached all the time about great-sounding ideas, but he's gotta see the script.'' Prinze's publicists couldn't be reached for comment. As for Law, his rep says: ''There have been some overtures about it. Jude has been a 'Spider-Man' fanatic since he was a kid.''

He's not the only one: Raimi's devotion to the Marvel man may have helped him land the gig over ''Fight Club'' director David Fincher. Raimi ''had everything we were looking for,'' says Columbia head Amy Pascal. ''He was incredibly stylish, he had tons of heart, and he's a total 'Spider-Man' geek.'' ''Geek'' may be the operative word in casting, since the screenplay by David Koepp (''Jurassic Park'') is faithful to the original comic, which portrays Spidey alter ego Peter Parker as a shy high school student. ''Peter Parker as I had conceived him was an average young man,'' says Stan Lee, who created ''Spider-Man'' and will exec-produce the film. ''He wasn't Tom Cruise.'' Guess that shortens the casting call.

 

[hairlesswookiee]

We almost had DiCaprio as Anakin Skywalker...imagine that....

Back then I hated DiCaprio, but he's really upped his game in the last several movies he's made. I can only imagine how much cooler the prequels would've been with him as Anakin.