5 Actors Who Refused to Play a Role That Would Go On to Become a Cult Classic
Who knows what these movies would have been like if the actors had made different choices.
It happens that actors get offers that could change their careers, but they turn them down for various reasons.
Sometimes they are afraid the movie will fail, sometimes the script seems weak to them, and sometimes they simply cannot find the time in their schedule. As a result, other actors fill the iconic roles, and the rejected projects become box office hits.
1. Dougray Scott – Wolverine in X-Men
Last year's box office success of Deadpool & Wolverine seems to have finally cemented Hugh Jackman as one of the most famous movie mutants. But the actor was far from the first choice for the role.
At various stages of the film's production, superstars of the time such as Mel Gibson and Russell Crowe were in the running to play the superhero. According to rumors, it was the latter who recommended Jackman's candidacy, but even such a recommendation did not make Hugh the main candidate.
Originally, the role of Wolverine was to be played by Dougray Scott. But the actor preferred the role of the antagonist in Mission: Impossible 2.
2. Will Smith – Neo from The Matrix
Will Smith turned down the role of Neo because he thought the script was too complicated and risky. The actor went on to star in another movie released the same year, Wild Wild West, which flopped at the box office and received negative reviews from critics.
Today it seems difficult to imagine anyone else in the iconic role except Keanu Reeves, but viewers still have the opportunity to see Smith in the image of the Chosen One. The recent video of the actor for the song Beautiful Scars, a collaboration with rapper Big Sean, was inspired by The Matrix.
3. Sean Connery – Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings
The producers of the film adaptation of the legendary fantasy saga once really wanted to see Sean Connery in the role of Gandalf. At the same time, the actor himself was not eager to take part in the project.
After reviewing a copy of the script, Connery turned it down. A lack of understanding of the plot, as well as the unwillingness to live in New Zealand for almost two years, deprived the actor of the opportunity to earn huge money.
In addition to his salary, the actor would have received a percentage of the trilogy's box office receipts, which totaled about $3 billion.
4. Tom Selleck – Indiana Jones from Raiders of the Lost Ark
Tom Selleck could have played Indiana Jones, but his contract with the Magnum P.I. series prevented him from accepting the offer.
Despite the doubts of producer and co-writer George Lucas, Harrison Ford perfectly fit the image of the archaeologist-adventurer. And the role itself became one of the most recognizable in the actor's entire career.
5. Matt Damon – Jake Sully from Avatar
Matt Damon was offered the lead role in Avatar, but he turned it down due to his busy schedule. In addition, director James Cameron offered Damon not only the lead role, but also a percentage of the film's profits.
As a result, the refusal deprived Matt of a huge fee that would have ensured him a secure first place on the list of highest-paid actors. At the time, the film became the highest-grossing film in history, earning $2.92 billion.