Film castings that never were.....

Bruce Willis was 7th choice for John McClane.

Schwarzenegger, Stallone, Reynolds, Ford, Gibson and Gere were all offered the role first. In fact the film itself was second choice as McTiernan originally wanted to do Commando 2 but Schwarzenegger turned it down to focus on Kindergarten Cop, Stallone was busy with Stop or my Mom will Shoot!

Oh and Sam Neill was supposed to be Hans Gruber and Sean connery turned down the role of Simon Gruber in Die Hard with a vengeance.

You sure you have that right? Die Hard came out in '88.

Kindergarten Cop was '90, you sure it wasn't Twins Arnie did instead.

Stop or my mom will shoot came out in '92, Stallone did 4 or 5 films between Die Hard's release so that part seems like guff.

Bruce Willis was a TV actor at the time and was far from the first choice so I believe those other actors were likely considered, your reasons for those two refusing seem ropey though.
 


You sure you have that right? Die Hard came out in '88.

Kindergarten Cop was '90, you sure it wasn't Twins Arnie did instead.

Stop or my mom will shoot came out in '92, Stallone did 4 or 5 films between Die Hard's release so that part seems like guff.

Bruce Willis was a TV actor at the time and was far from the first choice so I believe those other actors were likely considered, your reasons for those two refusing seem ropey though.

No shit Sherlock....

Alan Rickman nearly turned it down as well as he didn’t want to do an action film.
 
I think Jeremy Irons was meant to play the Sam Neill role in Jurassic Park but can't be arsed to look it up.

As an aside, Rickman was terrified of heights but agreed to be dropped from a low height for the Hans roll. They agreed to drop him after the count of three, but dropped him early,so that look of fear at the end of die hard is legit .
 
Tom Selleck was meant to be Indiana Jones but was tied to Magnum.
Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing turned down the Donald Pleasence role in Halloween.
John Landis originally wanted Dan Aykroyd (David) and John Belushi (Jack) for An American Werewolf in London.
 
I think Jeremy Irons was meant to play the Sam Neill role in Jurassic Park but can't be arsed to look it up.

As an aside, Rickman was terrified of heights but agreed to be dropped from a low height for the Hans roll. They agreed to drop him after the count of three, but dropped him early,so that look of fear at the end of die hard is legit .

They also had to cut away whenever he fired the gun as he’d flinch when the blanks and muzzle flash would go off.
 
Tom Hanks - Andy, Shawshank Redemption. Conflicted with Forrest Gump.

Eddie Murphy - Winston, Ghostbusters. Dan Aykroyd wanted him but he was busy filming Beverely Hill's Cop .
 
John Landis when casting for Trading Places wanted Ronnie Corbett for the role of Coleman the Butler, but Corbett recused a number of attempts by Landis to fly over to America to be involved.
 
The funny thing is for a lot of these roles you can't imagine some of the supposed first choices doing them any better.
 
Jack Nicholson turned down the chance to play Michael Corleone in the Godfather. Said he thought Italians should play roles written for Italians.
 
As well as John Revolting, Chevy Chase was also a favourite to play Forest Gump, thank Christ neither of those worked out!

Off screen and on stage Freddie Mercury should have taken the lead role in Dave Clarke’s West End musical “Time” and was also lined up to replace Michael Crawford in Phantom of the Opera. His decline in health between 87-89 prevented both. Cliff Richard got the lead in “Time” and Martin Smith the role in Phantom, Smith also died of complications caused by AIDS 3 years after Mercury.
 
Andy the "tall glass of water" more like a shot glass :eek:

So he took his "not big enough to play a scale model of the character" magic to the Jack Reacher films

John Landis when casting for Trading Places wanted Ronnie Corbett for the role of Coleman the Butler, but Corbett recused a number of attempts by Landis to fly over to America to be involved.

Get the fuck out of here! REALLY?

Nah man, it was the other Ronnie
 
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Elvis was suggested for the role John Voight played in Midnight Cowboy (Colonel knocked it back too adult themed!) and Streisand was desperate for him to play the role that went to Kris Kristofferson in her remake of a Star Is Born but again the Colonel put so many obstacles in the way it never happened, shame.....
 
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