Great Movie Casting "Misses"

[Gonzo]

Just read this and had to bring it to light. Apparently when casting First Blood the role of John Rambo was offered to Dustin Hoffman, who turned it down.

There were a lot of actors considered for the role of Rambo. But Dustin Hoffman? All 5'5 and 140 lbs. of him... as John Rambo? That has to be one of the most ridiculous casting suggestions I've ever heard, right up there with Ryan O'Neal as Rocky Balboa.

There are plenty of other great casting "misses" out there, curious if others have found any that they think are particularly egregious.

 

[GoHawks]

Just read this and had to bring it to light. Apparently when casting First Blood the role of John Rambo was offered to Dustin Hoffman, who turned it down.

There were a lot of actors considered for the role of Rambo. But Dustin Hoffman? All 5'5 and 140 lbs. of him... as John Rambo? That has to be one of the most ridiculous casting suggestions I've ever heard, right up there with Ryan O'Neal as Rocky Balboa.

There are plenty of other great casting "misses" out there, curious if others have found any that they think are particularly egregious.

Keanu in anything

 

[pourcyne]

Ryan Gosling in any film ever.

Ben Affleck " " " "

Jennifer Lopez " " " "

Nicholas Cage " " " "

Helen Mirren as "Catherine the Great".

Peter Weller as "Buckaroo Bonzai".

Bryce Dallas Howard in "Argylle".

 

[pourcyne]

Keanu in anything

Was gonna put him, but he was okay in the first Matrix. The last two, no, but those entire films were ridiculous.

 

[pourcyne]

Winona Ryder in "Alien Resurrection".

 

[Gonzo]

Ok but I'm not talking about actors who were actually cast... I'm talking about roles that ALMOST went to someone who would've been an absolute disaster and likely ruined the appeal of the movie if it had actually happened... like Dustin Hoffman as John Rambo.

 

[Big Daddy Kang]

Sylvester Stallone in Tootsie.

 

[Bipolarcy]

Just read this and had to bring it to light. Apparently when casting First Blood the role of John Rambo was offered to Dustin Hoffman, who turned it down.

There were a lot of actors considered for the role of Rambo. But Dustin Hoffman? All 5'5 and 140 lbs. of him... as John Rambo? That has to be one of the most ridiculous casting suggestions I've ever heard, right up there with Ryan O'Neal as Rocky Balboa.

There are plenty of other great casting "misses" out there, curious if others have found any that they think are particularly egregious.

The pretty well known one is Eric Stoltz as Marty McFly. Of course, he was actually cast in that role so may not be what you're looking for.

Al Pacino as Han Solo, John Travolta as Forrest Gump.

 

[Gonzo]

The pretty well known one is Eric Stoltz as Marty McFly. Of course, he was actually cast in that role so may not be what you're looking for.

Al Pacino as Han Solo, John Travolta as Forrest Gump.

Yeah I'd heard of both of those. Woof. Stoltz's fist is still in Back to the Future, in the diner when Marty punches Biff, they didn't re-shoot that after shifting to Michael J. Fox, so it's actually Stoltz's punch.

 

[alarson]

Will Smith was offered the role of Neo in the matrix

 

[CYCLNST8]

Tom Sellick as Indiana Jones
Jean Claude Van Dam as The Predator

 

[clone52]

Ryan Gosling in any film ever.

Ben Affleck " " " "

Jennifer Lopez " " " "

Nicholas Cage " " " "

Helen Mirren as "Catherine the Great".

Peter Weller as "Buckaroo Bonzai".

Bryce Dallas Howard in "Argylle".

I have never seen Ryan Gosling in a movie I didn't enjoy.

 

[Clonehomer]

Will Smith was offered the role of Neo in the matrix

I could see that one though.

 

[cytor]

Charles Grodin turned down The Graduate.... went to Dustin Hoffman instead.

 

[JohnnyFive]

Ok but I'm not talking about actors who were actually cast... I'm talking about roles that ALMOST went to someone who would've been an absolute disaster and likely ruined the appeal of the movie if it had actually happened... like Dustin Hoffman as John Rambo.

The list of actors offered the John McClane part in Die Hard was long before Bruce Willis got it. Willis at the time was a comedy guy and had done one movie that wasnt an action flick. But I cant imagine anyone else playing that part.

The list included:
Ahnold
Sly
Frank Sinatra (actually true)
Richard Gere
Clint Eastwood
James Caan
Mel Gibson

 

[Bipolarcy]

Tom Sellick as Indiana Jones
Jean Claude Van Dam as The Predator

I could actually see Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones. He made a pretty similar movie (action/adventure) when he did High Road to China. It's still one of my favorite movies of his. That and Quigley Down Under. He also did 9 Jesse Stone movies that I enjoyed, though I think I've only seen four or five of them.

 

[ClonerJams]

I had heard Will Smith was offered Django. Much better with Jamie Foxx

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Bob Odenkirk as Michael Scott

 

[Cyclonepride]

The original It miniseries.

Venus Flytrap, John Boy and Jack Tripper? None of them are bad actors, but they were so closely identified by their previous roles that it just killed the show’s potential for me.

 

[Bipolarcy]

The list of actors offered the John McClane part in Die Hard was long before Bruce Willis got it. Willis at the time was a comedy guy and had done one movie that wasnt an action flick. But I cant imagine anyone else playing that part.

The list included:
Ahnold
Sly
Frank Sinatra (actually true)
Richard Gere
Clint Eastwood
James Caan
Mel Gibson

They went through a few guys before they finally cast Matt LeBlanc as Joey in Friends, too. Hank Azaria, Vince Vaughn and Louis Mandylor. There were even more people who auditioned for the role of Rachel, but I don't feel like listing them all.