Actors who were fired
07-20-13, 06:23 AM
#52
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Actors who were fired
From wikipedia:
Will Smith turned down the role of Neo to make Wild Wild West, because of skepticism over the film's ambitious bullet time special effects. He later stated he was "not mature enough as an actor" at that time, and that if given the role, he "would have messed it up". Nicolas Cage also turned down the part because of "family obligations". Warner Bros. sought Brad Pitt or Val Kilmer for the role. When both declined, the studio pushed for Reeves, who won the role over Johnny Depp, the Wachowskis' first choice.
Well, Cage would have at least nailed the "Whoa" line.
As for other roles, how bout this? Lori Petty was fired from Demolition Man, replaced by Sandra Bullock. This role got her Speed, which made her a star. Lori Petty meanwhile when on to do In The Army Now and Tank Girl.
Jean-Claude Van Damme was the original predator, but was fired after he complained about the suit, as well as producers wanting a more imposing looking alien.
Will Smith turned down the role of Neo to make Wild Wild West, because of skepticism over the film's ambitious bullet time special effects. He later stated he was "not mature enough as an actor" at that time, and that if given the role, he "would have messed it up". Nicolas Cage also turned down the part because of "family obligations". Warner Bros. sought Brad Pitt or Val Kilmer for the role. When both declined, the studio pushed for Reeves, who won the role over Johnny Depp, the Wachowskis' first choice.
Well, Cage would have at least nailed the "Whoa" line.
As for other roles, how bout this? Lori Petty was fired from Demolition Man, replaced by Sandra Bullock. This role got her Speed, which made her a star. Lori Petty meanwhile when on to do In The Army Now and Tank Girl.
Jean-Claude Van Damme was the original predator, but was fired after he complained about the suit, as well as producers wanting a more imposing looking alien.
07-20-13, 08:04 PM
#54
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Actors who were fired
"Although she was originally cast as Lt. Lenina Huxley in Demolition Man, disagreements over the character's direction led producer Joel Silver to recast the role with Sandra Bullock."
Judging only by Petty's other roles, and Bullock's actual performance, my guess is that they wanted a more traditional feminine type. I can't see Petty playing the character the way Bullock did and making it work. I could see her doing a good job in the film (she was decent in Point Break and solid in A League Of Their Own), but I don't see her as a wide eyed innocent type.
07-27-13, 11:12 PM
#57
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Re: Actors who were fired
Billy Dee Williams took the Harvey Dent role in Batman with the understanding that he would be playing Two-Face a couple of movies later. Then the studio decided to change a couple of people involved with the franchise after Batman Returns. Nothing major, just the guy playing the hero, the guy who had been promised the villain role, the director, the composer....
07-28-13, 11:32 PM
#58
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Re: Actors who were fired
Wasn't Petty originally pegged for the role in Speed as well? (Thank you Lori Petty; I do love me some Sandra Bullock!)
07-28-13, 11:43 PM
#59
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Re: Actors who were fired
Billy Dee Williams took the Harvey Dent role in Batman with the understanding that he would be playing Two-Face a couple of movies later. Then the studio decided to change a couple of people involved with the franchise after Batman Returns. Nothing major, just the guy playing the hero, the guy who had been promised the villain role, the director, the composer....
I enjoyed Billy Dee's Harvey Dent whereas Tommy Lee's was too cartoony for me.
07-29-13, 12:06 AM
#60
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Actors who were fired
speaking of Joel Silver, for the recent Stallone action flick 'bullet to the head' Thomas Jane had been cast, but was let go when Silver decided that 'you can't have 2 white guys in a budy cop movie' thus Sung Kang in the role
07-29-13, 12:12 AM
#61
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: Actors who were fired
With all the Matrix talk, the Wachowskis had Brandon Lee in mind for Neo when they were developing the story. And speaking of Brandon Lee, he was casted to play Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat but died before production began.
My favorite story that I love to believe is that Fox approached Glenn Danzig to play Wolverine in the first x-men movie and he turned them down.
My favorite story that I love to believe is that Fox approached Glenn Danzig to play Wolverine in the first x-men movie and he turned them down.
07-29-13, 12:49 AM
#62
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Actors who were fired
They also approached Thomas Jane and he turned it down because he felt he wasn't the right guy to play a comic book hero. That's the same reason he turned down the Punisher twice before he finally accepted. Ironically, he later wanted to play Jonah Hex and even hired a professional make up artist so he could post online a picture of himself as Jonah Hex but was turned down for the role.
07-31-13, 05:26 AM
#63
Suspended
Re: Actors who were fired
Vince Vaughn was considered a rising star in the 90s and offered the second lead in Wild Wild West but then the offer was retracted by WB after Psycho did horribly and given to Kevin Kline. Vaughn jokes about that in his stand up. Either way the movie sucked.
