Movie's First Choices: How Different Would The Movies Have Been?
by aarondalby-901-222438 | created - 06 Dec 2015 | updated - 13 Dec 2015 | PublicThis is a list of films and their crew's original choices for the main roles. It gives a reason for why the people were not cast also. Where applicable, there is a crew change also.
More To Come
- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. Dr. No (1962)
PG | 110 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
A resourceful British government agent seeks answers in a case involving the disappearance of a colleague and the disruption of the American space program.
Director: Terence Young | Stars: Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Bernard Lee, Joseph Wiseman
Votes: 179,465 | Gross: $16.07M
Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman's First Choices:-
1. Cary Grant as James Bond (unwilling to commit to sequels)
2. Patrick McGoohan as James Bond (turned down)
Julie Christie as Honey Ryder (not offered)
Joseph Wiseman as Dr No (accepted)
Terence Young's First Choices:-
Richard Johnson as James Bond (turned down)
Eunice Gayson as Sylvia Trench (accepted)
Ian Fleming's First Choices:-
Richard Todd as James Bond (not offered)
1. Noel Coward as Dr No (turned down)
2. Christopher Lee as Dr No (not offered)
Actual Choices:-
Sean Connery as James Bond
Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder
Joseph Wiseman as Dr No
Eunice Gayson as Sylvia Trench
2. The Graduate (1967)
PG | 106 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A disillusioned college graduate finds himself torn between his older lover and her daughter.
Director: Mike Nichols | Stars: Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross, William Daniels
Votes: 288,514 | Gross: $104.95M
Mike Nichols' First Choices:-
Burt Ward as Benjamin Braddock (contractual obligations)
Actual Choices:-
Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin Braddock
3. The Godfather (1972)
R | 175 min | Crime, Drama
The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.
Director: Francis Ford Coppola | Stars: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Diane Keaton
Votes: 2,013,643 | Gross: $134.97M
Francis Coppola's First Choices:-
Al Pacino as Michael Corleone (accepted)
Marlon Brando (accepted) or Laurence Olivier (not offered) as Vito Corleone
Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen (accepted)
Vic Damone as Johnny Fontane (demanded too much)
Mario Puzo's First Choices:-
Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone (accepted)
Robert Evans' First Choices:-
1. Ryan O'Neal as Michael Corleone (turned down)
2. James Caan as Michael Corleone (accepted, then offered Sonny)
James Caan as Sonny Corleone (accepted)
Al Ruddy's First Choices:-
Al Martino as Johnny Fontane (accepted)
Paramount's First Choices:-
Ernest Borgnine as Vito Corleone (final two)
1. Jack Nicholson as Michael Corleone (turned down)
2. Warren Beatty as Michael Corleone (turned down)
3. Robert Redford as Michael Corleone (turned down)
4. Dustin Hoffman as Michael Corleone (turned down)
Carmine Caridi as Sonny Corleone (accepted, then replaced)
Robert De Niro as Paulie Gatto (scheduling conflicts)
Actual Choices:-
Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone
Al Pacino as Michael Corleone
James Caan as Sonny Corleone
Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen
Al Martino as Johnny Fontane
Johnny Martino as Paulie Gatto
4. Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
PG | 121 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Luke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and two droids to save the galaxy from the Empire's world-destroying battle station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the mysterious Darth Vader.
Director: George Lucas | Stars: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness
Votes: 1,450,268 | Gross: $322.74M
George Lucas' First Choices:-
Will Seltzer as Luke Skywalker (not offered)
Terri Nunn as Leia Organa (not offered)
Christopher Walken as Han Solo (not offered)
Toshiro Mifune as Obi-Wan Kenobi (turned down)
Fred Roos' First Choices:-
Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker (accepted)
Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa (accepted)
Harrison Ford as Han Solo (accepted)
Actual Choices:-
Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker
Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa
Harrison Ford as Han Solo
Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi
5. Grease (1978)
PG | 110 min | Comedy, Musical, Romance
Good girl Sandy Olsson and greaser Danny Zuko fell in love over the summer. When they unexpectedly discover they're now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance?
Director: Randal Kleiser | Stars: John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, Jeff Conaway
Votes: 300,703 | Gross: $188.76M
Paramount's First Choices:-
Henry Winkler as Danny (turned down)
John Travolta's Choices:-
Olivia Newton-John as Sandy (accepted)
Directed by Randal Kleiser (accepted)
Actual Choices:-
John Travolta as Danny
Olivia Newton-John as Sandy
Direted by Randal Kleiser
6. Alien (1979)
R | 117 min | Horror, Sci-Fi
The crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating a mysterious transmission of unknown origin.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright
Votes: 951,450 | Gross: $78.90M
Ridley Scott's First Choices:-
Sigourney Weaver or Meryl Streep as Ripley (final two)
Actual Choices:-
Sigourney Weaver as Ripley
7. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
PG | 115 min | Action, Adventure
In 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, John Rhys-Davies
Votes: 1,037,185 | Gross: $248.16M
Steven Spielberg's First Choices:-
Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones (accepted)
Danny DeVito as Sallah (scheduling conflicts)
Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood (accepted)
Roman Polanski as Arnold Toht (turned down)
Kathleen Kennedy's First Choices:-
Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones (accepted)
Paramount's First Choices:-
1. Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones (contractual obligations)
2. Jeff Bridges as Indiana Jones (turned down)
Debra Winger as Marion Ravenwood (turned down)
Klaus Kinski as Arnold Toht (turned down)
Actual Choices:-
Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones
John Rhys-Davies as Sallah
Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood
Ronald Lacey as Arnold Toht
8. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
R | 105 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A freewheeling Detroit cop pursuing a murder investigation finds himself dealing with the very different culture of Beverly Hills.
Director: Martin Brest | Stars: Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Lisa Eilbacher
Votes: 203,410 | Gross: $234.76M
Originally Hired:-
Sylvester Stallone as Axel Foley (dropped out)
Actual Choices:-
Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley
9. Footloose (1984)
PG | 107 min | Drama, Music, Romance
A city teenager moves to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned, and his rebellious spirit shakes up the populace.
Director: Herbert Ross | Stars: Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest
Votes: 92,387 | Gross: $80.04M
Originally directed by Michael Cimino (demanded too much)
Herbert Ross' First Choices:-
Kevin Bacon as Ren McCormack (accepted)
Paramount's First Choices:-
1. Tom Cruise as Ren McCormack (scheduling conflicts)
2. Rob Lowe as Ren McCormack (dropped out)
1. Darryl Hannah as Ariel (scheduling conflicts)
2. Elizabeth McGovern as Ariel (scheduling conflicts)
Actual Choices:-
Kevin Bacon as Ren McCormack
Lori Singer as Ariel
10. Ghostbusters (1984)
PG | 105 min | Action, Comedy, Fantasy
Three parapsychologists forced out of their university funding set up shop as a unique ghost removal service in New York City, attracting frightened yet skeptical customers.
Director: Ivan Reitman | Stars: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis
Votes: 450,483 | Gross: $238.63M
Dan Aykroyd's First Choices:- John Belushi as Peter Venkman (died) Eddie Murphy as Winston Zeddemore (scheduling conflicts) John Candy as Louis Tully (fired)
11. The Terminator (1984)
R | 107 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A human soldier is sent from 2029 to 1984 to stop an almost indestructible cyborg killing machine, sent from the same year, which has been programmed to execute a young woman whose unborn son is the key to humanity's future salvation.
Director: James Cameron | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Paul Winfield
Votes: 924,614 | Gross: $38.40M
This is a mix of James Cameron, Barry Plumley, John Daly, Mike Medavoy and Derek Gibson's choices for the roles in The Terminator.
KYLE REESE
Sting (turned down)
Christopher Reeve (turned down)
Kurt Russell (turned down)
Michael O'Keefe (turned down)
Mel Gibson (turned down)
Bruce Springsteen (turned down)
Matt Dillon (not offered)
Mickey Rourke (not offered)
Arnold Schwarzenegger (not offered)
Tommy Lee Jones (not offered)
SARAH CONNOR
Jessica Harper (not offered)
Roseanna Arquette (dropped out)
Melissa Sue Anderson (turned down)
T-800
OJ Simpson (not offered)
Sylvester Stallone (turned down)
Lance Henriksen (not offered)
12. Back to the Future (1985)
PG | 116 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Marty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown.
Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover
Votes: 1,307,521 | Gross: $210.61M
Originally Hired:-
Eric Stoltz as Marty McFly (fired)
Robert Zemeckis' First Choices:-
Michael J Fox as Marty McFly (possible scheduling conflicts)
Actual Choices:-
Michael J Fox as Marty McFly
13. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
PG-13 | 103 min | Comedy
A popular high school student, admired by his peers, decides to take a day off from school and goes to extreme lengths to pull it off, to the chagrin of his Dean, who'll do anything to stop him.
Director: John Hughes | Stars: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jeffrey Jones
Votes: 386,644 | Gross: $70.14M
John Hughes' First Choices:-
Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller (accepted)
Emilio Estevez as Cameron (turned down)
Paramount's First Choices:-
Johnny Depp as Ferris Bueller (turned down)
Actual Choices:-
Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller
Alan Ruck as Cameron
Side Note: Michael J Fox was considered for Ferris. I think he would have done a great job. He wouldn't have been as good as Broderick but still.
14. Top Gun (1986)
PG | 109 min | Action, Drama
As students at the United States Navy's elite fighter weapons school compete to be best in the class, one daring young pilot learns a few things from a civilian instructor that are not taught in the classroom.
Director: Tony Scott | Stars: Tom Cruise, Tim Robbins, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer
Votes: 502,905 | Gross: $179.80M
Paramount's First Choices:-
Matthew Modine as Maverick (turned down)
Actual Choices:-
Tom Cruise as Maverick
15. Die Hard (1988)
R | 132 min | Action, Thriller
A New York City police officer tries to save his estranged wife and several others taken hostage by terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.
Director: John McTiernan | Stars: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson
Votes: 945,959 | Gross: $83.01M
Fox's First Choices:-
1. Sylvester Stallone as John McClane (turned down)
2. Harrison Ford as John McClane (turned down)
3. Don Johnson as John McClane (turned down)
4. Burt Reynolds as John McClane (turned down)
5. Richard Gere as John McClane (turned down)
6. Clint Eastwood as John McClane (turned down)
7. Al Pacino as John McClane (turned down)
Actual Choices:-
Bruce Willis as John McClane
Side Note:-The Die Hard script was originally a sequel to the 1968 movie The Detective. Frank Sinatra refused to reprise his role in the film due to his age, so it then became a sequel to 1985's Commando. Arnold Schwarzenegger also refused to reprise his role it became a standalone movie.
16. Batman (1989)
PG-13 | 126 min | Action, Adventure
The Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being Jack Napier, a criminal who becomes the clownishly homicidal Joker.
Director: Tim Burton | Stars: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl
Votes: 404,404 | Gross: $251.19M
Tim Burton's First Choices:-
1. Pierce Brosnan as Batman/Bruce Wayne (turned down)
2. Ray Liotta as Batman/Bruce Wayne (turned down)
3. Willem Dafoe as Batman/Bruce Wayne (not offered)
Brad Dourif as The Joker/Jack Napier (not offered)
Michelle Pfieffer as Vicki Vale (not offered)
Kiefer Sutherland as Robin (dropped from script)
Warner Bros.' First Choices:-
1. Bill Murray as Batman/Bruce Wayne (not offered)
2. Mel Gibson as Batman/Bruce Wayne (not offered)
3. Kevin Costner as Batman/Bruce Wayne (not offered)
4. Charlie Sheen as Batman/Bruce Wayne (not offered)
5. Tom Selleck as Batman/Bruce Wayne (not offered)
6. Harrison Ford as Batman/Bruce Wayne (not offered)
7. Dennis Quaid as Batman/Bruce Wayne (not offered)
1. Tim Curry as The Joker/Jack Napier (not offered)
2. David Bowie as The Joker/Jack Napier (not offered)
3. John Lithgow as The Joker/Jack Napier (not offered)
4. James Woods as The Joker/Jack Napier (not offered)
Sean Young as Vicki Vale (dropped out)
Michael Uslan's First Choices:-
Jack Nicholson as The Joker/Jack Napier (accepted)
Bob Kane's First Choices:-
Jack Nicholson as The Joker/Jack Napier (accepted)
Jon Peters' First Choices:-
Jack Nicholson as The Joker/Jack Napier (accepted)
Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale (accepted)
Actual Choices:-
Michael Keaton as Batman/Bruce Wayne
Jack Nicholson as The Joker/Jack Napier
Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale
17. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
PG-13 | 105 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance
The solitary life of an artificial man - who was incompletely constructed and has scissors for hands - is upended when he is taken in by a suburban family.
Director: Tim Burton | Stars: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest, Anthony Michael Hall
Votes: 524,046 | Gross: $56.36M
Tim Burton's First Choices:-
Johnny Depp as Edward Scissorhands (accepted)
Fox's First Choices:-
1. Tom Cruise as Edward Scissorhands (creative differences)
2. Tom Hanks as Edward Scissorhands (scheduling conflicts)
18. The Godfather Part III (1990)
R | 162 min | Crime, Drama
Follows Michael Corleone, now in his 60s, as he seeks to free his family from crime and find a suitable successor to his empire.
Director: Francis Ford Coppola | Stars: Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Andy Garcia, Talia Shire
Votes: 424,259 | Gross: $66.67M
Francis Coppola's First Choices:-
Winona Ryder as Mary Corleone (scheduling conflicts)
Actual Choices:-
Sofia Coppola as Mary Corleone
19. The Hunt for Red October (1990)
PG | 135 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
In November 1984, the Soviet Union's best submarine captain violates orders and heads for the U.S. in a new undetectable sub. The American CIA and military must quickly determine: Is he trying to defect or to start a war?
Director: John McTiernan | Stars: Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Sam Neill
Votes: 214,827 | Gross: $122.01M
Paramount's First Choices:-
1. Kevin Costner as Jack Ryan (scheduling conflicts)
2. Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan (turned down)
Klaus Maria Brandauer as Marko Ramius (dropped out)
Actual Choices:-
Alec Baldwin as Jack Ryan
Sean Connery as Marko Ramius
20. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
R | 118 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.
Director: Jonathan Demme | Stars: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine
Votes: 1,548,992 | Gross: $130.74M
Jonathan Demme's First Choices:-
Michelle Pfeiffer as Clarice Starling (turned down)
Sean Connery as Hannibal Lecter (turned down)
Ted Tally's First Choices:-
Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling (accepted)
21. Batman Returns (1992)
PG-13 | 126 min | Action, Crime, Fantasy
While Batman deals with a deformed man calling himself the Penguin wreaking havoc across Gotham with the help of a cruel businessman, a female employee of the latter becomes the Catwoman with her own vendetta.
Director: Tim Burton | Stars: Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken
Votes: 327,602 | Gross: $162.83M
Originally Hired:-
Annette Bening as Catwoman (dropped out)
Actual Choices:-
Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman
22. Schindler's List (1993)
R | 195 min | Biography, Drama, History
In German-occupied Poland during World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley, Caroline Goodall
Votes: 1,451,523 | Gross: $96.90M
Steven Spielberg's First Choices:-
Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler (accepted)
Universal's First Choices:-
1. Warren Beatty as Oskar Schindler (not offered)
2. Harrison Ford as Oskar Schindler (turned down)
Actual Choices:-
Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler
23. Forrest Gump (1994)
PG-13 | 142 min | Drama, Romance
The history of the United States from the 1950s to the '70s unfolds from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, who yearns to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart.
Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Sally Field
Votes: 2,258,437 | Gross: $330.25M
Winston Groom's First Choices:-
John Goodman as Forrest Gump (not offered)
Paramount's First Choices:-
John Travolta as Forrest Gump (turned down)
Ice Cube as Bubba (turned down)
Actual Choices:-
Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump
Mykelti Williamson as Bubba
24. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
R | 142 min | Drama
Over the course of several years, two convicts form a friendship, seeking consolation and, eventually, redemption through basic compassion.
Director: Frank Darabont | Stars: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler
Votes: 2,890,284 | Gross: $28.34M
Rob Reiner's First Choices:-
Tom Cruise as Andy Dufresne (Reiner was not to direct)
Harrison Ford as Red (Reiner was not to direct)
Columbia's First Choices:-
1. Kevin Costner as Andy Dufresne (scheduling conflicts)
2. Tom Hanks as Andy Dufresne (scheduling conflicts)
3. Brad Pitt as Andy Dufresne (scheduling conflicts)
1. Clint Eastwood as Red (not offered)
2. Harrison Ford as Red (not offered)
3. Paul Newman as Red (not offered)
4. Robert Redford as Red (not offered)
Frank Darabont's First Choices:-
Morgan Freeman as Red (accepted)
Actual Choices:-
Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne
Morgan Freeman as Red
Side Note: The reason Rob Reiner was featured in this part is because he offered Darabont $2.5 million to write and direct Shawshank and Darabont strongly considered it, but decided not to because the movie was finally his "chance to do something really great" by directing the movie himself.
25. Batman Forever (1995)
PG-13 | 121 min | Action, Adventure
Batman must battle former district attorney Harvey Dent, who is now Two-Face and Edward Nygma, The Riddler with help from an amorous psychologist and a young circus acrobat who becomes his sidekick, Robin.
Director: Joel Schumacher | Stars: Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman
Votes: 266,652 | Gross: $184.03M
Joel Schumacher's First Choices:-
1. Ethan Hawke as Batman/Bruce Wayne (turned down)
2. Val Kilmer as Batman/Bruce Wayne (accepted)
3. Daniel Day-Lewis as Batman/Bruce Wayne (not offered)
4. William Baldwin as Batman/Bruce Wayne (not offered)
5. Ralph Fiennes as Batman/Bruce Wayne (not offered)
Tommy Lee Jones as Harvey Dent/Two-Face (accepted)
Rene Russo as Chase Meridian (dropped out)
Tim Burton's First Choices:-
Johnny Depp as Batman (not offered)
Warner Bros.' First Choices:-
1. Robin Wright as Chase Meridian (not offered)
2. Linda Hamilton as Chase Meridian (not offered)
Robin Williams as The Riddler (turned down)
Billy Dee Williams as Harvey Dent (not offered)
1. Marlon Wayans as Robin (replaced)
2. Leonardo DiCaprio as Robin (turned down)
Actual Choices:-
Val Kilmer as Batman/Bruce Wayne
Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face
Nicole Kidman as Chase Meridian
Jim Carrey as The Riddler
Chris O'Donnell as Robin
26. Se7en (1995)
R | 127 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Two detectives, a rookie and a veteran, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his motives.
Director: David Fincher | Stars: Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey, Andrew Kevin Walker
Votes: 1,800,005 | Gross: $100.13M
Andrew Kevin Walker's First Choices:-
William Hurt as William Somerset (not offered)
New Line's First Choices:-
1. Denzel Washington as David Mills (turned down)
2. Sylvester Stallone as David Mills (turned down)
Al Pacino as William Somerset (scheduling conflicts)
Actual Choices:-
Brad Pitt as David Mills
Morgan Freeman as William Somerset
27. Toy Story (1995)
G | 81 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
A cowboy doll is profoundly threatened and jealous when a new spaceman action figure supplants him as top toy in a boy's bedroom.
Director: John Lasseter | Stars: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney
Votes: 1,069,065 | Gross: $191.80M
Pixar's First Choices:-
Jim Carrey as Buzz (demanded too much)
Paul Newman as Woody (turned down)
Actual Choices:-
Tim Allen as Buzz
Tom Hanks as Woody
28. Jerry Maguire (1996)
R | 139 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
When a sports agent has a moral epiphany and is fired for expressing it, he decides to put his new philosophy to the test as an independent agent with the only athlete who stays with him and his former colleague.
Director: Cameron Crowe | Stars: Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., Renée Zellweger, Kelly Preston
Votes: 287,132 | Gross: $153.95M
Cameron Crowe's First Choices:-
Tom Hanks as Jerry Maguire (scheduling conflicts)
Actual Choices:-
Tom Cruise as Jerry Maguire
29. American Beauty (1999)
R | 122 min | Drama
A sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter's best friend.
Director: Sam Mendes | Stars: Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley
Votes: 1,211,356 | Gross: $130.10M
Sam Mendes' First Choices:-
Kevin Spacey as Lester Burnham (accepted)
Annette Bening as Carolyn Burnham (accepted)
DreamWorks' First Choices:-
1. Chevy Chase as Lester Burnham (turned down)
2. Bruce Willis as Lester Burnham (not offered)
3. Kevin Costner as Lester Burnham (not offered)
4. John Travolta as Lester Burnham (not offered)
1. Helen Hunt as Carolyn Burnham (not offered)
2. Holly Hunter as Carolyn Burnham (not offered)
Actual Choices:-
Kevin Spacey as Lester Burnham
Annette Bening as Carolyn Burnham
30. The Matrix (1999)
R | 136 min | Action, Sci-Fi
When a beautiful stranger leads computer hacker Neo to a forbidding underworld, he discovers the shocking truth--the life he knows is the elaborate deception of an evil cyber-intelligence.
Directors: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski | Stars: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving
Votes: 2,054,368 | Gross: $171.48M
The Wachowskis' First Choices:-
Johnny Depp as Neo (not offered)
Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus (accepted)
Warner Bros.' First Choices:-
1.Will Smith (scheduling conflicts) as Neo
2.Nicolas Cage (family obligations) as Neo
3.Brad Pitt or Val Kilmer as Neo (turned down)
Gary Oldman or Chow Yun-Fat as Morpheus (not offered)
Janet Jackson as Trinity (scheduling conflicts)
Jean Reno as Agent Smith (turned down)
Actual Choices:-
Keanu Reeves as Neo
Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus
Carrie-Anne Moss as Trinity
Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith
31. American Psycho (2000)
R | 102 min | Crime, Drama, Horror
A wealthy New York City investment banking executive, Patrick Bateman, hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies.
Director: Mary Harron | Stars: Christian Bale, Justin Theroux, Josh Lucas, Bill Sage
Votes: 716,183 | Gross: $15.07M
Lionsgate's First Choices:-
1. Leonardo DiCaprio as Patrick Bateman (creative differences)
2. Edward Norton as Patrick Bateman (not offered)
3. Ewan McGregor as Patrick Bateman (turned down)
Mary Harron's First Choices:-
Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman (accepted)
Leonardo DiCaprio's Choices of Director:-
1. Oliver Stone (dropped out)
2. Martin Scorsese (not offered)
3. Danny Boyle (not offered)
Actual Choices:-
Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman
Directed by Mary Harron
Side Note: The film was in development since 1992. David Cronenberg was set to direct and Johnny Depp expressed interest in the main role. Mary Harron became involved in 1996.
Side Note #2: Ewan McGregor turned it down because Christian Bale asked him to.
32. Gladiator (2000)
R | 155 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A former Roman General sets out to exact vengeance against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed
Votes: 1,621,049 | Gross: $187.71M
Ridley Scott's First Choices:-
Mel Gibson as Maximus (turned down)
Actual Choices:-
Russell Crowe as Maximus
33. X-Men (2000)
PG-13 | 104 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
In a world where mutants (evolved super-powered humans) exist and are discriminated against, two groups form for an inevitable clash: the supremacist Brotherhood, and the pacifist X-Men.
Director: Bryan Singer | Stars: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen
Votes: 646,843 | Gross: $157.30M
Originally Hired:-
Dougray Scott as Wolverine (scheduling conflicts)
Jim Caviezel as Cyclops (scheduling conflicts)
Bryan Singer's First Choices:-
Russell Crowe as Wolverine (turned down)
1. Angela Bassett as Storm (turned down)
2. Janet Jackson as Storm (turned down)
Actual Choices:-
Hugh Jackman as Wolverine
James Marsden as Cyclops
Halle Berry as Storm
34. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
PG | 152 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
An orphaned boy enrolls in a school of wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world.
Director: Chris Columbus | Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Richard Harris
Votes: 856,423 | Gross: $317.58M
Warner Bros'. First Choices:-
Robin Williams as Hagrid (clause in JK Rowling's contract disallowed it)
Tim Roth as Snape (scheduling conflicts)
Actual Choices:-
Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid
Alan Rickman as Snape
35. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
PG-13 | 178 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.
Director: Peter Jackson | Stars: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, Sean Bean
Votes: 2,008,064 | Gross: $315.54M
New Line's First Choices:-
1. Sean Connery as Gandalf (turned down)
2. Patrick Stewart as Gandalf (turned down)
1. Daniel Day-Lewis as Aragorn (turned down (TWICE!))
2. Nicolas Cage as Aragorn (family obligations)
3. Stuart Townsend as Aragorn (accepted, too young)
4. Russell Crowe as Aragorn (turned down)
Liam Neeson as Boromir (turned down)
Sylvester McCoy as Bilbo (not offered)
Actual Choices:-
Ian McKellan as Gandalf
Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn
Sean Bean as Boromir
Ian Holm as Bilbo
36. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
R | 111 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
After awakening from a four-year coma, a former assassin wreaks vengeance on the team of assassins who betrayed her.
Director: Quentin Tarantino | Stars: Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Daryl Hannah, Michael Madsen
Votes: 1,194,620 | Gross: $70.10M
Quentin Tarantino's First Choices:-
Warren Beatty as Bill (turned down)
Actual Choices:-
David Carradine as Bill
37. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
PG-13 | 132 min | Drama, Sport
Frankie, an ill-tempered old coach, reluctantly agrees to train aspiring boxer Maggie. Impressed with her determination and talent, he helps her become the best and the two soon form a close bond.
Director: Clint Eastwood | Stars: Hilary Swank, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Jay Baruchel
Votes: 722,027 | Gross: $100.49M
Originally Hired:-
Sandra Bullock as Maggie Fitzgerald (dropped out (development hell))
Actual Choices:-
Hilary Swank as Maggie Fitzgerald
38. Batman Begins (2005)
PG-13 | 140 min | Action, Crime, Drama
After witnessing his parents' death, Bruce learns the art of fighting to confront injustice. When he returns to Gotham as Batman, he must stop a secret society that intends to destroy the city.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Ken Watanabe, Liam Neeson
Votes: 1,579,246 | Gross: $206.85M
Christopher Nolan's First Choices:-
Heath Ledger as Batman (turned down)
1. Gary Oldman as Henri Ducard (cast as Gordon instead)
2. Guy Pearce as Henri Ducard (too young)
Chris Cooper as Jim Gordon (family obligations)
Actual Choices:-
Christian Bale as Batman
Liam Neeson as Henri Ducard
Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon
39. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
R | 134 min | Drama, Romance
Ennis and Jack are two shepherds who develop a sexual and emotional relationship. Their relationship becomes complicated when both of them get married to their respective girlfriends.
Director: Ang Lee | Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams, Randy Quaid
Votes: 382,391 | Gross: $83.04M
Ang Lee's First Choices:-
Mark Wahlberg as Ennis Del Mar (turned down)
Joaquin Phoenix as Jack Twist (turned down)
Actual Choices:-
Jake Gyllenhaal as Jack Twist
Heath Ledger as Ennis Del Mar
40. The Dark Knight (2008)
PG-13 | 152 min | Action, Crime, Drama
When the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, Batman must accept one of the greatest psychological and physical tests of his ability to fight injustice.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine
Votes: 2,872,227 | Gross: $534.86M
Christopher Nolan's First Choices:-
Matt Damon as Harvey Dent (turned down)
Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes (scheduling conflicts)
Actual Choices:-
Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent
Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes
Side Note: Many people auditioned and expressed interest in the roles, including Paul Bettany, Adrien Brody, Steve Carrell and Robin Williams (Joker), Live Schreiber, Josh Lucas, Hugh Jackman, Ryan Phillippe and Mark Ruffalo (Harvey) and Bob Hoskins and James Gandolfini (Maroni).
41. Avatar (2009)
PG-13 | 162 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A paraplegic Marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home.
Director: James Cameron | Stars: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez
Votes: 1,386,925 | Gross: $760.51M
James Cameron's First Choices:-
Matt Damon as Jake Sully (scheduling conflicts)
Michael Biehn as Miles Quaritch (not offered)
Actual Choices:-
Sam Worthington as Jake Sully
Stephen Lang as Miles Quaritch
42. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
R | 153 min | Adventure, Drama, War
In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a plan to assassinate Nazi leaders by a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers coincides with a theatre owner's vengeful plans for the same.
Director: Quentin Tarantino | Stars: Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Eli Roth, Mélanie Laurent
Votes: 1,585,189 | Gross: $120.54M
Quentin Tarantino's First Choices:-
Leonardo DiCaprio as Col. Hans Landa (not offered)
Adam Sandler as Donny Donowitz (scheduling conflicts)
Simon Pegg as Lt. Archie Hicox (scheduling conflicts)
Nastassja Kinski as Bridget Von Hammersmark (turned down)
Scored by Ennio Morricone (scheduling conflicts)
Actual Choices:-
Christoph Waltz as Col. Hans Landa
Diane Kruger as Bridget Von Hammersmark
Eli Roth as Donny Donowitz
Michael Fassbender as Lt. Archie Hicox
Scored by Various
43. Iron Man 2 (2010)
PG-13 | 124 min | Action, Sci-Fi
With the world now aware of his identity as Iron Man, Tony Stark must contend with both his declining health and a vengeful mad man with ties to his father's legacy.
Director: Jon Favreau | Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Mickey Rourke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle
Votes: 868,862 | Gross: $312.43M
Marvel's First Choices:-
Emily Blunt as Natalie Rushman (scheduling conflicts)
Actual Choices:-
Scarlett Johansson as Natalie Rushman
44. Django Unchained (2012)
R | 165 min | Comedy, Drama, Western
With the help of a German bounty-hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal plantation owner in Mississippi.
Director: Quentin Tarantino | Stars: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington
Votes: 1,696,217 | Gross: $162.81M
Quentin Tarantino's First Choices:-
Will Smith as Django (turned down)
Actual Choices:-
Jamie Foxx as Django
45. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
R | 122 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own.
Director: David O. Russell | Stars: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver
Votes: 742,953 | Gross: $132.09M
David O Russell's First Choices:-
1. Vince Vaughn as Pat Solitano Jr. (not offered)
2. Mark Wahlberg as Pat Solitano Jr. (scheduling conflicts)
1. Zooey Deschanel as Tiffany Maxwell (not offered)
2. Anne Hathaway as Tiffany Maxwell (scheduling conflicts, creative differences)
Actual Choices:-
Bradley Cooper as Pat Solitano Jr.
Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffany Maxwell
46. Skyfall (2012)
PG-13 | 143 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond's loyalty to M is tested when her past comes back to haunt her. When MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.
Director: Sam Mendes | Stars: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Judi Dench
Votes: 731,309 | Gross: $304.36M
Sam Mendes' First Choices:-
Kevin Spacey as Raoul Silva
Actual Choices:-
Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva
47. Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
R | 157 min | Drama, History, Thriller
A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L.s Team 6 in May 2011.
Director: Kathryn Bigelow | Stars: Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton, Chris Pratt, Mark Strong
Votes: 319,008 | Gross: $95.72M
Originally Cast:-
Rooney Mara as Maya (dropped out, scheduling conflicts)
Actual Choices:-
Jessica Chastain as Maya
48. Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
R | 125 min | Drama, Romance, Thriller
Literature student Anastasia Steele's life changes forever when she meets handsome, yet tormented, billionaire Christian Grey.
Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson | Stars: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Jennifer Ehle, Eloise Mumford
Votes: 335,872 | Gross: $166.17M
Originally Hired:-
1. Garrett Hedlund as Christian Grey (dropped out)
2. Charlie Hunnam as Christian Grey (dropped out)
Actual Choices:-
Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey
49. Spectre (I) (2015)
PG-13 | 148 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
A cryptic message from James Bond's past sends him on a trail to uncover the existence of a sinister organisation named SPECTRE. With a new threat dawning, Bond learns the terrible truth about the author of all his pain in his most recent missions.
Director: Sam Mendes | Stars: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes
Votes: 466,363 | Gross: $200.07M
Sam Mendes' First Choices:-
Gary Oldman as Franz Oberhauser
Actual Choices:-
Christoph Waltz as Franz Oberhauser
50. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
PG-13 | 151 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Batman is manipulated by Lex Luthor to fear Superman. Superman´s existence is meanwhile dividing the world and he is framed for murder during an international crisis. The heroes clash and force the neutral Wonder Woman to reemerge.
Director: Zack Snyder | Stars: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg
Votes: 752,632 | Gross: $330.36M
Zack Snyder's First Choices:- Josh Brolin as Batman/Bruce Wayne (turned down)
Tell Your Friends