When I was a young trade reporter, I relished the chance to chase down movie casting rumors and sort fact from fiction – a thankless job in a town known for bending the truth. I’ve heard all kinds of rumors over the past dozen-plus years, some of which have been verified, and others that have been lost to the notepads of yore.
In fact, just the other day, a friend and I were recounting some old movie casting rumors that never panned out, which got me thinking that I should turn the whole convo into an article. So, here I am with a list of 21 juicy ones – some you probably know, and others you may not. Together, they form an alternate history of Hollywood, where you don’t always get to choose your own adventure.
Keep in mind that “rumor” is an extremely loose and purposefully vague term that covers a wide swath of situations. Some of the stories below were actually happening at one point, confirmed by multiple sources and published in the trades, while others never quite got “there.” They were just smoke in search of a fire. The beauty of this piece is that nothing can be denied, since it’s all old conjecture anyway!
Of course, some of the projects below arestillpercolating, which means we must continue to wait and see who will play The Crow and Gambit and maybe evenHillary Clintonone day. Just remember that things change! People sign onto projects they’ve passed on years before, whether due to a new script, a new director, or new circumstances in their own lives and careers. Check out some of the close casting calls Hollywood has seen over the last decade and let me know if you think things worked out for the best, or if you’re left wondering what might’ve been. Let’s start with one you’re likely familiar with already, shall we?
Joaquin Phoenix as Doctor Strange
Remember when Joaquin Phoenix was spotted buyingDoctor Strangecomics in Connecticut while filming aWoody Allenmovie? That was some hot tea at the time! Phoenix seemed to dig the character, but what he didn’t dig was the multi-movie deal Marvel demands of nearly all of its actors, so he left the Sorcerer’s Supreme’s red cloak toBenedict Cumberbatchand danced his way over to DC, where he won an Oscar for his brilliant performance as the Joker. This proved to be a win-win for everyone, as Cumberbatch did right by the character and is now a lynchpin of the MCU thanks to an upcoming sequel and akey role inSpider-Man 3.
Emma Stone in ‘Charlie’s Angels’ (2019)
Sony has always considered Emma Stone to be homegrown talent, fromSuperbadandThe House BunnytoZombielandandEasy A. She even stuck around long enough to play Gwen Stacy in the studio’sSpider-Manfranchise. Believe me, when it came time to rebootCharlie’s Angels, Stone was at the top of Sony’s list. A deal never came to fruition, but the studio did end up bringing Stone back forZombieland: Double Tap, which outperformedCharlie’s Angelswith both critics and audiences.
Bryan Cranston and Julianne Moore in ‘Gambit’
Yup, it’s true. Oscar winnerJulianne Mooreand Emmy winnerBryan Cranstonwere being sought to joinChanning Tatumin theGambitmoviethat never got off the ground. Cranston was being eyed to play the film’s villain, though it’s unclear whether he was actually interested in pursuing the part given his villainous turns in disappointing genre fare such asJohn Carter,Total RecallandPower Rangers. It proved to be a moot point, asGambitwas passed around from one director to another before Fox was sensible enough to pull the plug, and yes, this was the same studio that brought youFantastic Four,X-Men: ApocalypseandThe New Mutants. If they felt more confident in those films thanGambit, what more really needs to be said? It sounds like everyone sure dodged a bayou-sized bullet here, though Moore did wind up playing the villain in the studio’s subparKingsmansequel.
Carey Mulligan as Hillary Clinton
It’s the biopic that Washington’s power brokers didn’t want you to see!Young Il Kim’sRodhamscript nearly topped the 2012 Black List and the project seemed like it was on the fast-track at Lionsgate… until, of course, it wasn’t. The studio dropped the project and I haven’t heard a peep about it in years, but when it was active, rumor had it that promising young womanCarey Mulliganwas being eyed to star. The ingenue was coming off impressive turns inAn EducationandDrive, and she had already been cast oppositeLeonardo DiCaprioinThe Great Gatsby. Mulligan is said to have passed on the part, though it could always come back to her should someone have the guts to greenlight that script… especially now that Hillary has retired from public service.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Ant-Man and The Sandman
I’m a bigJoseph Gordon-Levittfan, and I wish we saw more of him on the big screen. We probably would have, too, if he’d managed to beat outPaul Ruddfor the role of Ant-Man, who may have the biggest heart in the MCU despite being its smallest hero. Alas, Rudd charmed his way into the plum part, while Gordon-Levitt planned to continue directing following his well-received debutDon Jon. At one point, Gordon-Levitt was developing aSandman moviein which he would’ve also starred, though the New Line project fell apart and was ultimatelyre-conceived as an upcoming Netflix series.
Josh Brolin as Owen in ‘Jurassic World’
I don’t know about you, but I can definitely seeJosh Brolintraining velociraptors. So could Universal, as the studio had its eye on Brolin early on before opting to go a bit younger withChris Pratt, who was also in peak eye candy form back then as he worked his way into shape forGuardians of the Galaxy. Brolin wound up playing Thanos in theAvengerssequels and Cable inDeadpool 2, so once again, things worked out for everyone, but this is a fun one to imagine what could’ve been.
Viggo Mortensen as General Zod in ‘Man of Steel’
I thoughtMichael Shannonwas quite good as General Zod, but it sure would’ve been interesting to seeViggo Mortensenplay a villain in a major blockbuster. Then again, Mortensen is a rather restrained presence on the big screen, andMan of Steelcalled for a tough-talking bad guy, which I’m not sure is Mortensen’s thing. To be honest, the actor has largely eschewed big-budget fare since theLord of the Ringsmovies, so as much as I’d love to see him in something likeGreen LanternorCaptain Marvel 2, those days may just be behind him, especially if he continues to focus on directing.
Leonardo DiCaprio in ‘Welcome to Marwen’
Most of the entries on this list involve successful blockbusters, but I think it’s important to show how A-listers only stay on the A-list by avoiding major landmines, asLeonardo DiCapriodid when he passed on this weird remake of the acclaimed documentaryMarwencol. Would thisRobert Zemeckismovie have flopped like it did had it starred DiCaprio or another comparable star. Don’t get me wrong, I thinkSteve Carelldid the best he could with this ill-conceived remake, but does DiCaprio possess the power to turn this melodramatic mediocrity into an Oscar contender? Leo clearly didn’t think he was up to the task, and it proved to be a smart choice for the actor, as the film topped out at just $13 million worldwide and a Rotten Tomatoes score of 34 percent fresh.
Will Poulter and Ben Mendelsohn as Pennywise in ‘It’
In development for years at New Line, theItmovie saw several actors (and directors) come and go over the years beforeBill Skarsgardput his stamp on the character.Will Poulternearly played the dancing clown, with his relatively young age considered an asset by fans.Ben Mendelsohn, who has carved out quite a niche for himself as a villain (Ready Player One,Rogue One), would’ve brought something even more sinister to the role. I don’t think anyone can argue with whatBill Skarsgardbrought to the role, as he had some big shoes to fill (literally) and did an admirable job. Having said that, I’ll always wonder what thoseItmovies would’ve looked like – and if I would’ve liked them more – had Poulter or Mendelsohn been waiting down in that sewer.
The Alternate Career of Tom Cruise
In Hollywood, an actor’s career is just a series of decisions. Some are more important than others, but at the end of the day, people are just a collection of their choices.Tom Cruiseis box office gold who is offered a ton of scripts every year, though he can only say ‘yes’ to a small few. Of course, even if you manage to attach Cruise to star in your movie, there’s no guarantee that movie will actually happen. Such was the case with this quintet of projects. Yes,Rock of Agesstar Cruise was going to star in the remake ofA Star Is Bornthat ultimately went toBradley Cooper, who also directed. Cruise was also set to star inSaltbefore the studio decided to gender-flip the lead and castAngelina Jolie. Cruise also nearly starred inThe Magnificent Sevenremake that was ultimately led byDenzel Washington, and he was also poised to team up withBen StilleronThe Hardy Men, which reimagined the Hardy Boys as adults. The two wound up working together onTropic Thunder.
Finally, one of the most intriguing Tom Cruise projects that never got made was calledMen, and it was going to be directed byTodd Phillips. I’d love to see those two work together, if only because I think the result would be really interesting. Unfortunately, none of these projects were meant to be, and even though he’s pushing 60, Cruise remains focused on hisMission: Impossiblefranchise, aTop Gunsequel that looks awesome, and a Universal movie that will actually take him where no actor has gone before –to outer space.
