Casting can be such a critical part of a movie's success. Even with a great script and great director, it takes the right actor to bring a character to life. Sometimes there are casting choices that feel perfect right away. Sometimes seemingly odd casting choices turn out to be brilliant. Then there are some that are just plain wrong.
While we have seen many examples of miscast movies, but sometimes a last-minute change can turn everything around. If some of these original casting choices would have panned out, the movies we know and love might not exist. Here are some original casting choices that would have completely changed iconic movies.
Predator: Jean-Claude Van Damme
a beloved sci-fi action movie to this day and the creature design is iconic as far as movie monsters go. However, the original plan for the alien who hunts for sport was much different.
A young Jean-Claude Van Damme was originally hired to play the alien as it was thought his martial arts skills would be perfect for the creature. However, once Van Damme realized his face wouldn't be seen in the movie, he bailed. This caused them to start from scratch. The original laughable design of the creature was replaced with the look we all know and love with Kevin Peter Hall playing the part.
The Matrix: Will Smith
The Matrix was a massively successful and influential science-fiction epic from the Wachowskis. However, the complex script about a simulated world controlled by machines was too complicated for some of the big-name actors who were approached with roles.
One of the actors who ed was Will Smith, who was perhaps the biggest movie star at the time. As good as Smith is, his personality was probably too big to convincingly play Neo, a mild-mannered and soft-spoken man who becomes the prophesized hero. Keanu Reeves took the part and proved to be the ideal choice.
Bad Boys: Dana Carvey and Jon Lovitz
Long before The Matrix, Will Smith broke into the movie business with the Michael Bay-directed buddy cop film Bad Boys. Smith starred alongside Martin Lawrence as two Miami detectives causing mayhem while trying to solve a case.
The original idea for the movie was more comedic and thus there was a much different duo in mind for the main roles. Saturday Night Live stars Dana Carvey and Jon Lovitz were the original choices. It's hard to picture these two in the midst of a Michael Bay action movie.
Beverly Hills Cop: Sylvester Stallone
Eddie Murphy was one his way to being a massive star, but Beverly Hills Cop is the movie that launched him into superstardom. Murphy starred as Axel Foley, a Detroit cop who must cop to posh Beverley Hills to investigate the murder of a friend. The movie was a huge hit and the perfect vehicle for Murphy's wild sense of humor.
If the original casting choice had have worked out, this action-comedy classic could have been a much more run-of-the-mill 80s action movie. Sylvester Stallone was the first choice but left since he didn't agree with the more comedic aspects of the script.
Candyman: Eddie Murphy
While Eddie Murphy became a superstar with his role in Beverley Hills Cop, there was another film that could have been another interesting career move. Murphy was the first choice for the title role in the horror classic Candyman.
Murphy would have played the former slave who was mutilated and murdered only to come back as a vengeful spirit. It would have been quite a different role for Murphy, darker and more serious than anything he had done. But the project could not afford Murphy's salary, so Tony Todd came in to make the role his own.
Die Hard: Frank Sinatra
the greatest Christmas movie). The movie is a stirring thriller about one man taking on a group of mercenaries during an office Christmas party. It is also based on a novel, which almost made for some interesting casting.
The source material is actually a sequel to a novel called The Detective, which was made into a movie starring Frank Sinatra. Sinatra's contract stated that he would be offered any sequels first which meant we almost had Die Hard starring a 73-year-old Sinatra.
Toy Story: Paul Newman
Toy Story was the film that helped launch Pixar into the massively successful animation studio it is today. The ground-breaking movie followed a toy cowboy named Woody who is replaced by the new spaceman toy, Buzz Lightyear.
The original take on the story was much different as Woody was presented as a bossy and cruel leader of the toys, voiced by Paul Newman, which is hard to picture. The character was wisely lightened up significantly and Tom Hanks taking over the more friendly take on the character.
The Terminator: OJ Simpson
The Terminator is another film that helped to launch the career of its star. Arnold Schwarzenegger found the role he was born to play as the silent-yet-deadly killer cyborg from the future. Schwarzenegger has come back to the role several times and is still great in the part.
However, those many sequels would have never happened if the original casting had have gone through. Football superstar OJ Simpson almost played the T-800. Not only would Simpson likely not have been as effective as Schwarzenegger in the role, but also the movie would certainly not be looked on the same all these years later.
American Beauty: Chevy Chase
American Beauty was a hugely acclaimed film by Sam Mendes that went on to win several Oscars, including one for its star, Kevin Spacey. Spacey starred as Lester Burnham, an unhappy family man living in the suburbs who takes a unique approach to his midlife crisis.
Apparently, that Oscar gold could have belonged to Chevy Chase as he its to turning down the role. We've never seen Chase take on such a dramatic role and it would have been interesting to see if he had the chops or if he would have tried to infuse some of his comedy into the part.
Harriet: Julia Roberts
Some casting choices are so bad, they make you question humanity in general. One such case if for the recent Oscar-nominated film, Harriet. The movie tells the incredible story of real-life African-American hero Harriet Tubman who helped countless people escape slavery in America.
The film had a long road to the big screen and screenwriter Gregory Allen Howard pointed out some of the ridiculous obstacles along the way. At one point, a studio executive insisted Julia Roberts would be perfect to play Tubman. Thankfully, that was ignored, and Cynthia Erivo got the part and an Oscar-nomination.
