Actors Who Were Recast in Major Movies (Besides 50 Shades, Obviously)

Back to the Future

Now, this one has got to sting a little bit for actor and ginger cutie Eric Stolz—especially considering that this movie blew up Michael J. Fox and made him the movie star we know and love. Stolz was the first choice for Marty McFly but was fired five weeks into shooting because he was playing the character too seriously and producer Robert Zemekis wanted a more comedic take on it. I feel sorry for Stolz, but I honestly can't imagine anyone else playing McFly besides Fox.

Beverly Hills Cop

Um, yeah, this is a head-scratcher. Actor Mickey Rourke first had the role, but script revisions took longer than his holding contract lasted and he dropped out. Next, Sylvester Stallone—yes, the guy who played Rocky—was offered the role. He even attempted to rewrite the script before saying adios two weeks before production began because he wanted a more serious and action-based film. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer then cast comedy legend Eddie Murphy and had the script rewritten to suit his talents. Thank goodness, because this is probably one of the best action comedies of all time.

Chicago

It seems like a no-brainer that dancer-turned-actress Charlize Theron, who also has legs for days, was cast as Roxie Hart. But when original director Nicholas Hynter was replaced by Rob Marshall, Theron had to audition for the part all over again. This time she lost out to Renee Zellweger, who in my opinion is a better fit.

Shrek

This is a sad one: Beloved SNL star Chris Farley had recorded most of the role of Shrek before he died of a drug-induced heart attack. Mike Myers stepped in and it went on to become one of the biggest animated franchises in movie history.

Iron Man 2 & 3:

Terrance Howard had been rather candid about why he was replaced in the subsequent Iron Man movies. He was perfectly fine in the first one as James "Rhodey" Rhodes, but after its massive success ($585 million), Howard wanted a significant pay increase. Negotiations went back and forth (Howard wanted $8 million for the next film, while the movie studio wanted to decrease his pay from $4 million to $1 million) and he was eventually replaced by Don Cheadle.

American Psycho

This is a convoluted story: Christian Bale got the job but was fired rather quickly, so Leonardo DiCaprio was hired. He then backed out thanks to Titanic being such a massive success. Next, the movie studio pursued Ewan McGregor, but he turned down the part and the studio, left with no other choices, ended up hiring Bale again.

Gravity

It's hard to imagine a world where A-list stars George Clooney and Sandra Bullock aren't first choices, but that's the case with the critically acclaimed and blockbuster film Gravity. Robert Downey Jr. and Angelina Jolie were director Alfonso Cuaron's original picks. Because of scheduling conflicts and a deal that couldn't be reached for Jolie, Clooney and Bullock snagged the roles and possibly a couple of Oscar nominations.

What are some roles that were recast that you think made a film better or worse?