This article originally appeared on eightieskids.com
Will Smith turned down The Matrix for Wild Wild West
Before Keanu Reeves was cast as Thomas Anderson/Neo in the Wachowskis’ groundbreaking 1999 sci-fi action smash The Matrix, a number of other big-name stars were considered for the role. These included Brad Pitt, Nicolas Cage, Val Kilmer, Sandra Bullock (yes, really) and a certain Will Smith, who passed on the role to instead make blockbuster misfire Wild Wild West.
Smith has long since admitted that turning down Neo to play Jim West was one of his biggest career mistakes, but he has also said that he wouldn’t have done as good a job in the role as Keanu Reeves did.
Sylvester Stallone turned down Romancing the Stone for Rhinestone
In the early 80s, Sylvester Stallone was at the height of his fame when he was offered the role of Jack T. Colton in the romantic comedy-adventure Romancing the Stone. Instead, the Italian Stallion chose to make musical comedy Rhinestone with Dolly Parton. This, Stallone has since confessed, was a very bad decision, as Rhinestone bombed at the 1984 box office, whilst Romancing the Stone was a smash with Michael Douglas playing Colton opposite Kathleen Turner.
Rhinestone proved to be an embarrassing blip on Stallone’s early 80s resume. However, he bounced back in a big way in 1985, with back-to-back blockbusters in Rocky IV and Rambo: First Blood Part II.
Tim Roth turned down Harry Potter for Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes remake
British actor Tim Roth found himself to be in demand around the turn of the millennium. He was the first choice to play the part of Professor Quirrell in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (aka Sorcerer’s Stone), the first instalment in what was hoped to be a major franchise. Roth passed in order to take the part of the villainous Thade in director Tim Burton’s 2001 reboot of Planet of the Apes, which was also hoped to kickstart a series. Ian Hart was cast as Quirrell after Roth turned the part down.
Needless to say, it was Harry Potter that proved the bigger hit by far in 2001, successfully launching one of the most popular film franchises of all time. 2001’s Planet of the Apes, meanwhile, was widely dismissed as a mistake all around.
Michael Madsen turned down Pulp Fiction for Wyatt Earp
After making a big name for himself with the role of Vic Vega/Mr Blonde in Reservoir Dogs, Michael Madsen was offered the lead role of Vincent Vega (implied to be the brother of the Reservoir Dogs character) in writer-director Quentin Tarantino’s next film, Pulp Fiction. Madsen declined in order to take the role of Virgil Earp in fact-based western Wyatt Earp, alongside Kevin Costner in the title role.
Tarantino cast John Travolta as Vincent Vega instead, and on top of rejuvenating Travolta’s career, Pulp Fiction also proved to be one of the most acclaimed films of the 1990s. Wyatt Earp, meanwhile, is almost entirely forgotten, not least because 1993’s Tombstone tackled the exact same story to greater success.
Emily Blunt turned down Iron Man 2 for Gulliver’s Travels
Although 2010’s Iron Man 2 is often regarded a lesser entry from the early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the film introduced a character who came to be a major player in the franchise: Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow. While Scarlett Johansson wound up playing the role, the first choice for the part was Emily Blunt – but she pulled out due to a scheduling clash with Gulliver’s Travels, a largely forgotten Jack Black vehicle based on the classic story.
Although Blunt missed out on a role that Johansson reprised seven times (including in her own upcoming standalone Black Widow movie), the English actress insists she has no regrets. The rumour mill has since linked Blunt to the part of Sue Storm in Marvel’s planned Fantastic Four reboot, but she has dismissed this, stating that superhero films “are not up my alley.”
Kevin Costner turned down The Shawshank Redemption for Waterworld
There aren’t too many actors who have enjoyed such a meteoric rise and spectacular fall as Kevin Costner. By the early 90s, the actor was at the top of his game after an unprecedented string of hits – and around this time he was asked to play the role of Andy Dufresne in Stephen King adaptation The Shawshank Redemption. Costner passed, as he was committed to playing the heroic Mariner in fantasy adventure Waterworld.
Costner’s Bull Durham co-star Tim Robbins would play Andy instead, and while The Shawshank Redemption was only a modest hit on release, today it’s widely considered one of the greatest films ever made. Waterworld, by contrast, was a notoriously troubled misfire that sullied Costner’s reputation, and soon thereafter his superstar days were over.
Mel Gibson turned down Gladiator for The Patriot
2000 sword and sandals action epic Gladiator made Russell Crowe a superstar. The New Zealand-born actor’s turn as Maximus Decimus Meridius landed him the Best Actor Oscar, and pretty much overnight he became one of the most in-demand leading men around. Things could have been rather different, however, if the role had been accepted by a certain other actor from Down Under who was offered it first: Mel Gibson.
Reportedly, Gibson passed on Gladiator as (at 44) he considered himself too old for the part. Instead, he took the lead in another violent historical drama, The Patriot, which earned him a then-record $25 million payday, but was otherwise met with a comparatively lukewarm response.
Harrison Ford turned down Cape Fear for Regarding Henry
While director Martin Scorsese and his long-time collaborator Robert De Niro were in development on their 1991 remake of classic thriller Cape Fear, De Niro personally approached Harrison Ford to ask him to co-star in the film. Ford was interested, but only if he was allowed to play the menacing Max Cady and De Niro played opposite him as the mild-mannered Sam Bowden.
Needless to say, De Niro didn’t like that idea, so Ford turned the film down. Instead, 1991 saw Ford appear in largely forgotten drama Regarding Henry, which did middling business critically and commercially. Cape Fear wound up a considerably bigger hit, with De Niro as Cady and Nick Nolte in the good guy role that Ford declined.
Bruce Willis turned down Ghost for The Bonfire of the Vanities
Bruce Willis had quickly become one of the hottest stars in Hollywood in the late 80s after his breakthrough hit Die Hard. However, when the actor was offered the role of Sam Wheat in supernatural romance Ghost, he declined, reportedly feeling the material was a bit corny. This didn’t stop Willis’ then-wife Demi Moore from signing on to play female lead Molly, with Patrick Swayze ultimately accepting the role of Sam.
Willis instead took the part of Peter Fallow in The Bonfire of the Vanities, director Brian De Palma’s adaptation of the Tom Wolfe novel, which went down like a lead balloon with critics and audiences. By contrast, Ghost wound up the biggest box office smash of 1990, and for a time was the third highest-grossing film ever made.
Brooke Shields turned down Scarface for Sahara
Brooke Shields rose to prominence as a child star and model in the late 70s, which seemed to set the stage for a strong career in mature roles. One of the first distinctly adult roles Shields was first offered was Elvira Hancock in Scarface, a remake of the 1932 gangster movie from leading man Al Pacino and director Brian De Palma.
On the advice of her mother, Shields declined, instead accepting the lead role in period adventure movie Sahara. Scarface wasn’t a huge hit in 1983, but it’s long since been re-assessed as a classic; Sahara, meanwhile, bombed on release and is all but forgotten today. Michelle Pfeiffer took the role Shields turned down, and it helped make her a superstar.
Molly Ringwald turned down Pretty Woman for Betsy’s Wedding
After her performances in Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink, Molly Ringwald was the quintessential 80s teen movie icon and a prominent member of the ‘Brat Pack.’ Unfortunately, Ringwald had a little difficulty crossing over from teen roles to adult roles. One project that promised to help her do so was 3,000, an edgy drama about prostitution.
However, whilst 3,000 was in development, the script underwent significant rewrites, making it a romantic comedy. Uncomfortable with the tone and subject matter, Ringwald dropped out. Julia Roberts would take her place, and the film became Pretty Woman. It proved a massive hit, whilst Ringwald’s next project – the Alan Alda film Betsy’s Wedding – disappeared without a trace.
Eddie Murphy turned down Rush Hour for Holy Man
After rising to superstardom in the early 80s as a movie star and stand-up comedian, Eddie Murphy’s career began to cool off somewhat in the 90s. Then he was offered a movie that might have made him red-hot again: Rush Hour, an action-comedy that would have cast Murphy as an LA detective teamed up with a Hong Kong cop played by Jackie Chan.
Murphy decided against this, instead taking the lead role in satirical comedy Holy Man. Alas, that film proved a critical and commercial disaster, whilst Rush Hour was a big hit that went on to spawn two sequels, and helped make a star out of Murphy’s replacement Chris Tucker in the process.
Jennifer Connelly turned down Heathers for Etoile
Jennifer Connelly started out as a child model before making a big impression as an actress in Once Upon a Time in America and Labyrinth. Hollywood expected big things from Connelly, and so she was at the top of the wish list for the lead role in a new, edgy teen comedy entitled Heathers.
Ultimately, Connelly decided against making Heathers, instead agreeing to star in Italian gothic melodrama Etoile. While that film was poorly received and quickly forgotten, Heathers soon became a cult classic and helped establish leading lady Winona Ryder as one of the definitive Generation X superstars.
David Schwimmer turned down Men In Black for Since You’ve Been Gone
David Schwimmer was at the height of his Friends fame when he was offered the role of Agent J, the ambitious young cop who finds himself recruited to a secret law enforcement agency policing extra-terrestrials in Men in Black. Although it had ‘blockbuster’ written all over it, Schwimmer declined the role.
Instead, Schwimmer directed and starred in comedy-drama Since You’ve Been Gone, in which he cast all his old friends from the Chicago theatre. With Will Smith as J, Men in Black proved a massive hit and spawned a long-running franchise, whilst Since You’ve Been Gone inspired so little confidence from studio Miramax they wound up releasing it as a TV movie.
Mickey Rourke turned down Pulp Fiction for F.T.W.
For all his notable successes, the career history of Mickey Rourke is littered with ill-advised missteps. After turning down such 80s hits as Beverly Hills Cop, The Untouchables and Platoon, Rourke was offered the chance of career redemption when he was offered a plum role in Pulp Fiction: Butch, the prize fighter (a role Rourke could relate to, having been a pro-boxer himself).
Rourke, in his infinite wisdom, turned down writer-director Quentin Tarantino and instead made F.T.W., a crime drama that Rourke himself co-wrote. Of course, F.T.W. (AKA The Last Ride) came and went without anyone noticing, whilst Pulp Fiction became one of the most acclaimed hits of the 1990s and reinvigorated the career of Bruce Willis, who took the role once earmarked for Rourke.
Tom Cruise turned down Footloose for All the Right Moves
We tend to think of Tom Cruise as an actor who couldn’t put a foot wrong back in the 80s. However, in the wake of his breakthrough lead performance in 1983’s Risky Business, Cruise made another movie that threatened to undo that good work: All the Right Moves, a trite high school sports drama that attracted far less audience interest.
To make matters worse, in taking the lead in All the Right Moves, Cruise had turned down another movie that proved a considerably bigger hit: Footloose, the dance drama which would ultimately star Kevin Bacon. Still, while that was a black mark on Cruise’s record, he didn’t have much to worry about, as soon enough 1986’s Top Gun made him the biggest star of his generation.
Christina Applegate turned down Legally Blonde for Just Visiting
In 2001, Christina Applegate was still best known for the role of Kelly Bundy on sitcom Married… with Children, which had ended just four years earlier. Keen to avoid typecasting, Applegate decided against taking the lead role of Elle Woods, fashion student turned aspiring lawyer in comedy Legally Blonde.
Reese Witherspoon signed on instead, and Legally Blonde proved a huge hit, earning widespread acclaim and spawning a sequel. Meanwhile, Applegate’s 2001 movie Just Visiting – a remake of a French comedy about dim-witted knights transported to the modern-day – was met with poor reviews and low box office receipts.
Leonardo DiCaprio turned down American Psycho for The Beach
Leonardo DiCaprio had just headlined the biggest film in box office history, Titanic, when he became aware that Lionsgate Films were developing an adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ controversial novel American Psycho. He was eager to take on the lead role of Patrick Bateman, but there was a problem: director Mary Harron wanted the comparatively unknown Christian Bale.
After briefly being attached to star, DiCaprio ultimately chose to walk away from American Psycho to instead make The Beach with director Danny Boyle. As American Psycho is now considered a classic and The Beach was a comparative flop, this might seem a misstep; however, many have applauded DiCaprio for recognising that Bale was the right actor for the role, not him.
Katie Holmes turned down The Dark Knight for Mad Money
Having risen to fame on 90s TV drama series Dawson’s Creek, Katie Holmes embarked on a movie career in the 2000s, and enjoyed her highest-profile role as Rachel Dawes in the blockbuster superhero movie Batman Begins. When work began on sequel The Dark Knight, it was known that the character of Rachel would return, so it was assumed Holmes would too.
However, for reasons which have never been made entirely clear, Holmes opted against reprising the role and backed out of The Dark Knight to instead make Mad Money, a crime comedy that barely made a dent at the box office. Maggie Gyllenhaal took over as Rachel Dawes, and The Dark Knight became one of the biggest hits ever at the time, as well as earning massive critical acclaim.
Claire Danes turned down Titanic for U Turn
Titanic is one of the most critically acclaimed films of all time, and Claire Danes passed on the chance to star in it. The actress turned down the role because she’d just appeared opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Romeo + Juliet, and felt the experience would be too similar. Danes instead starred in U Turn, a gritty Oliver Stone movie that wasn’t well received by critics.
Laurence Fishburne turned down Pulp Fiction for Bad Company
When Quentin Tarantino was writing Pulp Fiction, he created the character of Jules with the intention of casting Laurence Fishburne. The actor turned the role down, however, because he was trying to establish himself as a leading man, and instead chose to star in Bad Company, a neo-noir thriller with a lowly 31 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Liam Neeson turned down GoldenEye for Rob Roy
Before the role went to Pierce Brosnan, Liam Neeson was in the running to become the next James Bond. The actor passed, however, after his then-fiancee Natasha Richardson vowed she wouldn’t marry him if he accepted, due to the inevitable romantic scenes with beautiful women. Neeson instead starred in Rob Roy, an instantly forgettable historical drama.
Sean Connery turned down Lord of the Rings for The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Although it’s now hard to imagine anyone other than Ian McKellen playing Gandalf, the role was initially offered to Sean Connery. The Scottish actor passed, however, since he “didn’t really get it” and decided he would rather star in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, a confusing mess that was panned by critics. Connery retired following his Extraordinary Gentlemen experience, and later expressed remorse for his choice.
Halle Berry turned down Speed for The Flintstones
Halle Berry often appears on lists of talented actors who consistently star in terrible films. Case in point: in 1993, Berry was given the opportunity to co-star opposite Keanu Reeves in Speed, but turned it down after she wasn’t impressed by the script. Instead, Berry accepted a role in the live-action remake of The Flintstones, which was widely derided by both fans and critics.
Emma Watson turned down La La Land for Beauty and the Beast
La La Land picked up a slew of awards and is widely considered one of the best films of the 21st century. Emma Watson was originally offered the role of Mia, but turned it down to star in the live-action Beauty and the Beast, a commercially successful but widely derided Disney rehash. Emma Stone ended up playing Mia, with her performance earning her an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Amanda Seyfried turned down Guardians of the Galaxy for A Million Ways to Die in the West
Amanda Seyfried turned down the role of Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy, partly because she wanted to avoid having to wear green makeup for hours at a time, and partly because she was convinced the film would bomb. Seyfried instead joined the ensemble cast of A Million Ways to Die in the West, which was generally regarded as a disappointment.
Madonna turned down The Matrix for The Next Best Thing
Early on in The Matrix’s production, Madonna was offered the role of Trinity. The Queen of Pop was quick to decline, however, choosing instead to star in the appropriately titled The Next Best Thing. Madonna has since expressed her regret, stating that she now believes The Matrix is one of the greatest movies ever made.
John Hartnett turned down Batman Begins for Lucky Number Slevin
Given the fact that the last Batman film before Christopher Nolan got his hands on the franchise was the ill-fated Batman and Robin, it’s perhaps not all that surprising that Josh Hartnett turned down the opportunity to play the Caped Crusader in 2005’s Batman Begins. The actor met with Nolan but had no interest in playing Bruce Wayne, instead taking a starring role in 2006’s largely forgotten Lucky Number Slevin.
Zac Efron turned down Footloose for New Year’s Eve
Zac Efron followed in Tom Cruise’s footsteps when he turned down the lead role in the 2011 remake of Footloose, choosing to star in New Year’s Eve instead. While the Footloose remake didn’t exactly blow critics away, it still did considerably better than New Year’s Eve, which ended up receiving five Razzie nominations.
Sandra Bullock turned down Million Dollar Baby for Crash
Although Sandra Bullock had been pitching Million Dollar Baby to executives for years, when the project finally got green-lit the actress had to turn down the lead role as she had already signed on for Crash. Hillary Swank took the role instead, winning an Academy Award for Best Actress in the process. The Bullock-starring Crash, meanwhile, is now considered one of the worst films ever to win the Best Picture Oscar.
Jack Nicholson turned down The Godfather for The King of Marvin Gardens
The Godfather frequently tops lists of the best films ever made, so it’s likely Jack Nicholson stills feels a twinge of regret over his decision to pass on the role of Michael Corleone. Instead of starring in Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece, Nicholson appeared in The King of Marvin Gardens, which – while certainly not a bad movie – isn’t in the same league as The Godfather.
Angela Bassett turned down Monster’s Ball for The Score
When Angela Bassett was approached about playing one of the lead roles in 2001’s Monster’s Ball, the actress had reservations about portraying a prostitute onscreen and chose to star in heist movie The Score instead. While The Score was reasonably well received, Monster’s Ball allowed Halle Berry – who took the role intended for Bassett – to become the first Black woman to win a Best Actress Oscar.
Tiffany Haddish turned down Get Out for Mad Families
During a 2018 appearance on Late Night with Seth Myers, Tiffany Haddish revealed that she had turned down a role in Jordan Peele’s 2017 horror masterpiece Get Out. Haddish rejected the film on the grounds that she didn’t do horror, appearing instead in Mad Families, a critically derided Charlie Sheen vehicle that flew so far under the radar it doesn’t even have a plot summary on Wikipedia.
Michelle Pfeiffer turned down The Silence of the Lambs for Frankie and Johnny
After working with Michelle Pfeiffer on 1988’s Married to the Mob, director Jonathan Demme offered the actress the chance to star in The Silence of the Lambs. Pfeiffer turned the film down, however, feeling that the script contained too much “evil,” instead starring in run-of-the-mill rom-com Frankie and Johnny. The Lambs role went to Jodie Foster, who won an Oscar for her efforts.
John Wayne turned down Dirty Harry for Big Jake
While Dirty Harry might be one of Clint Eastwood’s most iconic roles, the studio originally wanted John Wayne. The Duke wasn’t interested in playing another “loose cannon,” however, and he instead chose to star in Big Jake, a Western that received middling reviews. Wayne later admitted that he was wrong about Dirty Harry, confessing “I made a mistake with that one.”
John Lithgow turned down Batman for Out Cold
When Tim Burton was casting the role of the Joker in his gothic take on Batman, the director had a single name in mind: John Lithgow. Unfortunately for Burton, Lithgow – who had just spent several months performing on the stage – didn’t feel emotionally up to the task, and he rejected the role in favor of Out Cold, a dark comedy that almost no one saw.
Mia Farrow turned down True Grit for John and Mary
1969’s True Grit is considered one of the greatest Westerns of all time, and Mia Farrow was very nearly a part of it. The actress had actually accepted a role, but then bailed because of director Henry Hathaway’s ruthless reputation. Farrow – who came to deeply regret her choice – instead starred in John and Mary, a romantic drama that barely caused a ripple at the box office.
Benicio del Toro turned down Star Trek Into Darkness for Jimmy P
When it came to casting Khan – the villain of 2013’s Star Trek: Into Darkness, producers were keen to land Benicio del Toro. The Puerto Rican actor wasn’t happy with the salary offer, however, and instead chose to star in French film Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian. Into Darkness took $487 million at the box office, while Jimmy P took just over $30,000.
Gwyneth Paltrow turned down Titanic for Sliding Doors
In a 2015 interview with Howard Stern, Gwyneth Paltrow admitted that she’d passed on the role of Rose in James Cameron’s Titanic. Although Paltrow wouldn’t reveal whether or not she regretted it, it’s hard to imagine she didn’t when you consider that Sliding Doors – the film Paltrow starred in instead of Titanic – almost immediately vanished into obscurity.
Jennifer Lawrence turned down The Hateful Eight for Joy
Quentin Tarantino is known for writing characters with specific actors in mind, and Daisy Domergue – the foul-mouthed outlaw in The Hateful Eight – was originally intended for Jennifer Lawrence. While the actress met with Tarantino, she ultimately had to decline because she was too busy working on Joy, a biopic about inventor Joy Mangano that received tepid reviews.
Matthew McConaughey turned down Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 2 for The Dark Tower
In a 2016 interview with Playboy, Matthew McConaughey revealed that he had turned down the role of Ego in Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 2 so that he could star in an adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower. While the second installment of the Guardians franchise was a hit with critics and garnered huge box office numbers, The Dark Tower was mauled critically and only made a meagre return.
Reese Witherspoon turned down Scream for Fear
Although Drew Barrymore was originally offered the lead role in Scream, the actress turned it down in favor of playing the first character to die, knowing it would mess with audience expectations. Reese Witherspoon was offered the chance to star, but instead turned it down to appear in the poorly received psychological thriller Fear.
Chiwetel Ejiofor turned down Spectre for Secret in Their Eyes
In 2014, rumors began circulating that Chiwetel Ejiofor was being tapped to play the villain in Spectre, the fourth Bond film starring Daniel Craig. Ejiofor had to turn the role down however, likely because he was already booked for the spy thriller Secret in Their Eyes, which received generally poor reviews from critics and failed to make a splash at the box office.
Julia Roberts turned down Shakespeare in Love for Stepmom
Before the lead roles in 1998’s Shakespeare in Love went to Joseph Fiennes and Gwyneth Paltrow, they were offered to Daniel Day-Lewis and Julia Roberts. Both declined, with Roberts instead signing on for Stepmom, an overly sappy romantic drama which – despite a strong performance from Roberts – did little to win over critics.
Al Pacino turned down Star Wars for Bobby Deerfield
Harrison Ford certainly wasn’t the studio’s first choice for the role of Han Solo. Al Pacino was initially offered the part, but he turned it down because he thought the script was “too confusing,” taking a role in Bobby Deerfield instead and missing out on the chance to be a part of one of the greatest franchises of all time. Today, Bobby Deerfield is considered one of Pacino’s rare early-career misses.
Kevin Hart turned down Tropic Thunder for Superhero Movie
When Kevin Hart was offered the role of Alpa Chino in 2008’s Tropic Thunder, the actor and comedian turned it down because he didn’t feel comfortable playing a gay character. Instead, Hart starred in Superhero Movie, a parody film that was panned by critics. Tropic Thunder, meanwhile, went on to become a legendary modern comedy.
Viggo Mortensen turned down X-Men for 28 Days
Before Hugh Jackman landed the part, Viggo Mortensen was offered the role of Wolverine in 2000’s X-Men. Mortensen was reluctant to sign on to a project that would involve him playing the same character for several years, so he accepted a co-starring role in 28 Days, a dismally received comedy drama about an alcoholic newspaper columnist.
Anne Hathaway turned down Silver Linings Playbook for The Dark Knight Rises
While she was initially attached to 2012’s Silver Linings Playbook, Anne Hathaway eventually left the project to play Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises. Jennifer Lawrence stepped in instead, turning in a powerful performance that saw her win her first Oscar. It wasn’t all bad for Hathaway, however, as the actress scooped the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Les Misérables the following year.
Hugh Jackman turned down James Bond for X-Men
In the early 2000s, Hugh Jackman was approached by Bond producers about replacing Pierce Brosnan as 007. The Australian actor declined the opportunity, preferring to dedicate himself to the X-Men franchise, of which he was already a part. Jackson doesn’t seem to particularly regret his decision, which isn’t all that surprising considering he still gets to play Wolverine.
Matt Damon turned down Avatar for The Bourne Ultimatum
In the mid-2000s, Matt Damon was approached by James Cameron with an offer to take the role of Jake Sully in the writer-director’s long-in-development sci-fi epic Avatar. Damon turned him down, in part because he wasn’t sure the film would work, but also because the shooting schedule clashed with his commitment to The Bourne Ultimatum, the third film in the spy series. With Damon out of the running, Cameron cast the largely unknown Sam Worthington.
It would be wrong to write off Jason Bourne as a bad role, and we can respect Damon’s commitment to his signature franchise. Still, this was a major financial miss for the actor, as Avatar went on to become the biggest hit in box office history. The real sting is that Damon had been offered 10% of the film’s gross profits, which – assuming the film performed as well with him in the lead – would have left him more than $290 million better off, and comfortably the highest-paid actor of all time. (Sam Worthington didn’t get that same deal, incidentally.)
