10 Iconic Roles Almost Played by Totally Different Actors

[@DirtyRoomKnives]

Lance Henrickson as the Terminator would've been menacing as heck.

[@RandomRoss]

In some alternate universe that probably would have been so with Billy Idol playing the T-1000 come T2.

[@LucyLioness100]

I mean it was Lance in the costume that convinced Orion to give James Cameron the budget to make the film. Sadly he didn’t get to play the T-800, but at least James Cameron gave him a small role as a thank you and of course they reunited for “Aliens”

[@lizardog]

Lance in Near Dark.

[@christopherrobinmarriott7218]

Hey!!! Watch your mouth there young man! Now Go say three ‘Hail Marys’ and an ‘Our father’ then u can go play hopscotch.. ya lil rascal

[@floridalivin77]

Look I know that recency bias is a thing but I gotta say RBJ as Tony Stark, Arnold as the terminator amd Hugh Jackman as Wolverine were absolute home runs.

[@LucyLioness100]

Those were the biggest gambles that paid off handsomely and made us happy people 😊

[@paradoxr.n.o8688]

Three of the biggest risk for one reaso or another

[@clarencewalker3925]

I agree with you about RBJ. But, for reference only, Stan Lee based Tony Stark on Clark Gable. Take a look and you'll see why.

[@ricktrejo4728]

Axel Foley worked out great. Eddie made one of the greatest action comedies of all time. And Cobra is an awesome movie

[@LucyLioness100]

Yeah that was the best move because Eddie’s comedic chops balanced so well with his costars’ straight men attitudes

[@peachysbaby3088]

I love Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones.But I can say 100% That Tom selleck would have been a brilliant indiana jones. He can definitely do the sarcasm. He's charming, and he definitely had the looks.

[@LucyLioness100]

I think Selleck would’ve been good, but the universe had other plans. We were gifted his tenure as Thomas Magnum and of course Harrison Ford as an even more rugged Han Solo 😆

[@lizardog]

Selleck is a little too... squeaky-clean appearing to play Jones. He doesn't look knocked around enough. A little too, you know, perfect. You could always watch High Road to China again, though.

[@stealmysunshine]

Oh and don't forget that O J Simpson was in line to play the Terminator but he didn't get it because, and I quote, "he doesn't look like a killer"

[@lizardog]

Capricorn One

[@CameoVTS]

I knew most of these but wow, Sinatra as Dirty Harry?? That would have been a stinker haha

[@paradoxr.n.o8688]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@stealmysunshine]

He was also originally wanted to be John Mcclaine too, as the book Die Hard is based on had the cop character in his 60s 😅

[@lizardog]

Not necessarily. Sinatra played more than one hard-boiled cop quite well.

[@UncleBud25]

What about Tom Felton almost getting Harry Potter? Or Henry Cavill losing out to Daniel Craig as Bond?

[@davidjackson2524]

Although in the case of Henry Cavill as Bond, he was still in his 20s when he was offered the part of Bond.

[@LlorDrei]

For those who don't know, the Selleck/Ford thing is the whole reason for Chip and Dale's outfits in the cartoon series, Chip n' Dale: Rescue Rangers.

[@jayestrada3852]

The Outlaw JOSEY WALES!!!!!!!

[@lizardog]

Very early on, Russell Crowe was considered for Wolverine. As much as I like Jackman, I honestly think Crowe would have been the definitive Wolverine. Angela Bassett was also in talks for Storm. Man, that would have been awesome!

[@Clow00]

Nice job WhatCulture, 07:00 that's Ben Barnes, the OTHER Dorian Gray LOL

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Love your content

[@TheKenjinator]

I’m surprised that you didn’t mention that none other than O.J. Simpson was also considered for the role of the Terminator at one point by the studio; James Cameron rejected the idea because he thought “no one would picture O.J. Simpson as a killing machine” 😅

[@playerthirteen9695]

James Cameron 1983: Hey Lance, I want you to play a robot...........actually never mind. James Cameron 1985: Hey Lance, I want you to play a robot.

[@vince1229]

The short list for Dr. Brown on Back to the Future had some intetesting names....John Heard, John Lithgow and Joe Piscopo to name a few. Sean Connery was first choice for Gandalf and Tom Cruise for Footloose.

[@dougim]

Sam Rockwell is the American Gary Oldman. Think about it.

[@stealmysunshine]

I think Lance Henrikson as the T800 would have been interesting, as the whole point is that you wouldn't suspect him at all.

[@bucyrus5000]

Lance Henrickson would have been amazing as the Terminator. Steve Martin working for Kubrick could have made Eyes Wide Shut much more interesting.

[@Pandaikon0980]

Not to bash Leo, but he looked like he was barely legal to drink back then, let alone be believable as a Homicidal Wall Street Yuppie. Christian was perfectly unhinged in the part and I doubt Leo could have done as good of a job in the role at that time. (The stupid not-a-fact that "Batman" murders "The Joker" to Hip to be Square just amuses me a little too much as well, if I'm perfectly honest.)

[@LucyLioness100]

I think Leo would’ve been good as Patrick Bateman, but yeah he was too baby faced for playing such a maniac. Ewan McGregor almost got the role too but ultimately we got the right choice with Mary Harron sticking to her guns and getting Christian Bale cast. He is so scary in that movie

[@lizardog]

@@LucyLioness100 Bless Ms. Harron for staying true to her vision and fighting for Bale.

[@christopherrobinmarriott7218]

Stuart Townsend was great in the one and only season of the tv show: “night stalker”, which was an ill fated reboot of the classic 70s show “Kolchack the night stalker”.

[@TOFOGeorge]

The original choice for Robocop was Arnie but eventually Peter Weller was the choice for his “nice chin” and overall he made it a memorable character in my opinion

[@mskrisclark684]

Yep, Tom as Indy, Sly as Axel & old Blue Eyes as Harry....knew those.

[@justindenney-hall5875]

@mskrisclark684 Mama Termite: "Gud fuh you!" as my friend Rocky LaPorte would say "Gud fuh you!".

[@martinwestern3334]

But if Christian Bale hadn't played Parick Bateman then we couldn't retrospectively say that one of the best Batman chopped up the Worst ever Joker with an axe while listening to Heuy Lewis

[@lizardog]

You make a very good point.

[@gfear24]

Stallone as Axel Foley would've been horrifically bad.

[@davidcottone2700]

It's Outlaw joesy wales not Jessie james

[@TheBlindDyslexic]

Stalone wanted to rewrite Beverly Hills Cop to be harder and darker, but Stalone's scrip would become 'Cobra'.

[@matsonboi3244]

Will smith as neo?

[@LucyLioness100]

Yep he was the first choice, but chose an abysmal little nightmare called “Wild Wild West” instead. Thank God for Keanu

[@GeraintHughes-pp1cy]

i thought the godfather would have been in as the studios had wanted anyone a but marlon brando vito and the studios did'nt want al pacino to play michael, it was meant to be played by james caan who played sonny

[@LaPetitWookiee]

I’d watch Sam Rockwell read a phone book, he’s that good, but JDj is Tony Stark. I don’t think a single role in this list went to the wrong person. Most of these casting decisions would have been terrible. Just look at Christian Bale’s legendary call to Ewen McGregor to prove he was the right choice for Bateman.

[@seanbass9800]

Eric stoltz as m Marty Mcfly

[@vince1229]

I'll come back when the narrator knows how to pronounce the letter "T".

[@robprime5855]

Peter Townsend is sick though.

[@CheechElMexicano]

If you haven't seen "Cobra" your doing a disservice to the film community not watching it. Great movie imo

[@dukefan35705]

There’s a “t” in Martin. Thought I would let you know.

[@hippomancy]

after seeing the Dirty Harry/Sinatra, I almost expected to see the Die Hard/Sinatra shout out. Sinatra had played the lead in a movie-from-novel called The Detective and had first-look rights to the character, John MacLean. when the sequel novel was being turned into a movie, he declined, and oddly the director went with a comedic tv actor- Bruce Willis...

[@LucyLioness100]

To be fair, Sinatra would’ve been accurate to the original book’s portrayal of the character, but we got the right call when the writers made John younger and picking Bruce Willis to truly make his mark on pop culture. Plus his banter with Alan Rickman & Reginald Val Johnson is endlessly quotable

[@hippomancy]

@@LucyLioness100 Mctiernan saved the blockbuster - guns and pyrotechnics, yes, but humour and a relatable character... would have been a very 70's movie instead of the proto90's movie that it was. my only beef is the debate about xmas movie or not...? I say no. but awesome movie

[@kylelewis9163]

Yeah if Arnold wasn’t an actual robot at the time lance was the right choice because no one would give him a second look. Which for an infiltration unit would make more sense than the world’s bulkiest governor. Sorry Jesse

[@justindenney-hall5875]

I heard the reason why Leonardo Dicaprio didn't take the role was because he was warned it would kill his career since at the time the bulk of his fanbase was lovesick teenage girls.

[@FlyingHangman]

Hmmm Sam rockwell as Tony stark variant could be interesting...

[@WhatTheFirstAidSpray]

"Vengeful but bird-fond" is possibly the worst piece of writing I have heard this year. Can we describe everyone else this way? Thor, the rugged but Groot-speaking. Iron Man, the rich but burger-eating. Thanos, the destructive but daughter-having.

[@WhatTheFirstAidSpray]

En contraire? Au contraire.

[@jonathanbranum8976]

uhgm The Outlaw Josey Wales(CE) Not Jesse James(many)---hehehe ;p Glad Stallone didn't bomb a fav Trilogy...

[@playerthirteen9695]

🤣🤣MI: 2 Is not underrated...It's garbage, easily the worst of the franchise. Fools be jumping off moving bikes to joust each other with kicks, absolutely stupefying.

[@Bakaat777]

Help 🚫the epiglottal stop. Martin has NO epiglottal stop. It's pronounced Mar-tin... not Mart-in. Just because you grew up during the "Martin" show era, does NOT mean you need to pronounce Martin the way his GF/Wife did. Enough already. Way too many people must have watched that silly and stupid show, since we now hear MANY people using epiglottal stops in words that don't need them. Hawaii... THAT has an epiglottal stop. Even British dictionaries don't use it in Martin. martin / (ˈmɑːtɪn) -- Martin [ mahr-tn ] TIN not IN.