9 Big Hollywood Stars That Turned Down Iconic Roles
Bill Murray as Batman?! These casting choices almost happened, but the actors said "No." In some alternate reality, however, the Dark Knight is the greenskeeper from "Caddyshack." Here are more Hollywood stars and the iconic roles they turned down.
Jack Nicholson / Michael Corleone
The Oscar-winner turned down the role of Michael Corleone. Why? Because he knew it wasn't his to have. In a 2004 interview with Movieline, Nicholson said: "There were a lot of actors who could have played Michael, myself included, but Al Pacino was Michael Corleone. I can't think of a better compliment to pay him.
Al Pacino / Han Solo
Julia Roberts / Leigh Anne Tuohy ('The Blind Side')
Harrison Ford / Dr. Alan Grant ('Jurassic Park')
That's a pic of George Clooney took -- all the way to the Oscars, where he won Best ing Actor.
Johnny Depp / Ferris Bueller
Cameron's best friend was almost played by Captain Jack. Instead, Matthew Broderick took on our favorite skipper of school and we can't imagine it any other way.
Bill Murray / Batman
You see, kids, the '80s were a wonderful time. Where bad ideas were indistinguishable from good ones, thanks to lots of big hair and coke. How else can you explain Bill Murray finding himself on the short-list to don the cape and cowl in Tim Burton's 1989 blockbuster?
Leonardo DiCaprio / Dirk Diggler
Okay, while the once and future Brock Landers isn't as big a gig as Batman, it still packs (pun SO intended) quite a punch to know that the world came this close to having DiCaprio sing a a duet of "Feel, Feel, Feel My Heat."
Hugh Jackman / James Bond
There is still hope for this one, as Daniel Craig's recent comments about preferring to "slash his wrists" before ever playing Bond again, maybe Jackman will have his shot sooner rather than later.)
Sean Connery / Gandalf
Speaking of 007... "You shall not !" Or don Gandalf's magical ZZ Top beard and excessive wizard hat. Yep, LOTR'], and I turned it down because I didn't understand it. I was offered 'The Matrix' twice, and I turned it down because I didn't understand it." Connery claimed to also not understand "LXG," but opted not to turn it down. Now that's something we don't understand.
