Not Starring In...Major Movie Roles Rejected by Famous Actors

[TheMojoPin]

OK, so I found this site called NotSatrring (http://notstarring.com) after it was mentioned in the most recent edition of The Onion's "My Year of Flops" series about big budget movies that tanked and whether or not they're as bad as people generally recall. The focus of the article was about Warren Beatty and his terrible movie Town and Country and how he has been reported to have passed on almost three dozen good to great films since his Hollywood heyday and ended up settling for mediocre crap like T&C. Looking over Beatty's list, it really is staggering some of the stuff he turned down:

Roles turned down by Warren Beatty:


All That Jazz

The actor flirted with the idea of playing the Bob Fosse-like choreographer.
Actor who got the part: Roy Scheider


Blume in Love

Beatty had expressed interest in the great role of a divorce lawyer who cheats on his beautiful wife. Beatty decided against doing the bittersweet movie much of which takes place in Venice, Italy.
Actor who got the part: George Segal


Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice

Turned down the role of Bob in the controversial, sexy comedy directed by Paul Mazursky.
Actor who got the part: Robert Culp


Boogie Nights

Warren Beatty turned down an offer to play Jack Horner.
Actor who got the part: Burt Reynolds


The Boston Strangler

Was considered to play real-life murderer Albert DeSalvo.
Actor who got the part: Tony Curtis


Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Warren Beatty was offered a role but turned it down to work with George Stevens.


Cabaret

When this movie musical was in it's early planning stages, Warren Beatty was proposed for the role of the bisexual gigolo, Brian.
Actor who got the part: Michael York


Charade

When Cary Grant did his usual hemming and hawing about taking on the romantic suspense thriller, the equally hard-to-get Beatty was considered as a replacement.
Actor who got the part: Cary Grant


Crimson Tide

Beatty was considered for a role in the movie.
Actor who got the part: Gene Hackman


Dave

Warren Beatty turned down the lead role.
Actor who got the part: Kevin Kline


Down and Out in Beverly Hills

Warren Beatty was offered the role of the homeless Jerry.
Actor who got the part: Nick Nolte


Frost/Nixon

Warren was considered to play Richard Nixon in the film of the Peter Morgan play.
Actor who got the part: Frank Langella


The Godfather

Warren Beatty was considered to play the part of Michael Corleone.
Actor who got the part: Al Pacino


The Graduate

Beatty was a leading contender for the role of "Benjamin Braddock."
Actor who got the part: Dustin Hoffman


The Great Gatsby

Beatty was turned down for the role of Jay Gatsby.
Actor who got the part: Robert Redford


Indecent Proposal

Beatty was the first choice to play the rich guy.
Actor who got the part: Robert Redford


Jade

According to IMDB trivia, Warren turned down the lead in this film.
Actor who got the part: David Caruso


Kill Bill: Vols. 1 & 2

Warren Beatty was considered for the lead role of Bill but turned it down.
Actor who got the part: David Carradine


The Leopard

Master director Luchino Visconti wanted Beatty to play "Tancredi Falconeri," but the actor refused the role in the masterpiece.
Actor who got the part: Alain Delon


Mars Attacks!

Considered for the lead role of the President.
Actor who got the part: Jack Nicholson


Midnight Cowboy

Beatty showed interest in playing Joe Buck.
Actor who got the part: Jon Voight


Misery

Warren Beatty turned down the lead role.
Actor who got the part: James Caan


Nixon

Beatty was considered to play Richard Nixon.
Actor who got the part: Anthony Hopkins


Ocean's Eleven

Beatty was considered for the part of Terry Benedict.
Actor who got the part: Andy Garcia


Parrish

Beatty was originally pursued for the leading role by director Joshua Logan, who left the project.
Actor who got the part: Troy Donahue


The Rock (?????)

He was pursued for the part of John Mason but turned it down.
Actor who got the part: Sean Connery
Help! Can you verify this entry? » THIS IS TRUE » JUST A RUMOR


The Royal Tenenbaums

Orginally, Hackman turned the role of Royal Tenenbaums down, and Beatty was considered to play the role instead. However, Hackman later agreed to make the film.
Actor who got the part: Gene Hackman


The Sting

Beatty turned down the Robert Redford role in THE STING opposite Paul Newman.
Actor who got the part: Robert Redford


Superman

Considered for the part of Superman.


Wall Street

Warren Beatty turned down the role of Gordon Gekko.
Actor who got the part: Michael Douglas


The Way We Were

The first choice to play "Hubbell" turned down the leading role.
Actor who got the part: Robert Redford


West Side Story

Warren Beatty was a prime contender for the role of "Tony."
Actor who got the part: Richard Beymer

OK, so not all of those are winners (Jade, I'm looking at you), but it's pretty incredible how many major roles this guy brushed off over the last 20 years or so.

That said, I think the other big "missed oppotuniry" guy is Mickey Rourke. He's one of my favorite actors, but he's a total freak/nutjob. Some great roles in the 80's that made him look like the new Brando, but then he flaked out and did a bunch of really bad ones and quit acting to get back into boxing. Granted, he's back now and has made some cool flicks again, but he still has no problem turning down good movies to be in garbage, plus he looks like he fell down 8 flights of stairs onto a pile of used razor blades. Look at what this guy missed out on:

48 Hrs.

Mickey Rourke turned down the part of Jack Cates played by Nick Nolte. .
Actor who got the part: Nick Nolte


Bad Boys

During pre-production the writer-director had Mickey Rourke and Nick Nolte in mind for the two main characters.


Beverly Hills Cop

Rourke was considered for lead role of Alex.
Actor who got the part: Eddie Murphy


The Big Chill

Mickey Rourke was offered a role by Lawrence Kasdan, but he passed.


Body Heat

Was considered for the role of shady Florida lawyer "Ned Racine," but instead seemed better suited to the role of arsonist "Teddy Lewis."
Actor who got the part: WIlliam Hurt


Caddyshack

Up and coming Mickey Rourke was almost cast as Danny Noonan, the kid who wants to win Judge Smails' caddie scholarship.
Actor who got the part: Michael O'Keefe


Dead Poets Society

It is said that Rourke turned down the lead in Dead Poets Society after director Peter Weir refused to make script changes.
Actor who got the part: Robin Williams


Great Balls of Fire!

At one time, Rourke was considered to star as Lewis with Michael Cimino directing.
Actor who got the part: Dennis Quaid


Grindhouse

Mickey Rourke was originally cast to play "Stuntman Mike" in Grindhouse.
Actor who got the part: Kurt Russel


Highlander

Turned down the lead role in Highlander.
Actor who got the part: Christopher Lambert


In the Cut

Mickey was cast in one of the main roles but Nicole Kidman stated she wouldn't work with him, even though she hadn't meet him before. She later dropped out of the lead role herself.


Inglorious Bastards

Quentin Tarantino reportedly wrote the screenplay with Mickey Rourke in mind. Tarantino changed his mind when Robert Rodriguez used Rourke in Once Upon a Time in Mexico and Sin City.
Actor who got the part: Michael Madsen


Luck of the Draw

Mickey Rourke was replaced after a complication about whether he could include his pet chihuahua in a scene.


The Outsiders

Mickey Rourke made a good impression during the casting of "The Outsiders" but wasn't quite right for any of those parts. Coppola then cast him for the follow-up "Rumble Fish."


Platoon

Was offered a part of Sgt. Elias Grodin, but passed on it.
Actor who got the part: Willem Dafoe


Pulp Fiction

Mickey Rourke was given the oppurtunity to play "Butch" in Pulp Fiction, but turned it down to continue his boxing career.
Actor who got the part: Bruce Willis


Rain Man

Turned down the part for "Charlie Babbitt", possibly due to schedule conflicts.
Actor who got the part: Tom Cruise


Revolver

Mickey was offered a role in Guy Ritchie's Revolver but turned it down to do Domino instead.


The Silence of the Lambs

Was considered for the role of Jack Crawford.
Actor who got the part: Scott Glenn


The Thin Red Line

Mickey Rourke shot a segment of the film that was deleted in the final cut. He was in the credits with a special thanks. Also cut were Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Sheen, Viggo Mortensen, Gary Oldman, Bill Pullman and Lukas Haas.


Tombstone

In a documentary on the special edition DVD of Tombstone, Michael Biehn (who played Johnny Ringo) mentions that the role of Ringo was first offered to Rourke.
Actor who got the part: Michael Biehn


Top Gun

Mickey Rourke was offered a role, but turned it down.


The Untouchables

Rourke was offered the role of Elliot Ness but turned it down.
Actor who got the part: Kevin Costner


Mickey Rourke, you are officially an idiot.

[A.J.]

I remember hearing about most of these:

Roles turned down by John Travolta:


American Gigolo

One of several films that Travolta turned down the lead role before it was offered to Richard Gere.
Actor who got the part: Richard Gere


Apollo 13

John Travolta turned down the role of Jim Lovell.
Actor who got the part: Tom Hanks


As Good as It Gets

John Travolta was considered for the role of Melvin.
Actor who got the part: Jack Nicholson


Chicago

Passed on the lead role of Billy Flynn.
Actor who got the part: Richard Gere


A Chorus Line

Travolta was pursued for a role in the film adaptation of the Broadway hit. However, at that point in his career, he did not want to do another musical.


Company

At the height of his fame, Travolta was considered to play the lead in an all-star screen version of the breakthrough Broadway musical by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth.
Actor who got the part: Film Was Never Made


Days of Heaven

One of several films that Travolta turned down the lead role before it was offered to Richard Gere.
Actor who got the part: Richard Gere


Donnie Brasco

Hot off his success with Pulp Fiction, was considered for the role of Joseph Pistone (Donnie Brasco) but producers felt his asking price (reportedly $7 million) was too high.
Actor who got the part: Jonny Depp


The Doors

John Travolta was considered to play Jim Morrison.
Actor who got the part: Val Kilmer


The Double

John Travolta had started work on a Roman Polanski's adaptation of the novel by Dostoyevsky. While shooting was about to start in Paris, Travolta left the set and went back to the USA, never to come back. The project was later cancelled.
Actor who got the part: Steve Martin


First Blood

John Travolta was supposedly considered to play Rambo.
Actor who got the part: Sly


Forrest Gump

John Travolta turned down Forrest Gump.
Actor who got the part: Tom Hanks


Good Will Hunting (?????)

John Travolta reportedly turned down the part that eventually went to Robin Williams.
Help! Can you verify this entry? » THIS IS TRUE » JUST A RUMOR


The Green Mile

John Travolta said in an interview that he was offered the role of Paul Edgecomb in The Green Mile, but turned it down.
Actor who got the part: Tom Hanks


Jackie Brown

Travolta was considered for the role of either Ordell or Ray Nicollete.


Midnight Express

John Travolta was considered for the role of William Hayes.
Actor who got the part: Brad Davis


An Officer and a Gentleman

One of several films that Travolta turned down the lead role before it was offered to Richard Gere.
Actor who got the part: Richard Gere


The Phantom of the Opera

Travolta was seriously considered to play the phantom.
Actor who got the part: Gerard Butler


Rambo: First Blood Part II

Producers wanted to write Travolta into the script as Rambo's sidekick, but Stallone was not interested.


Reservoir Dogs

The role of Vic Vega (Mr. Blonde) in Reservoir Dogs was written for John Travolta, but he declined the low budget independent film. Director Quinten Tarantino then wrote the role of Vinnie in Pulp Fiction with Michael Madsen in mind, but when Madsen was unavailable it went to John Travolta. Thus, Tarantino gave Vincent the same last name as Vic - Vega, making the characters brothers. (A proposed Vega Brothers film featuring the two characters has been discussed but never come to be).
Actor who got the part: Michael Madsen


Scarface

John Travolta turned down the role of Manolo Ray.
Actor who got the part: Steven Bauer


The Shipping News

Travolta had actually been expected to try and tackle the complex role of an emotionally battered man who returns to his family home in Newfoundland to begin again.
Actor who got the part: Kevin Spacey


Splash

John Travolta turned down the lead role of Allen Bauer.
Actor who got the part: Tom Hanks


Top Gun

John Travolta was considered for the lead role, but producers were reportedly worried that he would not draw a big box office at that time.
Actor who got the part: Tom Cruise


World Trade Center

John Travolta declined Paramount's offer to star since he had just done a similar role for Ladder 49.
Actor who got the part: Nicolas Cage


Zorba!

A film version of the Kander-Ebb Broadway musical based on the great novel and motion picture was planned by director Robert Wise and screenwriter-producer Ernest Lehman. Travolta would have played the role played by Alan Bates in the original non-musical movie version.
Actor who got the part: Film Was Never Made

[mendyweiss]

I think it was Tom Sellek who turned down the Indiana Jones movie, but not sure

[TheMojoPin]

I think it was Tom Sellek who turned down the Indiana Jones movie, but not sure

According to the site, yep, he was the person Lucas and Spielberg wanted to play the character. Here are some others from that first Indie film:

Danny DeVito

Danny DeVito was supposed to get the part of Sallah in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Actor who got the part: John Rhys-Davies


Amy Irving

Amy Irving was reportedly considered for the role of Marion.
Actor who got the part: Karen Allen


Tim Matheson

Tim Matheson (Otter from Animal House) was considered for the role of Indiana Jones.
Actor who got the part: Harrison Ford


Sam Neill

Came very close to being signed to play Indiana Jones.
Actor who got the part: Harrison Ford


Nick Nolte

Nick Nolte turned down the role of Indiana Jones.
Actor who got the part: Harrison Ford


Tom Selleck

Tom Selleck was originally pursued by Spielberg & Lucas to play Indiana Jones, but it conflicted with his agreement to do Magnum P.I.
Actor who got the part: Harrison Ford


John Shea

John Shea was involved with the screen tests for the role of Indiana Jones.


Debra Winger

Winger turned down the lead role.
Actor who got the part: Karen Allen


Sean Young

Sean Young tested for the role of Marion Ravenwood.
Actor who got the part: Karen Allen

[IamFogHat]

Luckily for us all, the role of Neo in the Matrix was originally turned down by this man...


http://www.aolcdn.com/ch_kids/will-smith-400a314.jpg


Wanna guess for what movie?....










































http://www.homevideos.com/movies-covers/wildwildwest.jpg

What an ass.:lol:

[TheMojoPin]

Holy crap, is that the DVD cover for WWW?!? I love how Salma Hayek looks positively horrified/disgusted to be there.

[drusilla]

Caddyshack

Up and coming Mickey Rourke was almost cast as Danny Noonan, the kid who wants to win Judge Smails' caddie scholarship.
Actor who got the part: Michael O'Keefe




Mickey Rourke, you are officially an idiot.


i love mickey rourke probably a lot more than i should, but if he landed that role the movie would have been awful

[Dougie Brootal]

Roles turned down by Marilyn Manson:


Batman Begins

Manson was considered for the role of Dr. Jonathan Crane (Scarecrow).
Actor who got the part: Cillian Murphy


Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Manson wanted this part extremly badly and was apparently the director's first choice, but this could not be accomplished due to scheduling conflicts.
Actor who got the part: Johnny Depp


House on Haunted Hill

Manson was the first choice to play the insane Dr. Vannacutt, but due to conflicting schedules, he couldn't film the role. The director did use his remix of "Sweet Dreams" in the film.
Actor who got the part: Jeffrey Combs


Roles turned down by Hulk Hogan:


Batman & Robin

Hulk Hogan was reportedly director Joel Schumacher's third choice to play Mr. Freeze.
Actor who got the part: Arnold Schwarzenegger


Junior

The lead role was written with Hulk Hogan in mind, but he was about to win the WCW title and didn't want this film making the title a joke.
Actor who got the part: Arnold Schwarzenegger


Superman Returns

Many reports said Hogan was asked to play Doomsday when Tim Burton was set to direct. The script was changed and the role was cut.


well how bout that?

[TheMojoPin]

i love mickey rourke probably a lot more than i should, but if he landed that role the movie would have been awful

I don't know...this would have an even younger version of Diner Rourke, so it could have ruled.

[Dougie Brootal]

Roles turned down by O.J. Simpson:


The Terminator

Passed over for the role of the terminator because producers feared he wouldn't be taken seriously as a killer.Actor who got the part: Arnold Schwarzenegger


:huh::blink::lol:

[Freakshow]

Amadeus
Mick Jagger auditioned to play Antonio Salieri.
Actor who got the part: F. Murray Abraham

A Clockwork Orange
Before Kubrick took over, Jagger & the Rolling Stones were considered to play the group of delinquents.
Actor who got the part: Malcolm McDowell

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was written with Mick Jagger and David Bowie in mind - after appearing together in the "Dancing in the Street" video.
Actor who got the part: Steve Martin

Fitzcarraldo
Cast as Fitzcarraldo's sidekick, Werner Herzog shot around an hour's worth of film of Jagger and Jason Robards (as Fitzcarraldo) before Robards became ill and Jagger had to quit because of tour schedule. Clips of this footage can be seen in the film "Burden of Dreams."
Actor who got the part: Part Was Written Out Of The Film

Muppet Treasure Island
Mick Jagger was reportedly considered for the role of Long John Silver.
Actor who got the part: Tim Curry

The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Mick Jagger wanted to play Dr. Frank N Furter.
Actor who got the part: Tim Curry

A Star Is Born (1976)
Barbra Streisand eliminated him because she didn't like the way they would photograph together.


Beaten out by Tim Curry for Rocky Horror AND a Muppet Movie. :thumbdown:

[TheMojoPin]

That's first time I've ever heard anyone letdown by Mick Jagger getting less acting roles.

[StupidGirlllll]

i love mickey rourke probably a lot more than i should, but if he landed that role the movie would have been awful

I just watched Mickey Rourke in that movie Domino...he was great.. I didn't even think I was going to like that movie but it was rally good.

[Freakshow]

That's first time I've ever heard anyone letdown by Mick Jagger getting less acting roles.

I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for Freejack 2, I can't believe it hasn't been made yet.

[Knowledged_one]

I remember reading that David Schwimmer turned down the role of Agent J in Men In Black that eventually went to Will Smith

Also does anyone think that Tom Selleck would be a much better Tony Stark then Robert Downey Junior, hell Selleck even looks like Tony Stark

[TheMojoPin]

I remember reading that David Schwimmer turned down the role of Agent J in Men In Black that eventually went to Will Smith

Also does anyone think that Tom Selleck would be a much better Tony Stark then Robert Downey Junior, hell Selleck even looks like Tony Stark

Maybe 20-25 years ago. Now he just looks ancient and leathery.

Besides, doens't anyone with dark hair and a moustache/goatee "look" like Tony Stark? He's a drawing that's been interpreted hundreds of different ways.

[Knowledged_one]

Ed Norton (from my hometown) turned down the lead role in American Psycho

[TheMojoPin]

Ed Norton (from my hometown) turned down the lead role in American Psycho

I think a bunch of people turned that down, including Pitt and DiCaprio. The site seems to confirm that:

Cameron Diaz

Diaz was considered to play Evelyn Williams.
Actor who got the part: Reese Witherspoon


Leonardo DiCaprio

Had to drop out of the lead role due to scheduling conflict. Christian Bale took over.


Edward Norton

Edward Norton turned down the lead role.
Actor who got the part: Christian Bale


Brad Pitt

Pitt was offered the lead role at one point but turned it down.
Actor who got the part: Christian Bale


James Woods

Woods was considered for the part of Donald Kimball.
Actor who got the part: Willem Dafoe

They also say that Sean Penn was seriously considered as Tyler Durden in Fight Club, which sounds better and better the more I think about it. Pitt did a great job, but Penn would have had a really interesting take.

[Knowledged_one]

Christian Bale ended up being great for the part

and i would rather they dig up Chris Penn then have Sean Penn anywhere near the part

Pitt played it with such a coolness that made the part work

Man i have missed disagreeing with Mojo

[TheMojoPin]

Wow, a ton of crazy misfires and dodged bullets for Burton's first Batman movie:

Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin was considered to play Batman.


David Bowie

Bowie was considered for the role of Joker.
Actor who got the part: Jack Nicholson


Pierce Brosnan

Pierce Brosnan was considered to play Batman.


Tim Curry

Tim Curry was originally considered to play the Joker.


Willem Dafoe

Dafoe was considered to play the role of the Joker according to IMDB.
Actor who got the part: Jack Nicholson


Joe Dante

Joe Dante had expressed great interest in directing the Batman movie.
Actor who got the part: Tim Burton


Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson was the first choice to play Batman,(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) but he was already committed to Lethal Weapon 2.
Actor who got the part: Michael Keaton


John Glover

After Jack Nicholson, the next two actors in line for the Joker were reportedly Ray Liotta and John Glover.
Actor who got the part: Jack Nicholson


William Holden

William Holden was considered for the role of Commissioner Gordon in the seminal stages of the project.


Kevin Kline

Kevin Kline was considered to play Batman.
Actor who got the part: Michael Keaton


Martin Landau

Martin Landau was offered the role of Carl Grissom.
Actor who got the part: Jack Palance


Ray Liotta

There are many rumors that Liotta was considered to play either the Joker or Dent


John Lithgow

Lithgow was considered for the role of Joker.
Actor who got the part: Jack Nicholson


Bill Murray

Bill Murray was considered to play Batman. (WHAT THE HOLY FUCK?!?!)


David Niven

In the project's seminal phases during the early 1980s, David Niven was considered for the role of Alfred the Butler.


Michelle Pfeiffer

Tim Burton reportedly wanted Pfeiffer to play Vicki Vale.
Actor who got the part: Kim Basinger


Ricky Reed

At one point, Robin was written into the original movie and was offered to a relatively unknown actor named Ricky Reed.


Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen was considered to play Batman.


Sharon Stone

Stone auditioned to play Vicky Vale.
Actor who got the part: Kim Basinger


Adam West

Adam West wanted to play Batman but was turned down.
Actor who got the part: Michael Keaton

Man, some of those choices would have made it a LOT better. And some of them are just insane.

[TheMojoPin]

The madness continued with Batman Returns:

Annette Bening

Annette Bening was replaced by Michelle Pfeiffer for the role of Catwoman, after becoming pregnant.
Actor who got the part: Michelle Pfeiffer


Marlon Brando

Director Tim Burton had favoured Brando for the role of the Penguin. Batman creator Bob Kane had declared this to be the worst possible candidate for the role.


Cher (?????)

Many sources say Cher was considered for Catwoman.
Actor who got the part: Michelle Pfeiffer
Help! Can you verify this entry? » THIS IS TRUE » JUST A RUMOR


Michael J. Fox (?????)

Fox was an earlier preference to play Robin under the condition that Robin was included in the film. He was not.
Actor who got the part: N/A
Help! Can you verify this entry? » THIS IS TRUE » JUST A RUMOR


Dustin Hoffman

Dustin Hoffman was considered to play the Penguin in Batman Returns.
Actor who got the part: Danny DeVito


Christopher Lloyd

An original plot for the film included the Penguin and Mr. Freeze joining forces to freeze Gotham City. Christopher Lloyd had been considered for the role of Penguin.


Madonna

Madonna was reportedly considered to play Catwoman.
Actor who got the part: Michelle Pfeiffer


Burgess Meredith

Burgess Meredith (the original TV Penguin) was set to play Penguin's father at the beginning of the movie, but he could not due to illness.


Demi Moore

Demi wanted the role of Catwoman but was rejected. In a magazine interview Demi states that at the time of audition she was blonde as was the Selena Kyle character.
Actor who got the part: Michelle Pfeiffer


Lena Olin

Olin was turned down for the role of Catwoman.
Actor who got the part: Michelle Pfeiffer


Prince (?????)

Prince was an early preference of Tim Burton's to play Robin under the condition that Robin was included in the film. He was not.
Actor who got the part: N/A
Help! Can you verify this entry? » THIS IS TRUE » JUST A RUMOR


Susan Sarandon

Sarandon was very interested in the prospect of playing "Catwoman."
Actor who got the part: Michelle Pfeiffer


Marlon Wayans

Robin was originally going to be introduced in the first sequel and Marlon was actually cast before the script was rewritten.


Billy Dee Williams

Williams was contractually entitled to play Harvey Dent, and an early draft of Batman Returns included the role. That character was later renamed Max Shreck and all of Dent's lines were given to him, and all Two-Face elements were removed.
Actor who got the part: Christopher Walken


Sean Young

Young was so upset about not getting the part of Catwoman that she went to the studio in a Catwoman costume to prove that she was a better choice.

[TheMojoPin]

Man, talk about dodging a bullet...Bale's career might have been finished if this had come true with Batman Forever:

Christian Bale

Bale auditioned to play Robin. (He would later become Batman).

[TheMojoPin]

Wow, Stan the Man had a great idea back in the day:

John Cusack

In a radio interview, creator Stan Lee, said that back when Spider-Man was in early developement back in the '80s, he felt that John Cusack would be a "perfect" Peter Parker.
Actor who got the part: Tobey Maguire

If 80's Cusack could have somehow been in the 00's films...perfect.

[fezident]

Daniel Day Lewis turned down the role of Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Sean Connery refused an offer to play Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. ( and it was a very generous offer!)



--also, the actor from PRISON BREAK (Wentworth Miller) was going to play the lead(s) in SUPERMAN RETURNS. But..... the producers discovered Brandon Routh.