Recasting a beloved character is a tough gamble. After all, a character becomes beloved in no small part thanks to the specific performer who brings them to life. In fact, the recasting strategy chosen by filmmakers and studios quite often doesn’t pan out at all. For instance, The Terminator franchise has often struggled with recasts. Nick Stahl, Christian Bale, and Jai Courtney are all either very solid or outright great performers, but they did not successfully pick up the John Connor mantle from Edward Furlong. Similarly, Emilia Clarke is wonderful, but she simply is not Linda Hamilton (though Lena Headey did well with the role on the small screen’s Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles).
But these following examples? Even if the movie around them wasn’t the best the actor chosen to fill the boots of an iconic character brought to life by an iconic performance did as good a job as could be expected of them. In fact, one example wouldn’t be nearly as iconic as it is were the original choice stuck with.
7) Kevin Peter Hall as The Predator
Image courtesy of 20th Century Studios
Kevin Peter Hall’s casting as the title character of Predator is the first of two examples on this list that are examples of a replacement brought in for movie one. The remainder were cases made for one actor being able to make the role their own then having someone else later come in and do the same.
When John McTiernan’s Predator was beginning production, the idea was the same. An alien has infiltrated a Central American jungle and starts using its tech and weaponry to take out a special forces team. However, the alien was lankier and far more insectoid. And, as it so happens, said insectoid alien was played by Jean-Claude Van Damme, who would very soon break out as a leading man via Bloodsport. It was definitely a case of a recasting work out best for all involved. Instead of being in a big suit, awkwardly lumbering through a jungle (that first suit really did look uncomfortable), Van Damme had the chance to show his face in a movie, and actually speak for that matter. As for the movie, Hall’s height, build, and agility were a perfect match for the Yautja, and because of the redesign, he was actually allowed to show off those physical traits.
6) Josh Brolin as Agent K
image courtesy of sony pictures releasing
Men in Black is most often thought of as a Will Smith vehicle. After all, it was the second big sci-fi win in a row for him after Independence Day. It went a long way towards solidifying his status as an A-lister. But it was just as much Tommy Lee Jones’ movie.
However, neither sequel seemed particularly interested in K, which makes sense considering his narrative is very much wrapped up at the end of the first movie. However, while the wretched Men in Black II did everything it could to squish Jones back into the fold, Men in Black 3 had a much better strategy: go back to the past and essentially relegate Jones to wraparound segments. And, in Jones’ place was his No Country for Old Men co-star Josh Brolin, who already has some of that working man, deep voiced quality to him, but quite clearly learned how to replicate Jones’ cadence and swagger while working with him.
5) Mark Ruffalo as Hulk
Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Edward Norton is one of the most brilliant actors of his generation. But he also has his way of doing things and, supposedly, it’s hard to get him to waver on that. When he was replaced with Mark Ruffalo for The Avengers, Kevin Feige said something along the lines of the Marvel Cinematic Universe needing someone who was more of a team player.
Now, while The Incredible Hulk is a fine enough movie with some entertainment factor working in its favor, it’s not as if Norton put his stamp on Bruce Banner or the Hulk so firmly that he couldn’t be replaced. Robert Downey Jr. couldn’t be replaced, but he could. And, stepping into Norton’s shoes was Ruffalo, a likable and affable performer and human who immediately made himself at home alongside Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, and Jeremy Renner. It all worked out in the long run. The very long run, in fact, considering Ruffalo is still playing the character to this day.
4) The Cast of J.J. Abrams Star Trek
image courtesy of paramount pictures
William Shatner as Captain Kirk, Leonard Nimoy as Spock, Nichelle Nichols as Uhura, DeForest Kelley as Leonard “Bones” McCoy, Walter Koenig as Chekov, James Doohan as Scotty, and George Takei as Sulu, these are all casting decisions that were immediately seen as note perfect. Be it in the original series or the subsequent movies, these actors made their respective characters feel like a part of them.
In other words, J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek had to get seven beloved characters just right and, almost against all odds, he managed to get the right seven people on board the USS Enterprise. In a star-making performance, Chris Pine knocked out Kirk’s arrogance (and concealed big heart). Zachary Quinto showed he could not only look like Nimoy but capture his gait and their character’s cold way of speaking. Zoe Saldaña displayed for the first time (Avatar was later the same year) that she’s a natural in sci-fi fare. Karl Urban captured “Bones” camaraderie with Kirk and his humorously curmudgeonly personality. The late Anton Yelchin marvelously brought to life Chekov’s ambition and enthusiasm. Simon Pegg was a hoot as Scotty. And, lastly, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle veteran John Cho was a natural for Sulu’s competence and sensitivity. No recast could have been any better.
3) Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly
image courtesy of universal pictures
Recasting George McFly may have been so disastrous it brought about an industry-shaking lawsuit, but the Back to the Future trilogy does have one case of a recasting that worked wonders for it. Specifically, the lead role of Marty McFly.
As is well known, Eric Stoltz was the original choice for Marty, but his take on the role was just a bit too moody and serious for what the film’s tone was supposed to be. In come Family Ties‘ Michael J. Fox. Without him, it’s highly doubtful that Robert Zemeckis’ would be so many people’s favorite movie of all time. His everyman likability and chemistry with Christopher Lloyd were absolutely integral to making the original film the classic it is (and the two sequels pretty good, too).
2) Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Morpheus
image courtesy of warner bros. pictures
As mentioned in the intro, not all of these examples are meant to indicate that the movie as a whole is a winner. In spite of its ambition, The Matrix Resurrections is not a winner. It’s a little too much of an ambitious, unexpected spin on the original film.
But Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is such a bonafide rising star that he managed to take one of the most famous performances of the ’90s, Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus, and make it his own. Fortunately, he’s tasked with playing what amounts to a pseudo-recreation of Morpheus, so he’s able to both provide his own take on it and simultaneously channel Fishburne. His performance is one of the few things about the movie that consistently works.
1) Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi
image courtesy of lucasfilm
Alec Guinness may not have thought much of Star Wars: A New Hope while he was shooting it, but few could argue with the fact that he makes Obi-Wan Kenobi an endearing cinematic mentor figure in just his first few minutes of screentime. And, when he popped up for a moment here or there to chat with Luke in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, it was great to see or hear him again.
Then, in 1999, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace was released and, for the most part, it was torn apart by fans and received at most begrudged praise from critics. But one thing they all agreed on was that Ewan McGregor, then best known for his role in Trainspotting, was a natural when it came to filling Guinness’ shoes. He knocked the cadence and timbre of the actor’s voice out of the park just as he made the audience believe that this is the man who would grow up to be a kindhearted teacher to Luke and ultimately sacrifice his own life. By the time Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, which bumped him up to the forefront, rolled around, audiences were fully convinced that, for all its faults, the prequel trilogy made at least one fantastic decision.
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