Science fiction is one of the most beloved genres in all of cinema. A major reason for this is the way in which the ever-prescient genre portrays the evolving relationship between people and technology. Whether it's a slow and cerebral epic like 2001: A Space Odyssey, a detailed and scientifically-sound trip to space like The Martian, or a fantasy-tinged blockbuster romp like Star Wars, this human-technology relationship remains a central theme. While the tech side of the relationship is extremely important, the human side is doubly so, as that is the one that resonates most with audiences. Crucial to making that human connection work is casting.
While it seems that iconic science fiction movie characters are inseparable from the actors who portray them, the fact is that many of the most memorable roles in the genre’s history almost went to different performers. Although the writing would likely remain the same, different actors in important sci-fi roles would surely have had a great effect on both the story and the success of the movie. In the list below, we’ve collected 12 of the most interesting alternative casting choices for iconic sci-fi roles.
12 Eddie Redmayne as Kylo Ren - Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
It’s no exaggeration to say that, for many fans, Adam Driver is the face of the new era of Star Wars, much like the iconic Darth Vader was before him. His sensitive portrayal of the complex villain Kylo Ren is one of the sequel trilogy’s greatest strengths, and it goes without saying that the films would not be the same without him. Despite this, the role of Kylo Ren was once anyone’s to claim, and Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne almost snatched it up. The actor auditioned for the role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but ultimately didn't’ get the part, rather going on to star in the hugely successful Fantastic Beasts franchise.
11 Javier Bardem as Danny Witwer - Minority Report (2002)
Because it's one of Colin Farrell’s best roles, it is very hard to imagine another actor as Department of Justice agent Danny Witwer in Minority Report. That said, there was once a time when the role was being shopped around to numerous high-profile actors. Director Steven Spielberg personally offered the role of Witwer to Javier Bardem, but he turned it down because, at that time, the Spanish actor did not feel confident enough in his English-speaking abilities to take on the large role.
10 Emily Blunt as Black Widow - Iron Man 2 (2010)
With Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow being one of the most memorable characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s almost unthinkable that the role’s casting was ever undecided. When Iron Man 2 was in the pre-production stages, however, Black Widow’s debut was almost brought to life by award-winning actress Emily Blunt. According to Collider, even though she would have loved to take on the role, “a contractual obligation to act in the film Gulliver’s Travels forced her to turn down the part.”
9 Matt Damon as Jake Sully - Avatar (2009)
Jake Sully, the main character of James Cameron’s highly successful blockbuster series Avatar, was a role that was initially offered to many actors before Sam Worthington finally got the part. Perhaps closest to getting the part was Matt Damon, who was very interested and had numerous conversations with Cameron about it in preparation for the film. Ultimately Damon had to turn the part down, however, as the shooting of The Bourne Ultimatum, would have conflicted with Avatar’s production. Cameron subsequently considered a few other major Hollywood players before finally settling on Worthington.
8 Benicio del Toro as Khan - Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
When Star Trek Into Darkness brought back legendary villain Khan Noonien Singh, Ricardo Montalbán, who played him previously in The Original Series and The Wrath of Khan, left massive shoes to fill. Although Benedict Cumberbatch turned in a solid performance as the superhuman bad guy in the final film, many fans were initially upset with the casting decision, as they were expecting Benicio del Toro to take up the mantle. Del Toro had been publicly connected to the movie for a long time, before finally stepping away from it just one month before shooting. This was due to a disagreement over monetary issues, and director J. J. Abrams was forced to change his casting choice last minute.
7 Eric Stoltz as Marty McFly - Back to the Future (1985)
Although Michael J. Fox’s name is practically synonymous with his iconic Back to the Future character Marty McFly’s, he actually wasn’t the studio’s first pick for the role. In fact, actor Eric Stoltz was not only the first choice for the role, but even filmed most of his part as McFly before the filmmakers decided to re-shoot the footage with an actor who had better comedic timing. Fox was then rushed in, and the movie was re-shot, which according to all involved was the right decision, though it did disappoint co-star Christopher Lloyd at the time.
6 Harrison Ford as Alan Grant - Jurassic Park
Before Sam Neill was cast as Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, the role of the film’s hero almost went to Harrison Ford. Steven Spielberg personally offered the part to his friend and colleague Ford, but Ford rejected it outright over concerns of being typecast as the tough guy in a safari hat. Although Ford as Grant would have surely been cool, perhaps it was for the best that the part went to Neill, as he pulled it off brilliantly.
5 Al Pacino as Han Solo - Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
Star Wars: A New Hope (originally released as just Star Wars) is one of the most iconic science fiction movies of all time, and much of that reputation is due to the incredible chemistry between its memorable cast members. As such, it’s hard to imagine any other actor in any of those iconic roles. The reality of the situation is, however, that those roles were never set in stone. The role of Han Solo, for instance, was offered to Al Pacino before Harrison Ford ultimately took it on. The role was very nearly Pacino’s next big character, but he turned it down after reading the full script and realizing that it wasn’t for him.
4 Will Smith and Sandra Bullock as Neo - The Matrix
Neo in The Matrix is easily one of Keanu Reeves’ most important roles, which is why it’s surprising to hear that Will Smith was actually the Wachowskis’ first choice to play the part. Smith turned it down because he couldn’t make sense of the Wachowskis’ crazy pitch for the movie, and opted to do Wild, Wild West instead.
Interestingly, Smith wasn’t the only other choice for the role of Neo; at one point in time, the Wachowskis offered the role to Sandra Bullock. They were having trouble securing a satisfactory male lead and considered changing the role to a female lead. Bullock was interested, but had to pass due to obligations to other projects.
3 Jean-Claude Van Damme as the Predator - Predator (1987)
Believe it or not, the titular alien hunter in Predator was almost brought to life by none other than the Muscles from Brussels himself, Jean-Claude Van Damme. Believing it could be his breakout role, the young Van Damme accepted right away, but quickly grew to regret the decision upon realizing that he would be unrecognizable underneath the creature costume. After a few test shots, he stepped away from the production. In addition to being obscured by the costume, other stories have surfaced as to why Van Damme left. One version of the story was explained by Screen Rant, who reported that “the actor kept experiencing dehydration while filming in the jungles, to which the movie’s producer ended up firing the action star.” In any event, Van Damme was eventually replaced by Kevin Peter Hall.
2 O.J. Simpson as the Terminator - The Terminator
The terrifying robotic killer from The Terminator is arguably Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most iconic role, but once upon a time the Austrian Oak was being eyed for the role of Kyle Reese rather than the Terminator. This would have let the role of the famous cyborg assassin fall into the lap of none other than O.J. Simpson, according to a widespread rumor. Cameron allegedly balked at the idea of Simpson’s casting, asserting that the running back-turned-actor was too pleasant to be believable as a cold-blooded killer. Oh, the irony!
1 Toshiro Mifune as Obi-Wan Kenobi - Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
Star Wars owes a lot to Japanese Jidaigeki – or period drama – films of the ‘50s and ‘60s. In particular, George Lucas borrowed heavily from Akira Kurosawa’s 1958 film The Hidden Fortress when writing A New Hope. Obi-Wan Kenobi is just one example of the parallels between the two films, as his character is closely modeled after that of General Rokurota Makabe, who was played by Japanese screen legend Toshiro Mifune in The Hidden Fortress. Before settling on the amazing Sir Alec Guinness, Lucas sought Mifune for the role that his character had inspired. However, Mifune turned it down over worries that a silly science fiction flick might conflict with his prestigious samurai image.