10 Actors Who WISELY Turned Down Bad Movies
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VOICE OVER: Ryan Wild
You have chosen... wisely. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the lucky actors who dodged a bullet after turning down or dropping out of disastrous films. Our countdown includes actors Hugh Jackman, Charlie Hunnam, Zendaya and more!
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the lucky actors who dodged a bullet after turning down or dropping out of disastrous films. Do you think they made the right decision? Let us know in the comments below!
While it was released at the height of the superhero boom, “Suicide Squad” didn’t fare particularly well. It received middling reviews from both critics and general audiences, and many scenes were relentlessly mocked on social media. The film was written and directed by David Ayer, who had recently found critical success with his cop drama “End of Watch.” That film starred Jake Gyllenhaal, who was given the option to reunite with Ayer on “Suicide Squad,” being offered the role of Rick Flag. Gyllenhaal decided to pass on the project, and the role eventually went to Joel Kinnaman. It was probably a good career move.
A hugely successful stage performer, Mike Faist originated the role of Connor Murphy in “Dear Evan Hansen” and received a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actor. So, naturally, he was approached to reprise his role for the 2021 movie adaptation. Faist declined the offer, telling The New York Times, “I just felt like I couldn’t do it.” Wise choice for a wise man. The role eventually went to Faist’s Broadway understudy, Colton Ryan, and the movie became an abject failure. It received scathing reviews and four Razzie nominations while also bombing at the box office with a gross of just $19 million. It doesn’t get much smarter than turning down one of the most maligned musicals of the 21st century.
Making a biopic about the legendary Aaliyah seemed like a slam dunk, but it was an airball from the off. For one, Aaliyah’s family hated the idea of a Lifetime movie. And since said family has ownership of Aaliyah’s masters, the filmmakers were forced to record grossly inferior covers. Furthermore, it was announced that Zendaya would be playing Aaliyah, and the decision was met with widespread condemnation. Most of the criticism stemmed from Zendaya’s physical features, with neither her face nor her light-colored skin matching that of Aaliyah. No matter - the actress eventually dropped out, citing significant concerns with the messy production. And she was right to do so, as the movie opened to disastrous reviews and fierce mocking on social media.
Zach Galifianakis had blown up in 2009 with “The Hangover,” and his career was in full swing by 2013. That year saw him wrapping up the “Hangover” trilogy, and in the next he was starring in the Oscar-winning “Birdman.” And to think, he could have been Roy Pulsipher in “R.I.P.D.”! Galifianakis was pegged to star in the paranormal thriller alongside Ryan Reynolds but he decided to pass for other commitments. The role eventually went to Jeff Bridges, and it has to be a career low for the legendary actor. “R.I.P.D.” was both a critical and commercial failure, and its 2022 prequel went straight to DVD.
Could you imagine a “Fifty Shades of Grey” without Jamie Dornan? Believe it, because if the studio got their way, it would have been Charlie Hunnam playing the erotic billionaire. Hunnam was very excited to play Christian Grey, but his casting drew some criticism from fans of the book. And while the film’s producer defended Hunnam’s involvement, the fans got their way in the end. The actor was forced to drop out owing to prior commitments with “Sons of Anarchy” and Guillermo del Toro’s “Crimson Peak.” Hunnam still regrets leaving the project, even in the midst of its critical and cultural thrashing, calling it, “The most emotionally destructive and difficult thing that I’ve ever had to deal with professionally.”
Do you know about this 1995 flick? Probably not. No one does. An unmitigated disaster, the film had an immensely troubled production, was widely hated, became one of the biggest box office bombs in movie history, and killed the pirate genre for nearly ten years. So, no, it wasn’t very good. A slew of notable actors dodged a bullet by refusing to do the movie, including Tom Cruise, Keanu Reeves, Charlie Sheen, Jeff Bridges, and Daniel Day-Lewis. All were offered the role of William Shaw, and all turned it down. Poor Geena Davis wasn’t so lucky. While she attempted to drop out of the film, she was contractually obligated to continue, and “Cutthroat Island” is often blamed for killing her career.
How many Brendan Fraser “Mummy” films did they make? Did you answer two? If so, you’re wrong. They actually made three, with the third being “Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.” We’ll forgive you for not knowing, as the movie has long been forgotten. While Fraser returned as Rick O’Connell, Rachel Weisz decided to pass on the project for both professional and personal reasons. She reportedly hated the script, and besides, she didn’t want to leave her family behind to go shoot in China. She was eventually replaced by Maria Bello. It was no skin off Weisz’s back, as the third film received terrible reviews and became the lowest-grossing entry in the “Mummy” trilogy, effectively killing all plans for future movies.
Someday, in the far distant future when we’re all gone, “Cats” will still be remembered as one of cinema’s greatest monstrosities. A complete mess on all levels, “Cats” is one of those legendarily bad films, a movie that will forever live in infamy for its quality and confounding creative decisions. Hugh Jackman lucked out by refusing to do the flick, and that’s putting it mildly. Jackman had worked with “Cats” director Tom Hooper on “Les Misérables,” and even received an Oscar nomination under his direction. But Jackman declined the offer to appear in his new film, perhaps sensing the disaster that was to come.
You just know from the pun-filled title that this movie is going to be sloppy. A schlocky B-movie with a grand Hollywood budget, “Speed 2” concerns a hijacked cruise ship and the heroes’ attempts to stop it from crashing into an oil tanker. The movie would never have worked, even with Keanu Reeves, but his absence is sorely felt nevertheless. Reeves was offered a handsome $12 million to star in the sequel but declined for a number of reasons, both financial, professional, and personal. One of the big reasons was that he thought the script stunk, and, well, yep. “Speed 2” is widely regarded as one of the worst sequels ever made, and Sandra Bullock later expressed her regret in working on it.
It seems like no one liked this movie - not even the people who worked on it. Director Ron Underwood, actors Eddie Murphy, Alec Baldwin, and Joe Pantoliano - all hated the movie and knew it was a pile of irredeemable junk. Baldwin hated it so much he wanted his name removed from the credits, and Murphy later claimed that he only did it for the money. Numerous actors rightfully passed on the project, including Jennifer Lopez and Halle Berry, who prioritized her wedding to Eric Benét. It’s even been rumored that Harrison Ford was interested in the film but ultimately passed for an unknown reason. Whatever the reason, it was certainly the right decision.
#10: Jake Gyllenhaal
“Suicide Squad” (2016)While it was released at the height of the superhero boom, “Suicide Squad” didn’t fare particularly well. It received middling reviews from both critics and general audiences, and many scenes were relentlessly mocked on social media. The film was written and directed by David Ayer, who had recently found critical success with his cop drama “End of Watch.” That film starred Jake Gyllenhaal, who was given the option to reunite with Ayer on “Suicide Squad,” being offered the role of Rick Flag. Gyllenhaal decided to pass on the project, and the role eventually went to Joel Kinnaman. It was probably a good career move.
#9: Mike Faist
“Dear Evan Hansen” (2021)A hugely successful stage performer, Mike Faist originated the role of Connor Murphy in “Dear Evan Hansen” and received a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actor. So, naturally, he was approached to reprise his role for the 2021 movie adaptation. Faist declined the offer, telling The New York Times, “I just felt like I couldn’t do it.” Wise choice for a wise man. The role eventually went to Faist’s Broadway understudy, Colton Ryan, and the movie became an abject failure. It received scathing reviews and four Razzie nominations while also bombing at the box office with a gross of just $19 million. It doesn’t get much smarter than turning down one of the most maligned musicals of the 21st century.
#8: Zendaya
“Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B” (2014)Making a biopic about the legendary Aaliyah seemed like a slam dunk, but it was an airball from the off. For one, Aaliyah’s family hated the idea of a Lifetime movie. And since said family has ownership of Aaliyah’s masters, the filmmakers were forced to record grossly inferior covers. Furthermore, it was announced that Zendaya would be playing Aaliyah, and the decision was met with widespread condemnation. Most of the criticism stemmed from Zendaya’s physical features, with neither her face nor her light-colored skin matching that of Aaliyah. No matter - the actress eventually dropped out, citing significant concerns with the messy production. And she was right to do so, as the movie opened to disastrous reviews and fierce mocking on social media.
#7: Zach Galifianakis
“R.I.P.D.” (2013)Zach Galifianakis had blown up in 2009 with “The Hangover,” and his career was in full swing by 2013. That year saw him wrapping up the “Hangover” trilogy, and in the next he was starring in the Oscar-winning “Birdman.” And to think, he could have been Roy Pulsipher in “R.I.P.D.”! Galifianakis was pegged to star in the paranormal thriller alongside Ryan Reynolds but he decided to pass for other commitments. The role eventually went to Jeff Bridges, and it has to be a career low for the legendary actor. “R.I.P.D.” was both a critical and commercial failure, and its 2022 prequel went straight to DVD.
#6: Charlie Hunnam
“Fifty Shades of Grey” (2015)Could you imagine a “Fifty Shades of Grey” without Jamie Dornan? Believe it, because if the studio got their way, it would have been Charlie Hunnam playing the erotic billionaire. Hunnam was very excited to play Christian Grey, but his casting drew some criticism from fans of the book. And while the film’s producer defended Hunnam’s involvement, the fans got their way in the end. The actor was forced to drop out owing to prior commitments with “Sons of Anarchy” and Guillermo del Toro’s “Crimson Peak.” Hunnam still regrets leaving the project, even in the midst of its critical and cultural thrashing, calling it, “The most emotionally destructive and difficult thing that I’ve ever had to deal with professionally.”
#5: Various
“Cutthroat Island” (1995)Do you know about this 1995 flick? Probably not. No one does. An unmitigated disaster, the film had an immensely troubled production, was widely hated, became one of the biggest box office bombs in movie history, and killed the pirate genre for nearly ten years. So, no, it wasn’t very good. A slew of notable actors dodged a bullet by refusing to do the movie, including Tom Cruise, Keanu Reeves, Charlie Sheen, Jeff Bridges, and Daniel Day-Lewis. All were offered the role of William Shaw, and all turned it down. Poor Geena Davis wasn’t so lucky. While she attempted to drop out of the film, she was contractually obligated to continue, and “Cutthroat Island” is often blamed for killing her career.
#4: Rachel Weisz
“The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor” (2008)How many Brendan Fraser “Mummy” films did they make? Did you answer two? If so, you’re wrong. They actually made three, with the third being “Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.” We’ll forgive you for not knowing, as the movie has long been forgotten. While Fraser returned as Rick O’Connell, Rachel Weisz decided to pass on the project for both professional and personal reasons. She reportedly hated the script, and besides, she didn’t want to leave her family behind to go shoot in China. She was eventually replaced by Maria Bello. It was no skin off Weisz’s back, as the third film received terrible reviews and became the lowest-grossing entry in the “Mummy” trilogy, effectively killing all plans for future movies.
#3: Hugh Jackman
“Cats” (2019)Someday, in the far distant future when we’re all gone, “Cats” will still be remembered as one of cinema’s greatest monstrosities. A complete mess on all levels, “Cats” is one of those legendarily bad films, a movie that will forever live in infamy for its quality and confounding creative decisions. Hugh Jackman lucked out by refusing to do the flick, and that’s putting it mildly. Jackman had worked with “Cats” director Tom Hooper on “Les Misérables,” and even received an Oscar nomination under his direction. But Jackman declined the offer to appear in his new film, perhaps sensing the disaster that was to come.
#2: Keanu Reeves
“Speed 2: Cruise Control” (1997)You just know from the pun-filled title that this movie is going to be sloppy. A schlocky B-movie with a grand Hollywood budget, “Speed 2” concerns a hijacked cruise ship and the heroes’ attempts to stop it from crashing into an oil tanker. The movie would never have worked, even with Keanu Reeves, but his absence is sorely felt nevertheless. Reeves was offered a handsome $12 million to star in the sequel but declined for a number of reasons, both financial, professional, and personal. One of the big reasons was that he thought the script stunk, and, well, yep. “Speed 2” is widely regarded as one of the worst sequels ever made, and Sandra Bullock later expressed her regret in working on it.
#1: Various
“The Adventures of Pluto Nash” (2002)It seems like no one liked this movie - not even the people who worked on it. Director Ron Underwood, actors Eddie Murphy, Alec Baldwin, and Joe Pantoliano - all hated the movie and knew it was a pile of irredeemable junk. Baldwin hated it so much he wanted his name removed from the credits, and Murphy later claimed that he only did it for the money. Numerous actors rightfully passed on the project, including Jennifer Lopez and Halle Berry, who prioritized her wedding to Eric Benét. It’s even been rumored that Harrison Ford was interested in the film but ultimately passed for an unknown reason. Whatever the reason, it was certainly the right decision.
