Top 20 Biggest Casting Fumbles Ever

#20: Gerard Butler

“The Phantom of the Opera” (2004)

The big screen adaptation of this Broadway phenomenon was a long time coming. With performers like Michael Crawford previously playing the titular Phantom on stage, the film required an actor with charisma and pipes. Gerard Butler certainly has charisma. However, his blunt and often grating singing voice doesn’t do justice to the sweeping and romantic score. Some fans defend his casting to this day. The prevailing opinion, though, is that one of the original choices, Hugh Jackman, would have made a better Phantom. Instead, Jackman made “Van Helsing,” which is ironic since Butler got the Phantom role partly thanks to his work in “Dracula 2000.”

#19: Ezra Miller

DC Extended Universe (2013-23)

The minds behind Warner Bros.’ DC adaptations might have thought twice had they known how embattled this star would be in the years after being cast. Ezra Miller was on track to be a franchise darling. Starring in the “Fantastic Beasts” series, Miller appeared as the lightning-fast Flash in several film and television projects. However, various allegations of harassment, disorderly conduct, burglary, and general mayhem have since come to light. Grant Gustin portrayed a version of the character in The CW’s Arrowverse. Although it might have broken the multiverse, fans think he would have served the character just as well on film.

#18: Vince Vaughn

“Psycho” (1998)

Stepping into the shoes of enigmatic original star Anthony Perkins would have been a tall order for any actor. Unfortunately, Vince Vaughn was not the one for the job. Gus Van Sant’s often-maligned shot-for-shot remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” has been a cinematic punching bag ever since its release. Vaughn just didn’t have the depth or boyishness. If Norman Bates and his broken psyche had to be dragged into the 90s, there were plenty of better, more sensitive, and more appropriate actors to choose from. Van Sant’s recent “Good Will Hunting” collaborator, Matt Damon, would have been a better - if unexpected - choice.

#17: Johnny Depp

“The Lone Ranger” (2013)

There is one obvious reason why this casting was a major dud. Despite some controversial statements to the contrary, there’s little to no evidence backing up Johnny Depp’s claims of being part Native American. His role as the Comanche, Tonto, brought a lot of criticism. In the end, it was really a lost opportunity. Instead of repurposing outdated casting practices, “The Lone Ranger” could have doubled down on its own revisionism of the Western genre and cast an indigenous actor. It’s not as if Depp’s involvement guaranteed success. The movie was a huge bomb with critics and audiences.

#16: Cameron Diaz

“Gangs of New York” (2002)

Some actors just read too modern for period pieces. Cameron Diaz is one of them. She’s given some truly amazing performances, and several of them with directors not nearly as impressive as Martin Scorsese. She also received some negative criticism for her accent, as her character, Jenny Everdeane, is an Irish immigrant in New York. She wasn’t alone. Even star Leonardo DiCaprio got some heat for his dialect work in the film. Diaz doesn’t just have an accent to contend with. Her modern sensibility and overall look just don’t square with the setting of 19th-century New York.

#15: Emma Watson

“Beauty and the Beast” (2017)

After the success of 2015’s “Cinderella” and 2016’s “The Jungle Book,” Disney’s next live-action remake was set to bring the eccentric and resourceful Belle to life. Charming as she is, Emma Watson acts the part well. The thing is, “Beauty and the Beast” is a musical. Watson’s singing seems competent enough, but many viewers and critics felt her voice was so auto-tuned and edited that it almost sounded robotic. With all the actors out there who could have sung the part, her casting leaves you wanting so much more.

#14: Emma Stone

“Aloha” (2015)

This is a casting so misguided that its star agrees she had no business being in it. Emma Stone was one of the biggest stars around when she took the role of a mixed-race character. Unlike Captain Allison Ng, Stone is not part-Chinese or Hawaiian. Though writer-director Cameron Crowe wrote the character as white passing and even based her on a real woman, the decision to cast Stone instead of a mixed-race actor was lambasted. Once it came out, the movie seemed destined for less than stellar reviews regardless of the odd casting choice.

#13: Kevin Costner“Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” (1991)

He certainly wasn’t the first American to play the hero of English folklore, but he may be the most American actor to play Robin Hood. Kevin Costner, fresh off the Western “Dances with Wolves,” was a baffling choice for the role. What could have been an off-kilter and unexpected performance turned out to be as bad an idea as it sounds. No one on set seemed bothered by the fact that Robin of Locksley sounds like he’s from Southern California. Even Cary Elwes, star of “The Princess Bride” and the man who would play a version of Robin in a 1993 parody, would have made a better choice.

#12: John Wayne

“The Conqueror” (1956)

A CinemaScope rendering of one of history’s most vicious and decadent military campaigns should have been a slam dunk. Instead, it became one of Hollywood’s most notorious offerings. John Wayne stars as Genghis Khan. If you know anything about either of those two men, you should know how unhinged an idea that is. Wayne plays, moves, and voices his Genghis Khan like a gunslinger from Albuquerque. For years, it was seen as one of the worst movies ever made. Wayne’s unfortunate casting is probably the biggest reason.

#11: Russell Crowe

“Les Misérables” (2012)

Movie musicals often cast actors with more star power than vocal chops. Russell Crowe certainly gives it his all when it comes to acting. But as the pathologically law-abiding Inspector Javert, he reaches the limits of his vocal abilities very quickly. “Les Misérables” has one of the prettiest, grandest musical scores of all time. The choice to have the actors sing it all live was unorthodox. This turned out to be Crowe’s kryptonite. His husky voice was simply not suited for it. Still, with all the other actors of stage and screen that could have been offered the part, Crowe was certainly a brave choice.

#10: Jared Leto

“Suicide Squad” (2016)

For months, it seemed like any actor in Hollywood was up for the role of yet another edgy, deeply unhinged Joker in the DC Extended Universe. Ryan Gosling was an early choice, but unfortunately, he reportedly declined due to the multi-film commitment the role would require. Once Jared Leto was chosen, the endless media cycle about how wild and uninhibited his take on the Joker would be, along with his bizarre method acting gimmicks, didn’t bode well. The performance is weird and explosive without any of the substance brought by performers before him. Ultimately, potential fans were turned off by Leto’s self-important approach to what turned out to be a brief stint.

#9: Jesse Eisenberg

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” (2016)

Lex Luthor works best when he’s played by actors like Gene Hackman because he is cool under pressure and secure in his power. It’s what makes him dangerous. In “Batman v Superman,” the characterization of Superman’s archnemesis is informed by the character’s traumatic past. Unfortunately, this weirdly serious approach sees Jesse Eisenberg playing up the character’s villainy through frantic, pressured speech, bizarre inflections, and childlike playfulness. All he does, though, is recall better performances. More than one critic unfavorably compared Eisenberg to Heath Ledger’s Joker. Eisenberg is a really good actor, but he’s much more suited to characters in naturalistic settings than he is to the exaggerated worlds of superhero movies.

#8: Tom Holland

“Uncharted” (2022)

Development on this video game adaptation took over a decade. “Castle” actor Nathan Fillion lobbied for the starring role. Many fans of the games thought he would make the perfect Nathan Drake. When the movie finally made it to the theaters in 2022, Tom Holland played an aged-down version of Drake. Fans were disheartened by the performance. Holland is talented and charismatic, but his youthfulness and innocence just don’t square with the mercenary character. Fans were even less impressed with Mark Wahlberg’s casting as his mentor, Sully. Fillion’s enthusiasm, maturity, and ability to play complex heroes should have made him a shoo-in.

#7: Zoe Saldaña

“Nina” (2016)

Portraying the complex, volatile, and singular Nina Simone was always going to require a performer with an exceptional gift. Replacing Mary J. Blige, Zoe Saldaña’s casting raised some red flags immediately. Simone’s own daughter questioned the casting of a woman who looked nothing like her mother, a woman whose physical features were a significant part of her identity. Saldaña had to use controversial skin darkening techniques to achieve the look, which is uncanny at best. Saldaña, who identifies as Afro-Latina, later admitted regretting her role in the film. The movie’s 2% rating on Rotten Tomatoes says it all.

#6: Tom Cruise

“Jack Reacher” (2012)

In the novels by Lee Child, the ex-Army specialist is over 6 feet and burly. Tom Cruise is many things. Over 6 feet and burly, he is not. Despite his success with the “Mission: Impossible” series, Cruise’s star persona wasn’t enough to bring the character to life. Author Child defended Cruise’s casting at the time. He later sided with fans, saying Jack Reacher’s size is an essential component of the character that shouldn’t have been compromised. Amazon Prime’s TV adaptation of the novels found its Jack Reacher in Alan Ritchson, who is a much better physical match.

#5: Sofia Coppola

“The Godfather Part III” (1990)

While making this long-awaited follow-up to his two masterpieces, director Francis Ford Coppola was in a bind. His original, better choice for the role of Al Pacino’s doomed daughter, Winona Ryder, has to drop out. With little time to secure another performer, he cast his own daughter. Sofia Coppola’s simplistic and somewhat dreamy performance immediately became a target for derision. Though she’s a genius in her own right behind the camera, it’s clear she was never meant to be a movie star. She and her father were lambasted for her casting. Whether it was sheer nepotism or a misguided attempt to solve a last-minute problem, it’s pretty safe to assume Ryder would have turned in a better, more complex performance.

#4: Gal Gadot

“Snow White” (2025)

The person to blame for the failure of the live-action Disney remake changes depending on who you ask. But only Gal Gadot and her acting skills have become a literal meme unto themselves. Her stilted and lifeless line readings in movies like “Death on the Nile” routinely make waves on social media, but as the Evil Queen, she seems particularly at sea. This is a role any actress should want to sink her teeth into. Charlize Theron played a version of her to great effect in 2012’s “Snow White and the Huntsman.” Gadot’s vacant performance doesn’t convey villainy, power, or any sense of dramatic skill.

#3: Keanu Reeves

“Bram Stoker’s Dracula” (1992)

If only he weren’t such a great guy. Director Francis Ford Coppola said he refrained from giving Keanu Reeves criticism on set because he liked him too much. Unfortunately, he’s just too contemporary for any story that takes place before the 20th century. In “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” he plays real estate agent Jonathan Harker, the Englishman who ends up a prisoner in the Transylvanian count’s castle. His British accent is flimsy, and his modern speech patterns constantly feel like an anachronism. Coppola cast him because he was a matinee idol, but another handsome leading man, like River Phoenix or even Johnny Depp, might have been a better choice here.

#2: Ben Platt

“Dear Evan Hansen” (2021)

He won rave reviews and a Tony Award for originating the role of troubled teen Evan Hansen on Broadway, but Ben Platt never should have reprised his role on screen. With closeups and the curious decision to give the character a hairdo that aged him up further, it was apparent the 27-year-old was miscast in the role that once made him a star. It also didn’t escape the notice of fans that his father, Marc Platt, served as a producer on the film. Several other actors have played the role on stage since Platt vacated the role. One of them, Andrew Barth Feldman, has even gone on to have a successful film career of his own. He would have made a more convincing high schooler.

#1: Scarlett Johansson

“Ghost in the Shell” (2017)

Adapted from the manga, this cyberpunk action thriller could have spawned a whole new franchise. Scarlett Johansson was probably cast due to her bankability, but the makers failed to consider one big problem. Her character is a Japanese icon, leading to accusations of whitewashing. This drew outrage from many, who felt that a Japanese actor should have been hired instead. This was a fumble on every front. It’s hard to imagine the creatives behind the film didn’t see this coming, and the film’s ending twist did more to hurt them than help quell any lingering resentments about her casting.

Which of these castings would you defend? Tell us in the comments.