Top 20 Worst Movie Casting Choices Ever
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 20 Worst Movie Casting Choices. For this list, we’ve picked casting choices that, after the movies were released, still left people scratching their heads. While other casting decisions were controversial, some of them worked out for the better. Which of these casting choices still irks you to this day? Let us know in the comments below!
#20: Steve Martin as Inspector Clouseau
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“The Pink Panther” (2006) Here’s a recipe for a definite misfire: recast a comedian’s signature character. By perfecting the “clumsy-idiot-who-takes-himself-too-seriously” act, Peter Sellers became Clouseau. This performance didn’t define or typecast the actor, but it became difficult to separate Peter Sellers from Clouseau, once the man’s mastery was brought to the screen. Comparatively, Steve Martin presents a goof from start-to-finish. Of course, he wasn’t the first to take the role after Sellers, but his performance felt like the most painful. This is supposed to be a legit Inspector, after all, and this measure of just-enough-seriousness was present within the performances of Roger Moore, Alan Arkin and Sellers, but could’ve been better amplified when Martin took over the role in 2006.
#19: Terrence Howard as Lt. Colonel James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes
“Iron Man” (2008) Most of us didn’t take much issue with Terrence Howard’s casting as Rhodey, but there was certainly a noticeable difference in quality when the role was re-cast for the sequel. In hindsight, Howard’s Rhodes came off as whiny and reactive, easily letting Stark’s antics get under his skin – and he didn’t really come off as a decorated military colonel. By contrast, Don Cheadle plays the role with confidence, seeming like a caring friend, but not a pushover. With War Machine as your alter ego, chances are you’re all about business - but that’s exactly what we didn’t get from Howard in the first “Iron Man.”
#18: Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor
“Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice” (2016) It seems as if the casting of Lex Luthor within Superman’s cinematic outings always falls a bit short of the mark. First, there was Gene Hackman’s Lex rockin’ a full head of hair throughout most of “Superman:The Movie,” then there’s less-than-stellar reception to “Superman Returns” in 2006. This trend continued when Jesse Eisenberg was cast as the evil genius in 2016 for “Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.” Eisenberg’s quirky mannerisms felt grating to some, and his overall menace never quite felt earned throughout that film. If anything, this Luthor felt more like a sidekick, then Superman’s arch-nemesis, and that’s never a good thing.
#17: Kevin Costner as Robin Hood
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“Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” (1991) “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” surprised audiences when it was released, with its solemn tone and level of violence. Though the actors aren’t to blame for this tonal misfire, casting Kevin Costner as Robin Hood is one decision that still boggles moviegoers to this day. This is due to his missing British accent, and his lack of attempt to replicate one. Also gone were the smart quips and fantastic sense of fun Robin Hood was known for. In its place was a hero that took himself too seriously and took away all the playfulness that often accompanies stories of Robin Hood and his merry band of thieves.
#16: George Clooney as Batman
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“Batman & Robin” (1997) We know, we’ve ripped on this movie a lot – but how can you not? Despite his indisputable acting skills, one can’t help but notice that Clooney is totally absent while wearing the cape and cowl. Sure, the performance leans into Bruce Wayne as a playboy, but the action sequences are left lacking by Clooney’s lack of commitment. There’s a reason why “Batman & Robin '' is so maligned by fans of the dark and seriously-toned Batman stories, this one feels more indebted to the “Batman” T.V. show from ‘66. That’s not an insult, by the way: it just needed a different actor to bring that sort of energy to the screen, and George Clooney was not that actor. He probably knew it was a bomb before anyone else, and planned to escape with what dignity he could by looking like the kid who’s too-cool for his role in the dumb high-school play.
#15: Tyler Perry as Alex Cross
“Alex Cross” (2012) Based on the successful book series, the character Alex Cross is no stranger to the big screen. Morgan Freeman played the role with gravitas in previous films like 1997’s “Kiss the Girls,” but the same can’t be said for Tyler Perry when he took a stab at the psychologist and police lieutenant in 2012. Though his performance isn’t the worst we’ve ever seen, his “too serious attitude” is so laughably bad that it hurts. Of course, having his “Madea” role follow him certainly didn’t help sell him as an action star either.
#14: Topher Grace as Eddie Brock/Venom
“Spider-Man 3” (2007) When casting veers so far from the character in the comics, you better be doing so to accommodate a great actor. Topher Grace does what he can with the material, but he’s just not believable as an Eddie Brock who’s already pretty physically intimidating (at least compared to Parker) before melding with an alien symbiote. Additionally, once Venom appears on the screen, the chances for Grace to emote or bring anything else special to the role essentially disappears. There was probably no way this was going to go right back in 2007, although it’s a good thing Tom Hardy stepped into Brock’s shoes in the modern day, in order to give that character a new lease on life.
#13: Colin Farrell as Alexander
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“Alexander” (2004) Undefeated in battle, Alexander the Great is one of history’s most accomplished military commanders, building one of the largest ancient world empires during his reign. Colin Farrell, although an accomplished actor, lacked the presence and charisma needed to portray the historical figure. With the 2004 epic historical drama already lagging from a less than interesting story and painful narration, Farrell tries his best, but fails to evoke even the slightest response from audiences struggling to sit through this nearly 3-hour film. This is one history lesson that we’d all like to forget.
#12: Vince Vaughn as Norman Bates
“Psycho” (1998) The idea to remake Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” shot-for-shot felt like an idea that was extraneous to need. And you know what? It was! Today, Vince Vaughn has proven he can do drama, as well as comedy, but this wasn’t totally proven back in 1998, so it sort of makes sense why director Gus Van Sant would give Vaughn a shot. The problem is that, well, IT’S A SHOT-FOR-SHOT REMAKE. Vaughn is impersonating Anthony Perkins, because that’s what he’s been hired to do. As a result, “Psycho” doesn’t give the actor any chance to branch out and do his own thing. As a result, the performance suffers, the movie suffers and the audience suffers: end of story.
#11: Jared Leto as The Joker
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“Suicide Squad” (2016) Man, what’s with DC having a hard time casting some of the greatest, all-time villains? Sure, the shoes of both Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger are gigantic, and attempting to fill them was a job that probably wouldn’t be envied by any actor. However, we don’t doubt that Jared Leto was up to the task, at least on an emotional level. Unfortunately, they saddled Leto with such a poor visual design, complete with tattoos that just look woefully out of place. Seriously, are we to believe that The Clown Prince of Crime was going to sit still at his local, neighborhood tattoo shop to get those done?
#10: Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker
“Star Wars Episodes II: Attack of the Clones” (2002) & “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” (2005) It’s hot-take time here at the WatchMojo Courthouse. Does Hayden Christiansen deserve justice for his performance as Anakin Skywalker? Or does the fault lie within the young actor’s petulance and overall whinny-ness? Actors are hired to recite the script they’re given, and the “Star Wars” prequels had some pretty bad scripts, courtesy of George Lucas. Is Christiansen’s line delivery the greatest? No, no it’s not, and the actor does a lot of mumbling and fumbling that make it easy to dislike these performances. However, one could argue that the quieter moments, scenes that require restraint and facial acting from Christiansen lend themselves a little bit better. The jury may split, but there’s no denying that these films were disliked by a LOT of fans.
#9: Marlon Brando as Sakini
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“The Teahouse of the August Moon” (1956) Despite being a satire, the casting of Marlon Brando as Okinawan villager Sakini in “The Teahouse of the August Moon '' was a strange choice. Brando spent months preparing for the role and had make-up applied to make him look Asian. Although the actor was the major selling point, Brando’s face makeup distracts from the movie and makes you wonder why they wouldn’t just cast an actor who already looked the part ethnically, which would have left Brando to play the role opposite Sakini instead. Although the comedy was a success, it definitely paved the way for more odd casting decisions to come.
#8: Rosie O’Donnell as Betty Rubble
“The Flintstones” (1994) There’s no denying that Rosie O’Donnell nailed the Betty Rubble laugh during her performance in the 1994 “Flintstones” film. The similarities tend to end there, however, and we’re never quite able to separate the fact that we’re just watching Rosie O’Donnell doing said laugh for about 90 minutes. Oh, we can totally see why O’Donnell was cast around this time, since this was when her star power and influence was definitely on the rise. Yet, we just can’t help but wonder if a different actor had been allowed to portray a version of Betty that felt more in line with the classic cartoon.
#7: Keanu Reeves as Jonathan Harker
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“Bram Stoker’s Dracula” (1992) Keanu Reeves has had a very successful career, but is definitely no stranger to being miscast, such as in 2008’s “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” In “Dracula,” he plays Jonathan Harker, a solicitor helping with the title Count’s estate acquisition. Acting alongside juggernauts like Gary Oldman and Anthony Hopkins, it’s clear from the get-go that Reeves is out of his element and depth. His performance is hard to watch, with his accent standing out as one of the worst ever put to film.
#6: Denise Richards as Christmas Jones
“The World is Not Enough” (1999) Sometimes, you just gotta go for that low-hanging fruit, right? The elephant in the room was that no one, and we mean NO ONE, was buying Denise Richards as Christmas Jones: Nuclear Physicist. Then again, the focus of female characters within the James Bond franchise has always centered more on the physical, than the practical, and Richards WAS a hot property back in 1999. Still, the actress doesn’t step into Jones’ shoes with any sort of real energy, and her legacy within the Bond franchise is far beneath other, superior characters that proved their brains and skill.
#5: Arnold Schwarzenegger as Dr. Victor Fries / Mr. Freeze
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“Batman & Robin” (1997) If someone told you that you can never have too many puns, then they surely haven’t seen this disaster-piece. Without question, 1997’s “Batman & Robin” is the lowest point in Batman’s big screen career as director Joel Schumacher lays on the cheese by casting Arnold Schwarzenegger as the cold and pun-filled Mr. Freeze. Arnold physically looks the part, but unfortunately all believability is lost the second he opens his mouth. The actor made a name for himself with his charisma and token one-liners, but what’s on display here is too unbearable to watch.
#4: Sofia Coppola as Mary Corleone
“The Godfather Part III” (1990) In 1985, John Huston directed his daughter Anjelica to an Oscar-winning performance in “Prizzi’s Honor.” In 1990, Francis Ford Coppola directed his daughter Sofia to crush what might’ve been history’s greatest film saga with the lumbering weight of her wooden performance. Imagine what might’ve been had Madonna, Julia Roberts or Winona Ryder played the role. Sure, it’s difficult to place all of the blame on Sofia, since she was so inexperienced at the time, but today it seems as if the younger Coppola is STILL atoning for her cinematic.sins in “The Godfather III.”
#3: Mickey Rooney as I. Y. Yunioshi
“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961) Despite prompting some laughs when “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” was originally released, casting Mickey Rooney in the role of Mr. Yunioshi caused quite the stir in later years. Many feel that there’s nothing funny about this offensive caricature of the Japanese people. Of course, casting a Japanese actor instead probably wouldn’t have made the situation any better either, considering the role. Today’s world is a lot more sensitive to portrayals such as this and this casting proved that we should be more mindful when populating such roles.
#2: John Wayne as Genghis Khan
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“The Conqueror” (1956) Is it an overstatement to say that casting all-American John Wayne as 12th Century Mongolian Emperor Genghis Khan was the craziest thing producer Howard Hughes ever did? Maybe, because Hughes was known for his eccentricity, but this casting is just on another level. We realize it was “a different time,” and that it was commonplace for caucasian actors to take on roles that should’ve gone to someone else, but let’s face it: trading John Wayne’s cowboy hat for a silly mustache wasn’t enough to make him credible. It doesn’t matter that Wayne himself petitioned heavily for the part: this idea should’ve never left the drawing board.
#1: The Whole Cast
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“The Last Airbender” (2010) M. Night Shyamalan’s take on the much beloved animated series will go down in history as one the most awful film adaptations ever made. Aside from its completely unforgivable visual effects and the fact that it stripped the fun out of the story, he decided to change up all the ethnicities of the show's characters on a whim. This was compounded by acting that can only be described as mind-numbingly bad across the board. The “Avatar” actors awkwardly fumble through each scene, and are either numb or too emotional, as if acting were a completely second language to them. It’s just too much of a shame to bear. Why Shyamalan, why?
