20 Hollywood Stars Who Were Almost Cast in Massive Blockbusters

During auditions for Captain America: The First Avenger, Krasinski wore the full superhero suit on a studio soundstage. He famously recalled admiring Chris Hemsworth's physique walking by, realizing the physical demands before Marvel ultimately signed Chris Evans.

Murphy auditioned in Val Kilmer's Batsuit for Batman Begins. While director Christopher Nolan recognized Christian Bale possessed the physical bulk for the Dark Knight, he was so struck by Murphy's piercing gaze that he cast him as Dr. Jonathan Crane instead.

Hiddleston initially dieted, lifted weights, and screen-tested exclusively for the God of Thunder in Thor. Director Kenneth Branagh recognized his theatrical cunning and regal flair, offering him the career-defining villain role of Loki instead.

When Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was casting, Williams called director Chris Columbus personally wanting to play Rubeus Hagrid. Producer David Heyman and author J.K. Rowling had established a strict British-only rule, awarding the role to Robbie Coltrane.

Russell was one of the finalists to board the Millennium Falcon as Han Solo in Star Wars. When creator George Lucas hesitated to make a final casting decision between Russell and Harrison Ford, Russell chose to accept a role in a television western instead.

McConaughey did a full camera screen test with Kate Winslet for Titanic, leaving the audition confident he had secured the part. Director James Cameron ultimately decided nineteen-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio brought the youthful romantic energy required.

At age seventeen, an unknown Jennifer Lawrence read for the lead role of Bella Swan in Twilight. She was rejected without a callback, a stroke of good fortune that freed her schedule to land Winter's Bone and later star as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games.

Before Dave Bautista landed Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy, Boseman gave a memorable reading for the alien warrior. Marvel casting director Sarah Finn kept his tape in mind, directly offering him King T'Challa in Black Panther without an audition.

Following severe back injuries sustained on Seabiscuit, Tobey Maguire was nearly replaced by Gyllenhaal for Spider-Man 2. Gyllenhaal had begun costume fittings and physical preparation before Maguire recovered just days before principal photography began.

Music icon David Bowie actively pursued the role of Elven ruler Elrond in The Lord of the Rings. Director Peter Jackson resisted, feeling that Bowie's larger-than-life pop persona would shatter Middle-earth immersion, casting Hugo Weaving instead.

Skarsgard met with director Kenneth Branagh, tried on the Norse warrior costume, and held the mystical hammer as one of the final contenders for Thor. Despite missing out, he maintained strong industry momentum with True Blood and The Northman.

Marvel pursued Seyfried to star as deadly assassin Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy. She declined the blockbuster role out of dread over spending six hours daily in green body paint and skepticism over whether a talking raccoon movie would succeed at the box office.

Redmayne auditioned for the villain role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens without a script. Attempting various menacing breathing sounds and guttural voices for casting directors, he later confessed the audition went disastrously before Adam Driver took the role.

Director Jon Favreau originally eyed Sam Rockwell to play Tony Stark in Iron Man. Once Robert Downey Jr. delivered his electrifying screen test, the part was settled, though Favreau brought Rockwell back as rival weapons tycoon Justin Hammer in Iron Iron Man 2.

After starring in Damien Chazelle's breakout Whiplash, Teller was attached to play the jazz pianist Sebastian in La La Land alongside Emma Watson. As the production evolved, Chazelle parted ways with Teller, pairing Ryan Gosling with Emma Stone.

Before Tom Holland was cast as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War, Chalamet auditioned twice for Marvel. He recalled sweating through his shirt in nervous anxiety, realizing on his walk home that he had fumbled the chance before building his stardom on Dune.

During early development for Titanic, director James Cameron considered casting former child sensation Macaulay Culkin as steerage passenger Jack Dawson. Studio executives preferred a slightly more mature romantic lead, leading to the selection of Leonardo DiCaprio.

Struggling to find an A-list star willing to commit to The Wachowskis' complex sci-fi script, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura offered the role of Neo to Sandra Bullock, promising to rewrite the protagonist as a woman. Bullock passed, and Keanu Reeves made history.

In 1994, producers approached Neeson to take over as James Bond in GoldenEye following his Oscar-nominated turn in Schindler's List. Neeson turned down the Walther PPK after his late wife Natasha Richardson warned she would not marry him if he played 007.

Director Martin Campbell narrowed the search for the rebooted James Bond down to Daniel Craig and a twenty-two-year-old Henry Cavill. Cavill delivered an outstanding tuxedo screen test, but Campbell felt Cavill was slightly too youthful for Casino Royale.