At one point or another, after watching that blockbuster or Oscar-grabbing film, you might have wondered: What if a different character played the main role? Most likely, you favorite stars and filmmakers have also thought that.
To ease your imagination a bit, here are some of the roles that got away from A-List celebrities, as reported by Fox News.
Reese Witherspoon in 'Gone Girl'
Peering at the credits, you would notice that Reese Witherspoon is one of the producers of Gone Girl. However, despite the fact that she almost had the same age as lead actress Rosamund Pike, David Fincher did not cast her for the part of Ben Affleck's wife.
"He and I sat down and talked about it and what he wanted the character to be like," recalls Witherspoon in an interview with Hollywood Reporter. "He was very candid. He's like, 'It's just not you.' And I was like, 'I totally understand.' And just the idea of one of my first movies [as a producer] being directed by one of the greatest American filmmakers of our time was enough."
Bill Murray as Forrest
Who would think that Bill Murray was supposed to be the man running all over the country with a Southern accent as Forrest? However, the Lost in Translation actor declined the role that gave Tom Hanks an Oscar. "I did have Forrest Gump conversations," he recalled to Howard Stern. "I think I had the original book."
Nicolas Cage as Iron Man
It's hard to imagine anyone playing Tony Stark other than Robert Downey Jr. But in fact, the Marvel movie has been in the works for more than ten years ago. And even before RDJ wore the iron suit, Nicholas Cage already expressed his interest to play the role back in 1997.
The Male Salt
Salt was supposed to be a male spy named Edwin A. Salt, and Tom Cruise was said to play the part. However, Angelina Jolie stepped up and showed interest in playing the lead for the 2010 spy thriller, and later on became Evelyn Salt.
Jennifer Lawrence in 'Twilight'
Before becoming Katniss Everdeen and bagging and Oscar for her role in the movie Silver Linings Playbook, Jennifer Lawrence reportedly auditioned for the role of Bella Swan. And it turned out to be a good thing that Kristen Stewart got the part.
There are more reported could-have-been roles, such as Mel Gibson as the Terminator, Robin Williams as the Joker, and even Hugh Jackman as James Bond. To see more, check out the Fox News report.
