Hugo Weaving chose not to return as the Red Skull after his first appearance in Captain America: The First Avenger. He felt the salary offer for the two Avengers films was unfairly low, especially since the studio downplayed it as "just a voice job." With negotiations at a standstill, the role was recast with Ross Marquand for the character's later MCU appearances. | © New Line Cinema
Crispin Glover did not return as George McFly for the Back to the Future sequels after a dispute over his salary. The production famously used prosthetics on another actor to mimic Glover's likeness, which led him to sue the studio. His successful lawsuit set a legal precedent for how films can use an actor's image. | © New Line Cinema
Emily Blunt was actually the first choice for Black Widow, but a prior contract got in the way. She was forced to drop out to star in Gulliver's Travels, a film she has since admitted she didn't really want to do. The role then went to Scarlett Johansson, who made it her own for over a decade. | © 20th Century Fox
Peter Weller chose not to return for RoboCop 3, partly due to his disappointment with the second film's script. He also opted to star in David Cronenberg's Naked Lunch instead, a project he was personally passionate about. The third film was a critical flop, with Robert John Burke taking over the iconic role. | © 20th Century Studios
Charlie Hunnam was originally cast as Christian Grey, but dropped out just before filming began. He was already committed to another film, and the intense pressure of the role led to severe anxiety and panic attacks. The part ultimately went to Jamie Dornan, who starred in the entire trilogy. | © FX
Keanu Reeves famously passed on Speed 2: Cruise Control because he just didn't like the script. He found the idea of the action moving to an ocean liner unconvincing and felt the project wasn't right for him. His instincts proved correct, as the sequel was panned by critics and became a notorious box-office bomb. | © 20th Century Studios
James Remar was originally cast as Corporal Hicks in Alien and even filmed for several weeks. He was fired from the production, however, due to a drug problem that led to an arrest. The role was quickly recast with Michael Biehn, who reshot all of Remar's scenes. | © Showtime Networks
Macaulay Culkin chose not to return for a third Home Alone film as a teenager, deciding to step away from acting altogether. This left the franchise to continue without Kevin McCallister, introducing a new kid in Home Alone 3. While another actor later played Kevin in a direct-to-TV sequel, Culkin's departure marked the true end of the original story. | © 20th Century Studios
Before Harrison Ford ever picked up the whip, Tom Selleck was the top choice to play Indiana Jones. He was even offered the part, but a scheduling conflict with his TV series Magnum, P.I., got in the way. CBS, the network behind the show, ultimately wouldn't release him from his contract, forcing him to pass on the iconic role. | © YouTube/Sham00K
Robert Duvall's Tom Hagen was a cornerstone of the first two Godfather films, but he was written out of the third. The actor felt the salary offer was unfairly low compared to what his co-stars were receiving. With the studio unwilling to meet his request, his character was said to have died off-screen. | © Paramount Pictures
Michael Keaton chose to walk away from the Batsuit after Batman Returns. He was set to return for Batman Forever, but left over creative differences with the new director, Joel Schumacher. Keaton didn't agree with the campier, lighter tone Schumacher envisioned for the Dark Knight, so the role ultimately went to Val Kilmer instead. | © Warner Bros. Pictures
Rachelle Lefevre was replaced as the vampire Victoria after the first two Twilight films. The studio reportedly fired her when a scheduling conflict arose with an indie movie she was committed to. Lefevre was devastated, stating she was legally available for the shoot, but the production chose to recast the role with Bryce Dallas Howard instead. | © Summit Entertainment
Sylvester Stallone was originally set to star in Beverly Hills Cop, even co-writing an early script. His version was a straight-ahead action drama, which clashed with the studio's desire for a full-blown comedy. Stallone eventually left, taking his ideas with him to make the film Cobra, which opened the door for Eddie Murphy to create an iconic role. | © TriStar Pictures
Megan Fox's exit from the Transformers franchise was messy and very public. She was famously fired after comparing director Michael Bay to Hitler, a comment that did not go over well. While some reports claimed it was producer Steven Spielberg's decision, the result was the same: Fox was out, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley stepped in for the next film. | © Paramount Pictures
Edward Norton's time as the Hulk was famously short-lived. He reportedly clashed with Marvel over the final cut of The Incredible Hulk and was seen as a difficult collaborator. Marvel's Kevin Feige later stated they needed an actor who embodied a more "collaborative spirit," paving the way for Mark Ruffalo to take over the role. | © Universal Studios
It's hard to imagine anyone else playing our favorite franchise heroes and villains. But behind the scenes, contracts fall apart, creative visions clash, and stars sometimes walk away for good. These are the surprising stories behind the major recastings that almost were.
