Movie Rumors That Turned Out To Be True
Who doesn't love movie rumors? When the gossip mill starts spinning and churning, film fans stretch out their arms and embrace the warm flow of murmurs and whispers approaching them. Of course, there are many instances where the rumors turn out to be nothing more than people spinning a yarn for attention — such as that strange story that Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" was his supposed confession for helping to fake the moon landing.
For every wild tall tale, though, there are times when the tea spilled proves to be scorching hot and tastily true. For example: Think of how fans and scoopers sniffed out that previous Spider-Man actors would be suiting up as their respective versions of Marvel's webslinger in "Spider-Man: No Way Home." The vehement denials came from all quarters, with even Andrew Garfield slamming the door on the "Spider-Man: No Way Home" rumors, but where there was smoke, there was a wildfire that couldn't be stopped.
Thankfully, this was a case where the gossip in question delighted the fanbase and everyone prayed to the comic book movie gods for it to come to fruition. So with that said, let's climb up the grapevine once again and uncover all the other movie rumors that turned out to be true in the end.
Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home
No one knows disappointment like comic book movie fans. Before the release of every major movie, there's a rough period where every outrageous rumor runs rampant and fans build up a story of what the film will be — rather than what it is — among themselves. The same happened with "Spider-Man: No Way Home." But internet veterans cast a wary eye on the mounting speculation, knowing full well how the build-up almost inevitably leads to disappointment in the end.
Then, something unexpected occurred. News broke that actors from the other "Spider-Man" movies, such as Alfred Molina and Jamie Foxx, would return as their respective characters for "No Way Home." It didn't take a rocket scientist to make the link that both Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire could show up, too, in what was clearly shaping up to be a multiversal adventure of sorts. Naturally, the rumor grew eight hairy legs, suggesting that the three live-action Spider-Men would team up to battle their most sinister foes on the big screen.
Tom Holland, the Marvel Cinematic Universe's (MCU) worst secret-keeper, denied that Garfield and Maguire had joined the cast — and he would know since he was the film's lead. When posed the question by several outlets, Garfield echoed Holland's statement too. But would actors lie to their fans? The answer is a resounding "yes." Ultimately, both Garfield and Maguire reprised their roles and suited up for the movie.
Luke Skywalker dying in Star Wars: The Last Jedi
To this day, "Star Wars" fans won't let Adam Driver forget that controversial Kylo Ren scene that saw the former Ben Solo straight-up murder his father, Han Solo (Harrison Ford), in "Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens." This harrowing act also sent out an important message to the fandom: This new trilogy wasn't afraid of taking legacy characters out to the back of the shed and putting them down once and for all.
Before the release of "Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi," debate raged about who could be next on Lucasfilm's hit list, with Luke Skywalker's name popping up as a potential victim. Matters were made worse when Mark Hamill appeared at a special event held by The Big Issue in June 2016 and made a concerning comment. As reported by a Den of Geek reader, Hamill said: "I finish 'Episode VIII,' and then I'm out of work."
This line spread around the forums and social media, with many fans taking it as confirmation that Luke's time was up. Hamill tried to diffuse the situation on X (formerly known as Twitter), suggesting he only meant he wouldn't have a job — and nothing more nefarious — because the film had finished shooting. But the release of "The Last Jedi" confirmed that Hamill may have unintentionally (or intentionally) slipped up, as Luke turned into a Force ghost as expected.
Daniel Craig's casting as James Bond
After the release of 2002's "Die Another Day," Pierce Brosnan put down the shaken martinis and handed over the keys of the Aston Martin. It was time for someone else to assume the mantle of 007. As expected, a laundry list of names followed about potential candidates for the next film, with even future "Man of Steel" actor Henry Cavill coming within striking distance of being James Bond.
In April 2005, the British tabloid The Sun reported a rumor that Daniel Craig had been offered the part in a three-film deal. A month later, IGN FilmForce asked Craig about the report, with the actor saying, "It was a surreal time to have the studio phoning you up saying you've got the job and then the Broccolis saying nothing ... I just let it go." Craig admitted uncertainty about whether he would play the role or not because no agreement had been signed, sealed, and delivered at the time. He suggested that this type of news could have even been deliberately leaked to the press to gauge the overall reaction toward a potential casting, leading to something or nothing.
This song and dance continued for the next few months — until Craig was officially confirmed as the new Bond in October 2005, beginning a five-film, 15-year run in the role.
Schwarzenegger tricking Stallone into Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot
It's no secret that Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone feuded over who was the greatest action star when they were at the peak of their powers. Fans benefited, as Schwarzenegger and Stallone's rivalry fueled a golden age of action movies that saw them try to eclipse each other at every turn. And as with any petty feud, there was always time for chicanery.
One of the greatest longstanding rumors in Hollywood is that Schwarzenegger tricked Stallone into starring in "Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot" because he knew the film would be terrible. The 1992 movie saw Stallone star alongside Estelle Getty in a buddy comedy featuring a cop and his meddlesome mother. Often regarded as one of Stallone's worst films, the movie holds a pungent 14% critical approval score on Rotten Tomatoes.
As the story goes, Schwarzenegger feigned interest in the project, knowing that Stallone would jump at the opportunity to one-up him and take a role away from his rival. Schwarzenegger confirmed at L.A.'s Beyond Fest in 2017 that he pulled a fast one on Stallone. "I read the script," he said. "It was so bad. You know, I've also done some movies that went right in the toilet, right? That were bad. But this was really bad." Schwarzenegger explained how he deliberately leaked that he wanted to do the film but demanded a lot of money for it, so Stallone would take the bait and accept it.
The existence of the Snyder Cut of Justice League
How the Snyder Cut of "Justice League" became a reality is now the story of legend in Hollywood. It's no secret that "Justice League" turned out to be one of the death knells in Warner Bros.' initial shared universe plans for DC. Troubled from the get-go and riddled with tales of inner turmoil and endless studio interference, the film finally hit theaters in November 2017. However, this version of the movie was completed by Joss Whedon, who conducted heavy reshoots after original director Zack Snyder had departed the production.
Needless to say, this Frankenstein's monster of a picture didn't appease the fans or critics who expected far more than this Marvel-lite feature. It kicked off an online debate about how much of Snyder's footage actually made the theatrical cut, as rumors of a different version of "Justice League” began circulating. Snyder confirmed that he had shot and possessed a different cut, which resulted in one of the largest fan movements in the history of cinema taking to social media and the real world, demanding that Warner Bros. release the Snyder Cut.
Of course, there were critics who denied the existence of the fabled director's cut, but the rumors turned out to be true. "Zack Snyder's Justice League" finally saw its release in 2021, when the four-hour version of the movie dropped on Max and actually proved to be a much different film than what was released theatrically.
Anya Taylor-Joy's appearance in Dune: Part Two
The first "Dune" film featured an explosive all-star cast, with a running joke being: Was there any major Hollywood actor who wasn't cast in "Dune"? Those who survived the events of the first movie returned for "Dune: Part Two," while a number of fresh faces, such as Austin Butler and Florence Pugh, turned up for this sequel as well. Internet chatter also suggested that Anya Taylor-Joy had a role in the film, even though she hadn't been officially announced and no one had spotted her on set.
Taylor-Joy's participation was finally confirmed when she walked the red carpet with the cast at the London premiere of "Dune: Part Two" and revealed that she was in the movie. Unfortunately, she didn't play a sandworm, but she still received the important part of Alia Atreides, who is set to play a major role in future stories.
For filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, he was ecstatic that Taylor-Joy's appearance had been kept largely under wraps, despite the online buzz. "I think that Hollywood is the most gossipy town on earth and I wanted, as an experiment, to see how long we could keep a secret," he explained to The Hollywood Reporter. "We did it."
Steve Rogers hailing Hydra in Avengers: Endgame
After "Avengers: Infinity War" rattled the fanbase with the deaths of many cherished Marvel superheroes, the expectations soared for the next installment, "Avengers: Endgame." At the time, the biggest debate among fans and critics was: Will it be Captain America or Iron Man sacrificing themselves to save the universe from Thanos? However, in December 2018, a shocking rumor posted by insider Roger Wardell on X caught fans' attention and sparked an unexpected conversation. The post read: "Chris Evans gets a chance to play a completely different Steve Rogers in Avengers 4. HAIL HYDRA!"
Instantly, this agitated and worried the fans as they wondered if the MCU would repeat an infamous comic book storyline where Rogers joins Hydra. Would Cap break bad in the Avengers' darkest time and turn on his friends?
Wardell's post turned out to be true, but not in the manner that many had anticipated. In "Avengers: Endgame," Cap goes back in time and finds himself stuck in the elevator scene from "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." Rather than brawl with everyone like before, he whispers "Hail Hydra" in the ear of Agent Jasper Sitwell (Maximiliano Hernández), well within earshot of Brock Rumlow (Frank Grillo). Believing Cap to be a part of their shady organization, they let him walk out of the elevator without incident and with Loki's scepter in hand. No fighting necessary.
Adam Scott playing Ben Parker in Madame Web
The mere existence of a "Madame Web" movie feels like a troll intended to fool the internet. Even in the comics, Madame Web has never been anything more than an occasional supporting player, so why does this character need an origin film exactly? Well, no one can argue the logic, since Sony's Spider-Man Universe stopped making sense a long time ago and it's been "Morbin time" (to quote an infamous fake catchphrase) all day, every day around those parts.
It was reported in August 2022 that Adam Scott would be playing a younger version of Ben Parker — Peter's uncle and a big fan of great power and responsibility — in "Madame Web." There was no official confirmation from the filmmakers about the character Scott was playing at that point, so the rumor gathered serious steam among the online communities. It only grew more when the first trailer for the film dropped and Scott appeared as an unnamed character. At the same time, there was cautious skepticism around this morsel of gossip because it sounded too far out to be believable. Surely, Sony wouldn't introduce the MCU's Uncle Ben, who had not been seen on screen yet, in "Madame Web" of all films?
As it turns out, the rumor about this casting was right on the money. "Madame Web" webbed its way into cinemas, with Scott playing a younger version of the beloved Uncle Ben.
More than one Barbie and Ken in Barbie
To be fair, no one knew what to make of a live-action "Barbie" movie when it was first mooted. At one point, it had Amy Schumer attached to the lead role, then Anne Hathaway, before Margot Robbie and director Greta Gerwig hopped on board. Even so, no one could have predicted how a film about Mattel's world-famous plastic doll and her blonde boyfriend would translate — or even be interesting — on screen.
In May 2022, New York Times reporter Kyle Buchanan took to X to reveal that there would be more than one Barbie and Ken on screen, saying other actors would play variations of the roles. "Simu Liu and Ncuti Gatwa also play Kens," he wrote. "Issa Rae and Hari Nef play different Barbies." Other users chimed in, too, throwing out their own theories and dubbing the film as the "Barbieverse."
Buchanan's scoops were right on the money, though, as "Barbie" featured a number of different Kens and Barbies in the story. It also introduced audiences to the greatest Ken of all time: John Cena's Kenmaid.
Benedict Cumberbatch's true identity in Star Trek Into Darkness
Benedict Cumberbatch's casting in J. J. Abrams' "Star Trek Into Darkness" turned heads, especially when it was revealed that he would be the antagonist of the story. It didn't take long for speculation to mount among Trekkies that he was playing the classic villain Khan Noonien Singh. After all, the role of Khan requires a special kind of actor to follow in the late Ricardo Montalbán's footsteps, and Cumberbatch certainly possesses an X factor that not many other performers have.
Cumberbatch was quick to dispel those rumors, however, categorically stating that he wasn't playing Khan. Speaking to Access Hollywood, the actor said: "I play a character called John and not that other name. It's interesting. Speculation is speculation and that's all fun."
Cumberbatch twisted the truth here, especially by omitting an important part of John Harrison's arc. The character eventually reveals his true identity to be Khan in "Star Trek Into Darkness," and no one has trusted anything that Cumberbatch has said in an interview ever since.
Ben Affleck departing The Batman
Before "Justice League" hit theaters, rumors emerged in July 2017 that Ben Affleck was on his way out as the Dark Knight. He was reportedly unlikely to even appear in director Matt Reeves' "The Batman" — a film which Affleck had been eyed to star in, write, and direct once upon a time. Warner Bros. denied the gossip and Affleck himself appeared at San Diego Comic-Con to declare (via Variety) that he "would be a f***ing ape on the ground for Matt Reeves."
Despite all the hoorah and statements, another report once again suggested that Ben Affleck wouldn't star in "The Batman." The actor officially announced his departure from the movie in January 2019, while Robert Pattinson was cast as the new Caped Crusader later in the year.
It's clear that Reeves — who also co-wrote "The Batman" — had a specific vision for the film that would require a younger Batman and wouldn't tie into the greater DC Extended Universe. It does make one wonder if Batfleck's exit hadn't already been decided by the time Reeves took the reins for the film and the rumors first started to spread.