10 Actors Who Were Almost Cast In Disney's Star Wars Movie And TV Shows

Once the ink dried on Disney's deal to purchase Lucasfilm in October 2012, the Mouse House immediately began production on what would become "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." Disney's forays into the "Star Wars" galaxy would also encompass sprawling, costly shows like "The Mandalorian" and "Obi-Wan Kenobi." However, even with the deluge of projects released by Disney since 2012, there's been plenty of unrealized productions, too. The canceled "Star Wars" projects we want to see happen, for instance, epitomize the untapped creative potential in this fictional galaxy. 

Among the many unrealized elements of modern "Star Wars" media are moments of big-name casting that never happened. The extensive process behind any "Star Wars" project means that tons of actors have been proposed or courted for projects like "The Acolyte" and "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" only to see these plans crumble. Sometimes, the actors weren't interested in signing on for such a high-profile endeavor. Other castings never happened because the roles themselves evolved or even vanished during script rewrites. Still other castings went awry because of very down-to-Earth woes, like pay or scheduling conflicts.

Whatever happened, these alternate casting plans for the various "Star Wars" productions made from 2015 onward are captivating to consider. These were all artists who came so close to playing in a sandbox known the world over, yet it never quite happened.

For a while, Gary Oldman was showing up in all the big movie franchises. He appeared as James Gordon in all three of Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" films, for example, and he also made multiple appearances as Sirius Black in the "Harry Potter" motion pictures. In the mid-2010s, he also showed up in "RoboCop" and "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," just to further solidify his place as a blockbuster cinema fixture. For a moment, his omnipresence almost extended to 2015's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," a film which Oldman publicly revealed he had held talks about appearing in.

Given Oldman's prior, unrealized connections to the role of General Grievous in "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith," appearing in "The Force Awakens" would've allowed him to finally close the book on his "Star Wars" exploits. However, the casting never came to fruition. Given the lack of male characters in the final cut of "The Force Awakens" in Oldman's age range, it's also difficult to imagine who he could have been in talks to play. Perhaps there were earlier incarnations of Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) and Hux (Domnhall Gleeson) that J.J. Abrams saw as perfect for Oldman before script rewrites came in. 

Whatever happened, "The Force Awakens" and the rest of Disney's "Star Wars" projects soldiered on without Oldman. The actor certainly hasn't suffered, as Oldman has since scored an Oscar for anchoring "Darkest Hour" and headlined the hit show "Slow Horses" ever since losing his "Force Awakens" part.

Though Joaquin Phoenix has long been hesitant about embracing the world of blockbuster cinema, Hollywood keeps on trying to wrangle him. Marvel Studios, for instance, tried luring him into playing The Hulk in 2010 for "The Avengers," which never came to pass. A few years later, he came very close to taking on the titular role of "Doctor Strange," though those talks eventually fizzled. Over and over, major franchises have done this dance with Phoenix, hoping to secure his artistic cred and acting chops for their brand. It's constantly gone nowhere (save for the two indie-coded and stylized "Joker" movies). Not even the "Star Wars" name worked in scoring excitement from Phoenix.

Apparently, director Rian Johnson and company offered the "Last Jedi" part of unreliable scoundrel D.J. to Phoenix, who didn't bite. Benicio del Toro would eventually take the part, becoming one of the most memorable scene-stealers in "The Last Jedi." As for why Phoenix didn't accept the role, no concrete reason was ever given. 

Given how easily he's skipped over other blockbuster movie roles in the past, it's no shocker that not even "Star Wars" could get the arthouse veteran invested. Phoenix remained largely focused on tiny indie films for the late 2010s before anchoring the mid-budget sleeper hit "Joker;" which remains the closest he's ever come to taking on a "brand name" movie in recent years.

Keanu Reeves can do anything. If you want him to do silly antics, he can crush it in a "Bill & Ted" installment. If you're craving a more contemplative side of Reeves, he can headline a production of "Waiting for Godot" on Broadway (again with his good buddy, Alex Winter). As an action star, he's incomparable thanks to his work in "Speed," "The Matrix," and the "John Wick" movies. 

However, Reeves almost expanded his range as an actor to include "Jedi," since he was approached to play the role of Sol in the 2024 TV program "Star Wars: The Acolyte." If he had taken on this character, Reeves would've been the authority figure in the show who holds a special place in the past of lead character Verosha "Osha" (Amandla Stenberg).

This certainly sounds like the kind of role Reeves could've excelled in, particularly in lending his specific style to a weary Jedi warrior concealing dark secrets. Allegedly, though, scheduling conflicts surrounding Reeves and his commitments to "Ballerina" kept this casting from coming to fruition. Instead, "Squid Game" veteran Lee Jung-jae took on the part. Even without a "Star Wars" role on his resume, Reeves has kept busy since missing out on the part of Sol, thanks to his role in projects like "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" and "The Entertainment System Is Down." That's what you'd expect of a versatile actor like Reeves. 

The saga of Matt Smith and his unrealized role in "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" is now infamous amongst "Star Wars" geeks. Back in 2018, it was reported that Matt Smith was cast in "The Rise of Skywalker," though the actor would later dispute the news. As anyone who saw the film's final cut can testify, there was no trace of Smith in J.J. Abrams' efforts. 

In late 2021, Smith came sort-of clean and teased who he was supposed to play in "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker." When inquired if he was supposed to play Palpatine's offspring, Smith played coy and refused to either confirm or deny that suspicion. However, Smith did clarify that his character was "a big story detail, like a, you know, transformative 'Star Wars' story detail. But it never quite got over the line."

Abrams and fellow "Skywalker" screenwriter Chris Terrio have publicly talked about how often the script was overhauled during production. The relentless tweaks and adjustments to the narrative inevitably meant certain concepts, like whoever Smith was eyed to play, never saw the light of day. That was not the end of Smith's "Star Wars" odyssey, though. Seven years after those initial casting rumors, Smith was selected to play a baddie in "Star Wars: Starfighter." It took so long to happen, but this "Doctor Who" veteran finally gets to inhabit a galaxy far, far away.

After hanging up the Batsuit with "The Dark Knight Rises," Christian Bale has largely focused on adult dramas that let him transform physically, sans thick latex exteriors. These include "The Big Short," "Madden," and "Vice," among other films. He hasn't totally eschewed visual effects-oriented endeavors, as seen by "Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle" and "Thor: Love and Thunder." However, they're certainly not his top priority. 

That didn't stop Lucasfilm from approaching Bale to portray the mentor figure role of Tobias Beckett in "Solo: A Star Wars Story." Bale would later confirmthese discussions happened, which were made possible through Bale's pre-existing positive connection with Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy via his early starring role, "Empire of the Sun." 

Bale didn't take the part of Tobias, but he did remark at the time that he hoped there would "be future discussions" about him entering the "Star Wars" universe. It's not clear if Bale had to turn down the part or if the "Solo" team just went in a different direction for this project. Whatever happened, Woody Harrelson would ultimately play Tobias Beckett. 

As for Bale, he's remained persistently busy with all kinds of motion pictures, including fellow Disney moneymaker, the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Despite his comments from early 2018, though, there haven't been any subsequent rumors or discussions about him appearing in further "Star Wars" projects.

Michael K. Williams may be most famous for his seminal work as Omar Little on "The Wire," but his many other remarkable performances can't go forgotten. His striking screen presence and gravitas bolstered movies ranging from "Inherent Vice" and "The Purge: Anarchy" to "Gone Baby Gone." For one moment, his impressive filmography almost expanded to include "Solo: A Star Wars Story." In this production, Williams would've portrayed Dryden Vos, a half-human/half-alien gangster with a deep connection to Qi'ra (Emilia Clarke) and an adversarial relationship with Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich). 

It sounds like a perfect role for Williams, an actor who could easily stand toe-to-toe against a cinematic legend like Han Solo. However, "Solo"s" tumultuous production eventually capsized this casting. Once original directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller left the spin-off, scheduling conflicts forced the recasting of Vos. Paul Bettany took on the part under new filmmaker Ron Howard, who also overhauled this villain's look.

This was a tragic development for "Solo," which was undoubtedly weaker without the presence of a legend like Williams in its cast. However, Williams remained proud of what he accomplished in his time on the "Solo" set and expressed no ill will towards the production. He even expressed a desire to return to the franchise in another role down the line. Of course, Williams didn't need a "Star Wars" baddie on his resume to solidify his acting legend status.

Once Mikey Madison won the Best Actress Oscar for her incredible role in "Anora," everyone wondered what came next for her. Would she embrace more indie films? Perhaps she'd take on a tentpole movie? The possibilities were endless for an award season darling who was still in the earliest days of her career. Shortly after the Oscars, it was revealed that at least one forthcoming project would not feature Madison. The Oscar victor passed on a villain role in Shawn Levy's "Star Wars: Starfighter," starring Ryan Gosling.

Madison turned down the part (which Mia Goth later snagged) allegedly based on monetary disagreements. However, there's also a chance that Madison's post-"Anora" exploits aren't centered around franchise fare. Since her Oscar win, she's signed on to dramas like "The Social Awakening," an A24 horror film titled "The Masque of the Red Death," and the oddball thriller "Reptilia." These are intriguing-sounding projects that could push her talents into new exciting directions. However, they're also decidedly smaller than a "Star Wars" movie or any other similar franchise project. 

After breaking out with Sean Baker as a director, Madison might be hesitant to embrace filmmaking that is heavily reliant on green screen. Whatever led to her turning down "Star Wars: Starfighter," it won't be part of Mikey Madison's post-"Anora" future.

After years of memorable television and stage performances, British performer Gugu Mbatha-Raw finally broke out as a major film performer in 2014 thanks to her work in "Belle" and "Beyond the Lights." Suddenly, all eyes were on this talented actor and where she would go next. A year after her profile increased, news broke that she would be taking on a critical role in Rian Johnson's "Star Wars: The Last Jedi." At the time, it was presumed she'd be taking on the film's most prominent new female character, which turned out to be Rose Tico.

A month after the rumor dropped, Mbatha-Raw clarified to a reporter that she hadn't been offered any "Star Wars" roles, while new reports began surfacing at the end of 2015 that she was no longer set to be in the cast. By early 2016, Kelly Marie Tran officially joined "Last Jedi" as Tico, putting to rest rumors that Mbatha-Raw was joining the sequels. Given her career trajectory circa. 2014, it would've made perfect sense for "The Last Jedi" to snag her talents in a prominent capacity. However, the casting was never meant to be. 

Don't weep for the "Beyond the Lights" veteran, though. Mbatha-Raw has stayed busy, including taking on principal roles in other Disney projects like "Beauty and the Beast" and both seasons of "Loki."

The one "Star Wars" character "Breaking Bad's" Aaron Paul would love to play is, apparently, Chewbacca — because of his extremely cuddly fur. Understandable. Paul did get close to playing a radically different person in this franchise, though. Right as Felicity Jones had signed on to play Jyn Erso in "Rogue One," reports emerged that Paul was one of the finalists for the film's male lead role. 

That character would turn out to be Cassian Andor, the morally complex Rebel fighter as deeply committed to fighting the Empire as Erso is (initially) passionate about remaining a non-participant. It's easy to see how Paul, with his years of experience playing Jesse Pinkman on "Breaking Bad," would've been perfect for Andor. Plus, this was right as "Breaking Bad" wrapped up and Paul was establishing himself as an artist beyond Vince Gilligan's hit show. What better way to do that than headlining a sci-fi blockbuster?

Diego Luna eventually secured the role instead. Though Cassian Andor perished in the finale of "Rogue One," Luna would go on to reprise this character across two seasons of the critically-acclaimed "Andor." Paul, meanwhile, never got a starring part in either "Rogue One" or any other "Star Wars" movie, which may be for the best. Aaron Paul tries to stay away from leading man roles, and anchoring franchise fare like "Rogue One" would run against his tendency. It all worked out for the best, especially since Luna would be extraordinary as Andor. 

Jesse Plemons has a deeply impressive filmography. He's got so many memorable roles under his belt that everyone forgets the character Plemons played in "Grey's Anatomy." Across movies like "Game Night," "The Power of the Dog," "Judas and the Black Messiah," "Kinds of Kindness," and more, Plemons has demonstrated a staggering versatility. Many of his memorable roles were in tinier parts in late 2010s movies (such as "The Irishman" or "I'm Thinking of Ending Things") that reaffirmed the command he wields over his craft. It's stirring to remember that, had Plemons taken on a certain multi-film role in the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy, many of those performances never would've seen the light of day.

At the start of 2014, Plemons was mentioned as one of the many actors director J.J. Abrams and company were eyeballing for key "Force Awakens" roles. Plemons re-emerged as a frontrunner for a male lead role in the project two months later. Considering John Boyega was also up for the same part, it seems clear that Plemons was being scoped out for Finn, the new male protagonist. If he had secured this role, Plemons would have spent the rest of the decade only focusing on shooting and promoting various "Star Wars" movies.

Plemons' connection to "The Force Awakens" vanished, though, once he took on the movie "Black Mass." With that project, Plemons reaffirmed his commitment to smaller, but juicier supporting roles, rather than anchoring anything as large as a "Star Wars" adventure.