TV - Movies
Actor
Replacements
That Wound Up
Being Upgrades
For The Movie
By JASMINE R.
Terrence Howard, who was the first actor to play Col. James "Rhodey" Rhodes quit the franchise when his $8 million payday was cut to $1 million when the studio decided to give Robert Downey Jr. more money. He was replaced by fellow "Crash" star Don Cheadle, who brings elegance to the role as he grows into more than just a sidekick throughout the franchise.
Don Cheadle
When "X-Men" was first being developed, casting directors initially offered the role of Wolverine to Dougray Scott, who had to decline due to scheduling conflicts with "Mission: Impossible 2." The director turned to the then-unknown Australian actor Hugh Jackman, and it’s impossible to think of anyone else playing Wolverine.
Hugh Jackman
Annette Bening was originally cast as Catwoman in “Batman Returns” but had to suddenly drop out of the film after discovering she was pregnant. Michelle Pfeiffer stepped in, delivering an alluring performance that still has her ranked as one of the best actresses to have ever played the role of the whip-slinging antihero.
Michelle Pfeiffer
Initially, "Beverly Hills Cop" was supposed to star Sylvester Stallone and was meant to be an action-packed film. The studio decided to go in an entirely different direction, and Eddie Murphy was in as Axel Foley, resulting in one of the most successful comedy franchises ever.
Eddie Murphy
"Demolition Man" was a huge break for actress Sandra Bullock, as her role as Lieutenant Lenina Huxley was initially given to Lori Petty. The studio was dissatisfied with her dailies and Bullock stepped in, bringing some necessary naivete to the role, giving audiences a character to root for.