10 Questionable Movies Casting Choices That Audiences Ended Up Loving

Some movies make questionable casting choices that catch audiences off guard but later receive positive reactions. Which are the most memorable?

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Being a casting director can’t be an easy job. They’re responsible for essentially dictating the faces of a story if not entire franchises. Movie fans can be fickle beings, especially if they already have a specific idea as to how a certain fictional character or film archetype should be portrayed.

If a certain acting choice doesn’t align with their already lofty expectations, that may reflect poorly on both the performer and the project. Fortunately enough, there are plenty of instances where the audience has been wrong in regards to their casting backlash. While they are the ones paying tickets, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that the fans can’t be trusted with casting.

10 Heath Ledger Brings An Even More Frightening Joker

One of the most famous cases of the fans not knowing what they’re angry about involves one of the most iconic incarnations of Batman’s arch-nemesis yet. As Christopher Nolan’s Joker in The Dark Knight, Heath Ledger portrayed a cunning and unstable anarchist whose jokes involved much more than just a boxing glove on a Jack-in-the-Box.

Prior to that, Ledger had been famous for a handful of smaller, lighter roles, such as 10 Things I Hate About You and A Knight’s Tale, which played a huge part in giving audiences pause. Even with Monster’s Ball and Brokeback Mountain on his resume, it’s understandable how a lot of people initially didn’t think he had the chops to fill the iconic role.

9 Michael Keaton’s Batman Isn’t All Comedy

Despite The Dark Knight trilogy’s critical acclaim, there are many that still believe that Tim Burton’s Batman stories as the quintessential adaptations of the comic book characters. However, it’s not as if they’re just being nostalgic. Tim Burton’s Batman showcased an eerie, macabre Gotham City with a frightening version of Batman to match, wonderfully portrayed by Michael Keaton.

With that being said, that image of Keaton wasn’t always in people’s minds. Before this role, Keaton was seen as more of a comedic actor due to movies like Mr. Mom or Beetlejuice. It’s weird thinking that the man who would go on to be in Birdman and Spotlight wasn’t taken seriously as an actor.

8 Daniel Craig Does Fit In James Bond’s Tuxedo

Much like The Doctors on Doctor Who or any captain in Star Trek, the role of James Bond has been passed down between generations and is seen as a golden opportunity and challenge for actors willing to carry an entire franchise. Many today still argue between Bond actors of old such as Pierce Brosnan or Sean Connery as the ultimate superspy, but now, others would add Daniel Craig to the debate.

However, before Casino Royale, Daniel Craig wasn’t seen fit to wear the fancy suits or gimmicky shoes that were made for much larger, broad-shouldered performers. Fast forward to a time when many are desperately waiting for No Time To Die, and Craig has certainly seduced audience’s hearts.

7 Adam Driver Has A Dark Side

Years ago, there were many skeptics towards Disney purchase of Star Wars. The media giant has a far from golden track record with live-action films, and there were worries that they would water down the films to make them family friendly. While some of those concerns were washed away after the first trailer, many were still holding their breath after discovering that Adam Driver would play the lead villain in The Force Awakens.

Even in the prequels, Star Wars villains are seen as larger-than-life, intimidating monsters of skill and influence. Adam Driver on the other hand seemed prepped to be another Hollywood pretty boy. As a budding actor, there wasn’t a lot for people to expect; yet after the credits rolled, Adam certainly left people wanting more.

6 Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk Is Always Angry

Given that Hulk was previously played by real-life bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno and critically-acclaimed actor Edward Norton, there wasn’t a lot of confidence that sensitive, romcom frequenter, Mark Ruffalo, would pass as the green giant in The Avengers.

He would, however, be another one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s genius casting choices as his sensitive side was exactly what the Bruce Banner character needed. This would only later serve the tragedy and eventual humanization of Banner’s other side. To find a good Mr. Hyde, one needs to find an even better Dr. Jekyll.

5 Sissy Spacek Is A Haunting Carrie White

Fans of the original Stephen King novel can sympathize with audiences decades ago that weren’t quite sure that ex-model, Sissy Spacek, could play the tortured, high school girl in Carrie. After all, Carrie White was meant to be everything but what conventional beauty norms dictated: overweight, acne ridden, and sloppy.

It didn’t help that Spacek was also a little old to play a high school girl. Despite this, Spacek gave it all during her audition, going as far as to mess up her hair with vaseline. Now, it’s hard to imagine the Stephen King adaptation without her blood-drenched visage.

4 Michael Cera Rocks As Scott Pilgrim

Given his time in Arrested Development and his character in films such as Superbad and Youth in Revolt, there’s no surprise that many Scott Pilgrim fans considered Michael Cera a lazy casting choice for Edgar Wright’s action-comedy adaptation. Michael Cera tended to play the same, stammering teenage boy in most of his projects.

And, while Scott Pilgrim the character could be awkward at times, he’s more famous for his arrogance and fighting skills. Even now, it’s a little hard to see Michael Cera as a serious action star. However, with Edgar Wright’s help and plenty of his own ego, Cera was able to do the character justice.

3 Daniel Day-Lewis Could Be President

Looking back, it’s baffling to think that there was any part that people thought Daniel Day-Lewis couldn’t play. His resume prior to Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln had already included well-received performances in My Left Foot, The Age of Innocence, Gangs of New York, and There Will Be Blood.

Leading up to Lincoln’s release, however, there were many detractors who didn’t appreciate a British actor playing such a beloved, American icon. On top of that, Lewis was apparently going to portray a much raspier version of the 16th President than the gruff, stoic one that Americans had come to expect. Not only would his performance garner Lewis even more accolades, but his tone and cadence would prove to be more historically accurate than people thought.

2 Matt Damon Was Always Secretly Jason Bourne

Matt Damon has certainly worked hard to earn his beloved and versatile filmography, but many in the mid-2000’s couldn’t imagine Will Hunting ever becoming an action movie star. It wasn’t as if action films were beneath him, but Damon, prior to filming The Bourne Identity, had been well-regarded for playing vulnerable, intelligent characters.

This is opposed to the shoot-first-and-ask-questions-later kind of hero that action fans had come to expect. However, director Doug Liman thought he perfectly complimented the gritter, more artistic style of action movie he had intended for The Bourne Identity. Nearly two decades later, it’s become hard to imagine anyone else in the role.

1 Bruce Willis’ John McClane Is The Ultimate Action Hero

It wasn’t too long ago that Bruce Willis starred in Death Wish, an over-the-top action-thriller about a surgeon looking for revenge, and no one really batted an eye (or bought a ticket). Bruce Willis at this point had already become ingrained in the public’s mind as one of the most legendary, action-movie performers of all time, thanks largely to his time as John McClane in the Die Hard franchise.

Prior to Die Hard, however, Willis didn’t fit the large, chiseled physique that people had come to expect from action movie stars, and he had been more famous at the time for being in the sitcom Moonlighting. Willis in the aftermath would not only go on to be part of the Mount Rushmore of action heroes but also redefine what an action hero should look like.

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