- James D’Arcy, Hitchcock, 2012. Hitchcock’s back in business! With two films headlined by UK actors (Anthony Hopkins, Toby Jones) in bad impressions and fat suits. This is the second. Hopkins directing Psycho. And telling Janet Leigh: “You can call me Hitch. Hold the cock.” Hitch didn’t look (or sound) like Hitch (idem for those playing Janet Leigh and Vera Miles), but young D’Arcy was an uncanny Anthony Perkins. Rivals for the role had included Walter Huston’s great-grandson, John’s grandson, Tony’s son, Anjelica’s nephew – andy that of Danny, already in the cast.
- Chris Pratt, Guardians of the Galaxy, 2013. Making a splash in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire series, the new Huston in town was in the (crowded) battle of new Hollywood guys for Peter Quill/Star Lord. All the usual prerequisites were there… Seven TV finds (Pratt, Huston, Cam Gigandet, John Krasinski, James Marsden, Lee Pace, Aaron Paul), three science fiction favourites (Jensen Ackles, Garrett Hedlund, Michael Rosenbaum), a couple of triples (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Logan Marshall-Green), two hot Brits (Eddie Redmayne, Jim Sturgess), two Aussies (Joel Edgerton, Sullivan Stapleton), two total outsiders (Glenn Howerton, Chris Lowell). And an ex-hottie on the comeback trail (Wes Bentley). Pratt was a surprising Disney choice given that in his last far-from-family-film, Movie 43 (“the Citizen Kane of awful” – Chicago Sun-Times), the tragically-named Pratt defecated on his (real) wife, Anna Faris, during sex.
- Toby Kebbell, Fantastic Four, 2014. Marvel wanted the Four back and offered Fox an extension on its Daredevil II plans. No way! So, in the mix for the third Victor Van Doom/Dr Doom were Huston, Domhnall Gleeson, Eddie Redmayne, Sam Riley.. And Danish Mads Mikkelsen just stalked out of his audition! They were lucky to escape what Hollywood Reporter critic Todd McCarthy called “a 100-minute trailer for a movie that never happens.” Film flopped. (Only ever made to save the rights). Marvel icon Stan Lee saw it coming and refused his seal-of-approval cameo. Kebbell called it a learning experience. On becoming the new Ben-Hur!), Huston quit the retreading of The Crow, as well.
- Benedict Cumberbatch, Doctor Strange, 2015. Discussed, planned, written, re-spun since 1986, always dropped despite scripts from Alex Cox, Wes Craven, Bob Gale, etc, until chosen as the portal into the supernatural side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.Mads Mikkelsen was first choice. But that was in in 2013… Among those later flown up the flagpole were TV doctor Patrick Dempsey, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ryan Gosling, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jon Hamm, Tom Hardy, Ethan Hawke, Jack Huston, Oscar Isaac, Matthew McConaughey, Ewan McGregor, Vincent Price (in 1986!), Keanu Reeves (listed but never approached – how wise!), Justin Theroux. Oh and two Jokers: 2015’s Jared Leto and 2018’s Joachin Phoenix. Finally, production wisely waited until after Cumberbatch’s Hamlet stagetriumph in London. If Iron Man is Mick Jagger, Strange is Jim Morrison… and could be head of the MCU when Robert Downey pawned his ironmongery.
- Taron Egerton, Robin Hood: Origins, 2016. Not the catchiest of titles – compared to Nottingham & Hoodor just plain Hood– but Leonardo Di Caprio’s production beat the rivals to the off. Hoult, Dylan O’Brian and Jacks Huston and Reynor were also up for director Otto (Peaky Blinders) Bathurst’s Sherwood… Producer Leonardo DiCaprio agreed to postpone shooting until Egerton completed his second Kingsman thriller. But Hood was a major flop! “I don’t regret it,” said Egerton. “The pitch was genuinely interesting… sounded like a legitimate, gritty reimagining of something that’s always been dealt with in a flowery, glossy way.”Little John was Jamie Foxx and Nottingham was played by Stradun… in Croatia!
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 5