Actors including Matt Damon, Keanu Reeves, Jessica Chastain, and Claire Danes have turned down roles in movies that grossed more than $1 billion.
As strange as it may seem, several actors have turned down roles in movies that crossed the billion-dollar mark at the box office. Depending on their contract, this means they likely passed on a payday of (hundreds of) millions of dollars. However, some actors have explained in interviews that they turned down these roles for respectable creative reasons, or it did not work with their schedule — or they just didn’t realize how much money it was going to make.
These cases also sometimes reflect the noticeable distinction in Hollywood between movies that are likely to gross a billion dollars and movies that are noticed by awards shows. With organizations such as the Golden Globes making more of an effort to recognize blockbusters, there will possibly be more overlap between these two categories in the future. Regardless, actors will always have to make decisions based on what kind of success they think a potential movie will see.
10Keanu Reeves Turned Down Captain Marvel (2019)
Domestic Gross: $427 Million | Worldwide Total: $1.13 Billion
Captain Marvel
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Set in 1995, Captain Marvel follows Carol Danvers, a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, as she turns into one of the galaxy’s mightiest heroes and joins Starforce, an elite Kree military team, before returning home with new questions about her past and identity when the Earth is caught in the center of an intergalactic conflict between two alien worlds.
DirectorRyan Fleck , Anna BodenRelease DateMarch 8, 2019CastLee Pace , Brie Larson , Rune Temte , Clark Gregg , Ben Mendelsohn , Algenis Perez Soto , Samuel L. Jackson , Jude Law , Djimon Hounsou , Gemma Chan , Lashana Lynch , Mckenna GraceRuntime124 minutes
Kevin Feige told PEOPLE that Marvel considers Keanu Reeves “for almost every film [they] make.” It is not hard to see why, given Reeves’ marketability, his acclaim as an action star, and his breathtaking fight scenes in the John Wick and Matrix movies. Among the major roles Reeves turned down is Yon-Rogg in Captain Marvel, the character played by Jude Law.
Reeves turned down Captain Marvel due to scheduling conflicts with filming John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum. Captain Marvel holds a strange position in MCU history, regarded as one of the MCU’s worse movies but still grossing more than $1 billion. However, Reeves could still play an MCU role in the future, something fans would doubtlessly be thrilled to see.
All box office information included in this list is according to boxofficemojo.com.
9Gal Gadot Turned Down Barbie (2023)
Domestic Gross: $636 Million | Worldwide Total: $1.4 Billion
Barbie
PG-13ComedyAdventureFantasyWHERE TO WATCH
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Barbie is a film adaptation of the generational iconic toy directed by Greta Gerwig, who co-wrote the script with Noah Baumbach. The film centers on Margot Robbie’s Barbie who is expelled from Barbieland and travels with Ken (Ryan Gosling) to the real world in search of happiness. The film also stars Simu Liu, Will Ferrell, and several other famous celebrities in cameo roles.
DirectorGreta GerwigRelease DateJuly 21, 2023CastMargot Robbie , Ryan Gosling , Simu Liu , Ariana Greenblatt , Helen Mirren , Nicola Coughlan , John Cena , Will Ferrell , Ritu Arya , Michael Cera , America Ferrera , Alexandra Shipp , Kate McKinnonRuntime114 Minutes
“Gal Gadot is Barbie energy,” said Robbie, “Because [she] is so impossibly beautiful, but you don’t hate her for being that beautiful because she’s so genuinely sincere, and she’s so enthusiastically kind, that it’s almost dorky. It’s like right before being a dork.”
Reportedly, producer Margot Robbie’s first casting choice for Barbie was Gal Gadot. Gadot was forced to turn down the role because of scheduling conflicts. While Robbie ended up taking on the lead role herself, Gadot’s persona still influenced other casting choices of Barbie.“Gal Gadot is Barbie energy,” said Robbie (via Variety), “Because [she] is so impossibly beautiful, but you don’t hate her for being that beautiful because she’s so genuinely sincere, and she’s so enthusiastically kind, that it’s almost dorky. It’s like right before being a dork.”
10 Highest Grossing Movies Of 2023
2023’s box office included several notable hits, as well as some disappointments, and both types of films end up among 2023’s highest grossing movies.8Michael Douglas Turned Down Frozen (2013)
Domestic Gross: $400 Million | Worldwide Total: $1.4 Billion
Frozen
PGAnimationAdventureComedyWHERE TO WATCH
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In this animated Disney musical, the newly crowned Queen Elsa accidentally uses her power to turn things into ice to curse her home in infinite winter. Her younger sister, Anna, teams up with a mountain man, his playful reindeer, and a living snowman to change the weather conditions and restore peace.
DirectorChris Buck , Jennifer LeeRelease DateNovember 27, 2013CastEdie McClurg , Kristen Bell , Santino Fontana , Idina Menzel , Robert Pine , Maurice LaMarche , Jonathan Groff , Stephen J. Anderson , Alan Tudyk , Josh Gad , Ciarán Hinds , Chris WilliamsRuntime102 minutes
Michael Douglas, seemingly regretfully, confessed that he turned down a role in Frozen, although he can’t remember which role (via E! News). Among the actors who have turned down Disney movies, Douglas probably lost the most when he passed on Frozen. It is possible that he was considered for Oaken or Olaf. Douglas has done some voice acting, including reprising his MCU role of Hank Pym in What If…? and making a cameo as Waylon, a dedicated haunted house host in an episode of Phineas and Ferb. Douglas might have made a spookier version of the Duke of Weselton.
7Orlando Bloom Turned Down Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
Domestic Gross: $241 Million | Worldwide Total: $1.05 Billion
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
PG-13ActionAdventureFantasyWHERE TO WATCH
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Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is the fourth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. When Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) finds himself on the hunt for the fabled Fountain of Youth, he runs afoul of his old rival Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) and the feared pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane). Accompanied by the mysterious Angelica (Penelope Cruz), Sparrow races his competition to the fountain in the hopes of claiming the Fountain for himself.
DirectorRob MarshallRelease DateMay 7, 2011CastJohnny Depp , Penelope Cruz , Geoffrey Rush , Sam Claflin , Ian McShane , Kevin R. McNallyRuntime137 Minutes
After starring alongside Johnny Depp and Kiera Knightley in three successful Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Orlando Bloom declined to return for the fourth installment. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is the second of the two movies in the franchise to gross more than $1 billion worldwide, the other being Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. Will and Elizabeth are not in Pirates of the Caribbean 4 because Bloom and Knightley both wanted to focus on other projects, moving away from blockbuster franchises.
However, Bloom would later return to both of his major franchises. He reprises the role of Will in Piratesof the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Legolas in the Hobbit movies. Knightley also briefly appears in the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean movie.
6Ryan Gosling Turned Down Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Domestic Gross: $505 Million | Worldwide Total: $1.27 Billion
Beauty and the Beast
PGRomanceFantasyMusical
This live-action remake of a classic Disney fairy tale tells the love story of two outcasts. When Belle agrees to live in a monstrous prince’s enchanted castle in exchange for her father’s release, she is at first wary of the Beast, but romance blooms between them.
DirectorBill CondonRelease DateMarch 17, 2017CastEmma Watson , Ian McKellen , Gugu Mbatha-Raw , Dan Stevens , Emma Thompson , Stanley Tucci , Ewan McGregor , Kevin Kline , Luke Evans , Josh GadRuntime129 minutes
The confusion of actors between La La Land and Beauty and the Beast is well known: Emma Watson turned down Emma Stone’s Oscar-winning role in order to portray Belle. Stone’s La La Land co-star Ryan Gosling also allegedly turned down the role of Beast, which went to Dan Stevens, to star in Damien Chazelle’s movie (via Teen Vogue). The comparison between these two movies illustrates a contrast in what types of roles an actor can go for: They are both romances, both musicals, but one was a box office hit and the other an Oscars contender.
5Rooney Mara Turned Down Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Domestic Gross: $533.5 Million | Worldwide Total: $1.06 Billion
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
ActionSci-FiAdventureWHERE TO WATCH
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Set in the weeks leading up to Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story provides additional context for the Rebellion’s plan to destroy the Death Star. Rogue One follows Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) as she enlists the help of Rebel Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) to locate her father, Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen), after the Empire kidnaps him.
DirectorGareth EdwardsRelease DateDecember 13, 2016CastFelicity Jones , Diego Luna , Ben Mendelsohn , Donnie Yen , Mads Mikkelsen , Alan Tudyk , Jiang Wen , Forest WhitakerRuntime134 Minutes
Jones is amazing as Jyn, but Mara also would have excelled at portraying the character’s arc of shifting from disillusioned to heroic.
Rooney Mara was reportedly in talks to play Jyn Erso in the first Star Wars spinoff movie, which would eventually go to Felicity Jones. Mara chose not to even audition due to her busy schedule: “I met with the director (Gareth Edwards),” said Mara (via Deadline), “and I really liked him but then I didn’t end up reading for it. […] I was working six day weeks and it was just like it wasn’t going to be possible.” Jones is amazing as Jyn, but Mara also would have excelled at portraying the character’s arc of shifting from disillusioned to heroic.
4Jessica Chastain Turned Down Iron Man 3 (2013)
Domestic Gross: $409 Million | Worldwide Total: $1.2 Billion
Jessica Chastain reportedly turned down two MCU roles: Maya Hansen in Iron Man 3 and Christine Palmer in Dr. Strange (via SlashFilm), although Iron Man 3 is the only one of these two that grossed more than $1 billion. In the case of Iron Man 3, the press jumped the gun, leading everyone to believe Chastain was attached to the project. Chastain cleared things up via her Facebook, saying that “[her] schedule [was] jammed packed […] The press announced [her] possible attachment far too soon. […] [and] Hopefully there’ll be another Marvel film in [her] future.”
3Denzel Washington Turned Down Furious 7 (2015)
Domestic Gross: $353 Million | Worldwide Total: $1.5 Billion
Fast and Furious 7
PG-13ActionCrimeDocumentaryThriller
Deckard Shaw (Statham) is out for revenge against Dominic Toretto (Diesel) and his crew, following what happened to his brother in ‘Fast & Furious 6.’
DirectorJames WanRelease DateApril 1, 2015CastVin Diesel , Paul Walker , Jason Statham , Michelle Rodriguez , Jordana Brewster , Tyrese GibsonRuntime137 minutes
It was reported (via IndieWire) ahead of Furious 7’s release that Denzel Washington turned down a small role, now believed to have been Kurt Russell’s character “Mr. Nobody.” Washington is not alone among actors who were almost cast in Fast & Furious, opting out of what they might have viewed as an implausible action movie. However, no one can deny that Fast & Furious is popular, with Furious 7 in particular being one of the franchise’s best-reviewed movies. Washington likely would have become a fan favorite if he had appeared in Furious 7.
11 Surprising Movies That Were Massive Successes At The Box Office
Sometimes unexpected films will succeed at the box office. The films are often widely celebrated today, but their success wasn’t easily predicted.2Claire Danes Turned Down Titanic (1997)
Domestic Gross: $674 Million | Worldwide Total: $2.26 Billion
Titanic
PG-13DramaRomanceWHERE TO WATCH
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Titanic is the 1997 blockbuster romantic/disaster epic based on the events surrounding the sinking of the legendary “unsinkable” vessel. Flashing back to the past and forward to the present, the film primarily follows the stories of the well-to-do and somewhat timid Rose and the poor but lively Jack, star-crossed lovers who meet aboard the doomed ship. In addition, the film tells true and fictionalized accounts of the passengers of the RMS Titanic, with an older Rose recounting her tale to the crew of a research ship.
DirectorJames CameronRelease DateDecember 19, 1997CastDavid Warner , Kathy Bates , Billy Zane , Bill Paxton , Bernard Hill , Kate Winslet , Leonardo DiCaprio , Gloria Stuart , Frances Fisher , Victor GarberRuntime3h 14m
Claire Danes is just one of several actors who were considered for the leads in Titanic. However, Danes stands out because of her well-known collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio in Romeo + Juliet, which came out the year before Titanic. It would have been surreal to see the pair reunite for another star-crossed romance. However, Danes has said (via ELLE) that she has “zero regrets”: “I think I did [get offered the role] I’m not entirely clear on that […] Honestly I had just made this romantic epic with Leo […] and I just didn’t have it in me.”
Titanic grossed $1.84 billion worldwide at the time of its original release. It later crossed the $2 billion threshold with multiple re-releases.
1Matt Damon Turned Down The Dark Knight (2008)
Domestic Gross: $535 Million | Worldwide Total: $1.03 Billion
The Dark Knight
PG-13ActionThrillerDramaCrimeWHERE TO WATCH
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Christian Bale once again embodies the man behind the mask in The Dark Knight, reuniting Bale with Batman Begins director Christopher Nolan. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman has been making headway against local crime—until a rising criminal mastermind known as The Joker unleashes a fresh reign of chaos across Gotham City. To stop this devious new menace—Batman’s most personal and vicious enemy yet—he will have to use every high-tech weapon in his arsenal and confront his beliefs if he hopes to stand a chance against the Clown Prince of Crime.
DirectorChristopher NolanRelease DateJuly 18, 2008CastNestor Carbonell , Morgan Freeman , Ritchie Coster , Cillian Murphy , Chin Han , Gary Oldman , Eric Roberts , William Fichtner , Aaron Eckhart , Maggie Gyllenhaal , Christian Bale , David Dastmalchian , Michael Caine , Anthony Michael Hall , Heath LedgerRuntime152 Minutes
Matt Damon famously turned down Avatar, losing out on a massively successful movie — but this is not the only billion-dollar movie he rejected. Damon also turned down the role of Harvey Dent/Two-Face in The Dark Night, which went to Aaron Eckhart. Damon actually referenced (via The Playlist) his missed opportunity with Avatar when discussing passing on The Dark Knight: “At this point, I passed on the biggest payday in the history [of cinema], accidentally, so […] I could never commit a worse financial error.” However, these missed opportunities stand out not just because of their financial success, but their critical acclaim.
