In franchises, it’s become increasingly normal for actors to be replaced in roles for a variety of reasons. Here are some big ones.
We see recasts pretty regularly on the big screen. For some franchises like Friday the 13th and Halloween, it’s almost a tradition. It’s less common in a non-genre arena. However, other major films have seen some of their important characters get recast for various reasons… and keep in mind that we’re only talking about movies here, not TV shows, so you won’t hear about Michiel Huisman replacing Ed Skrein as Daario Naharis on Game of Thrones, Charles Melton replacing Ross Butler on Riverdale, Liam Hemsworth replacing Henry Cavill on The Witcher, Janet Hubert being switched with Daphne Maxwell Reid as Aunt Vivian Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Nathan Parsons replacing Luke Grimes as James Kent on True Blood, Alessandra Torresani being replaced by Mae Whitman on Arrested Development, or Jeff the cab driver being recast in the final season of Better Call Saul. The list of character recasts goes on and on, and here are a few of the movie examples:
Back to the Future: George McFly and Jennifer Parker
Two roles were recast in Back to the Future Part II. The first recast was that of Jennifer, who in the first film is played by Claudia Wells and then in the sequel is played by Elizabeth Shue. Not only did Shue replace Wells in the sequel, but all the flashback scenes to the first film were re-shot with her to help it make sense. The recast here was due to Claudia Wells taking a break from acting to take care of her mother, who had been diagnosed with cancer. This break on Wells’ part lasted decades before she returned to her career in 2008. It must be noted that Wells returned the part of Jennifer for the Back to the Future video game released in 2010. As for George McFly, the part was originated by Crispin Glover, who opted out of the sequels when he was offered a much lower salary than other returning co-stars. The production used some of his scenes from the previous film in the second one, which led to him suing the production and settling out of court.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: April O’Neil
Played by Judith Hoag in the first film and Paige Turco in the second and third, April was a central character to the TMNT franchise, so her recasting was quite evident. The reasons why were not necessarily obvious to all viewers at the time but are now better known as Hoag has discussed it openly. She has also said she has no ill will towards Turco, and the two are now friends. According to Hoag, the reason for the recast was because the director of the film did not take it well that she had openly criticized the film’s treatment of its stunt crew and the way schedule changes were handled.
Terminator: John Connor
This one is an oddball of a situation here, as there is more than one timeline within the Terminator universe, so recasting the part of John Connor can be expected. However, the changes were not always indicative of the different timelines, and some of them were more due to the age of the actors and when the films were shot and released versus the age Connor needed to be within the story. That being said, John Connor has been played by a higher number of actors than almost any character (excluding situations like James Bond). Edward Furlong played the role in T2; in the third entry, Connor was played by Nick Stahl; in the fourth film, the part went to Christian Bale; in the fifth film, it went to Jason Clarke; then there’s also the television series where the part went to Thomas Dekker. Furlong came back for the latest entry of the film series, but in a very CGI way. As mentioned, the series gets away with these recasts because of the different timelines and needs for different ages for the character. Between parts 2 and 3, Furlong was recast due to being dropped from the film, and it was reported to be because of substance abuse issues, something he, thankfully, seems to have won the battle over now.
X-Men: Sabretooth aka Victor Creed
The first X-Men movie had a few appearances from Sabretooth, played by Tyler Mane. When the character returned in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the part went to Liev Schreiber, which was quite the departure from the style of Mane. Mane wanted to get back to the role but was denied the opportunity as the filmmakers were aiming at a younger actor for the part, possibly so he could come back in sequels. This goal seemed to go out the window once they hired Schreiber, who is only one year younger than Mane. Overall, X-Men is another one of those series where the timeline changes, so recasting parts is something that is expected. Mane himself has said that the recast was due to the film needing someone who could be more believable as a relative of Wolverine. Schreiber was supposed to come back to the part in Logan, but things didn’t work out due to scheduling. Things worked out for Mane in the long run, as he was brought back for a quick appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine.
Iron Man: James Rhodes aka Rhodey aka War Machine
In the first Iron Man film, the part of Rhodey was played by Terrence Howard. But, in subsequent movies, Don Cheadle has been playing the character. He’s become synonymous with Rhodey due to how well he handled the transition and how often he played the part. The switchover between the two actors was apparently due to a falling out between Terrence Howard and Marvel Studios, as sources say that Howard made salary demands that Marvel didn’t agree with. A very common reason for “a falling out.” Of course, Marvel replacing actors isn’t anything new, as Edward Norton was replaced by Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk after he played the part in The Incredible Hulk, and Harrison Ford had to step in for the late William Hurt as Thunderbolt Ross in Captain America: Brave New World.
What are your favorite (or least favorite) recastings? Brendan Fraser being replaced by Christopher Showerman in the sequel to George of the Jungle? Bryce Dallas Howard stepping into the role of Victoria in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (taking over from Rachelle Lefevre)? Let us know in the comments!
