These casting choices shocked movie fans the world over! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most unexpected film castings that challenged everyone’s expectations.
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00:00Talk about a Marvel shocker heard across the multiverse!
00:04New mask, same task.
00:08Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most unexpected film castings that challenged everyone's expectations.
00:15How about a magic trick?
00:19I'm gonna make this pencil disappear.
00:22Number 10, Chris Pratt as Super Mario, the Super Mario Bros. movie.
00:31When it was revealed that Chris Pratt would be voicing the iconic video game character in an animated film based on the beloved Nintendo franchise, fans were initially taken aback.
00:52I'm done with that band. I mean, I'm an adult now, you know?
00:55Known for his roles in Parks and Recreation and Guardians of the Galaxy, Pratt's laid-back and all-American persona seemed like a far cry from the iconic Italian plumber.
01:03You missed the first time. Then you got them both the second time.
01:09Purists and critics alike were quick to object, questioning if he could capture Mario's distinctive speech and energy.
01:15However, upon the film's release, opinions shifted in a more positive direction.
01:19What about the accents? Is it too much?
01:21Pratt overcame the casting controversy and received some praise for his unique take on the age-old character.
01:27Woo-hoo! Mario, you are amazing!
01:31Thanks, Dad.
01:34Ah, bring it in!
01:36Number 9, Timothee Chalamet as Willy Wonka, Wonka.
01:40Let's find out, shall we? Who's for Hovercock?
01:44Wait, hey!
01:48The announcement that Timothee Chalamet would be stepping into Willy Wonka's eccentric shoes was quite the eyebrow-raiser.
01:53This thanks to his dramatic performances in films like Call Me By Your Name and Dune.
01:57If you'll have us, we will come.
02:02And when compared to the acting heavyweights who previously portrayed the enigmatic character, the likes of Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp, Chalamet seemed like an odd choice for the role.
02:10However, the actor's youthful energy and boyish charisma actually made him an inspired choice.
02:15After all, this was a prequel film exploring the candy maker's origins.
02:19The unexpected casting paid off, with Wonka grossing some $632 million worldwide.
02:25Not bad.
02:26There is no life I know to compare with your imagination.
02:35Number 8, Charlize Theron as Eileen Wuornos, Monster.
02:39How could the stunningly beautiful Charlize Theron convincingly portray a real-life serial killer who is, let's just say, unencumbered by the standards of beauty?
02:47That was the question everyone was asking when the Hollywood starlet was announced for the role of Eileen Wuornos, a convicted killer in Patty Jenkins' Monster.
02:55Thanks in part to a transformation that required a 30-pound weight gain and extensive makeup sessions, Theron not only accurately portrayed Wuornos, but was showered in awards for her troubles.
03:05I'm a real, I mean, I'm a real hard worker.
03:08More importantly, the powerful performance and dramatic physical change silenced the naysayers, proving she was capable of tackling any role she wanted to.
03:20Number 7, Austin Butler as Elvis Presley, Elvis.
03:30It's not hyperbole to say that Elvis Presley is one of music's most legendary figures.
03:34So when it was revealed that the relatively unknown Austin Butler had been cast as the king of rock and roll in Baz Luhrmann's biopic epic, widespread doubt took hold of the public.
03:49Butler was just some former Disney kid after all.
03:51Well, it didn't take long for the doubters to eat their words, as the young actor would go on to perfectly adopt Presley's mannerisms through rigorous training that included singing and dancing.
04:04Much more. Man, do it again.
04:09It was also revealed that Butler beat out the likes of Miles Teller, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and even Harry Styles for the role.
04:15Well, since my baby left me, well, I found a new place to dwell.
04:22Number 6, Tom Cruise as Lestat de l'Encore, Interview with the Vampire.
04:28Typically associated with action-packed blockbusters at the time,
04:31I feel the need, the need for speed.
04:37Tom Cruise was seen as a surprising choice for the role of charismatic, yet imposing vampire, Lestat de l'Encore, in 1994's Interview with the Vampire.
04:45I assume I did no introduction.
04:47So much so, that Anne Rice, the author of the book in which the movie is adapted from, voiced concerns over Cruise's casting, questioning if he was the best fit for Lestat's aristocratic European demeanor.
04:59You've been a very, very naughty little girl.
05:06However, upon seeing the final product, Rice publicly reversed course and praised the movie star's output.
05:12Audiences warmed to the casting choice also, as Cruise successfully shed his pretty boy action star persona for one of his most remarkable performances to date.
05:20Have you said your goodbyes to the light?
05:23Number 5, Kristen Stewart as Diana, Princess of Wales, Spencer.
05:28Thanks to five starring roles in the critically-loathed Twilight films, Kristen Stewart had trouble shaking the character that made her a household name, Bella Swan.
05:36Are you afraid?
05:41Non-fans were quick to mock the actress with memes centered around her perceived wooden acting.
05:46So, when it was announced that she would be Princess Diana in the film Spencer, there was a decidedly mixed reaction.
05:51Nevertheless, under the direction of Pablo Lorraine, Stewart delivered a surprisingly authentic and emotionally resonant performance.
06:08It was a new career-defining moment for her, one that didn't involve a vampire and werewolf love triangle.
06:21The perfect Christmas, sir, is not following the rules and doing whatever you want.
06:25Number 4, Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and Doctor Doom, Marvel Cinematic Universe.
06:32I am Iron Man.
06:36If there's one thing we've learned when it comes to movie castings, it's never bet against Robert Downey Jr.
06:41Of course, before the Oscar winner took the MCU by storm, RDJ had a troubled past filled with personal struggles.
06:47Let's face it, this is not the worst thing you've caught me doing.
06:50And when Jon Favreau insisted that Downey Jr. was the best choice for Tony Stark slash Iron Man,
06:55many questioned whether he could handle such a high-profile role.
07:08Not only was he up for the task, but the A-lister completely redefined what it means to be a big screen hero.
07:21Iron Man.
07:23Some 15 years after donning the Iron Suit, Downey Jr. shocked everyone yet again,
07:27this time announcing he'll take on the villainous mantle of Marvel's Doctor Doom.
07:32The Oscar winner will don a different mask to play the ultimate bad guy, Doctor Doom, in the next two Avengers films.
07:39Boy, did I tell you I like playing complicated characters.
07:43Number 3, Michael Keaton as Batman, Batman.
07:46I want you to do me a favor. I want you to tell all your friends about me.
07:50What are you?
07:52I'm Batman.
07:54We have all grown accustomed to Batman fans outright questioning the actors chosen to play their beloved gothic hero.
07:59From Ben Affleck to Robert Pattinson, plenty of fanboys and fangirls have cried foul over the casting choices.
08:05What have you done?
08:07However, the outrage was at its highest when Tim Burton revealed it would be Michael Keaton donning the cape and cowl in his anticipated 1989 film.
08:15The backlash came from those who believed Keaton, a comedic actor, was not physically imposing, nor handsome enough to be Batman.
08:21Yeesh, how could they be cops?
08:28I should have asked for a night.
08:30Keaton's performance spoke for itself though, as he brought new depth and complexity to the character,
08:34making it one of the most iconic in cinema history.
08:37You ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?
08:39No.
08:49The name's Bond. James Bond.
08:51James Bond doesn't have blonde hair! This is blasphemous!
08:55Those were the types of cries heard from 007 purists when Daniel Craig was revealed to be the latest suave spy in the franchise.
09:02I've spoken with Piers and, you know, his support is really very important to me.
09:08The term James Blonde was also thrown around as Craig became the poster boy for unconventional casting choices,
09:14leading up to the release of 2006's Casino Royale.
09:16Heck, there were even internet campaigns calling for a full-on boycott.
09:20I'm sorry. That lost hand nearly killed me.
09:24Luckily, Craig over-delivered in the role, reinvigorating the character with gritty realism in a performance that many now call one of Bond's best ever.
09:32Let's just say it left his critics shaken and stirred.
09:38Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
09:42Zachary Quinto as Spock, Star Trek.
09:46Quinto earned admiration as Spock, despite having iconic shoes to fill.
09:50Captain, engineering reports ready for launch. Thank you.
09:54Renee Zellweger as Bridget Jones, Bridget Jones Diary.
09:58Zellweger, an American, let a smash hit about an iconic British character.
10:08Marlon Brando as Jor-El, Superman.
10:12Playing Superman's father was unexpected, yet welcome for an actor of Brando's caliber.
10:16I'm not given to wild, unsupported statements. And I tell you that we must evacuate this planet immediately.
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10:42Number 1. Heath Ledger as The Joker, The Dark Knight.
10:46And here we go.
10:50The Joker is the clown prince of comic book villains.
10:52And so, when the character was teased at the close of Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins,
10:56fans began to speculate just who would don the clown makeup next.
11:00Where's the calling card?
11:06Nobody was expecting the casting news they got.
11:08To say Heath Ledger faced intense scrutiny from the public would be a major understatement.
11:22How could a sensitive Australian actor take on such a dastardly part?
11:26They got their answer in Nolan's The Dark Knight.
11:28Here, Ledger completely disappears into the role, delivering a haunting version of the Joker,
11:34earning him a posthumous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
11:48What movie casting decisions left you stunned?
11:50Share your surprised reactions in the comments below.
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