Post by Cpt. Sir Dominic Flandry on Oct 8, 2010 5:24:56 GMT -5
uk.movies.yahoo.com/blog/article/44758/casting-outrages.html
Casting Outgrages
With Superman bosses recently announcing that Zack Snyder is to helm the 'Man of Steel' reboot, we urge him to cast with extreme caution. As we have learned from films like ‘Batman’ and ‘Casino Royale’, there is no one louder than an outraged fan boy.
Here are some casting decisions that had irate fans furiously venting their anger, but were proved wrong in the end.
Daniel Craig - James Bond
The knives were certainly out for Daniel Craig upon the announcement that he would replace Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. Clive Owen, Hugh Jackman and Sam Worthington were all mooted for the role, but the man who eventually ousted the popular Brosnan was seen as a poor choice by the series’ fans.
Overlooking his fine performances in a number of films, including ‘Road to Perdition’ and ‘Layer Cake’ (which saw him play a character that had Bond-esque charm), they instead wailed their disgust at a blonde man playing the suave superspy – spawning the website danielcraigisnotbond.com that is still running today.
He got back at his detractors with the success of ‘Casino Royale’, and went on to don the famed tuxedo in 'Quantum of Solace', but it remains to be seen if Craig will come back for a third attempt after the uncertainty surrounding MGM studios.
Michael Keaton - Batman
What makes the fury that surrounded Michael Keaton’s casting as Batman interesting was that it happened pre-internet. Nowadays, any casting news in these types of films becomes heavily scrutinised, with most outbursts ending up on forums. Essentially, though, it’s just film fans venting their frustrations in the easiest way possible, and it happens so frequently now, few people take any notice.
In the late 80s however, over 50,000 letters were sent to Warner Bros, urging them to rethink the casting of Michael Keaton who was famed for his eccentric performances in ‘Night Shift’ and ‘Beetlejuice’.
It turned out to be much ado about nothing, as the protestors (branded “DC Comics fundamentalists” by Keaton) would eventually rate his performance as one of the best Bruce Wayne/Batman portrayals on-screen.
Heath Ledger - The Joker
Fans wanted Robin Williams or 'Back to the Future's Crispin Glover for 'The Joker' - the main villain in Christopher Nolan's follow-up to the well received 'Batman Begins'. News then that Heath Ledger was cast raised a few eyebrows to say the least.
Predictably, internet forums went into meltdown at the casting news - complaining that he wasn't the right size, didn't have the crazy shtick needed for the part etc. However, those fears were allayed as soon as the film's trailer aired. A short preview of Ledger's performance as the intense psycho clown elevated the film from interesting, to essential viewing.
Robert Pattinson - Edward Cullen
It might be hard to believe now but news that a relatively unknown British actor was cast as the hugely ‘swoonsome’ vampire Edward Cullen, didn’t go down well with the fans. At. All.
Pattinson said after filming, “There was a huge, universal backlash about my being cast as Edward Cullen. Seventy five thousand ‘Twilight’ fans signed a petition against me.”
Oh, what a fickle world we live in.
Renee Zellweger - Bridget Jones
Fans of Helen Fielding’s column and the subsequent book, about the adventures of a frumpy single woman in London, wanted Kate Winslet to star as Bridget Jones. Instead, they got a stick thin Texan.
They feared the much-loved character would be turned into a soya-drinking Hollywood-looking starlet. What they got, however, was a slightly frumpy Zellweger perfecting an English accent and an appealing desire to make a fool out of herself when the script called for it.
Consequently, she was Oscar-nominated for the role.
Tom Cruise - Lestat de Lioncourt
Before there was Edward Cullen there was Lestat – a seductive and passionate vampire that captivated millions of readers' hearts.
The film adaption of Anne Rice’s ‘Interview with the Vampire’ was a lavish and big budget spectacle, and to justify its expense, a star was needed. And a star they got. He may have been the biggest name on the planet, but Tom Cruise’s casting was initially met with disgruntlement from fans of the book series and its author – who felt the casting decision was based on box office performances, rather than doing the source material justice.
However, Anne Rice publically apologised after seeing the film, conceding that she couldn’t imagine any other actor playing the part.
Casting Outgrages
With Superman bosses recently announcing that Zack Snyder is to helm the 'Man of Steel' reboot, we urge him to cast with extreme caution. As we have learned from films like ‘Batman’ and ‘Casino Royale’, there is no one louder than an outraged fan boy.
Here are some casting decisions that had irate fans furiously venting their anger, but were proved wrong in the end.
Daniel Craig - James Bond
The knives were certainly out for Daniel Craig upon the announcement that he would replace Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. Clive Owen, Hugh Jackman and Sam Worthington were all mooted for the role, but the man who eventually ousted the popular Brosnan was seen as a poor choice by the series’ fans.
Overlooking his fine performances in a number of films, including ‘Road to Perdition’ and ‘Layer Cake’ (which saw him play a character that had Bond-esque charm), they instead wailed their disgust at a blonde man playing the suave superspy – spawning the website danielcraigisnotbond.com that is still running today.
He got back at his detractors with the success of ‘Casino Royale’, and went on to don the famed tuxedo in 'Quantum of Solace', but it remains to be seen if Craig will come back for a third attempt after the uncertainty surrounding MGM studios.
Michael Keaton - Batman
What makes the fury that surrounded Michael Keaton’s casting as Batman interesting was that it happened pre-internet. Nowadays, any casting news in these types of films becomes heavily scrutinised, with most outbursts ending up on forums. Essentially, though, it’s just film fans venting their frustrations in the easiest way possible, and it happens so frequently now, few people take any notice.
In the late 80s however, over 50,000 letters were sent to Warner Bros, urging them to rethink the casting of Michael Keaton who was famed for his eccentric performances in ‘Night Shift’ and ‘Beetlejuice’.
It turned out to be much ado about nothing, as the protestors (branded “DC Comics fundamentalists” by Keaton) would eventually rate his performance as one of the best Bruce Wayne/Batman portrayals on-screen.
Heath Ledger - The Joker
Fans wanted Robin Williams or 'Back to the Future's Crispin Glover for 'The Joker' - the main villain in Christopher Nolan's follow-up to the well received 'Batman Begins'. News then that Heath Ledger was cast raised a few eyebrows to say the least.
Predictably, internet forums went into meltdown at the casting news - complaining that he wasn't the right size, didn't have the crazy shtick needed for the part etc. However, those fears were allayed as soon as the film's trailer aired. A short preview of Ledger's performance as the intense psycho clown elevated the film from interesting, to essential viewing.
Robert Pattinson - Edward Cullen
It might be hard to believe now but news that a relatively unknown British actor was cast as the hugely ‘swoonsome’ vampire Edward Cullen, didn’t go down well with the fans. At. All.
Pattinson said after filming, “There was a huge, universal backlash about my being cast as Edward Cullen. Seventy five thousand ‘Twilight’ fans signed a petition against me.”
Oh, what a fickle world we live in.
Renee Zellweger - Bridget Jones
Fans of Helen Fielding’s column and the subsequent book, about the adventures of a frumpy single woman in London, wanted Kate Winslet to star as Bridget Jones. Instead, they got a stick thin Texan.
They feared the much-loved character would be turned into a soya-drinking Hollywood-looking starlet. What they got, however, was a slightly frumpy Zellweger perfecting an English accent and an appealing desire to make a fool out of herself when the script called for it.
Consequently, she was Oscar-nominated for the role.
Tom Cruise - Lestat de Lioncourt
Before there was Edward Cullen there was Lestat – a seductive and passionate vampire that captivated millions of readers' hearts.
The film adaption of Anne Rice’s ‘Interview with the Vampire’ was a lavish and big budget spectacle, and to justify its expense, a star was needed. And a star they got. He may have been the biggest name on the planet, but Tom Cruise’s casting was initially met with disgruntlement from fans of the book series and its author – who felt the casting decision was based on box office performances, rather than doing the source material justice.
However, Anne Rice publically apologised after seeing the film, conceding that she couldn’t imagine any other actor playing the part.
