Films that actors were going to do but didn't due to their death

LMLM Posts: 63,249
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I was thinking about films that were going to be played by a different actor but never did due to that actor's death.

I know that Aaliyah was meant to do The Matrix and play the role that Jada Pinkett did. She was also meant to do Honey, which Jessica Alba did, and was also going to do Sparkle, after Whitney Houston fought hard to get her in the role, which eventually got shelved for several years and was eventually played by Jordin Sparks.
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,679
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    The only one I can think of is Dark Blood, the film River Phoenix was making when he died.

    As far as I'm aware, this film never got finished.
  • cobwebsoupcobwebsoup Posts: 4,852
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    Leslie Neilsen was going to star in a fourth Naked Gun movie back in 2010 but he sadly passed away before it was filmed.
  • Alien_SaxonAlien_Saxon Posts: 1,178
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    Bruce Lee had apparently agreed to play a villain in the James Bond movie "Man with a golden gun" before he passed away.
  • Susie_WilcoxSusie_Wilcox Posts: 1,014
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    Marilyn Monroe was signed to star in 'Kiss Me Stupid' with Dean Martin but died before production began...Kim Novak took the role (just as well...dreadful film).

    Jeffrey Hunter (King of Kings, Capt. Kirk in Star Trek pilot episode) signed to film The Desperados in 1969 but died of brain haemorrhage soon after.
  • Susie_WilcoxSusie_Wilcox Posts: 1,014
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    Steve McQueen was offered the role of the bodyguard in The Bodyguard opposite Diana Ross when the film was going to be made in 1976 but it kept getting postponed and of course he died years before it got made.

    Poltergeist actress Dominique Dunne was signed for a role in V: The Final Battle (1984) when she was murdered by her ex-boyfriend.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 75
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    Old.Tallen wrote: »
    The only one I can think of is Dark Blood, the film River Phoenix was making when he died.

    As far as I'm aware, this film never got finished.

    This was actually finished this year... you will find it if you look hard enough!!

    Mark
  • TakaeTakae Posts: 13,555
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    Charlotte Coleman
    Meant to appear in Bright Young Things and Anita and Me. She was to meet about appearing in The Heart of Me (at the time, known as The Echo) and The Magdalene Sisters, but she died before the meetings could take place.
  • Walter NeffWalter Neff Posts: 9,129
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    James Dean was scheduled to star in the Rocky Graziano story, but when he died Paul Newman took over the role, and he was a smash hit in Somebody Up There Likes Me. I don't think that Dean would have been so memorable in that role.
  • SummeririsSummeriris Posts: 649
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    Jack Benny was due to do 'The Sunshine Boys' and died before filming started. George Burns stepped in and won the Oscar.
  • Michael_EveMichael_Eve Posts: 14,413
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    Montgomery Clift was due to star with Elizabeth Taylor in 'Reflections in A Golden Eye' and did 'The Defector' in 1966 as a 'warm-up' to show he could still act after being considered uninsurable since 'Freud' (in which he was great, but there were lots of shenanigans on that film; from what I've heard, not least because of the director)

    Marlon Brando took the role after Clift died.

    Ironically, imho 'The Defector' is a pretty interesting film, and not just because it was Monty's last role before his death, and 'Reflections...' is absolutely dreadful.
  • mialiciousmialicious Posts: 4,686
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    bill murray replaced john belushi in ghostbusters.
  • degsyhufcdegsyhufc Posts: 59,251
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    Weren't Roy Kinnear and John Candy both filming when they died? I'm not sure if there parts were cut or the films cancelled.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 130
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    Old.Tallen wrote: »
    The only one I can think of is Dark Blood, the film River Phoenix was making when he died.

    As far as I'm aware, this film never got finished.

    River Phoenix was also scheduled to film Interview With A Vampire, Christian Slater was recast in the role after Phoenix's death.
  • Gusto BruntGusto Brunt Posts: 12,351
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    degsyhufc wrote: »
    Weren't Roy Kinnear and John Candy both filming when they died? I'm not sure if there parts were cut or the films cancelled.

    Roy died in 1988, following a fall from a horse, making the movie, The Return of the Musketeers.

    John Candy died six years later of a heart attack. I don't think they were ever in the same movie together though.:confused:
  • 007Fusion007Fusion Posts: 3,657
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    Chris Farley was due to play Shrek, even recorded his lines but was replaced by Mike Myers upon his death. There was another film too, that he was due to star in but i can't remember the name.
  • Callum_BrownCallum_Brown Posts: 745
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    Presumably Richard Harris was signed on for a few more Harry Potters before Michael Gambon took over.
  • CLL DodgeCLL Dodge Posts: 115,488
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    Roy died in 1988, following a fall from a horse, making the movie, The Return of the Musketeers.

    John Candy died six years later of a heart attack. I don't think they were ever in the same movie together though.:confused:

    degsyhufc was referring to 2 separate films.

    Kinnear's part in the Musketeers film still stands (they used a double and a soundalike in some scenes).

    The makers of Wagons East also used a double for scenes they could not re-write without Candy's character.
  • brumiladbrumilad Posts: 1,467
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    Poltergeist actress Dominique Dunne was signed for a role in V: The Final Battle (1984) when she was murdered by her ex-boyfriend.
    Sorry to be picky but it was the first V mini-series she was filming when she was murdered, playing Robin.
  • brumiladbrumilad Posts: 1,467
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    She wasn't signed but the producers of Superman apparently wanted Joan Crawford for Ma Kent. She was too ill however and died before production.
  • degsyhufcdegsyhufc Posts: 59,251
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    CLL Dodge wrote: »
    degsyhufc was referring to 2 separate films.

    Kinnear's part in the Musketeers film still stands (they used a double and a soundalike in some scenes).

    The makers of Wagons East also used a double for scenes they could not re-write without Candy's character.
    Thanks. Yes those are what I was referring to.
  • sarahj1986sarahj1986 Posts: 11,305
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    Heath Ledger was filming the Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus when he died
  • CLL DodgeCLL Dodge Posts: 115,488
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    Vic Morrow was famously decapitated along with 2 kids whilst filming The Twilight Zone. He's still in the picture, the kids roles were cut.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 259
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    sarahj1986 wrote: »
    Heath Ledger was filming the Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus when he died

    Would he have been in the Dark Knight Rises? I think the film would have benefited from a few scenes from him, locked up in Arkham, or perhaps involved in the prison breakout scenes. It's a great shame.
  • AngiBearAngiBear Posts: 2,883
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    Oliver Reed died during the filming of Gladiator. They had to shoot some scenes using CGI and one using a mannequin.
  • Shak2005Shak2005 Posts: 656
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    River phoenix was supposed to be in interview with a vampire but died before filming began and Christian Slater took over as the interviewer.
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