Worst Lead Role Casting Decision

[johnvandyne]

Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher

They couldn't have got further away from the character in the Lee Child books than Cruise.

In the book Reacher is 6'5" 250lb with hands like shovels, not a 5'4" 90lb midget with the hands of a schoolgirl!

One of the Harmsworths or Jason Momoa would have been better.

Hopefully the mooted TV series will be more like the books.

[Semi42]

Johnny depp in Charlie and the chocolate factory

should have left well alone

[tex]

It was generally considered that George lazenby was one of cinemas biggest "oops" moments when he was cast as James bond in On her majestys secret service, outside of a couple of chocolate adverts for Frys he had zero acting experience, he simply bought himself a saville row suit and had a haircut, he put himself up for audition and was given the job based on how he looked and moved. In recent years however opinion has changed massively and OHMSS is considered one of the best Bond films in the series. The problem of course was he was always going to be compared to Connery who to most people particularly at that time was the only James bond ,and the notion that this young runt could steal the crown was unfathomable and so he was unfairly dismissed out of the gate by both the critics and the public. Lazenby did just one Bond film after becoming very difficult following the films release and was consequently fired to allow Connery to return to the franchise in Diamonds are forever

[Cartimand]

I loved Stephen King's Dark Tower saga - almost certainly the best fantasy literature he ever wrote.
BUT, the film adaptation was utterly dreadful, capturing none of the magic of the books.
Also, what a bizarre choice of actor to play The Gunslinger in Idris Elba!
In the books, The Gunslinger is quite a spectral and otherworldly character described as "pallid" and "pale as a ghost". So the decision to cast a black actor was downright bizarre.
With Roland being black, this meant they had to cut out the entire racial dynamic to the plot with Susanna and totally emasculated the story.

[George 1978]

Watching that Worzel Gummidge special on Christmas Eve. I had always thought that only Jon Pertwee could have played Worzel and no other actor.

Also, I just cannot imagine Ronnie Barker doing Frank Spencer - likewise, I cannot imagine Michael Crawford doing Fletcher or Arkwright either.