12 Controversial Actor Recastings in Films, from Depp to Weisz

Nothing stirs up actors or their fans quite like a controversial recasting. Dive into any Fantastic Beasts hashtag or YouTube comments section, and you’ll find a flood of Johnny Depp supporters denouncing his removal from the series.

Often, such recasting decisions taint the films themselves, with fans expressing their discontent over a Mummy movie without Rachel Weisz or a Nightmare on Elm Street revival minus the original Freddy Krueger.

Sometimes it’s the actors who go public with their grievances, like Terrence Howard’s frustration with Marvel or Julia Sawalha’s dismay over being dropped from the Chicken Run sequel.

Money is usually the main issue, but other reasons can be even more infuriating, such as scheduling conflicts, feuds, or a voice being deemed “too old.”

Here are some notable instances where actors were recast for sequels or reboots, often sparking significant discontent…

Johnny Depp in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Days after the British High Court ruled a newspaper’s claim calling Johnny Depp a “wife beater” was “substantially true,” Depp announced that Warner Bros had asked him to resign from the Fantastic Beasts franchise. Depp had played the villain Gellert Grindelwald in the first two movies, and Mads Mikkelsen replaced him for the third film, The Secrets of Dumbledore. The decision led to a massive outcry on Twitter, with campaigns supporting Depp and calls to boycott the series unless he was reinstated.

Robin Williams in Aladdin 2

Robin Williams’ voice work as the Genie in Aladdin is one of the most iconic animated performances ever. However, post-release, Williams fell out with Disney over his voice being used for merchandising, against his wishes. “I just don’t want to sell anything,” he remarked in 1993. Disney initially denied the agreement and even sent him a Picasso painting worth $1 million as a peace offering. When that failed, they replaced him with Dan Castellaneta for the sequel The Return of Jafar. Eventually, after a public apology, Williams returned for Aladdin and the King of Thieves in 1996.

Terrence Howard in Iron Man 2

By the time Iron Man 2 came out in 2010, Don Cheadle had replaced Terrence Howard as War Machine. Reports indicated that Howard and Marvel clashed over money, with Howard being significantly higher-paid than his co-stars in the first film. For the sequel, Marvel offered him one-eighth of the original salary. Howard also claimed his salary was reduced to boost Robert Downey Jr.’s paycheck, and that Downey ignored his calls for support during contract negotiations. It’s a murky and unpleasant chapter in Marvel’s casting history.

Julia Sawalha in Chicken Run 2

Julia Sawalha voiced her disappointment in 2020 when she was dropped from the long-awaited Chicken Run sequel, being told her voice sounded “too old.” Despite recording her voice and sending it to producers as evidence, she was replaced by Thandiwe Newton. Sawalha expressed her devastation and powerlessness, while Aardman Animation chose not to comment on the decision.

Rachel Weisz in The Mummy 3

Rachel Weisz turned down the opportunity to reprise her role in the third Mummy film due to dissatisfaction with the script. The film, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, received poor reviews and quickly faded. Fans were upset with Weisz’s replacement, Maria Bello, who used a British accent. Bello admitted her portrayal felt like a completely different character, which did not sit well with audiences.

Rachelle Lefevre in Twilight

Rachelle Lefevre played Victoria in the first two Twilight films but was replaced by Bryce Dallas Howard for Eclipse. Lefevre claimed her role in another film wouldn’t conflict with Twilight, but Summit Entertainment disagreed. Despite the tension, Howard and Lefevre maintained a cordial relationship, emphasizing that the recasting decision wasn’t personal.

John Goodman and Rick Moranis in The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas

Neither John Goodman nor Rick Moranis signed on for a Flintstones sequel, so Universal made a prequel, Viva Rock Vegas, casting Mark Addy and Stephen Baldwin instead. The film flopped, effectively ending the franchise.

Kathleen Cauley and Jennifer Smith in Harry Potter

Lavender Brown was played by two Black actresses, Kathleen Cauley and Jennifer Smith, in early Harry Potter movies as minor characters. When the role became prominent, Warner Bros cast white actress Jessie Cave, leading to backlash due to the unexplained race change.

Ryan Gosling in The Lovely Bones

Ryan Gosling was set to star in The Lovely Bones but was replaced by Mark Wahlberg after gaining weight for the role, an idea that differed from director Peter Jackson’s vision. Gosling later admitted he misunderstood the character’s look, leading to his dismissal.

Crispin Glover in Back to the Future Part II

Crispin Glover’s character was replaced by Jeffrey Weissman in Back to the Future Part II, using prosthetics to maintain Glover’s likeness. Glover sued the producers for using his image without permission, and the case was settled out of court.

Robert Englund in A Nightmare on Elm Street

In the 2010 remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street, Jackie Earle Haley replaced Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger. Fans missed Englund’s humor, though Englund praised Haley’s performance, admitting the film wasn’t to his taste.

Edward Norton in The Avengers

Edward Norton played the Hulk in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk but didn’t return for 2012’s The Avengers, being replaced by Mark Ruffalo. Norton blamed financial disputes, rejecting Marvel’s claim that his exit was due to collaboration issues.