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Jack Nicholson is an iconic actor known for his achievements in the field of exceptional acting. With his infamous line“Here’s Johnny”in Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 filmThe Shining,Nicholson found worldwide fame.
With his Hollywood fame on the rise, Jack Nicholson was approached with several roles and opportunities in classic movies. For various reasons, Nicholson could have replaced veteran actors like Harrison Ford and Anthony Hopkins but decided not to. Here’s a list of 5 iconic movies that Nicholson decided to reject.
1) Michael Corleone – The Godfather
Michael Corleone was the breakthrough role of veteran actor Al Pacino. As per a report, Francis Ford Coppola apparently offered Nicholson an offer that he couldn’t refuse. The actor gracefully rejected the role because he believed that“back then I believed that Indians should play Indians and Italians should play Italians.”
Or in more simpler words, the role of Michael Corleone should only be played by an Italian. Well, the role eventually went to Al Pacino but fans can’t help but wonder, what if Jack Nicholson had indeed taken the role of Michael Corleone?
2) Rick Deckard – Blade Runner
Also read:“It was jaw-dropping”: Morgan Freeman Was in Disbelief After One Small Gesture From Clint Eastwood
Back in 1982, Ridley Scott created a masterpiece of a movie when he directedBlade Runner.Spanning a franchise that would release movies with huge time intervals in between, Harrison Ford was attached as the main lead of the 1982 film but the role was initially offered to Jack Nicholson.
Since most of the story relied on expressing emotions through facial expressions, Nicholson was given the opportunity but wasn’t compatible with the role.
3) Hannibal Lecter – The Silence of the Lambs
Suggested:Stanley Kubrick Made Jack Nicholson Constantly Break the Fourth Wall in The Shining For an Unsettling Reason As His Character Increasingly Unravels in the Film
An iconic character that would have suited theBatmanactor greatly was the role of Hannibal Lecter in the classic 1991 movie,The Silence of the Lambs.As per a report,Jack Nicholsonwas heavily considered for the role of Hannibal Lecter and was almost finalized for the same.
It wasn’t until Anthony Hopkins emerged from the shadows and showed his calm demeanor of being a complete psychopath that he was chosen in the end. Nicholson’s portrayal would have been chaotic and violent but fans would have indeed loved to see him portray the role of Hannibal Lecter.
4) Father Karras – The Exorcist
In the 1973 film, Jack Nicholson was offered the role of Father Karras inThe Exorcist.As per the reports, director William Friedkin wanted desperately to work with Nicholson. The role however went to Jason Miller and the rest is history.
5) Indiana Jones – Raiders of the Lost Ark
Related:Jack Nicholson Fooled Stanley Kubrick Into Giving Him Time Off From Shoot Only To Anger Director Later After Getting Caught on Television
The one role that could have potentially changed Jack Nicholson’s career was the role of Indiana Jones. Starring in the role of a fedora-wearing archeologist, Nicholson was heavily considered for the role alongside Tom Selleck.
The role eventually went to Harrison Ford and the world loved him for it. It seems that Nicholson could have brought a chaotic and frenzied side to Indiana Jones but this version of Jones never came to the light of day.
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Visarg Acharya
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3263
Visarg Acharya is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on movies, with over 3000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past three years and a copywriter at a corporation. Visarg usually covers news and theories on the MCU and the DCU, with an emphasis on Avengers and Superman; Game of Thrones, and more.A Tarantino fan, Visarg, spends his time critiquing various directors’ filmographies and watching them with curiosity. Medieval fantasy like The Lord of the Rings or sci-fi movies like Interstellar, watching the latest horror movies, and listening to Hans Zimmer become his comfort zone. When idle, he can be found reading fantasy novels with a terrible cup of coffee in hand.
