Emily Blunt as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Emily Blunt almost wore the famous black suit in the Marvel movies. She was the first pick to play Black Widow before Scarlett Johansson got the part. Marvel wanted her skills for the role that would appear in “Iron Man 2” and many other films.

But Blunt had to say no because of her busy schedule.

The British star had other movie jobs that got in the way. She was filming “Gulliver’s Travels” at the same time Marvel called. This timing clash forced her to pass on what became an iconic role in the superhero world.

Fans still wonder how different the Marvel films might look with Blunt fighting bad guys instead of Johansson. The part later grew into a major character with her own movie.

Britney Spears as Allie in *The Notebook*

Britney Spears almost played the role of Allie in the hit romance movie *The Notebook*. The pop star did more than just show interest. She went through a full screen test for the part that later made Rachel McAdams famous.

Movie bosses picked McAdams in the end because she had better chemistry with Ryan Gosling. The two actors sparked magic on screen that helped make the film a classic love story.

I did a screen test for *The Notebook*. I didn’t get the part, but it was fun to do the screen test with Ryan Gosling. – Britney Spears

Can you picture Britney saying “If you’re a bird, I’m a bird”? The casting choice might have changed the whole feel of the movie. Next up is Anne Hathaway, who nearly landed a role that won Jennifer Lawrence an Oscar.

Al Pacino as Han Solo in *Star Wars*

Can you picture Al Pacino flying the Millennium Falcon? The famous actor turned down the role of Han Solo in the original Star Wars. George Lucas offered him the part, but Pacino said no.

He felt lost about the script and didn’t get the story. “I was in so many things at that time,” Pacino told MTV in 2014. He had too many movie offers and had to pick which ones to do.

Harrison Ford stepped in and made the role his own. Ford’s take on the space smuggler became one of the most loved movie heroes ever.

Anne Hathaway almost played a very different kind of role than Princess Leia or any space character. She was close to starring in Silver Linings Playbook as Tiffany.

Anne Hathaway as Tiffany in *Silver Linings Playbook*

Anne Hathaway almost played Tiffany in the hit movie *Silver Linings Playbook*. She turned down the role due to creative disagreements with director David O. Russell. The part went to Jennifer Lawrence instead, who knocked it out of the park.

Lawrence’s amazing work earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress. Movie fans often wonder how different the film might have been with Hathaway in the role.

Hathaway has starred in many big films like *The Princess Diaries* and *The Devil Wears Prada*. She later won her own Oscar for *Les Misérables*, proving she had the acting chops for deep roles.

The choice to walk away from *Silver Linings Playbook* shows how actors must sometimes make tough calls about their careers. Still, Lawrence’s fresh take on Tiffany became one of her most loved roles.

John Travolta as Forrest Gump in *Forrest Gump*

While Anne Hathaway missed her shot at an Oscar-winning role, John Travolta faced a similar fork in his career path. Tom Hanks won hearts and awards as Forrest Gump, but few fans know that Travolta got the first crack at the part.

The studio offered him the lead role in this iconic film about a slow-witted but kind-hearted man who witnesses key moments in American history.

Travolta made a choice that changed movie history. He picked *Pulp Fiction* instead, playing hitman Vincent Vega for director Quentin Tarantino. This bold move paid off big time. *Pulp Fiction* breathed new life into Travolta’s career after years of box office flops.

Still, it’s fun to picture Travolta saying, “Life is like a box of chocolates” with his unique accent and dance moves. Both stars ended up with huge career wins, proving sometimes the roles we don’t take matter as much as the ones we do.

Hugh Jackman as James Bond in *Casino Royale*

From Gump to Bond, our list shows how famous roles almost went to different stars. Hugh Jackman nearly traded his Wolverine claws for a spy’s tuxedo. The Australian actor was considered for the role of James Bond in “Casino Royale.” He declined the part, feeling the scripts lacked realism.

Jackman wanted to avoid portraying Bond as an overly simplistic hero.

The role was ultimately given to Daniel Craig. Craig made the character his own and portrayed Bond in five movies. Fans now associate the role strongly with Craig. It’s interesting to consider how Jackman might have delivered the iconic martini line.

The James Bond franchise could have taken a different direction with Wolverine as 007.

Claire Danes as Rose in *Titanic*

Claire Danes almost sailed on the doomed ship instead of Kate Winslet. James Cameron wanted Danes for the role of Rose after seeing her work. She turned down what became one of the biggest movies ever made.

Danes had just finished working with Leonardo DiCaprio on “Romeo + Juliet” and didn’t want the massive fame that would come with “Titanic.”.

On Dax Shepard’s *Armchair Expert* podcast, Danes shared she has no regrets about her choice. The movie shot for months in water tanks, which sounded tough to her. While Winslet won hearts as Rose, Danes went on to star in “My So-Called Life” and later “Homeland.” Her path worked out fine without the famous “I’m flying” scene on the bow of the ship.

Eminem as Mad Max in *Mad Max: Fury Road*

Rap star Eminem almost took the dusty roads of the post-apocalyptic world instead of Tom Hardy. Director George Miller thought about casting the “Lose Yourself” artist as Mad Max after seeing his acting skills in *8 Mile*.

The rapper showed he could play tough roles with raw emotion, which made Miller put him on the short list. This casting choice would have given the movie a totally different feel from what fans saw in theaters.

The idea of Eminem fighting War Boys and racing across the wasteland seems wild now. His Detroit grit might have worked well in the harsh desert setting. But in the end, Tom Hardy got the part and made it his own.

The role went to a more known movie star, but fans still wonder what kind of Max the rapper would have been. Amanda Seyfried also missed out on a big chance when she almost played Regina George in *Mean Girls*.

Amanda Seyfried as Regina George in *Mean Girls*

Amanda Seyfried almost ruled North Shore High as queen bee Regina George. She tried out for the mean girl role that made Rachel McAdams famous. But fate had other plans. The casting team saw something different in Seyfried.

They picked her to play Karen, the not-so-bright friend who can predict the weather with her chest. This switch worked out great for the movie. Blake Lively was also in the mix for Karen’s role at one point.

The film became a huge hit, and both actresses got to shine. Seyfried’s ditzy Karen gave us some of the funniest lines in the whole movie. “It’s like I have ESPN or something,” still makes fans laugh today.