Oh, casting agents. Sometimes they nail it, and sometimes... you get Kevin Costner as Robin Hood. Now, this isn't to say that these actors aren't fantastic at what they do. A lot of these films turned out quite well, considering they couldn't physically morph themselves into a more believable or accurate character. Although, some did try!It begs the question, is it the three-movie contracts with studios? Is it directors wanting big names? Or, is it simply the actors biting off more than they can chew? A lot of people need to greenlight these things before they get made. Maybe they all forgot their glasses that day.
Chris Pratt as Mario
Chris Pratt, of Parks and Recreation and Guardians of the Galaxy fame, isn't anyone's first choice when it comes to voicing the loveable Italian plumber, Mario. After all, Mario has been impeccably voiced for 30 years by the talented Charles Martinet: as the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Mario is one of the most recognizable characters of all time, and it wouldn't be a stretch to say that this casting puts Pratt in an awkward spot. While Pratt won't be putting on a heavy mock Italian accent according to costar Chris Meledandri, Pratt's baritone voice coming out of Mario is a little hard to swallow (or hear, rather). Hopefully, Charlie Day's Luigi can save the day.
Cara Delevigne as Enchantress (June Moone)
The DC fandom has suffered enough. When the casting leaked for Suicide Squad, fans were nervous. Cara Delevigne's only other notable acting role to date was a painfully dull performance in John Green's Paper Towns. Still, we held our breath for a miracle.
While there were a lot of flaws in David Ayer's 2016 Squad, Delevigne's wide-eyed and innocent June just didn't hold up next to Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn, and she should have. June Moone is an archeologist. She's probably smarter than the whole Squad put together, but instead, she's presented as a scared little girl, hiding behind her buff boyfriend. We can't blame Delevigne for the script, but she did little to add depth to her character in the screen time she was given.
Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher
We get it, the studios love Tom Cruise. They've given the guy every lead actor role he's glanced at. But when you've got source material as beloved and in-depth as the Reacher series, and Lee Childs himself comparing the character's appearance to rugby player Lawrence Dallaglio, Cruise seems like a mismatch.
From the novel The Wanted Man, Reacher is described as "extremely tall, and extremely broad, and long-armed, and long-legged." Even Jason Statham would have been a better fit... and that's saying something. This series had so much promise and could have gone down in history as one of the best action franchises. Unfortunately, with Cruise at the helm, the fanbase considers them average at best.
Kristen Stewart as Snow White
It was a toss-up between Snow White or Bella Swan, but honestly, those terrible Twilight performances are now iconic and beloved. No one can pull off youthful awkwardness better than Kristen Stewart. Snow White and the Huntsman had a lot of potential, but without a strong lead performance, it didn't hold up.
Grimm's tales are dark: it's why they have staying power, and why there are many, many adaptations of them. Other than Stewart, the casting was flawless, and visually the film is stunning. If only she had brought the power and strength she's capable of (Sabina in Charlie's Angels, for example) to this role. Then again, maybe they should have just cast someone less naturally stoic to rally an army.
Vince Vaughn as Norman Bates
Vince Vaughn is an incredibly charismatic actor, even if his serious roles are not the strongest. The character of Norman Bates originated in a 1959 thriller novel and subsequently appeared in the Alfred Hitchcock film, Psycho. The author is said to have taken inspiration from serial killer Ed Gein. This mess lies solely on the shoulders of whoever thought it was a good idea to remake the original slasher in the first place, let alone have a lovable giant play Norman Bates.
Essentially, the 1998 remake was a shot-for-shot remake of the Hitchcock classic. Nothing was added to the story, and the only saving grace of the film is Danny Elfman's rearrangement of the score. On the bright side, this misfire didn't upend Hitchcock's classic, is now only mentioned in passing when discussing the original.
Kristen Wiig as Barbara Minerva (Cheetah)
Wonder Woman 1984 was a bit of a let-down. We could talk for hours about the film it could have been, but the first of many fatal flaws have to be addressed: Kristen Wiig was a bad casting choice. Brilliant as she is as a comic actress, this role would have been much better suited to someone with the dramatic chops to balance a neurotic Minerva and her transformation to the terrifying Cheetah.
She definitely did her best, but it takes a lot to steal a scene from the ethereal Gal Gadot. Like her role in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, she just felt misplaced. If we compare them to a similar dynamic, say Wanda and Agnes in Wandavision, you can see what a difference it makes to have two skilled dramatic actresses at the helm. Sorry Kristen, but you were magnificent in Bridesmaids.
Zendaya as Michelle Jones-Watson
Let there be no misunderstandings: Zendaya is a great actress. She knows how to carry a show, and perhaps that's why her performance as MJ feels so lackluster. Or perhaps it's because, for some reason, the filmmakers decided to create a new character as a "nod" to the original Mary Jane Watson, instead of just keeping the girl next door that audiences already love.
It was clear from the get-go that this MJ would be Peter's love interest eventually, but the lack of chemistry between the two very different high-schoolers was hard to ignore (and ironic, considering they're a couple in real life). We came in fresh from the intensity and heartbreak between The Amazing Spider-Man's Gwen and Peter, leading this new couple to pale in comparison.
Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor
Where to begin with Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor? Eisenberg as an actor is mostly typecasted, usually specializing in awkward, muttery, and dry characters. He does his job extremely well, but casting him, as one of the most powerful and fearsome comic book villains of all time, was a poor choice.
We're assuming that he was trying to be a hip, young CEO, but the character just fell flat and was even kind of annoying. It would have been better if Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice just stuck to the source material when it came to Lex.
Keanu Reeves as Jonathan Harker
Bram Stoker's Dracula: one of the most renowned novels of all time. When Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 epic was announced, the world rejoiced. With the highly skilled Gary Oldman as the titular star, what could go wrong?
Keanu Reeves' dialect training, apparently. Movie-goers often forgive the odd misplaced word or twang when an actor is portraying a character from another country, but poor Jonathan Harker didn't know which side of the Atlantic he belonged; not ideal for a British barrister from Exeter. While it gives audiences a giggle, Reeves proved his dramatic acting chops in My Own Private Idaho. Harker should have been played by one of the thousands of brilliant British actors better suited to the part. We love you Keanu, but you're better than that.
Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert
Honestly, Russell Crowe as Javert in Les Misérables could very well be one of the worst casting choices of all time, just outside of anything involving cultural appropriation.
It just makes us sad, honestly. The film is a triumphant stage-to-screen adaptation but all anyone remembers is the truly terrible vocals of the legendary actor. What were they thinking, putting him up against the likes of Hugh Jackman? The man is musical theatre personified. It may sound like a petty critique, but we dare anyone to watch the film and not find themselves immediately pulled out of the story by the gruff strain, made worse by the surrounding flawless performances.