10 Actors Who Turned Down Billion-Dollar Movies (Including Avengers & The Dark Knight)

Even incredibly successful actors earn a lot, but surprisingly, some have turned down movies that went on to make over a billion dollars – sometimes without even realizing how big the film would become. Choosing to reject a role can be just as impactful on an actor’s career as accepting one. With so many big-budget films being made these days, it’s probable that every well-known actor has been offered a significant part at some point, whether it’s in a superhero movie, a science fiction adventure, or a fantasy epic.

Turning down big movie roles isn’t always a bad career move; sometimes avoiding massive, over-the-top blockbusters actually helps an actor’s reputation in the long run. Actors have various reasons for passing on these opportunities—creative differences, busy schedules, or personal preferences—but it always begs the question: how much money and recognition did they give up by saying no?

10) Jessica Chastain – Iron Man 3

Jessica Chastain was considered by Marvel for two roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Maya Hansen in *Iron Man 3* and Christine Palmer in *Doctor Strange*. While she didn’t take either part, *Iron Man 3* went on to become a huge box office success, earning over $1 billion. There was some initial confusion when reports incorrectly stated she had been cast, but Chastain quickly clarified that she was already committed to other projects and the news was released too early.

Jessica Chastain likely turned down the role of Maya Hansen because it didn’t fit with her careful career planning. Even as Marvel movies became incredibly popular, she focused on more complex, dramatic roles that she found creatively fulfilling, rather than prioritizing blockbuster success.

9) Harrison Ford – Jurassic Park

Harrison Ford was originally offered the role of Dr. Alan Grant in *Jurassic Park* by Steven Spielberg, but he turned it down. He’d already played a comparable character in *Indiana Jones*, making him Spielberg’s first choice, but ultimately led to his decision to decline. Sam Neill ended up playing the part, and it proved to be a great fit – the *Jurassic Park* franchise has since become a massive $6 billion success, and Neill became a key part of it. Ford’s decision opened the door for Neill to become a star in the series.

Having played the cynical archaeologist likely boosted his confidence and income, allowing him to decline the role of the paleontologist. Even though he turned down what would become a huge cultural hit, Harrison Ford still built an incredible career, starring in iconic films like *Blade Runner* and *Witness*.

8) Tim Roth – Harry Potter

Tom Roth was originally considered to play Severus Snape in the *Harry Potter* films, but he turned down the role. He worried that being so closely associated with the character would overshadow his other work – a reasonable concern, as the part would likely have made him instantly recognizable due to all the related merchandise. He shared this on the *There’s Something About Movies* podcast, explaining he didn’t want to be defined by a single role.

Rather than taking the Harry Potter role, Tim Roth appeared in Tim Burton’s *Planet of the Apes* and continued working with Quentin Tarantino on films such as *The Hateful Eight*. At the same time, the team behind the Harry Potter films decided on Alan Rickman to play Snape, and most fans agree he was perfect for the part. Roth himself later admitted he thought Rickman was a better fit for the professor.

7) Michael Douglas – Frozen

Michael Douglas recently shared on *The Late Late Show with James Corden* that he was offered a role in the popular Disney animated film *Frozen*, which became the top-grossing movie of 2013. He admitted he doesn’t recall which character he was considered for, but confirmed he ultimately didn’t take the part. Many people believe the role was likely Olaf, but this hasn’t been officially confirmed.

Fortunately, Douglas has had a long and successful career, providing both financial stability and artistic recognition. However, despite winning multiple Oscars and working for decades, he still admits to feeling regret, showing that even well-established actors can experience disappointment when thinking about missed opportunities.

6) Rooney Mara – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Rooney Mara was a potential candidate to play Jyn Erso in *Rogue One*, but she didn’t audition for the role. She told *Deadline* that her busy work schedule – six days a week – simply didn’t allow her to commit to such a large film franchise, even though she admired the director and thought the project was interesting.

Although Felicity Jones eventually excelled in the role, Mara’s decision not to take it probably benefited her career. It allowed her to appear in highly praised movies such as *Lion* and avoid some of the criticism and disappointing fan response that Disney’s *Star Wars* films received.

5) Johnny Depp – Titanic

Johnny Depp was considered for the role of Jack in the movie *Titanic* back in the 1990s, but he turned it down. He later explained on *The Howard Stern Show* that he only read the first 15 pages of the script before deciding a three-hour movie wasn’t something he wanted to do at the time.

The film launched Leonardo DiCaprio into international fame and became a massive box office success. While Johnny Depp later found success in blockbuster franchises like *Pirates of the Caribbean*, he eventually said he regretted turning down the role. In an interview with *Rolling Stone*, Depp playfully suggested recreating *Titanic* in his bathtub, but he also expressed his belief that Hollywood has become too risk-averse.

4) Sean Connery – The Lord of the Rings

Peter Jackson initially approached James Bond star Sean Connery to play Gandalf in his films, offering him a huge deal – $30 million upfront, plus 15% of the movie’s earnings. It was an exceptionally generous offer at the time, but Connery turned it down, later saying he hadn’t quite grasped the story or what made it special.

As a huge Tolkien fan, I was thrilled when Ian McKellen became Gandalf in the movies – and it clearly paid off, with the trilogy making almost $3 billion worldwide! They’ve even asked him to come back for a new spin-off! It’s amazing to think Sean Connery turned down that role, potentially missing out on over $447 million. But honestly, he’d already built such an incredible career and had plenty of money from being James Bond, so he could afford to say no.

3) Denzel Washington – Furious 7

Before Kurt Russell became known as Mr. Nobody in *Furious 7*, Denzel Washington was first considered for the part but turned it down. Although a small role, Mr. Nobody became a recurring character in later *Fast & Furious* films. *Furious 7* was a massive success, earning $1.5 billion globally and becoming one of the highest-grossing movies ever at the time, and its popularity was also boosted by being Paul Walker’s last film appearance.

Denzel Washington turned down a part in the movie before filming began, which allowed Chris Russell to join the *Fast* series and bring his strong personality to the role. While it’s unclear exactly why Washington declined, his decision shows that actors who’ve won Academy Awards have more freedom to choose projects, even if it means passing on a big payday.

2) Saoirse Ronan – Avengers: Age of Ultron

Back in 2013, Marvel Studios initially wanted Saoirse Ronan to play the Scarlet Witch. The team even used her as a model when developing the character’s look and design for *Avengers: Age of Ultron*. However, Ronan decided not to take the role, and Elizabeth Olsen ultimately became known for playing the part in eight different Marvel projects, including the *WandaVision* series.

According to a report by Deadline’s Justin Kroll on the podcast *The Town*, Saoirse Ronan turned down roles in both *Avengers: Age of Ultron* and *Black Widow* (before Florence Pugh was cast as Yelena Belova). Kroll explained that Ronan wasn’t interested in pursuing projects within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Interestingly, both films went on to earn over a billion dollars worldwide. During that same period (2015-2023), Ronan received four Academy Award nominations, demonstrating her focus on artistically fulfilling work over large-scale commercial projects.

1) Matt Damon – Avatar & The Dark Knight

Matt Damon famously turned down two incredibly successful movies. He was offered the main role in James Cameron’s *Avatar*, which went on to become the highest-grossing film ever made, and the part of Harvey Dent/Two-Face in Christopher Nolan’s *The Dark Knight*. That role eventually went to Aaron Eckhart, who created a popular villain, though Heath Ledger’s Joker often receives more attention. *The Dark Knight* itself also earned over a billion dollars and is considered a groundbreaking blockbuster.

Matt Damon hasn’t spoken publicly about regretting turning down either of these roles, and it’s likely he didn’t struggle with the decisions. The projects may simply not have been a good fit for him at the time. While he passed on films that went on to gross around $4 billion worldwide, his career has remained incredibly successful, with major franchises like *Bourne* and *The Martian*, and collaborations with renowned directors like Clint Eastwood and Steven Soderbergh.

https://comicbook.com/movies/news/actors-who-quit-marvel-movies/embed/#

2025-10-09 14:42