As a child of the 90s, I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia when I think about the iconic movie “Casper.” Being a few years younger than Christina Ricci, who played the adorable Kat, I didn’t get to witness her scene-stealing turn as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family before she was cast as Casper’s love interest. However, I can certainly relate to her experience of sharing her childhood with a ghost, albeit not a friendly one like Casper!
There’s no unfinished business when it comes to our enduring love for Casper.
In the month of May, 1995, nearly three months prior to Halloween, it was unexpected for “Casper” to turn into one of the top-grossing films of the year or an enduring symbol associated with the spooky season.
The movie that cost $55 million to produce, featuring Bill Pullman and a 14-year-old Christina Ricci, eventually earned $300 million and is fondly remembered as one of Universal Studios’ cherished possessions from the ’90s.
Fun fact: You might not realize this, but the initial version of the classic story didn’t feature Casper in human form. Instead, we almost missed out on hearing ’90s heartthrob Devon Sawa asking his famous line, “Can I keep you?” (Imagine all the teenage crushes that would have gone unrequited!).
Under the guidance of debut film director Brad Silbering, with Steven Spielberg serving as producer, the transition from the comic strip to the screen brought about numerous alterations in the tale of the world’s most amiable ghost. Among these changes were a heartrending backstory for the friendly ghost and the omission of a character previously associated with witchcraft, who would eventually be portrayed by Hilary Duff.
But the biggest was certainly the addition of Sawa.
Despite passing the years, he acknowledges that it is no longer a frequent choice for entertainment for his children Hudson (age 10) and Scarlett (age 8).
In an interview with TopMob News in 2022, the star of Chucky revealed that somewhere he has a video of his son watching the movie, but the boy didn’t fully understand it at the time. He was about four when he saw it and reacted with surprise to the scene where the child comes down the stairs. However, it doesn’t seem like he recognized his father in the film, and they haven’t watched it again since then. They generally don’t rewatch many of the actor’s movies because, as he put it, “a lot of movies don’t age well.
Beg to differ, sir.
25 Fascinating Tidbits About Casper You Probably Didn’t Know, Revealing the Hidden Crush on Set and the Unsuccessful Attempt at a Sequel – As an ardent admirer like myself!
Filmmaker Alex Proyas, renowned for his work on movies like “The Crow” and “Dark City”, had originally been linked to this project, but he parted ways a couple of months prior to the scheduled start of production due to artistic disagreements.
In 2008, Proyas shared with CBR.com that Casper appeared to be a chance for an exceptional children’s film with strong emotional depth. However, it eventually drifted away from its potential and this is why he graciously stepped aside. Subsequently, Brad Silberling took over as the director for the first time.
2. Casper was the first film to have a completely computer-generated character in a lead role.
3. Unlike the original comics, which didn’t delve into Casper’s origin story (his parents being ghosts themselves), the movie chose to create a moving backstory for him: He passed away from pneumonia as a child due to the cold, leaving his inventor father heartbroken.
4. Bill Pullman enthusiastically accepted the role of Dr. Harvey, the widower, for a personal reason: “That part was one I eagerly anticipated playing,” he shared with The A.V. Club in 2020. “It gave me the opportunity to bring my children to the set, as they were at the ideal age to fully immerse themselves in all the enchantment that came with it.
5. Child actor Malachi Pearson secured the role of voicing Casper after multiple auditions, ultimately being chosen following a final round of testing alongside the entire cast and production team.
According to Pearson, while reading his lines on set in 1995, as reported by the Chicago Tribune, the filmmakers recorded his expressions so they could mix them with their own imagined gestures for Casper.
6. In the initial storyline, Casper didn’t transform into a human at the end, so viewers missed out on the famous unmasking of Casper that was portrayed by Devon Sawa.
It was young director J.J. Abrams who contributed to the “Can I keep you?” scene, as he was tasked with writing an alternate ending for a movie in 1994, according to Sawa’s tweet from 2018. This ending was approved and led to a nationwide casting call. Sawa submitted a VHS tape, and a week later, he landed the role of Casper. Since then, he has continued his career in acting. Many thanks to JJ for this opportunity.
7. Sawa initially felt intimidated by Christina Ricci during their first encounter prior to his winning the role of human Casper, confessing to Vulture, “She exuded a certain ‘I’m in charge here’ aura. However, she soon thawed. We immediately had chemistry, I believe. We became friends rather swiftly.
8. In the 1995 film “Now & Then“, both Ricci and Sawa were romantic interests, and it was actually Ricci who suggested Sawa for the part of Scott Wormer.
In an interview with TopMob News, I acknowledged that she was instrumental in securing that role. During my brief stint working on Casper, we developed a strong rapport. As it turns out, we’re around the same age and attended school together during my stay. Although I only worked for one or two days, I was there for approximately two weeks. She recalled our time together and recommended me, which led to my audition. Throughout the filming process, we spent a considerable amount of time together.
9. It might have been due to a friendly competition for affections, as it turned out later that Thora Birch, who starred in the movie “Now & Then,” mentioned there was a bit of a contest for Sawa’s attention, with Ricci ultimately winning this friendly rivalry.
As a lifestyle enthusiast, I find it essential to set the record straight whenever misconceptions arise. When asked about the rumor by TopMob News, I clarified, “Indeed, I was not aware of such claims. At that age, around 14, they were all so delightful, the four of them.
10. To persuade big-name stars such as Mel Gibson and Clint Eastwood to appear briefly in the movie, producer Steven Spielberg promised that he too would make a brief appearance in the same scene along with them.
The only problem? Spielberg’s cameo was ultimately removed from the final cut, with Silbering telling Entertainment Weekly, “I had to tell Steven, ‘You’re not the strongest of the group … [he] was sort of relieved. He felt compelled to do the cameo since he asked for favors, but he’s not an actor. Doing the cameo, he was as nervous as anything.”
In an unexpected turn of events during my acting career, I experienced one of the most challenging physical scenes when I engaged in a sword fight with ghosts – yes, you read that right! The twist was, I had to use a toilet plunger as my weapon, which was quite peculiar even for a fantasy film. To make matters more difficult, this scene was filmed backwards and I had to do it while climbing stairs, all while fighting invisible opponents.
12. In tribute to the original comic series creator, the two primary characters were named Harveys. (Harvey Comics was the company behind the original comics.)
13. Originally, there was a large musical sequence envisioned, featuring the Ghostly Trio crooning “Lucky Enough to Be A Ghost.” However, this concept was eventually scrapped to manage costs.
14. An alternative concept that didn’t make it was a lively nod to the movie Poltergeist, where it was originally planned for Zelda Rubinstein to reappear in the role she played in the iconic 1982 horror production.
Screenwriter Deanna Oliver shared with Entertainment Weekly that they envisioned her character descending from the chimney, exclaiming, “Head towards the light!
In the show “Everybody Loves Raymond”, Brad Garrett played a part, voicing Fatso, one of Casper’s problematic uncles.)
16. Almost cast Ariana Richards, who had recently captivated audiences as Wednesday Addams in “The Addams Family,” in Steven Spielberg’s 1993 blockbuster “Jurassic Park.” However, he eventually chose another actress for the role. (Paraphrased)
17. In instances where Ricci and Pullman needed to converse with Casper or the three spirits, tennis balls served as substitutes.
18. The final movie edition omitted a scene where Kat discovers a picture depicting the Ghostly Trio transformed into humans.
19. The Backstreet Boys shot the music video for their popular tune “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” in the very same mansion used in the movie.
20. Due to budget constraints at the studio, they opted to purchase the rights for a single original comic book character instead of multiple ones, which unfortunately led to abandoning the plans for Wendy the Good Little Witch in the movie. However, as a tribute to the character, the filmmakers incorporated a scene where Kat dons a red hood.
21. Three years following Casper’s debut, the ghost crossed paths with a small witch in the 1998 direct-to-video sequel. At that time, Hilary Duff, who was 11, took on the role wearing a red cape.
22. Plans for a live-action sequel, led by director Simon Wells, were scrapped by Universal in 2000 due to the disappointing sales of direct-to-video spin-offs and actress Ricci’s hesitation about reprising her role.
In 2018, Ricci disclosed that Casper was the initial film she had introduced to her 3-year-old son Freddie, and his response left everyone in stitches.
According to Ricci, he was reminiscing about his childhood with a spectral companion, as he shared with People magazine. At one point, the conversation turned to this topic, and both parties responded with amusement, saying something along the lines of “That’s a bit premature.” For some time afterward, they found themselves discussing ghostly phenomena, living by himself with his father, and even pretending to be a ghost, at which point they collectively expressed discomfort, exclaiming “Oh dear!
24. Sawa made headlines in 2017 when he tweeted he was ready for a Casper sequel.
“Hello Universal, ya it’s me Devon…. Sawa… Sawa with an S,” he wrote. “Never mind, I’m ready to come back and do another Casper… yes the ghost!”
25. As an ardent admirer, let me share a fascinating tidbit: Sherri Stoner, the film’s co-screenwriter, was the inspiration behind both Ariel from “The Little Mermaid” and Belle from “Beauty and the Beast” when Disney’s animators were bringing these cherished princesses to life.
Casper is streaming on Netflix.
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2024-10-13 10:19