From rom-coms to horror films
The actress' desire not to appear in films like 'Thor' (2011) and 'Thor: The Dark World' (2013) isn't unexpected. These superhero movies differ greatly from her award-winning performance in 'Black Swan' (2010).
In addition to lacking a connection to the character and the series, Portman also wanted to focus on her recently born child. However, she had no choice but to participate in both films due to her contractual obligations.
Unlike Portman, Channing Tatum has embraced starring in blockbusters with ease; he has accumulated quite a few of them! However, right from the start, the actor had a feeling that 'G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra' (2009) would turn out to be a disappointment.
While appreciating the storyline, the actor acknowledged the weak script and expressed a desire to portray the villain rather than the hero. Tatum later conceded his dislike for the job, revealing he had been forced to go through with it.
Despite the obstacles faced during the production, including the departure of the director, Tatum continues to be involved in an upcoming movie about the Marvel mutant named Gambit.
Following the triumph of 'The Matrix' (1999), the actor reached the pinnacle of his profession. Afterwards, Reeves committed his focus to his band, Dogstar. But then director and (false) friend Joe Charbanic, who filmed the band's shows, tricked him. Charbanic wanted to break into the film industry and saw Reeves as his ticket to success.
Charbanic forged the star's signature on a contract to appear in his movie, 'The Watcher' (2000). Reeves decided to go ahead with the role instead of bothering with a lengthy legal drama. However, the actor eventually spoke out publicly after the film's release, exposing the truth about the director. As a result, the untrustworthy filmmaker more or less disappeared from the industry.
The actress gained popularity with the release of 'The Devil Wears Prada' (2006). Following this, Marvel approached her to portray Black Widow in 'Iron Man 2' (2010). However, she was bound by her agreement with Fox to feature in a different movie.
The British actress was stuck with the disappointing 'Gulliver's Travels' (2010) and ended up losing the Marvel role to Scarlett Johansson.
The actress was obligated to star in 'Theodore Rex' (1995), a film that was created after the popularity of the '90s show 'Dinosaurs.'
Initially, Goldberg agreed verbally to appear in the film. Two years later, she wasn't interested in the project anymore, but ultimately ended up starring in it. The film's quality was so atrocious that it was exclusively released on video to avoid potential financial losses amounting to millions of dollars.
Despite not wanting to take part in it, 'Top Gun' (1986) proved to be a major turning point in the actor's career.
Kilmer signed a contract with Paramount for three films, including 'Top Gun.' The actor later said that director Tony Scott ran after him begging him to appear in the movie.
The actress previously played Elektra in 'Daredevil' (2003), and her experience wasn't pleasant. However, that was only a minor role. Matters took a turn for the worse when a standalone film, 'Elektra' (2005), was made.
Under contractual obligation, Garner had to portray the sexy protagonist yet again. She didn't speak about it publicly, her partner at the time, Michael Vartan, later said she had found it awful.
The actor earned an Oscar nomination for his renowned debut film 'Primal Fear' (1996). However, landing this role involved a binding contract with Paramount for multiple films.
Norton reluctantly starred alongside Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron in 'The Italian Job' (2003), as one of his involuntary movie projects.
Remember him in 'The Incredible Hulk' in 2008? He mentioned enjoying the role but also expressed criticism towards the Marvel Universe films.
According to sources, the Marvel team had problems working with Norton, leading to his replacement by Mark Ruffalo.
Affleck has appeared in both successful and unsuccessful films. One of his most infamous failures was 'Daredevil' (2003).
However, following his directorial success with 'Argo' (2012), Ben Affleck appeared to become more discerning in his choice of acting roles. Nevertheless, he then took on the responsibility of portraying the iconic superhero Batman in the film 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' (2016), which received a varied reception from critics.
Affleck's contract obliged him to appear as Batman in other DC Univers movies. In 'Justice League' (2017), his performance seemed lackluster and he also exhibited disinterest when it came to promoting the film.
Mike Myers signed a contract with Universal to appear in one of their movies, but when he saw the script, he refused to go through with it.
Universal filed a lawsuit against the actor, but suggested he appear in their 2003 movie 'The Cat in the Hat' as an alternative. Myers succumbed to the pressure and made the movie, which was a failure, and received several nominations for the Golden Raspberry Awards.
Marlon Brando displayed his discontent when he was compelled to produce the film 'Désirée' (1954), emphasizing his unhappiness with the project.
The actor, compelled by his contract to portray Napoleon, despised the screenplay and began undermining the film. Despite his deliberate forgetfulness of lines, adoption of an accent, and creation of chaos backstage, the movie triumphed, receiving two Oscar nominations.
This is possibly one of the poorest movies ever created, despite featuring several renowned actors. How did it manage to be produced? The process began when Charles B. Wessler, a prominent producer, convinced Kate Winslet and Hugh Jackman to take part in a sketch.
Wessler then convinced other actors by showcasing Winslet and Jackman's performance in this scene. This (incorrectly) gave the impression that it was a worthwhile project. However, it soon became evident to everyone involved that it was a complete disaster.
Colin Farrell and George Clooney managed to evade it, but it was too late for many others to withdraw. Emma Stone, Halle Berry, Richard Gere, Naomi Watts, Elizabeth Banks, Terrence Howard, and Uma Thurman were horrified by the whole experience, so much so that they didn't even attend the premiere.
See also: Successful TV shows that were rejected before becoming smash hits
Sometimes an actor comes to the unpleasant realization that the movie they are about to take part in isn't what they expected. But unfortunately, once a contract is signed, it's almost impossible to back out... Several stars have openly shared their experiences with playing characters against their will. Some of them are even fan favorites!
Click through the gallery to discover who they are.
Actors who took on roles they didn’t want to play
These artists were contractually bound to work on productions they hated
MOVIES Actresses
Sometimes an actor comes to the unpleasant realization that the movie they are about to take part in isn't what they expected. But unfortunately, once a contract is signed, it's almost impossible to back out... Several stars have openly shared their experiences with playing characters against their will. Some of them are even fan favorites!
Click through the gallery to discover who they are.