The blockbuster Hollywood deals could sometimes reach astronomical figures. And while many are able to seize such opportunities, others choose to go down a different lane. Russell Crowe, John Travolta, and Matt Damon are among some of these remarkable actors, who have made several headlines for rejecting offers for some of the greatest hits in Hollywood.
Matt Damon
While Crowe and Travolta have turned down significant offers, their decisions still seem modest when compared to the Jason Bourne star, who turned down the offer to star in the billion-dollar franchise Avatar.
Russell Crowe And John Travolta’s Astonishing Rejections
Despite being well-acclaimed actors in Hollywood, Russell Crowe and John Travolta have opted to stay away from some of the roles that could have taken their careers on a different path. Crowe is popularly known for starring in the Gladiator film series, and Travolta is known for starring in movies like Saturday Night Fever and Pulp Fiction.
Russell Crowe
While these are some of the biggest hits of their career, these movies ended up becoming the reason for rejecting the blockbuster hits. The Gladiator star Russell Crowe recalled being offered the role of Aragorn in the original The Lord of The Rings trilogy. However, he turned down the offer, claiming that it was too similar to his role in Gladiator.
Russell Crowe in Gladiator
He also believed that Peter Jackson was “forced into” considering him for the role due to the success of the 2000 film. The Unhinged star also shared on The Howard Stern Show that he was offered 10% of the backend grosses, which would have amounted to around $100 million. Viggo Mortensen was eventually cast in the role.
John Travolta
John Travolta starred in Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 film Pulp Fiction and landed the Oscar nomination for Best Actor at the 67th Academy Awards. However, in order to play the role of Vincent Vega, he rejected the title role in Robert Zemeckis’ 1994 film Forrest Gump. Travolta, however, was more interested in Tarantino’s film after he received the script.
John Travolta in Pulp Fiction (1994)
The actor said that he has no regrets about rejecting the movie, as he did something that was “equally interesting or fun,” as per MTV. The role later went to Tom Hanks, and the film was a hit, making over $670 million at the box office and winning six Oscars. Travolta and Hanks competed for Best Actor Oscar, and the Forrest Gump star took the title at the 67th Academy Awards. Hanks reportedly made $70 million, along with additional box office profits for the movie.
Matt Damon’s $250 Million Avatar Saga Stands Out
James Cameron’s 2009 film Avatar became a blockbuster, grossing over $1 billion at the box office. Landing the role of Jake Sully was a career-changing decision for then-unknown actor Sam Worthington. However, the lead role in the sci-fi franchise was initially offered to the Oscar winner Matt Damon.
Matt Damon in the Jason Bourne franchise
While the Titanic director claimed that he did not need a star face for his movie, he was willing to cast Damon and even offered him 10% of the Avatar profits. Damon, who was busy with the Jason Bourne franchise, had to deny the offer, which would have been around $250 million. “I’m sure it’s the most money an actor ever turned down, you know?” the actor said on Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? And Damon’s colossal snub in the world of blockbusters is on a different scale altogether.
