In the meantime, action star Bruce Willis as John McClane from the “Die Hard“ series is indispensable. However, the actor was not the first choice of the producers, who initially offered the role to many well-known stars.
Die Hard (in the original English: Die Hard) is an action film from 1988 in which the main character John McClane fights against terrorists all alone at Christmas.
Before Bruce Willis got his big role, many other actors were approached, all of whom declined.
Here you can see a trailer for Die Hard:
These 7 actors were offered the role of McClane
1. Frank Sinatra
The actor is considered the first choice the producers had for Die Hard. Because the film is based on a book titled Nothing Lasts Forever.
Since Frank Sinatra had already taken on the lead role in the sequel The Detective, casting him as John McClane seemed logical. However, Sinatra declined.
How different and also more brutal Die Hard could have been, you can see here with our colleagues from Filmstarts.
2. Al Pacino
Al Pacino is one of the most famous actors in all of Hollywood. As the Godfather in the film of the same name, he embodied one of his most iconic roles ever. Many know him from Scarface (1984) or The Devil’s Advocate (1997).
3. Richard Gere
Richard Gere was also considered to take on the role of McClane. His most famous films include The Jackal (1997) and the romantic comedy Pretty Woman (1990).
4. Burt Reynolds
Burt Reynolds had his big breakthrough in Hollywood in the early 1970s. He is known for the character Lewis Medlock in Deliverance (1972) and played the lead role in the series Hawk (1966).
5. James Caan
The actor broke through in 1972 when he took on the role of Santino ‘Sonny’ Corleone, the brother of the later Godfather Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), in the film classic The Godfather (1972).
6. Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger was also offered the role. The bodybuilder and actor made a name for himself as a tough action icon, but he declined the role in Die Hard.
7. Sylvester Stallone
As tough Rambo, Sylvester Stallone has conquered cinemas multiple times. However, he had no interest in the role of John McClane.
According to Screenrant and The Washington Post, even more candidates were offered the role in Die Hard before Bruce Willis. They also mention other stars that the producers were considering:
- Clint Eastwood
- Mel Gibson
- Kurt Russel
- Robert De Niro
- Harrison Ford
Why did the actors decline the role? Screenwriter Steven E. de Souza explained what the problem with the role was (via thedailybeast.com).
Back in 1987, there were all those tough action movies, with Rambo, Commando, and Predator. Compared to that, many actors saw McClane as a wimp and not as a hero.
Desperate, the producers turned to Bruce Willis, who ultimately accepted the role and made John McClane one of the most iconic action heroes in the world.
Recently, Arnold Schwarzenegger honored the McClane actor for his great successes: Terminator Schwarzenegger uses a Rambo quote to honor Bruce Willis
