10 Horror Movie Re-Castings That Proved Successful
Rejected, rebooted and recast.
Recasting can be a nasty business for everyone involved, especially if you're the one getting the boot, if you're a fan seeing your favourite actor get pushed out, or if you have any interest in continuity. Directors, producers and studio heads can be a capricious bunch, and often have a nasty habit of dumping their on-screen talent on a whim.
While occasionally the transition is seamless, more often than not all we can think about when watching a replacement actor walk the walk is, well, that they're the replacement. And this is doubly true for horror, where our senses are sharpest and the slightest dip in quality, tone or believability can make or break a film.
Sometimes horror movies have to move forward with another actor because the original performer isn't old or young enough to fit the bill anymore, sometimes they don't draw enough fans in and sometimes they themselves are simply not interested. But sometimes, whatever the cause, the end result is exactly what Dr Frankenstein ordered.
Whether straight up sequels, prequels, spiritual successors or out-and-out reboots, these are 10 horror movie re-castings that actually went the right way for once.
10. Marybeth (Hatchet)
Adam Green's Hatchet series has a lot going for it, including starring horror royalty Kane Hodder and Tony Todd (Jason Voorhees and Candyman), and yet remains so niche that many dedicated horror fans have still never heard of it. With four films to its name, a would-be iconic killer in Victor Crowley (Hodder), and a badass heroine and final girl in Marybeth Dunston, the series has nevertheless carved out its own niche in the low-budget horror canon.
Anchoring the series, Tamara Feldman played the part of Marybeth in the 2006 original, but the young heroine didn't come into her own until the 2010 sequel when the part was taken over by bona fide scream queen Danielle Harris, who starred in Halloween 4 and 5, and Rob Zombie's Halloween remakes.
Swinging axes, cocking shotguns and taking names, Harris brought a steadfast, vengeance-tinged grit and determination to the part making her a true fighter and ideal opposite for Hodder, thus ensuring the series' longevity.