10 Smartest Decisions In Fantasy Movie History

10. Recasting Tony - The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus almost never reached our screens.

Due to the tragic and untimely death of Heath Ledger halfway through filming, writer and director Terry Gilliam didn't think there was any way of finishing the movie. Added to the fact that Ledger's presence was vital in securing the movie's financial backing, it really seemed to be the end for The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.

When Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell - all friends of the late Ledger - agreed to step into the role, a simple rewrite had each of them playing different versions of Ledger's character while in the movie's "magical realms".

It may seem like a convenient write-out, but it actually worked remarkably well in relation to the rest of the movie.

Maybe it's due to The Imaginarium's dark magical tone, or maybe due to the pedigree of the stand-ins, but it felt like a natural way to proceed with the movie while honoring Ledger's memory.