50 Huge Movie Characters That Were Completely Miscast

50. Edward Norton As Will Graham - Red Dragon

One of the biggest factors in The Silence of the Lambs being as compelling as it was was the outstanding job done by the casting department. Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter opposite Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling was movie magic, and though she was no Foster, there was certainly nothing wrong with Julianne Moore's portrayal of a grittier and more world-weary Starling in Hannibal.

This presented something of a challenge when Hannibal returned with Red Dragon in 2002. Who could work opposite Hopkins as Will Graham on the same level as Foster and Moore? Unfortunately, the answer wasn't Edward Norton.

Norton has been very good in a lot of different roles, but he couldn't put across both the intense and robotic nature needed for Graham, while also being a likeable protagonist for the audience to get behind. It was similar in Norton's role as Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk, in that he unfortunately just isn't the man for a likeable protagonist. 

This miscasting was only driven home by Hugh Dancy's portrayal of the character in the TV series. Here, Mads Mikkelsen was a perfect continuation of Hannibal Lecter, while Dancy as Will Graham was far superior to Norton in his brilliance, his damaged mind, and his vulnerability.