10 Awesome Movie Characters Everybody Forgot Was Recast

Have you ever watched a movie sequel and noticed that a different actor has taken up a role previously seen in the first film? It actually happens all the time, but the reasons actors and actresses wind up being recast run the gamut, and every situation has a story.

Occasionally, actors are hired to play a part in a film, but end up being recast before the movie is finished filming. This famously happened to Eric Stoltz, who was originally cast to play Marty McFly in Back to the Future before he was politely asked to leave so Michael J. Fox could step in.

While there are tons of stories like that happening all the time in Hollywood, this list is about those actors and actresses who either weren't asked to return for a film's sequel, or a situation arose, which prevented them from doing so.

You won't find characters like Bruce Wayne or James Bond here since the franchises have spanned decades, but there are some famous roles on this list. You may know of some already, but these ten instances of a character being played by someone else entirely are the most interesting examples of this common Hollywood practice.

One of the most infamous examples of an actor being recast between one movie and its sequel concerns the most financially successful franchise in film history, the MCU. James "Rhodey" Rhodes, whose superhero alter ego is War Machine, was originally played by Terrence Howard, but he only managed one film in the franchise.

Ironically, Howard was the highest-paid actor in 2008's Iron Man, which may have been one of the reasons he wasn't asked to return. There have been numerous stories as to the actual reason Don Cheadle was called in to replace the actor, but nobody knows for certain except for the people involved.

Some rumors suggest he demanded more money than the fledgling Marvel Studios was willing to pay while others indicate director Jon Favreau wasn't satisfied with his performance. Whatever the cause of Howard's termination in the MCU, it's all the more troubling thanks to a single line in Iron Man.

The scene in question shows Howard's Rhodey leaving Tony Stark's garage where he sees a silver suit of armor. Just when you think War Machine will make an appearance, he utters the line, "Next time, baby!" Sadly, for Howard, there would be no next time... for him at least.