10 Movies That Hired Famous Actors Solely To Kill Them Off

1. Ben Affleck - Smokin' Aces

21 Jump St Johnny Death
Universal

Ben Affleck wasn’t having a great time in the early 2000’s. He was mocked for his relationship with Jennifer Lopez, and he was consistently making crap like Gigli, Paycheck and Surviving Christmas.

He decided to take a step back and rebuilt his career, starting with a small role in crime caper Smokin’ Aces. He plays a bail bondsman hired to collect the titular Aces – a federal witness – from a protected hotel and deliver him for his next court appearance. Since Affleck was still considered a star and his name was all over the posters, the assumption was he was playing a major role; nope.

About halfway through he and his cronies are riddled with bullets by a gang of redneck assassins, who then come out and play with his corpse. It’s a weird scene for sure, but Affleck proved he was up for a laugh by accepting the part. He then went on to direct Gone Baby Gone, and he’s thoroughly earned his comeback by this point.

Can you think of any other movies that hired a big star just to kill them off? Share your favourite examples in the comments.

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