10 Seemingly Awful Movie Castings That Ultimately Paid Off

As referenced earlier on in this list, Sylvester Stallone very much found himself leading the muscle-bound action movie charge during the '80s and early '90s. Only, by 1997, the Stallone's star was seemingly on the fall, with the likes of Assassins and Daylight doing little to intrigue audiences, and the latter even earning Sly a Razzie nomination for Worst Actor.

So, it wasn't too difficult to see why many were left scratching their heads at the news of the Rambo and Rocky titan being brought in for James Mangold's incoming crime drama Cop Land. Even the director himself confessed that Stallone wasn't his choice for the leading role of the overweight and deeply vulnerable Sheriff Freddy Heflin.

Yet, after laying down the law and claiming that he'd only bring Stallone along for the ride if he agreed to commit to the part in the way Mangold needed him to - packing on the pounds for real - Stallone went on to give the sort of truly layered performance that reminded folks precisely what calibre of actor was still lying underneath his "meat-head" exterior.

It may not have blown up the box office, but it definitely sits as one of Stallone's most unexpected finest hours in front of a camera.