10 Shocking Reasons Actors Quit Movies
When actors leave movies for WILD reasons.
The tricky nature of putting even the most basic movie together means that actors frequently end up quitting movies they're agreed to appear in.
Perhaps the scheduling simply doesn't work out, or they can't come to a creative agreement with those in charge, and most of the time, these exits are not at all dramatic.
But sometimes actors quit roles for hugely unexpected reasons, as shocks not only those in charge of the film but industry analysts and fans at large.
An actor committing themselves to a project for potentially many months of their life is a serious undertaking and not one that should be done lightly, but at the same time, some of the reasons for actors quitting these movies do indeed beggar belief.
From shunning A-list filmmakers for decidedly not-A-list filmmakers, to turning down work because of fringe political beliefs, and even doing so on the threat of violence, these actors all exited movies for wildly unexpected reasons.
Whether their departure has aged well or not varies wildly - in some cases they were vindicated by time, while in others it only seems like a stranger, sillier decision with each passing year...
10. To Work On A Flop Comedy Instead - Katie Holmes (The Dark Knight)
Following the success of Batman Begins, it was simply assumed that the ensemble cast would return in its entirety for the much-anticipated sequel The Dark Knight, though there ended up being one major exception - Katie Holmes.
Holmes, who played Bruce Wayne's (Christian Bale) love interest and Gotham's assistant district attorney Rachel Dawes opted not to appear in the follow-up, deciding instead to co-star in the crime comedy film Mad Money, reportedly due to her deep desire to work with legend Diane Keaton.
Now in fairness, Holmes had no idea that Mad Money would be a critical and commercial flop, but even so, turning down a mega-budget Christopher Nolan blockbuster to star in... Mad Money?
It seems like a completely baffling career choice on paper, especially given the meatiness of Rachel's role in The Dark Knight.
To add insult to injury, Holmes' performance in Mad Money was singled out as especially weak by numerous critics, while many reviewers of The Dark Knight deemed Maggie Gyllenhaal an "upgrade" over Holmes. Yikes all around.