12 Ridiculous Castings That Almost Ruined DC Comic Book Movies
11. Keanu Reeves - Watchmen
The Role: Dr Manhattan
Who Was Cast Instead: Billy Crudup
What Happened?
When Zack Snyder was putting together Watchmen, he wanted Reeves to play the big naked superhero, but he actually turned it down because it simply "didn't work out". He still visited the set and proclaimed that it was going to be killer though, which it wouldn't have been if he'd been in it.
The Results
Though Dr Manhattan actually required a certain exotic, removed otherness - which Crudup managed wonderfully - Reeves has singularly failed to show that sort of subtlety in his performances. He's not a piecemeal actor, and there's never been anything particularly regal about him, which would have ruined Manhattan's majesty.]
Definitely a smart swerve.