17 Actors You Didn't Know Almost Played The Avengers

8. Johnny Depp Was Almost Bruce Banner

Before Ang Lee came in the make the much-maligned 2003 big screen debut (not including the spin-offs of the Lou Ferigno TV show) Hulk, there were plans to make The Incredible Hulk with Michael France scripting, and (eventually) Jonathan Hensleigh (who made the second Punisher movie in 2004) directing - after Joe Johnston dropped out.

After a couple of years of Development Hell at the early 90s saw several rewrites and several changes in personnel, the script eventually emerged with three villains - the Leader, the Absorbing Man and Zzzax - and absent father Brian Banner. At some point during that gestation period, the initial choice to play Banner was replaced with Crudup, who turned it down - but it's hard not to imagine that Johnny Depp - the first man wanted for the role - might have been a very odd choice for the character.