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5 Roles Tom Hanks Was Considered for, But Ultimately Did Not Play

written by Benjamin Patel
reviewed by Louise Everitt
5 Roles Tom Hanks Was Considered for, But Ultimately Did Not Play
Image credit: Legion-Media, TriStar Pictures, Castle Rock Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures,

Tom Hanks as Batman... Sounds fun, but does it really?

Tom Hanks, an actor with a career spanning numerous critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, has been a staple in Hollywood for decades.

However, there are a bunch of movies, both successful and failed, that Hanks refused to be part of.

Jerry Maguire (1996)

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Tom Hanks could have been Jerry Maguire, the successful sports manager in this romantic sports dramedy. However, due to the prolonged scriptwriting process by director Cameron Crowe, Hanks aged out of the role.

By the time he received the script, Hanks was almost 40, with two Academy Awards under his belt. Plus, he was busy directing his movie, That Thing You Do!

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

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Now it’s difficult to imagine Tom Hanks as Andy Dufresne in this classic film, but it almost happened. Hanks had to pass on the role due to his commitment to Forrest Gump. Tim Robbins stepped in to play the unforgettable Andy Dufresne.

Hanks’ decision paid off, as he won an Oscar for Forrest Gump, which also won the Best Movie award over The Shawshank Redemption.

Groundhog Day (1993)

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Hanks was originally the choice for the role of Phil Connors in Groundhog Day, but he turned it down. He believed audiences would expect his character to become nice, as he often played likable roles.

Bill Murray, known for his more ambiguous on-screen and off-screen personality, was seen as a more unpredictable choice for the role, which Hanks later expressed satisfaction about not taking .

Batman Forever (1995)

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Did you know Tom Hanks was in the running to play Batman in Batman Forever? However, this was one role he didn't take.

Considering the mixed reviews and the infamous nippled batsuit of the film, it's seen as a fortunate miss for Hanks, who had just come off the success of Forrest Gump and Apollo 13.

Nixon (1995)

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In the biographical film Nixon, the studio reportedly preferred Tom Hanks or Jack Nicholson for the title role. However, director Oliver Stone chose Anthony Hopkins, drawn to Hopkins' ability to portray isolation and loneliness, qualities he felt were essential for the character of Nixon.