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If Pacino and De Niro were not able to play the two lead characters, who would you have chosen as your backup?

posted 3 years ago by PopMusicFan1927 (114)
5 replies | jump to latest

This came up in a random convo I was having with a friend a few weeks back. Every since, I have been wondering who I would have chosen to play Vincent and Neil had Pacino and De Niro turned down the film.
For me, my choice is Kurt Russell as Vincent and Harrison Ford as Neil. Yes, Pacino and De Niro are firmly in the highest tier in regards to dramatic/epic film acting while Russell and Ford are much more action movie stars instead of dramatic actors. However, much like Pacino and De Niro, Russell and Ford are both the two icons of their league who would make any film larger than life merely if they both shared one scene together.

Thoughts?

[–] Ripkens25 (2058) 3 years ago

Mickey Rourke or Russell Crowe as Neil.

Denzel Washington or Mel Gibson as Vincent.

I think Mel Gibson in a Michael Mann movie could be pretty awesome.
Look how great Tom Cruise was (as the badguy) in Collateral.

[–] letess (1663) 3 years ago

These are good. Excellent.

[–] Ace_Spade (9616) 3 years ago

Ford is a good choice. I don't think Kurt Russell would work, though.

Jack Nicholson could work as Neil.

But I'd cast Dustin Hoffman as Vincent Hanna and Clint Eastwood as Neil. A little older, maybe, but I think they'd work.

[–] jekporkins (1978) 3 years ago

Great topic...

Looking at the mid-90s (at their age/reputation at that point) I'd go with this:

Hanna:
Gary Oldman

Neil:
Sean Penn

Other ideas for Hanna include Kevin Spacey and Nick Nolte. For Neil Gary Sinise (think of him in Ransom) or Ed Harris.

[–] letess (1663) 3 years ago

Maybe Kurt Russell and Mel Gibson like in Tequila Sunrise.

I would have, however, liked to have seen Keanu in the Val Kilmer role.

But nobody can replace De Niro in this. Nobody.
Except now I see other replies.

Yes Russell Crowe as Neil. Definitely Russell Crowe.

Denzel Washington or Mel Gibson as Vincent.