Clint Eastwood Declined the Lead Role in This Beloved M. Night Shyamalan Film—Here’s What Happened
Clint Eastwood is a legendary actor with numerous iconic roles under his belt. He is also an Oscar-winning director. M. Night Shyamalan is a visionary filmmaker with an impressive box office record. The two came dangerously close to collaborating at one point. But alas, it wasn’t meant to be.
If Shyamalan and Eastwood had collaborated, Signs would have been a very different film. That’s right. Shyamalan was once very interested in casting Eastwood as Father Graham Hess in the 2002 feature. According to Collider, the Unbreakable director was looking for an older actor with “haunted eyes.” However, Eastwood ultimately passed on the role, citing scheduling conflicts.
Also Read: This M. Night Shyamalan Shocker is Now The #1 Horror Movie On Max
Shyamalan then tried to interest Paul Newman in the part. But the celebrated thespian (who passed away in 2008) wasn’t keen to come on board. Ultimately, Shyamalan rewrote the role for a younger actor and cast Mel Gibson. Though Gibson wasn’t his first choice, the controversial performer wound up turning in a strong showing.
In case you are unfamiliar with the setup, the plot crunch for Signs goes like this: Everything that farmer Graham Hess (Gibson) assumed about the world is changed when he discovers a message – an intricate pattern of circles and lines – carved into his crops. As he investigates the unfolding mystery, what he finds will forever alter the lives of his brother (Joaquin Phoenix) and children (Rory Culkin and Abigail Breslin). A unique story that explores the mysterious real-life phenomena of crop signs and the effects they have on one man and his family.
If you’re curious to pay Signs a repeat visit, you can find the film streaming on Max as of the publication of this post.
That’s all we have for you at present, dear reader. Please stay tuned to the site for more compelling behind-the-scenes trivia as we unearth it. Also, make sure to follow @DreadCentral on Twitter so you never miss one of our cool updates.
Categorized:News
