Every actor has missed some roles that shouldn't have been rejected.Bruce Willis regretted refusing to star in "Ocean's Eleven", and even later personally participated in one of the sequels; Will Smith also declined "The Matrix", and 25 years later, he "inserted" himself into the movie with a strange music video.But Brad Pitt seems particularly good at missing out on films that ended up being a big hit.
Of course, as one of the hottest stars in the world at that time, Pete received countless script invitations almost every day.He had to push down a large number of projects, many of which later became excellent works with both box office and reputation.For example, he once declined to star in "American Psycho". Although the film is not a cultural phenomenon, it has gradually accumulated a huge fan base under the starring Christian Bale.What's even more regrettable is that he once rejected the "Bourne" series and chose a spy film directed by Tony Scott - but this film is far from reaching the classic spy legend created by Matt Damon.
Like Will Smith, Pitt had the opportunity to play the protagonist Neo in "The Matrix", but he also chose to give up.This is not the last time the two of them missed a high-budget sci-fi blockbuster.
Nolan's dream work: Why did Pete refuse "Inception"?
Back in 2010, Christopher Nolan was finally able to realize the "Dream Thieves" plan that had been brewing for many years.He had already written an 80-page outline for the film before he directed the 2005 "Batman Begins".After the great success of "The Dark Knight" in 2008, Warner Bros. and Legend Pictures were willing to provide him with huge funds to create this ambitious science fiction action blockbuster.All Nolan needs is a suitable star, and Brad Pitt is one of his top picks.
This time, however, Pete once again missed a movie destined to be great.
In fact, Nolan has been conceived of Inception for many years, and initially it was even a horror movie.After The Dark Knight established its directorial status, Nolan finally gained space for free creation, and the film was approved.To keep it secret, Nolan kept his mouth shut about the plot throughout the production process, and even the script required the actor to read in his office or under the custody of his home.
It was during this period that Brad Pitt received this highly confidential script.According to a 2010 report by The Hollywood Reporter (The Hollywood Reporter), Nolan invited Pete to read the script, but set a condition: a decision must be made within 48 hours, otherwise the character will look for someone else.It is said that Pete did not respond in time, so Nolan turned to another superstar, Will Smith, who also gave up the opportunity because he "can't understand the script."
It was not until then that Nolan contacted Leonardo DiCaprio, the leading actor who eventually starred in Inception.
Dreams come true: The success of "Inception"
Obviously, Inception has achieved great success under DiCaprio.The film received a global box office of $826.8 million, with a cost of $160 million, winning wide acclaim, and was nominated for eight Oscars, and finally won four major awards.All this makes people more curious about the reason why Pete rejected the film.
Time is not a problem, is it the script too difficult to understand?
The filming of "Inception" was conducted in 2009.In the same year, Pete starred in Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds; and in the year when the film was released in 2010, he only starred in one animated film, Megamind.In 2011, he participated in "The Tree of Life", "Moneyball", and "Happy Feet Two".None of these works were filmed in 2009.In other words, Pete's schedule is actually flexible enough to take on "Inception".
However, as THR pointed out, two of the world's most dazzling stars are inevitably hesitant when facing Nolan's brain-burning and complex script.We know that Will Smith is "not understanding", and although Pitt never publicly explained his decision, he is probably also persuaded to retreat by the complexity of the plot.After all, even starring Leonardo DiCaprio still admitted that he had not fully understood Nolan's script logic.
Missing classics has not affected a glorious life
Anyway, Pitt did not need "Inception" to improve his career at that time. Even without this movie, he was still at the top.Now, however, with Oppenheimer becoming the first Nolan work in nearly 20 years to win both the best film and commercial success, perhaps Pitt will reconsider his chances of working with the talented director.
Interestingly, Nolan himself revealed that as early as the early 2000s, Pete had read the script of "Memento" written by his screenwriter and showed a strong interest in the project.Although the film eventually starred Guy Pearce, this unfinished collaboration shows that the spark between Pitt and Nolan has already flashed many times.Perhaps, one day in the future, this screen combination will eventually come together.
