Mark Wahlbergis one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. He made his big screen debut in the 1993 film,Renaissance Man,starring alongside Danny DeVito. But it was Wahlberg’s role in 1995’sThe Basketball Diaries,with a young Leonard DiCaprio, that earned him recognition for his acting. Wahlberg took his Hollywood career to the next level when he starred in the 1997 classic,Boogie Nights.
Since then, he’s appeared in numerous big-budget blockbusters, including 2001’sPlanet of the Apes, The Italian Job,and two of theTransformersfilms. Wahlberg also snagged roles in critically acclaimed dramas likeThe DepartedandThe Fighter,which earned him Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, respectively. He’s even dabbled in comedy, appearing in films likeTedandThe Other Guys.When it comes to movies, Mark Wahlberg has done it all. But there are some major roles that this Hollywood heavyweight has turned down over the years.
Of all the films that Mark Wahlberg has rejected, these 6 movies surprised us the most.
6’Ocean’s Eleven'
Ocean’s Eleven
A remake of the 1965 original film,Ocean’s Elevenbrings together eleven of the most adept, quirkiest thieves to pull off the ultimate multi-million-dollar heist in a Las Vegas casino. Like its predecessor, the film is led by an all-star cast of who’s who in Hollywood, including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Andy García, Julia Roberts, Don Cheadle, Casey Affleck, and many others. Mark Wahlberg’s name was almost added to this list. He had already been cast as the young up-and-coming thief, Linus Caldwell. But Wahlberg dropped out of the project, allowing the role of Linus to fall into the lap of Matt Damon.
Wahlberg chose instead to star in Tim Burton’s 2001 remake ofPlanet of the Apes.And what a poor decisionthatturned out to be.Ocean’s Elevenwas such a critical and commercial success that it spawned an entire franchise. AlthoughPlanet of the Apesperformed well at the box office, it received negative reviews from critics and audiences, leading to yet another reboot of the franchise. Tim Burton’s stand-alone film is now regarded as the ugly stepchild of thePlanet of the Apesfranchise.
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5’Donnie Darko' (2001)
Donnie Darko
Donnie Darkocenters on a troubled teenager who experiences bizarre hallucinations that inspire him to commit crimes while warning him of an imminent apocalypse.
Mark Wahlberg was approached to play the titular character, which feels like a strange choice. But even stranger is Wahlberg’s reason for passing on the role. The actor was adamant aboutplaying Donnie with a lispand passed on the film when his, uh, creative vision clashed with the director’s. The role of Donnie Darko famously went to Jake Gyllenhaal and became the actor’s breakout role. Although it initially underperformed at the box office,Donnie Darkohas become a cult classicsince its release.
4’S.W.A.T.' (2003)
This action-packed thriller follows a SWAT team, as they escort an international fugitive to prison after he offers a huge cash reward to anyone who can free him from police custody.S.W.A.T.sounds like the kind of movie that a young Mark Wahlberg would go for.
He was originally the top choice to play Jim Street, one of the officers on the SWAT team. But like withThe Black Dahlia,Wahlberg refused this part to appear inThe Italian Job. Jim Street was instead portrayed by Colin Farrell, who starred alongside Samuel L. Jackson, Michelle Rodriguez, LL Cool J, and Jeremy Renner. Once again, Wahlberg made the right choice. Although it performed well at the box office,S.W.A.T. received mixed reviews from critics.
3’Star Trek' (2009)
Directed by J.J. Abrams. 2009’sStar Trekis a quasi-reboot of theStar Trekfranchise. Set in an alternate reality, it follows variants of characters fromStar Trek: The Original Series, such as Captain James Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary Quinto), as they explore the final frontier of space and deal with threats aboard the U.S.S.Enterprise. The film presents these iterations in a separate timeline, allowing the old movies and TV shows, events, and characters to remain intact and exist in a separate timeline.
Mark Wahlberg was offered a minor but significant role in the film, playing Kirk’s father, George Kirk, but he declined it. He said in an interview withTotal Film, “I tried to read the script, but I couldn’t even—I didn’t understand the words or dialogue or anything, and I said, ‘I couldn’t do this.” Wahlberg later regretted his decision, though, once he watched the film in theaters and saw Chris Hemsworth playing George Kirk in his place.
2’The Black Dahlia' (2006)
The Black Dahlia
The Black Dahliafollows one of the most infamous and enduring mysteries in American crime history. Set in 1947, this neo-noir thriller follows a pair of Los Angeles police detectives as they investigate the savage murder of aspiring actress Elizabeth Short.The Black Dahliafeatures a stellar cast that includes Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, and Hilary Swank.
Mark Wahlberg was originally attached to the project with director David Fincher. He was supposed to star alongside Hartnett as the film’s second detective, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts withThe Italian Job. Fincher also wound up leaving the project, citing creative differences with the film’s producers.
In the end, Wahlberg and Fincher were replaced by Aaron Eckhart and Brian De Palma, respectively. Passing on this was a good call by Mark Wahlberg.The Black Dahliawas critically panned and bombed at the box office. Meanwhile,The Italian Jobwent on to become a critical and commercial success.
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1’Brokeback Mountain' (2005)
Brokeback Mountain
Ang Lee’sBrokeback Mountainwas atypical for its time. It depicts the complicated romantic relationship between two cowboys in the American West over the span of 20 years. Mark Wahlberg was offered the role of Jack Twist, one of the cowboys in the film, but he rejected itbecause he was “creeped out"by the story. Yikes, not a great look, Mark.
But Wahlberg wasn’t the only one who felt this way. Some people criticizedBrokeback Mountainfor its homosexuality. Most people, though, loved the film. Just look at its box office numbers – a whopping $178 million against a budget of only $14 million.Brokeback Mountainbecame aground-breaking film in LGBTQ+ cinemaand garnered critical acclaim for the performances of its lead actors, the late Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal.
