Leonardo DiCaprio Almost Played Hans Landa ( Photo Credit – Instagram )
Advertisement
Quentin Tarantino delivered something sharp and unpredictable with Inglourious Basterds. After the blood-soaked frenzy of Kill Bill and the grindhouse style of Death Proof, this World War II tale felt like a shift, not only for himself, but to his fans as well.
The movie still had his signature energy, but there was more precision to it. A group of soldiers led by Aldo Raine slicing through the Nazi ranks, and a young Jewish woman named Shosanna setting fire to revenge using cinema itself sounds like Tarantino was having fun with history.
Advertising
Advertising
Leonardo DiCaprio Was Nearly Cast As Hans Landa
The 2009 Tarantino classic eventually became a hit, but the path to it wasn’t smooth. Tarantino spent years shaping the story, sometimes even thinking about turning it into a TV series. But, along the way, casting plans changed, and some of those original ideas could have led to a very different movie.
In case you don’t know, Leonardo DiCaprio was almost cast as Hans Landa (per Collider). Looking at what he later did in Django Unchained, it’s not hard to imagine him turning Landa into something chilling and charismatic. But Tarantino felt the role needed someone who spoke fluent German and didn’t come with the weight of a familiar face.
Advertisement
Christoph Waltz, relatively unknown outside Europe, ended up redefining what a screen villain could be. And as we all know now, he became a living embodiment of Landa.
Advertisement
Michael Fassbender Beat Out Bigger Names For Archie Hicox
Then there’s Lieutenant Archie Hicox, played by Michael Fassbender. Back in 2009, he wasn’t widely recognized as most had only seen him in 300 or the indie film Hunger. As it turns out, before Fassbender, Tarantino looked at Tim Roth and Simon Pegg, who was rising fast after Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead.
Pegg actually wanted to do the film, but timing didn’t work out. Either of those actors could have held the role, but Fassbender gave it a crisp energy that worked well in the tense bar scene he dominates.
Advertisement
Adam Sandler Was Almost ‘The Bear Jew’
One of the more surprising near-casts was Adam Sandler. Yes, the comedian nearly played ‘The Bear Jew,’ Donnie Donowitz. That role eventually went to Eli Roth, who made the character into a kind of bat-swinging legend.
Advertisement
However, Tarantino actually wrote the part with Sandler in mind. They had a connection from earlier days, and it seemed like an odd but intriguing idea. Sandler had to skip it because he was busy filming Funny People, and maybe that’s for the best. Roth filled the space without feeling out of place, even though a few scenes meant for a more famous face were trimmed or removed entirely.
Advertisement
What If the Original Cast Had Made The Film?
There’s one cut scene that stands out, and that is Donowitz’s origin. In it, he’s a barber from Boston who collects signatures from his neighbors before heading off to war. That flashback was filmed but never made the final cut. But why? Maybe it was meant to deepen the character, or maybe it made more sense when the role was going to someone like Sandler.
Advertisement
Looking back, it’s hard to say whether swapping in big names like DiCaprio, Roth, Pegg, or Sandler would have made Inglourious Basterds better. They’re all strong performers, no doubt, but part of what makes the film so striking is how fresh the cast felt.
