Did Robert De Niro and Al Pacino switch parts in crime movies? ( Photo Credit – Wikimedia )
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Well, here’s the kicker, According to Screen Rant, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino swapped roles in a completely different gangster flick! Yes, you heard that right. Just before The Godfather graced the big screen, De Niro replaced Pacino in another crime movie, talk about an alternate universe where history could’ve gone very differently.
Picture it, a world where Pacino never became Michael Corleone, or where De Niro’s star had risen a little earlier. It’s a bizarre little twist in cinematic history, and it almost makes you wonder how many great films we’ve missed out on because of one little Hollywood shuffle.
Trust us, if this swap hadn’t happened, the legacy of these two legendary actors, and The Godfather franchise itself, would look very different today.
Before they became legends in The Godfather franchise, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro were actually involved in a gangster flick called The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight. Now, don’t get too excited, this wasn’t a deep, gritty mafia saga like The Godfather. Nope, this was a lighthearted, almost comedic crime caper that’s about as far from Michael Corleone’s world as you can get.
But here’s the twist, as The Godfather started gearing up, Pacino had already committed to play Mario Tarantino in this goofy gangster film. Then comes Francis Ford Coppola, who had his sights set on Pacino for Michael Corleone, and guess what? He won.
Pacino, fresh off the Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight set, swapped roles with none other than Robert De Niro, who stepped into Pacino’s shoes as Mario. Pacino’s move turned out to be a stroke of genius, leaving behind a forgettable flop for one of the greatest films in cinematic history.
Meanwhile, De Niro’s turn as Mario, though overshadowed by his future godfather role, showed glimpses of the star he was about to become. Funny how one little swap set both actors on their iconic paths!
Robert De Niro Turned Down The Godfather For Crime Movie
In a twist that sounds like it came straight out of a mafia script, Robert De Niro turned down a part in The Godfather, for The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight. Yeah, you read that right. While Al Pacino was busy swapping a comedy gangster flick for one of cinema’s most iconic roles, De Niro was making his own gangland decision.
Back in the early ’70s, De Niro was circling The Godfather and initially auditioned for Sonny, but the role ultimately went to James Caan. Undeterred, Coppola offered De Niro the smaller, but still crucial, part of Paulie, the Corleone family’s unlucky turncoat.
But De Niro, being the future star we all know and love, opted for The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight instead. It was a gamble, and one that could’ve left him kicking himself, especially considering that The Godfather became a worldwide sensation. But hindsight is always 20/20, and let’s be honest, James Caan was perfect as Sonny. And De Niro? Well, he went on to play bigger parts, and The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight was hardly a career-defining gem.
The real reward for De Niro’s decision didn’t come from a quirky gangster comedy, though. No, it came two years later when Coppola called him up for The Godfather Part II. Turns out, turning down Paulie was just the beginning of De Niro’s legendary journey in the Corleone saga.
