‘Heart of the Beast’ Star Brad Pitt Once Lost Role in Cult Horror Sequel ‘Phantasm II’

Today, Brad Pitt stands as one of the most recognizable actors globally, boasting two Academy Awards and films that have collectively earned over $9 billion at the box office. However, his journey to stardom was not straightforward. He began with uncredited roles in 1987 and spent several years in supporting parts before his career truly took off.

During that early phase, Pitt experienced numerous near misses. His breakthrough role in ‘Thelma & Louise’ reportedly slipped through his fingers twice before he finally secured it, initially being offered to William Baldwin. This serves as a reminder that even the biggest stars have a long list of auditions that didn’t go their way.

One such audition has resurfaced: Pitt auditioned for the lead in the cult horror sequel ‘Phantasm II’ but ultimately did not land the role, and the film’s director forgot about his audition for years.

The story begins with a studio requirement. ‘Phantasm II’ was released on July 8, 1988, as the sequel to Don Coscarelli’s 1979 cult classic ‘Phantasm.’ Universal Pictures allocated a $3 million budget for the film, which was the lowest for any Universal film during the 1980s but the highest for the ‘Phantasm’ franchise.

With this budget came certain conditions. The studio insisted on casting a working actor in the lead role, prompting Coscarelli to consider recasting. He ultimately decided to keep Reggie Bannister and sought a new actor for the character Mike, eventually casting James LeGros.

Coscarelli has mentioned that he auditioned a long list of actors during this search, with Pitt being one of them. However, Pitt did not secure the role, leading to controversy among fans regarding the recast.

Years later, Coscarelli learned about Pitt’s audition from Baldwin. While promoting his book ‘True Indie: Life and Death in Filmmaking’ on a SiriusXM radio show, Baldwin recounted how he had been friends with Jennifer Aniston before she became famous. At a gathering with Aniston and her then-boyfriend Pitt, the actor mentioned that he had auditioned for the film and hadn’t gotten the part.

Initially, Coscarelli found it hard to believe, reasoning that he would remember rejecting someone who later became so famous. A few months later, he stumbled upon an old videotape of audition tapes and watched until the casting director introduced Pitt. According to Coscarelli, Pitt was not only good-looking but also delivered a strong reading.

SlashFilm reports that Pitt read the cemetery scene from the film. This tape confirmed the audition, even though Coscarelli admitted he had no recollection of it.

The recasting decision had lasting implications. ‘Phantasm II’ received mixed reviews from critics, and while LeGros has been fondly remembered by the cast, Baldwin has expressed resentment about his absence from the film.

Baldwin returned for ‘Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead’ in 1994 and reprised his role as Mike in all subsequent installments. These later films were produced independently, allowing Coscarelli to have full control over casting.

It’s easy to envision an alternate timeline where Pitt starred in a horror sequel instead of waiting for a more significant break. Instead, his breakout came in 1991 with ‘Thelma & Louise,’ leading to major roles in films like ‘A River Runs Through It,’ ‘Legends of the Fall,’ ‘Seven,’ and ‘Fight Club.’ He later won an Oscar for ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.’

This story exemplifies a common Hollywood narrative. Rejection and recasting are part of nearly every actor’s journey, and sometimes those who pass on future stars simply forget.

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