When it comes to the best films of all time Frank Darabont’s The Condemned often appears high up on the list. The film adaptation of a Stephen King story boasts great acting performances and an outstanding script. The cast of the film, which is showing on Kabel eins on Wednesday, almost looked a little different.
Mega-star Brad Pitt was initially considered for a role that he ultimately turned down for a well-known fantasy horror film. For this he had to go through filming hell.
That’s what The Condemned is about
The film’s plot involves banker Andrew Dufresne (Tim Robbins) in the early 1940s innocently convicted of the murder of his wife and her lover. After a while in Shawshank Prison, he becomes friends with Red (Morgan Freeman), who seems to have been an inmate here forever. At some point, Andrew and Red make a plan to break out.
Brad Pitt turned down one of the best films of all time for fantasy torture
According to USA Today, director Frank Darabont discussed in the interview that Brad Pitt was initially cast in the role of inmate Tommy. The part ultimately went to Gil Bellows because Pitt’s agency was reluctant to accept him due to his ever-increasing star status.
Pitt and his management then saw more hit potential in the fantasy film Interview with a Vampire. However, according to Entertainment Weekly, the shoot turned into a nightmare for the actor:
I felt terrible. [Aufgrund der Nachtdrehs] 6 months of shitty darkness. [Tom Cruises Rolle] is great, but there was just nothing for me to do except sit and wait. At some point it broke me. I asked [Produzent] David Geffen, what it would cost me to leave the film. He said calmly, ‘$40 million.’
Pitt couldn’t afford this amount at the time and so he had to go through with the production. Afterwards, the star spoke (via USA Today) about how he doesn’t regret his decision to turn down The Convicts role today.
When is The Condemned on TV?
Kabel eins broadcasts the Stephen King adaptation on October 4, 2023 at 8:15 p.m out of. If you don’t have time, you can stream The Condemned with a Netflix subscription, for example.
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