Pedro Pascal was one of the many stars originally slated to be inWeapons, but nearly the entire cast had to be replaced before the movie could finally be made. While the current cast of Zach Cregger’s second horror film is great, the movie would have been entirely different if things had gone as originally planned.
Cregger exploded onto the horror scene withthe release of 2022’sBarbarian, instantly making him a beloved filmmaker within the genre. Because of this,the hype surroundingWeaponshas been immense, with the vague trailers getting viewers excited about another odd thriller.
Weaponsstars Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, and Benedict Wong, with each of these actors delivering acclaimed performances. However, it is fun to think about how different the film would have been if the original cast had stuck together.
Weaponswas greenlit by Warner Bros.and New Line Cinema in January 2023, kicking off the development of Cregger’s latest horror film. The movie boasted an impressive cast, featuring Pascal, Brian Tyree Henry, Tom Burke, and Renate Reinsve, as well as one actor who ended up in the final film,Euphoria’s Austin Abrams. Unfortunately, a massive industry shake-up interrupted everything: the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.
Thanks to the strike,Weaponswas delayed, and everyone’s schedules were thrown into the air. When the strikes ended, most of the primary cast couldn’t commit to the movie anymore.Pascal had to drop out to work onTheFantastic Four: First Steps, and Henry, Burke, and Reinsve couldn’t stay committed either. Each of their characters had to be recast (viaVariety).
It has been confirmed that Pascal was meant to play Brolin’s character, a grieving father named Archer Graff. Based on the characters in the final film, it seems likely that Wong replaced Henry, Ehrenreich replaced Burke, and Garner replaced Reinsve, although this is just speculation.
Pascal and Henry are both more associated with comedic roles than Brolin or Wong, and while the final actors are funny,the original cast could have possibly leaned into the comedy even more. It is also interesting to note that Pascal’sFantastic Fourcommitments prevented him from being inWeapons, but this didn’t stop Garner, whoplayed Shalla-Bal in the MCU movie.
It is difficult to say just how different Cregger’s film would have been with the original cast, but some things are clear. Pascal, with three movies already under his belt this summer, would’ve been even more present on the big screen, whichcould’ve putWeaponsunder an even sharper microscope.
Even without him, though, the movie has been an incredible success, helping Warner Bros. to set a new record with its opening weekend. Additionally, the critical acclaim thatWeaponshas received proves that the horror movie excelled with its final cast, meaning that things all worked out in the end.
