Cheddar looks at the rise and fall of 3D movies, and Hollywood’s insistence on trying again and again to make them stick. Believe it or not, the 3D craze has come and gone multiple times since the advent of film.

The earliest 3D film that we know of was 1922’s The Power of Love, which appears to have been screened only twice in 3D due to a lack of interest from exhibitors.

In addition to being the first film screened in 3D, The Power of Love provided the additional novelty of allowing audience members to choose how the film ended. By closing one eye, the viewer could choose to see a happy ending or a tragic ending.

Despite receiving rave reviews, the film was not picked up by exhibitors in its original format. However, it was widely distributed in 2D under the title Forbidden Lover.

Sadly, the cultural significance of the original movie was not recognised in its time and the film does not appear to have been preserved. As of 2020, there are no known prints of either The Power of Love or Forbidden Lover, with both now being lost to time.

What do you think? Is it time to let the 3D craze die? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to avoid missing out on new articles!

James Bond is one of the most recognisable names on the planet, with the fictional spy serving as the figurehead of one of the most successful movie franchises of all time. Obsessed over for more than 50 years, the Bond film series ages like a fine wine and is still just as appealing to audiences today as it was over half a century ago.

There have been 26 James Bond films made (the first one being Dr No, released in 1962).  But did you know that one of these movies – Never Say Never Again – was an unofficial one? Never Say Never Again was made in a different studio by a different production company. It had different writers and different distributors. But they did get Sean Connery to play Bond. It was his first appearance as James Bond in 12 years, and his last ever one.

The film was the second film adaptation of Thunderball and was released in 1983, the same year as the official Bond movie, Octopussy, in which Roger Moore played Bond.

So who won in the Octopussy v Never Say Never Again, Roger Moore v Sean Connery battle of the Bonds?

Well Octopussy and Roger Moore won hands down at the box office. But Never Say Never Again did well, opening to acclaimed reviews from the critics and grossing over $160 million at the box office on a budget of $36 million (Octopussy grossed $183.7 million). Many argue that it is the better of the two Bond films, with Rotten Tomatoes’ approved critics scoring Never Say Never Again at a respectable 64% compared to a score of just 42% for Octopussy.

But perhaps more importantly, Never Say Never Again won in the courts. As you can imagine, the trustees of the official Bond franchise were not too pleased at this rival production and attempted, unsuccessfully, to block the film in the High Court.

However, it wasn’t all plain sailing into the sunset with a martini in hand for the Never Say Never Again clan. Production was troubled. It was plagued with legal issues and Sean Connery himself had to take on many of the production duties. There were public disagreements between director Irvin Kershner and producer Jack Schwartzman and the costs went spiralling over budget, with Schwartzman having to complete production out of his own pocket. Many of the film’s sequences had to be cut for legal reasons. There was no opening gun barrel sequence and there was no James Bond theme tune.

We guess the real winner though was the James Bond movie fan. Two blockbuster Bond films in one year? Thank you very much!

It is probably fair to say that the Bond vs Bond battle of 1983 was more like a relegation battle than a League title winning decider. Looking back now, neither Octopussy nor Never Say Never Again have passed the tests of time, and few would rank either as one of their favourite James Bond movies.

Never Say Never Again, like an exiled pretender to the throne, continues to exist outside of the official Bond film lineage, even though MGM purchased the rights to the motion picture from Schwartzman in 1997.

Perhaps one day they will make a film of the 1983 Battle of the Bonds. If so, we can only hope that the result is greater than the sum of its parts.

What do you think? Who won the Battle of the Bonds? Let us know what you think in the comments and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to avoid missing out on new articles!

Some characters are so closely associated with the actors who portray them that it is simply inconceivable that anyone else could ever take on the role. You can’t have Rocky without Sylvester Stallone, or Indiana Jones without Harrison Ford. Nobody but Sigourney Weaver could play Ripley.

When an actor is wildly successful in a role, it can be easy to forget that plenty of other actors will likely have been in contention for that same gig. The actor that we all know and love might not have been the first, second or even third choice. But things have a way of working out. Just because an actor wasn’t the first choice for a role doesn’t mean that they weren’t the right choice.

That being said, it’s still fun to think about what might have been if those first choice actors hadn’t turned down the roles that they were offered. Here’s eleven iconic movie characters that were almost played by someone else.

11. Gandalf – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The character of Gandalf the Grey will forever be associated with legendary actor, Sir Ian McKellan. But McKellan was not the first thespian Knight of the Realm to be offered the role. Sir Sean Connery turned down the role because he found the plot too confusing, later telling reporters: “I read the book. I read the script. I saw the movie. I still don’t understand it.”

10. Indiana Jones – Raiders of the Lost Ark

A fifth entry in the Indiana Jones franchise has been officially announced and, despite the speculation, it has been confirmed that Harrison Ford will be reprising his role as the titular archaeologist. *Ehem*. That being said, in some alternate reality somewhere, it’s Tom Selleck gearing up to reprise the role. The actor was offered the role and was reportedly keen, but he was ultimately forced to turn it down when CBS wouldn’t release him from his contract to star in Magnum PI.

9. Ferris Bueller – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off has become something of a cult classic in the 31 years since its release. Matthew Broderick’s portrayal of the title character has permeated pop culture to such an extent that putting anyone else in the role would be akin to blasphemy. However, Matthew Broderick was not the first actor to be offered the role of the teenage truant. Johnny Depp was offered the role, but had to turn it down because he was unavailable.

8. The Wicked Witch of the West – The Wizard of Oz

Ask any person of a certain age to picture a famous witch and Margaret Hamilton’s Wicked Witch of the West will invariably be the first character that pops into their heads. But the iconic green witch almost looked completely different. MGM originally wanted the Wicked Witch to be a glamorous villainess comparable to Snow White‘s Evil Queen. Gale Sondergaard was cast in the role, but was unhappy when the producers decided to make the witch ugly. Fearing that the change could harm her career, she decided to quit rather than wear the disfiguring makeup.

7. Agent J – Men in Black

Men in Black‘s Agent J was one of Will Smith’s highest profile roles during the early stages of his film career. But the New York cop turned MiB agent was almost played by an entirely different 90s sitcom star. David Schwimmer was originally offered the role, which he would have shot while he was on a break between seasons of Friends. However, he had already set that time aside to direct Since You’ve Been Gone, with the involvement of his entire theatre company. As you’ve probably guessed, he turned down the role, deciding he’d rather stick with his friends than go off and star in a summer blockbuster.

6. Jake Sully – Avatar

Avatar was a cinematic phenomenon when it came out back in 2009, hailed for its groundbreaking visual effects. James Cameron ultimately cast the relatively unknown Sam Worthington in the lead role, but not before Hollywood A-lister, Matt Damon, turned it down. The Bourne star later revealed that it was scheduling issues that kept him from participating in the production.

5. Marty McFly – Back to the Future

Family Ties may have made Michael J. Fox a household name, but it was Back to the Future that cemented his status as a movie star. Fox was actually the first choice to play Marty McFly, but scheduling conflicts with Family Ties prevented him from taking the part. Mask actor, Eric Stoltz, stepped in to take his place and filmed for a few weeks before director, Robert Zemeckis, decided that it wasn’t working out. Stoltz was a method actor. He insisted on being called Marty, even when the camera’s weren’t rolling, and just took the role very seriously in general. Even though Zemeckis thought that Stoltz was a “magnificent” actor, the role required a performer with more of a comedic edge. Stoltz was let go and Fox was hired, with the production working around his television commitments.

4. Danny Zuko – Grease

John Travolta’s starring role in Saturday Night Fever propelled him to the top of the Hollywood A-list and his leading role in Grease just a year later proved that his success was more than just a flash in the pan. However, the role of Danny Zuko was originally offered to Happy Days star Henry “The Fonz” Winkler. Winkler turned the role down – a decision he later regretted, telling reporters: “I was asked to be in Grease. But I decided I didn’t want to be typecast. But what I didn’t realise was that I already was. That’s why John Travolta went on to buy his own plane and I just went home.”

3. Neo – The Matrix

The Matrix was a sci-fi megahit at the tail end of the last millennium, with Entertainment Weekly hailing it as “the most influential action movie of its generation“. The film stars Keanu Reeves as Neo – a computer hacker who learns that the world he is living in is actually a simulated reality. But it was almost Will Smith who played ‘The One’. The Fresh Prince star turned the role down in favour of big-budget flop, Wild Wild West, later telling reporters: “You know, The Matrix is a difficult concept to pitch. In the pitch, I just didn’t see it. I watched Keanu’s performance – and very rarely do I say this – but I would have messed it up. I would have absolutely messed up The Matrix. At that point I wasn’t smart enough as an actor to let the movie be.”

2. Severus Snape – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Whatever you think of Severus Snape, there’s no denying that he is one of the most complex characters in the Harry Potter universe. Alan Rickman, the talented actor that he was, portrayed the Hogwarts potions master with perfection. However, the role was initially offered to Reservoir Dogs actor, Tim Roth. He turned it down, later telling The Metro: “I wasn’t ready to be on a lunch box, I really wasn’t.” Roth doesn’t seem to have any regrets about his decision, telling reporters: “The right guy [Alan Rickman] got the role.”

1. Han Solo – Star Wars

He made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs, saved the world, got the girl. Han Solo is everybody’s favourite space scoundrel. Actor, Harrison Ford, is such a central component of the character’s charm that we can’t imagine anyone else in the role. But Ford was not the first actor approached to play the interplanetary smuggler. Burt Reynolds turned the role down, later explaining that he “just didn’t want to play that kind of role at the time”. The Deliverance actor later regretted his decision, although we have to say we think things worked out for the best.

What do you think? Could any of these characters have benefited from a different actor playing the role? Let us know what you think in the comments and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to avoid missing out on new articles!

Article Updated: 3 August 2019