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Can you believe the likes of veteran legend Gene Hackman appearing in a blockbuster movie and yet being left off of the posters? No, right! But what if we tell you that the actor once had to take the high road in Tom Cruise’s movie, where his request for above-the-title billing was denied by Paramount?
Apparently, due to a classic case of last-minute casting and contract messiness, as Gene Hackman joinedThe Firmquite late into production, his name was eventually removed from any publicity materials. Previously, as Paramount wished to gender-flip his character and cast Meryl Streep in the role, things got messier for Hackman when he joined the project.
Gene Hackman replaced Meryl Streep in Tom Cruise’sThe Firm
Real-life lawyer-turned-writer John Grisham has entertained fans with not just his literary works but also with an adaptation of his novels into films. One such film was the 1993 mystery thrillerThe Firm,which starredTom Cruiseas the lead, Mitch McDeere. Now, while things were going great, Paramount decided to go with the bold idea of gender-swapping the character of Avery Tolar, who was Mitch’s mentor.
Gene Hackman Inspired Guillermo del Toro for His Most Profitable Movie That Almost Cast Tom Cruise in Lead Role
While in John Grisham’s bestselling legal thriller, Avery Tolar as a male mentor to Mitch McDeere, Paramount saw potential in changing the dynamic by making the character female. That’s when the studio decided to castMeryl Streep, one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actresses. However, the plan didn’t work out. Because when production officially began, Grisham chimed in with his objections.
This led Paramount to replace Meryl Streep at the last minute, with another veteran actor Gene Hackman. Being a two-time Oscar winner known for his powerful screen presence, the actor thus stepped in as Avery Tolar, alongside Tom Cruise. But while things worked out well for Hackman, he eventually faced an unexpected setback when it came to the matter of billing and promotion.
Gene Hackman was denied above-the-title billing for his role
According to reports from theLos Angeles Times, although Gene Hackman and Tom Cruise’s collaboration helpedThe Firmgross over $270M and become the fifth highest-grossing film of that year, the veteran legend was shockingly left out of publicity materials. While it seemed like an odd choice to keep an actor of Hackman’s stature out of promotional elements, the outlet later revealed the reason behind such a drastic move.
“Why should he be below the title?”: Paramount’s Deal With Tom Cruise Led His Co-star to Remove His Name from $270M Film Poster Entirely
SinceGene Hackmanwas brought in as a replacement, late in the production process, it caused a bit of an advertising snag. While Tom Cruise had already negotiated with Paramount that his name appear first on posters, billboards, and other ad materials, even Hackman wanted above-the-title billing. Believing himself to be equally important in the movie, as his co-star, Hackman presented his demands.
Hackman’s rep noted,
[Gene Hackman] came to the project late, after they started filming, and was offered the role after they had constructed a marketing plan built around Tom. He had the choice of saying ‘no’ or working out some other billing situation.
Therefore, Paramount denied his request because of bad timing. So when Gene Hackman was left with no other option, rather than causing chaos the actor took the high road. He merely requested that his name be removed from any publicity materials altogether. Even in the film, the legendary star can be seen second-billed in both the opening and closing credits.
The Firmis currently available to watch on Prime Video.
Krittika Mukherjee
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3217
Krittika Mukherjee is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on films, TV shows, and celebrity news with over 3,000 articles published. With an educational background in Journalism, and a keen interest in filmmaking, Krittika blends factual precision with creative flair, when crafting her editorials, or dissecting fan theories.Her coverage often includes news and analyses of critically acclaimed films, celebrity news, and franchises like the Wizarding World, LOTR, DC, and MCU—particularly Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Superheroes, and fan theories. As a Wizarding World aficionado, Krittika has spent countless hours exploring hidden backstories, unadapted book moments, spells, and trivias surrounding J.K. Rowling’s lore.An imaginative writer with a way with words, Krittika has worked as an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a web content writer for a year. She brought her experience and expertise to FandomWire to pursue her desire for sipping coffee while dissecting films and tracking celebrity drama.
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gene hackmanMeryl StreepTom Cruise
