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19th May 2024

Commando (1985)

Answer: Director Mark Lester replaced Wings Hauser the first day of shooting because he didn't think Hauser clicked as a maniacal counterbalance to Schwarzenegger's larger-than-life portrayal of Matrix. Last-minute cast changes are not unusual when an actor fails to meet certain character expectations. A classic example is Michael J. Fox replacing Eric Stoltz in Back to the Future because Stoltz portrayed Marty too intensely for a humorous sci-fi film. Viggo Mortensen replaced Stuart Townsend as Aragorn in Lord of the Rings because Peter Jackson felt Townsend wasn't properly preparing for the role.

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Also, Peter Jackson thought that Stuart Townsend was too young to play Aragorn.