15 Secrets From Movies That Will Leave You Shocked

When it comes to movies (regardless of genre), there are tons of behind-the-scenes secrets that end up not be revealed until years after the films are released.

Whether its storylines or characters that didn’t make the final cut of the film, actors’ preparations for their roles, other actors and actresses considered for certain characters, how actors got their parts, drama during filming, or iconic lines from movies that were ab-libbed, etc., all of these behind-the-scenes secrets and facts from movies will leave fans in total shock.

Now, with all of the information being said, take a look down below and check out the following 15 Secrets From Movies That Totally Will Leave You Shocked:

1. The Incredibles – In The Original Drafts of The Film, Syndrome Originally Wasn’t The Main Antagonist:

The 2004 animated film The Incredibles is perhaps one of the greatest animated films of all time. All of the movie’s characters and iconic scenes helped cemented its status.

For me, one of the most shocking behind-the-scenes secrets from any film is the fact that in the original drafts of the screenplay for The Incredibles, Syndrome, was only going to be featured as a minor villain, like how Bomb Voyage was in the prologue of final version of the film!

In the early drafts of the film’s script, the main villain was going to be a man named Zerek and Syndrome was written as a minor villain who assaults Bob and Helen at the beginning of the movie. However, the Zerek character ended up being scrapped as Incredibles Director Brad Bird, who also wrote the screenplay, noticed how the producers responded to Syndrome so much more compared to Zerek. The video below is the alternate opening of The Incredibles had Bird sticked to his original script.

2. Psycho – What Alfred Hitchcock Did In Order To Keep The Film’s Ending A Secret:

The 1960 iconic film Psycho which is based on Robert Bloch’s novel of the same name, which was published a year before the film’s release. Legendary filmmaker Already Hitchcock is a master of suspense and he went great lengths to make sure that any of his films had their endings spoiled before their release.

One of the most stunning secrets behind Psycho is the extremities that the director took to make sure Psycho’s ending was spoiled: Hitchcock, according to Variety, bought all copies of the book in order to conceal the film adaptation’s ending from audience members! The director even helped devise a promotional and marketing scheme for Psycho that asserted that critics would not be allowed to get advanced screenings of the film and that no one would be admitted into the theater after the film had begun. The scheme also required for audience members to not disclose the film’s twist ending.

3. The Dark Knight – Heath Ledger’s Legendary Portrayal of The Joker:

Movie fans know how iconic the late Heath Ledger’s performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight was. While Ledger’s rendition frightened everyone, one of the lesser known facts is that Ledger’s co-star, two-time Oscar-winner Michael Caine, was so scared that he forgot his lines in the first scene the pair shot together.

4. Ghost – The Two Women Who Almost Played Oda Mae Brown:

Secret #4 is one of the few secrets featured in this article that is about actors who almost ended up playing iconic characters. As I said before in one of my previous articles, some film and TV roles are so iconic that it is hard to see another actor portraying or being considered for that role. When secrets about actors who almost played certain characters are revealed, it leaves some wondering what could have been and could change the way in which viewers see the character.

In the 1990 film Ghost, Whoopi Goldberg’s performance as Oda Mae Brown, the wacky psychic, earned her many accolades, including the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. However, before Goldberg was casted, Oprah Winfrey and Tina Turner were among the notable names who auditioned and were being heavily considered for the role.

5. The Wizard of Oz – Toto The Dog’s Salary:

Another one of the most shocking secrets from any film is this one right here: Toto the Dog made more money than all of the actors who portrayed the munchkins in The 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz! Toto made $125 per week while all the actors playing the munchkins only earned $50-$100 per week. The only cast members of who earned higher salaries than the dog were Judy Garland (Dorothy), Frank Morgan (The Wizard of Oz), Ray Bolger (The Scarecrow), Berth Lar (The Tin Man), and Jack Haley (The Cowardly Lion).  

6. A Cinderella Story – The Harry Potter Star Who Almost Played Austin Ames:

Like I said earlier, some film and TV roles are so iconic that it is hard to see another actor portraying or being considered for that role. Secrets about actors who almost played certain characters are revealed years later, it leaves some wondering what could have been and could change the way in which viewers see the character. 

It’s hard imagining anyone else but Chad Michael Murray playing Austin Ames in the 2004 teen film A Cinderella Story. One of the most shocking secrets from the film I recently learned was that Murray only got the role after the original choice dropped out. Which actor was originally supposed to play the quarterback and Sam’s (Hilary Duff) love interest? The answer: Harry Potter star Rupert Grint, who had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts with the beloved franchise. Had Grint not dropped out, his portrayal of Austin Ames would totally change the way we view the character today.

7. Gladiator – One of the Film’s Most Iconic Lines Was Ab-Libbed:

In the 2000 Best Picture-winning film Gladiator, Joaquin Phoenix gives a raving performance as Commodus, the evil, power-hungry, amoral, and twisted son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). While I’m happy that Phoenix finally got his long overdue Oscar this past February for his portrayal of Arthur Fleck/Joker in Joker, I still think he was robbed of winning the Academy Award for his performance in Gladiator. 

One of the most surprising secrets to come from Gladiator is that fact that Phoenix’s famous “Am I not merciful?” line wasn’t originally in the script. He ab-libbed the iconic line on the spot, which promoted a genuine and frightened reaction from co-star Connie Nielsen. Watch the entire scene play out below.

8. Now You See Me – Isla Fisher Almost Drowned In Front of The Whole Cast & Crew:

While promoting the film Now You See Me, Isla Fisher revealed that she almost drowned in front of the film’s entire cast & crew while filming an underwater magic trick in one scene. Fisher stated that “The chain that went between [her] legs couldn’t be broken, and it got stuck.” No one could tell she was struggling because, “Everyone just thought [she] was doing fabulous acting.”

9. Toy Story – Tim Allen Wasn’t The First Pick To Voice Buzz Lightyear:

Billy Crystal was the first one offered to voice the character in The Toy Stories films but turned it down. Years after the first film’s release, Crystal said that rejecting the part of Buzz Lightyear was the only regret he had in the business on something that he passed on.

10. Bring It On – James Franco Auditioned To Play Cliff:

Another one of the movie secrets related to famous actors almost playing iconic roles includes this almost casting from the 2000 film Bring It On: James Franco came in and auditioned for the role of Cliff, Torrance’s (Kirsten Dunst) love interest. Jesse Bradford ended up landing the part of Cliff. Peyton Reed, the film’s director, later said that besides Bradford’s chemistry with Dunst, one of the other reasons why Bradford got the role was because Franco got cast in Freak & Greeks.

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11. Monster’s Inc. – How Boo’s Dialogue was Recorded:

We loved adored Boo, the little girl who enter the monsters’ world in Monster’s Inc. One of the most interesting movie secrets featured in this article was the creative way in which Boo’s dialogue was recorded: By following Mary Gibbs, Boo’s voice actress who was five-years-old during production, around the set with a microphone.

The reason why Boo’s dialogue was recorded this way was that it was difficult to get the five-year-old to stand and act her lines in the recording studio. The film’s editors ended up cutting Boo’s lines together from the things Gibbs said while she was playing.

12. Superbad – Christopher Mintz-Plasse’s Mother Supervised The Filming of His Sex Scene:

In a 2020 interview with GQ, the actor revealed that due to his age at the time of production for the 2007 film Superbad, his mother had to be on the set while they filmed the sex scene. Mintz-Plasse recalled, “It was because I was 17. Stupid law. I was just sitting there with my bors on, waiting for my mom to drive down to the set. She got there, and I had fake sexual intercourse in front of her.”

13. It: Chapter Two – The Amount Blood Used To Shoot The Iconic Bathroom Scene:

One of the most shocking secrets that fans learned about production for It: Chapter Two was the record breaking amount of fake blood used to shoot the iconic bathroom scene: 5,000 gallons! 

14. Moonlight – The Limited Amount of Time Naomie Harris Had To Shoot All Of Her Scenes:

For her performance in Moonlight (which won Best Picture at The 89th Academy Awards), Naomie Harris earned an Oscar Nomination for Best Supporting Actress. However, it comes as shock to many that the actress only had three days to shoot all of her scenes for the film due to visa issues. 

15. Hairspray – The Celebrity Who Helped James Marsden Land The Role of Corny Collins:

Of all the shocking secrets from films, Secret #15 is the most recent one to have been made public knowledge. In the 2007 musical film Hairspray, James Marsden does an outstanding job in portraying Corny Collins, the host of The Corny Collins Show. 

In an appearance on The Ellen DeGenres Show in late May, Marsden revealed that Oscar-winning Actress Julia Roberts helped him get his role in Hairspray while in middle of discussing with Director Adam Shankman and Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron at a restaurant about the potential of Marsden playing Corny Collins.

The actor recalled: “In the middle of the interview, I had a tap on my shoulder and it was Julia Roberts, she was standing there,” he recalled. “She said ‘I don’t mean to interrupt, but I just wanted to tell you that you’re in my favorite movie, The Notebook, and I love what you do in the film, and congratulations on it, and nice to meet you.'” It was right after Roberts’ comments that Shankman told Marsden that he got the part.

Which of these movie secrets listed above stunned you the most? Do you know any interesting secrets from any film that most people don’t know and will be shocked to hear? Let us know which secrets for both questions down below in the comments section below:

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