There are countless movie characters out there that have stood the test of time, sticking in our minds and winning our hearts, even after decades, in some cases. But even the biggest fans of these characters might not be aware that some of them came this close to being extremely different. Sometimes, scripts are completely rewritten at the last minute, with our favorite characters undergoing massive changes and transformations without us even knowing. Other times, actors are replaced by completely different ones, changing not only the character but the entire story as well. And sometimes, our favorite characters weren't even supposed to make it past the first movie!

Rest assured, these characters are here to stay, and they won't get changed anytime soon. But it's interesting to think about what could have been, and recognize how much thought goes into making a movie. Most of the time, the changes that are made are incredibly intelligent, showing incredible foresight about what could and couldn't work in a movie. Even though some of these early scripts and characters were pretty awesome in some cases, we're pretty glad about the finished products we received.

Luke Skywalker Was Supposed To Fight Against The Wookies

We all know that Star Wars took the world by storm when it first came out, and it made a huge impact on the science fiction genre for many years. It's clear that even to this day, Star Wars remains a big part of movies, but it all started way back in the late-'70s. But most people don't know that the original Star Wars story was extremely different back in the first scripts.

It's obvious that the original stories focused on Luke Skywalker, a character whose demise we see in the new Disney reboots. This was something that really annoyed a lot of fans, but back in the day, he was the central character and a great one at that. But even the biggest fans might not be aware of the massive differences between the Luke that we saw and the Luke that was in the original script.

According to Wookiepedia and lots of other sources, the first Luke prototypes weren't even called Luke. Luke was originally supposed to be called Anakin, and he was also supposed to be female. But perhaps, the biggest change that was made quite early on is that Luke fought the Wookies and defeated their chief. It's likely that the Wookies were changed to sand people.

ET Was Originally Part Of A Gang That Targeted Cattle

ET: The Extra-Terrestrial was one of the most unique feel-good movies we've ever seen, and it's definitely a science fiction movie that defied its genre. It, of course, centers around a cute alien that befriends a group of children. He's just trying to find a way home, and in the end, it leads the children on a thrilling adventure that leaves us with a sense of wonder.

But we're guessing that even the biggest fans of this movie weren't aware that ET was originally supposed to be evil. Well, maybe he wasn't evil, per se, but he was part of an evil gang of aliens that attacked cattle using only their long, bony fingers. Sound familiar? Yes, according to Gizmodo, that famous scene from ET where his finger starts glowing had a much darker connotation in the original script.

Anyway, the character of "ET" was originally called "Buddy," and he was the only member of this alien gang that had a kind heart. He gets abandoned on Earth by his gang, and he eventually makes friends with a young autistic boy, who in the later versions of the script became the character we all know as Elliot. Obviously, Steven Spielberg realized that this was not a great idea for a movie.

The Main Character Of Monsters, Inc Was Originally An Accountant

We can all agree that Monsters, Inc was one of the best animated films of all time, and a brilliant follow up to Toy Story, which introduced us to Pixar. The storyline is one of the best parts of the whole movie, as are the characters. We all remember the little girl who plays a central role in the movie. But according to sources, the little girl was originally not intended to be the main character. Instead, the director wanted that character to be an accountant and an adult!

Gizmodo quoted the director of Monsters, Inc, Peter Doctor, as explaining: "My idea was that what it was about was about a 30-year-old man who is like an accountant or something, he hates his job, and one day he gets a book with some drawings in it that he did when he was a kid from his mom, and he doesn't think anything of it and he puts it on the shelf and that night, monsters show up. And nobody else can see them. He thinks he's starting to go crazy, they follow him to his job, and on his dates, and all this — and it turns out these monsters are fears that he never dealt with as a kid."

Will Smith Was Almost Neo From The Matrix

The Matrix was another groundbreaking movie in the realm of science fiction, and it opened our minds to what was truly possible in a movie. The special effects, the fight scenes, the story, everything pushed film-making and storytelling to the absolute limit. Neo was, of course, played by Keanu Reeves, but it might have been Will Smith instead. He was approached for the role, and one has to wonder what Neo would have been like if the actors were switched. Will Smith himself has spoken about how he would've played the role differently...

Sonic Tremor Media highlighted the fact that Will Smith had turned down the role in order to star in Wild Wild West, and they also posted a quote from the actor as he attempted to explain his decision to reject the role. He stated: “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. Whereas Keanu was smart enough to just let it be. Let the movie and the director tell the story, and don’t try and perform every moment.”

Emilia Clarke Was Almost Anastasia Steele In Fifty Shades Of Grey

We all know that one of the biggest film franchises of recent years has been Fifty Shades Of Grey. This movie was as popular as it was controversial, and at its heart, was the two actors that played Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey. These two did a really great job it what was probably a very demanding role, involving many intimate scenes. It might come as a surprise that one of the first people approached for the role of Anastasia Steele was none other than Emilia Clarke, the star of Game Of Thrones. She turned down the role, but one has to wonder what it would have been like if she'd accepted it.

Emilia Clarke revealed why she turned down the role many years ago, and this was quoted by The Independent. She explained that she didn't want to get typecast as the girl who did intimate scenes, and we all know that Fifty Shades Of Grey had a lot of those... Emilia Clarke explained: "I really wanted to work with [director] Sam Taylor-Johnson because she's [really] amazing. But there is a huge amount of [...] in the film. I'll never say 'I'm never doing [...]' because I've already done it, but I thought I might get stuck in a pigeonhole that I would have struggled to get out of."

Rambo Wasn't Supposed To Make It Past The First Movie

The first Rambo movie was a great film that really helped make Sylvester Stallone an even bigger star after his hit with Rocky. The character he created was amazing, and the film was good enough to carry him all the way through multiple sequels and spin-offs. But what a lot of people don't realize is that Rambo was never meant to make it past the first movie. That's right, he was supposed to meet his end after the first film. But perhaps they sensed the potential for sequels because this ending was quickly changed.

Entertainment Weekly quoted the director of Rambo: First Blood, and he explained that the original ending was much different than what eventually took place in the film. He explained: "We came around to do the ending. He’s surrounded by the army, and by the police. He’s in the police station. The Colonel comes in there to put him out of his misery. [Rambo] says, 'I know you have a gun underneath your jacket there.' He pulls out the gun. But he can’t do it, of course. But Rambo reaches out, presses the trigger [...] The whole scene was awfully moving."

Ripley Wasn't Supposed To Make It Past The First Alien Movie

Alien is a franchise that is still alive and well to this day, and it never seems to go away— much like the xenomorph that the movie centers on. But it all started way back in the day with a film from Ridley Scott, and a great story that took a lot of us by surprise. It was a defining moment in movie science fiction history, and it remains a classic to this day. There are now so many sequels, but a lot of them have centered around the character of Ripley. But even the biggest Alien fans might not be aware that in the original draft, Ripley didn't make it past the first film, and was completely destroyed by the xenomorph.

Mashable quoted director, Ridley Scott, as saying, “I thought that the alien should come in, and Ripley harpoons it and it makes no difference, so it slams through her mask.” Next, Scott says, he’d have cut to the tentacles of the alien pressing buttons on the dashboard. “It would mimic Captain Dallas [Skerritt] saying, ‘I’m signing off.'” Clearly a darker ending, but it might have worked. Of course, then we wouldn't have had so many amazing sequels!

Jesse Pinkman Was Never Supposed To Make It Past The Ninth Episode Of Breaking Bad

One of the most successful and popular shows of recent memory was Breaking Bad. This ambitious show centered on the two characters of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, who become unlikely partners in crime as they take on and eventually usurp the entire criminal network of their area. Jesse and Walt are two perfect foils for each other, and they play off each other's flaws and weaknesses incredibly well.

But while a lot of people enjoyed the character of Jesse, even choosing him as their favorite character, many fans might not be aware that Jesse was originally not supposed to make it past the first season. There were numerous pitches in the writing room about how Season 1 would play out, and while there are conflicting sources out there on the web, the general consensus is that Jesse's demise was once seriously considered as early as Season 1.

Vince Gilligan, the creator and director of the show, reportedly played with the idea of Jesse getting taken out by a criminal in the first season. This is according to an article by Indie Wire, and it draws on things the director said in a podcast. Apparently, the idea was that Walter White would find the criminal responsible for Jesse's end.

Han Solo Was Supposed To Leave The Saga In Return Of The Jedi

We all know that Han Solo was one of the most popular characters of Star Wars, and tons of people simply loved his performances in the various movies. Of course, most fans weren't too thrilled to see him get taken out in the new Disney reboots, but that's just the way the cookie crumbles. Han Solo is, of course, back in the headlines with the release of Solo: A Star Wars Story, which has been getting a mixed reception.

But few fans really know about what the early versions of Han Solo were supposed to be like. Early drafts had him as a green lizard-like alien, but eventually, Harrison Ford wowed George Lucas in the auditions, and the rest is history. But even after the final version of Harrison Ford's character had been cemented, changes continued to be played with in the writing room.

But one little detail that might have escaped even the biggest Star Wars fans is the fact Han Solo was supposed to leave the series in the third film. Producer, Gary Kurtz, was quoted by Geeks Of Doom as saying, "We had an outline and George changed everything in it. Instead of bittersweet and poignant he wanted a euphoric ending with everybody happy. The original idea was that they would recover [the kidnapped] Han Solo in the early part of the story and that he would then [meet his end[ in the middle part of the film in a raid on an Imperial base. George then decided he didn’t want any of the principals [lost]. By that time there were really big toy sales and that was a reason."

Tom Cruise Was Originally Supposed To Be The Lead In Salt

One of Angelina Jolie's most defining roles in recent years was SALT, a story about a CIA agent who must prove that she's not a Russian sleeper agent. The actress did an incredible job and fully sold us on the fact that she was a secret agent. And it's not like she doesn't have experience in the action genre, having previously played characters such as Lara Croft. But did you know that the movie was originally designed for Tom Cruise to play the lead role? That's right— Angelina Jolie was only brought in after Tom Cruise dropped out, and the entire script was essentially rewritten for a female character to play the role!

Games Radar quoted the director of the film as saying: “[Columbia Exec] Amy Pascal had been talking over the years and had often spoken to Angelina Jolie,” explains director, Noyce, who remained onboard post-Cruise. “They’d expressed their mutual desire to try and create a female spy franchise, so we sent the script to Angelina.” He also revealed that Tom Cruise was reluctant to go ahead with the film because it was too similar to his role as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible. In effect, he chose Mission: Impossible over SALT.

Sean Connery Was Almost Morpheus

The Matrix actually had a lot of changes in casting, and Sean Connery was at the center of one of them. In fact, he was actually offered two roles in the Matrix movies, but let's back up for a second. The role of Morpheus was of course played by Laurence Fishburne, who delivered an amazing performance in the role. But before that, the role was offered to Sean Connery, who turned it down. When the sequel came around, Matrix: Reloaded, Sean Connery was once again offered a role— this time, as the architect (the incomprehensible bearded guy with the TV screens behind him). He again turned the role down. Just imagine what the film would have been like with Sean Connery as Morpheus and Will Smith as Neo!

Sean Connery was once quoted by Complex as saying: “I got offered The Lord of the Rings, and I turned it down because I didn't understand it. I was offered The Matrix twice, and I turned it down because I didn't understand it. I don't understand this movie, but I'll be damned if I'm going to turn it down.” Based on this quote, it seems like Sean Connery regrets turning down the roles offered to him in the Matrix.

Commando Was Supposed To Be About An Old, Ex-Israeli Soldier

After Terminator, it seemed like Arnold Schwarzenegger was capable of doing anything he wanted in the film industry. His next big hit was Commando, a classic action movie that we all remember from back in the day. It's as stereotypical as you can get in terms of an action movie, and some of Arnold's best/cheesiest quotes can be found between the gunfire and explosions that were so common in this film.

But this was far from what the film was originally supposed to be. The original screenwriter was quoted by Den Of Geek as saying: "This was about a guy who'd been an Israeli soldier, who'd actually turned his back on violence. That's not the movie they made." It seems as though the movie was supposed to be about the darker side of war and violence, and not glorifying it.

It also seems as though the lead role was written for someone much older—someone who had been through the hell of war and turned his back on it, a veteran. But everything changed when Arnold Schwarzenegger was brought it. The script was completely rewritten, the character changed, and the original message of the movie was completely lost in eighties action cliches.

Maximus Lives In The Original Gladiator Script

Gladiator remains one of the best historical movies of all time, and one of the standout performances from Russell Crowe. This movie is, of course, about a Gladiator that eventually rises up and challenges the might of the Roman Emperor himself. It's an action-packed classic that is fun, whether you're watching for the first time or the one hundredth.

But even the biggest fans of this movie might not be aware of the fact that the original script was very, very different. First of all, the main character was not called Maximus, but Narcissus. According to Cracked, this was because the real Emperor Commodus was taken out by a guy called Narcissus, who was his wrestling coach. Eventually, the name was changed to something a little more imposing, and "Maximus" fit the bill.

There were a lot of other changes to the script, and the original draft had things like midgets riding ostriches, people being cooked alive inside huge statues of bulls, and other interesting details. But perhaps, the most notable change was that in the original script, Maximus actually lives, and reunites with his family to live happily ever after somewhere in Africa. It really makes you wonder about what could have been...

Chewie Was Originally Supposed To Look Like A Giant Bushbaby

Let's revisit Star Wars one more time, and this time will be the last (we promise). While many of the main characters of the series rightly get the spotlight, the Star Wars franchise is also blessed with a generous amount of interesting, funny, and deeply constructed side characters. Chewbacca is one of the most important of these side characters, and some say that the new movie Solo: A Star Wars Story is actually more about him than Han Solo.

But the Chewie we know and love today is vastly different from the one we eventually got. Just like Han Solo, who was originally a green alien, Chewbacca was also vastly different in appearance, and looked very much like a giant bush baby, as Cracked so correctly put it. Obviously, the decision to change Chewy into a more lovable, less scary creature was a good one, and it's hard to imagine him looking at all different from the iconic, towering creature.

But it really makes you wonder what Star Wars would have been like with some little tweaks here and there. The above image is early concept art of the movie, and as you can see, Chewie is not the only character to look vastly different from the final version. You can see a much younger Obi-Wan, as well as a slightly different C3PO.

The Alien From Alien Was Supposed To Be A Huge Ball Of Tentacles

We've already mentioned the movie, Alien, in this quiz, and we've covered the fact that Ripley was supposed to meet his end in the early script. But we're forgetting about the real main character of the Alien series and the first iconic movie— the alien itself.

Known by fans as a "Xenomorph," the alien that has become so iconic is perhaps one of the most frightening and dangerous creatures ever devised by science fiction creators. The shape and physical form of the Alien is what really defines it, and it seems to be a perfectly evolved fighting machine from the depths of space. It's sleek, it's powerful, it's fast, and it's dangerous.

But what if the Alien we all know and love looked way different? Well, the original vision for the Alien was completely different. The writers of the scripts weren't really sure what they wanted the Alien to look like, as Cracked reports, so they simply described it as a massive ball of tentacles. The early concept art is pretty telling, given the fact that even that wasn't enough tentacles, apparently!

Emily Blunt Was Originally Supposed To Be Black Widow

The character of Black Widow has become one of the most beloved characters in the MCU, and one that fans just can't get enough of. She's a secret agent- turned Avenger who often helps out Captain America and Iron Man. Although she's just a regular human, she's proved her worth many a time, even when fighting alongside superheroes like Thor, Spider-Man, and of course, Captain America.

She's played by the lovely Scarlett Johansson, and today it's almost impossible to imagine any other actress playing the role. She does incredibly well in all of her action scenes, and her acting ability can't be doubted. But not many fans will know that she wasn't the first choice for the role. According to Cinema Blend, that honor goes to none other than Emily Blunt.

We've seen that this actress can knock it out of the park when it comes to action roles, just look at her performance in Edge of Tomorrow. Can you imagine how this role would have been if it was played by this amazing actress? Whether it would have been better or worse, we got Scarlett Johansson in the end, and we really can't complain too much, with all things considered.

Olivia Wilde Was Originally Supposed To Be Gamora

Gamora is definitely one of the coolest female characters in the MCU, and she has tons of fans. This character is, of course, one of the best attractions when it comes to Guardians of the Galaxy, and she's one of the most interesting and complex characters. Her love story with Star-Lord is something that really pulls us in, and keeps us hooked. But did you know that Olivia Wilde was once considered for the role? It really makes you wonder what Gamora would have been like... Olivia Wilde seems to have a certain reluctance for diving into superhero movies, as her quotes seem to show.

Cinema Blend quoted the actress as saying: "I’m a big fan of superhero films, and I have so much respect for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The thing with female superheroes is that, in order to be powerful, they are flawless. The idea of [...] power lacks a certain nuance, at times. There is something to be said for a female director working to create a female superhero that perhaps [has] a little more complexity."

References: starwars.wikia.com, sonictremormedia.com, gizmodo.com, independent.co.uk, ew.com, mashable.com, indiewire.com, geeksofdoom.com, gamesradar.com, complex.com, denofgeek.com, cracked.com, cinemablend.com,