Why didn't actor William Sylvester reprise his role as Heywood Floyd?
Does anyone know?
shareAlthough I've read articles which vaguely state he simply didn't want to reprise the role, I doubt he was even asked. 2010 was going to be a much different film to 2001, and MGM obviously wanted a star name for such an expensive production. Scheider was a well known lead from his 70s blockbusters and had also won an Oscar by then too so he could give it some weight.
shareThey should simply have made Scheider his successor. There was no need to have the character played by a different actor. They could have offered Sylvester a brief part in the film. If he accepted, great. If not, that's fine too. Scheider is a fine and charismatic actor, but he just isn't the same character or personality as Floyd in 2001. Let's be honest, Floyd was a bit of creepy dude, and his protestations of innocence in the second film just don't square with his actions in the first film. It was entirely unnecessary self-inflicted wound on Hyams part. I have a problem with the film's script and some of the decisions made, but not with Scheider's performance, per se.
shareExactly! The only reason I can think of is that the book had already been written and they were sticking to it? If so then that would be a stupid reason, given that the 2001 movie differed from the book and even the 2010 book differed significantly from the 2001 book? What else could it be though?
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