MovieChat Forums > Air Force One (1997) Discussion > Kevin Costner as the President?

Kevin Costner as the President?


I saw this on TV the other day. Still a great action movie.

I had forgotten that the role of James Marshall was originally offered to Kevin Costner. He turned it down and suggested that it was more suited for Harrison Ford. I can easily picture Costner in the role as the President. The Untouchables, Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood and Revenge proved that Costner could play a heroic lead.

By 1997, he was in need of a huge hit after Waterworld and this would have cemented him as a certified A list leading man. Instead, he made The Postman which was a flop and accelerated his descent from that magic circle that very few actors get to enter. From 2000 onwards, he was still a big star, but you could see his status changing from star to supporting actor.

I am tempted to think of that scene in Once upon a time in Hollywood when we see Rick Dalton in the the Steve McQueen role in The Great Escape. What might have been.

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Despite everything Waterworld worked and made money. Perhaps it would have been better if it hadn't if that meant The Postman was never made?
But it's funny how quickly an a star can appear to fall out of fashion.

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Open Range and Hidden Figures show that Costner has still got it. Maybe he needs a good western role.

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Maybe. It would be interesting if they put the Silverado cast back together with a good script - always liked that film.

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