Kevin Costner to Michael Douglas: 5 Stars Who Nearly Replaced Ford in The Fugitive 32 Years Ago

Harrison Ford’s The Fugitive almost starred these Hollywood A-listers before the iconic star was chosen for the action classic.

The Fugitive was released in 1993 and marks its 32nd anniversary in August this year. It is easily one of the best action-thrillers of all time, with Harrison Ford playing the lead role of Richard Kimble in the Andrew Davis-directed movie based on the 1960s TV series of the same name.

Before Ford was selected for the lead role, several A-listers of the time, including Michael Douglas and Kevin Costner, were considered for The Fugitive. However, Ford’s casting was undoubtedly the perfect choice given his performance alongside Tommy Lee Jones. Here’s who could’ve starred in The Fugitive instead of Harrison Ford.

Michael Douglas, Kevin Costner, and More Almost Played the Lead Role in The Fugitive

The Fugitive stars Harrison Ford as Dr. Richard Kimble, who is framed for his wife’s murder but escapes from custody to prove his innocence. The movie emerged as a critical and commercial success, grossing $353.8 million globally against a $44 million budget (via The Numbers).

Harrison Ford in The Fugitive (Credit: Warner Bros).

According to a report from MovieFone, the Indiana Jones franchise star wasn’t the first choice for the classic movie, which turned 32 years old this year. Instead, actor Alec Baldwin, who was then known for playing Jack Ryan, was offered the role of Richard Kimble.

However, Baldwin allegedly turned down the role over a salary dispute. Nick Nolte was then considered for the part but turned it down, feeling he was too old for it. Other actors considered for the lead role include eventual Yellowstone star Kevin Costner, Andy Garcia, and Michael Douglas.

Despite Costner’s and Douglas’ popularity, Ford was undoubtedly the right choice. Although Ford was in his fifties, he was more adept with action roles and had enough range to convey Kimble’s grief and anxiety. As a result, Ford’s performance served as a natural foil for Tommy Lee Jones‘ more wisecracking, scene-stealing Sam Gerard.

Tommy Lee Jones Made a Hilariously Wrong Prediction About The Fugitive

Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive (Credit: Warner Bros).

In the movie, Jones appears as Sam Gerard, a Deputy U.S. Marshal tasked with catching Ford’s character. As a result, the movie’s premise is driven by the two characters, and the plot might feel formulaic in some places. Hence, it is easy to see why Jones predicted that the movie would win no awards.

It’s not like anyone is going to win any awards for this film.

Jones famously made the above statement to his co-star Joe Pantoliano (via IMDB), implying Jones viewed The Fugitive as a commercial venture.

However, the Men in Black star was proven wrong when the action-thriller movie ended up with several accolades. It received seven Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture and three Golden Globe nominations, including a Best Actor nod for Ford.

In a rather twisted display of irony, Jones ended up winning a Best Supporting Actor Oscar and Golden Globe for his performance, hilariously proving his prediction wrong in the process. He also starred in the 1998 legacy sequel U.S. Marshals, which was a modest box office success. What do you think of Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones’ performance in The Fugitive? Let us know in the comments!

The Fugitive is currently streaming on Pluto TV (USA).