1

Han Solo- Al Pacino

Image: Gotfryd, Bernard, photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Can you imagine the legendary Han Solo played by anyone other than Harrison Ford? Hard to picture, right? But it nearly happened: Al Pacino was actually offered the role. According to Pacino, he got the Star Wars script before it became a massive hit, but he "didn’t understand it" and decided to pass.

2

Jack Nicholson- Michael Corleone

Image: Larry Bessel, Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

It’s true that the great Jack Nicholson had no shortage of incredible roles and performances. But did you know he almost played one of cinema’s most iconic gangsters, Michael Corleone? However, Nicholson felt that "an Italian-American character should be played by an Italian-American actor" and passed on the role, which ultimately went to the brilliant Al Pacino.

3

Pretty Woman- Molly Ringwald

Image: Panio Gianopoulos, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Pretty Woman (1990) is undeniably one of the iconic films of the ’90s, made unforgettable by the stellar performances of Richard Gere and Julia Roberts. But did you know the role of Vivian almost went to someone else? Molly Ringwald, star of Sixteen Candles (1984) and The Breakfast Club (1985), was originally considered, but she turned it down because she didn’t feel comfortable with the role.

4

Jack from Titanic- Matthew McConaughey

Image: All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Can you picture a young Matthew McConaughey as the lovely Jack in Titanic (1997)? Hard to imagine, right? But it almost happened! Although he was five years older than Leonardo DiCaprio, both auditioned for the role. McConaughey came close to landing it but ultimately lost out because he refused to drop his Southern accent.

5

Catwoman- Madonna

Image: chrisweger, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

When we think of Catwoman, Michelle Pfeiffer instantly comes to mind, as she gave us one of the most iconic portrayals of the character in Batman Returns (1992). But the role wasn’t always meant for Pfeiffer. That’s right! Catwoman almost went to the legendary Madonna. Believe it or not, the singer was originally offered the role but didn’t find it appealing at the time. Years later, she admitted she regretted passing it up.

6

Django- Will Smith

Image: Raph_PH, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

In 2012, Quentin Tarantino brought us Django Unchained , inspired by the 1966 Spaghetti Western classic Django . The film was a hit, with Jamie Foxx shining as the lead. But it could have looked very different, as another actor was originally offered the role: Will Smith. After reading the script, he passed, feeling that Django was overshadowed by other characters and that the story focused too much on vengeance.

7

Mrs. Smith- Gwen Stefani

Image: Lorie Shaull from St Paul, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) isn’t just one of the sexiest films of recent years; it’s also where Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie met and fell in love. But we almost missed out on this iconic couple! Why? Well, besides Angelina, other actresses and artists were considered for the role. One of them was singer Gwen Stefani, who said she "almost got it" but chose to focus on her music career instead.

8

Neo- Will Smith

Image: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

We don’t know how many roles Will Smith has turned down over the years, but he appears twice on this list! This time, it’s the legendary Neo from The Matrix franchise. According to Smith, when they offered him the role, he had also been offered Captain James West in Wild Wild West (1999) and ultimately chose that one instead.

9

Captain America- John Krasinski

Image: Gabriel Hutchinson, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

John Krasinski won our hearts as the clever Jim in The Office . But did you know he nearly became a superhero? He was close to playing Captain America! Although he even auditioned, Krasinski later joked that when he saw Chris Hemsworth in his Thor costume, he realized the role and the movie weren’t quite for him.

10

Iron Man- Tom Cruise

Image: Gabriel Hutchinson Photography, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Iron Man, the genius billionaire who uses his brains and wealth for good, is a Marvel icon we all know and love thanks to Robert Downey Jr.’s brilliant performance. But did you know we almost saw Tom Cruise dressed up as a superhero? That’s right! He was seriously considered for the role, though the way the project was pitched didn’t quite convince him.

1

Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs, New York

Image: Umanoide

While its world fame derives from a hot dog eating contest where the flavor of each individual dog is hardly appreciated by the participants, Nathan’s Famous does make excellent frankfurters with a vast array of flavors to choose from.

Set up in 1916 by Polish immigrant Nathan Handwerker, it's now one of the most popular and famous places on the New York City food map for its mind-blowing hot dogs.

2

Puka Dog, Hawaii

Image: LikeMeat

Pork is a central part of the Hawaiian culture and it should be no surprise that pork hot dogs are a popular treat in that lovely part of the country. Puka Dog’s Hawaiian-style hot dogs are named after the unique bun that's baked with a hole running through the middle .

The available hot dogs can be either Polish or veggie, and the local garlic lemon sauce can be mild, spicy, hot, or lava (yes, that is on the menu). Relish and condiments are seemingly infinite.

3

Portillo's, Illinois

Image: Samuel Ramos

A city well known for its all-beef hot dogs served in poppy seed buns Chicago has plenty of hot dog vendors. But, among them, Portillo’s is the place to go to get the real deal.

Its classic Jumbo Hot Dog with mustard, relish, chopped onions, sliced ripe tomato, sport peppers, and pickles in a delicious steamed bun is a city landmark in itself. Chicago natives are known to call this combo of toppings 'dragging the dog through the garden'.

4

Dat Dog, Louisiana

Image: Mateusz Feliksik

If you ever felt the craving for an alligator or crawfish hot dog , and you happen to be in Louisiana, this is the place for you. Dat Dog has nine house-special dogs on the menu, including everything from classic Chicago-style dogs to the aforementioned alligator and crawfish dogs.

The vegan and vegetarian options are also very popular, like the Vegan Banger, complete with a vegan-friendly bratwurst, sauerkraut, dill relish, onions, tomatoes and mustard.

5

Short Leash Hotdogs & Rollover Doughnuts, Arizona

Image: Andy Wang

Hot can be gourmet food and Short Leash Hotdogs & Rollover Doughnuts certainly knows that. There’s a long menu, from a ll-beef and bratwurst to veggie and spicy link, unconventionally served in naan bread with a range of toppings .

One of the house’s strongest contenders, the Oliver hot dog, is a mix of sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing. The Poutine Dog is smothered with French fries, cheese curds, and gravy.

6

Buldogis Gourmet Hot Dogs, Nevada

Image: Chris Curry

The odd name of Buldogis Gourmet Hot Dogs makes sense once you understand that it is a word play on the traditional Korean beef dish, bulgogi , with lots of the menu items inspired by Korean and Vietnamese flavors.

The Banh Mi, a local favorite, is bacon, banh mi slaw, a herb blend, and sriracha aioli. The Angry Kimchi comes with spicy pork bulgogi, Asian slaw, jalapeños and fiery aioli.

7

Red Top, Kentucky

Image: Meg Jenson

These hot dogs might be served from a food truck but the food is gourmet style for sure. Its wild game and all-beef sausages including wild boar, wagyu, and bison include extravagant toppings to match.

Visitors can try the Nirvana – a combo of roasted garlic cream cheese, jalapeños, fried onions, and jalapeño jam – or the Black & Blue, with blue cheese spread, grilled onions, smoked bacon, and local blackberry jam.

8

International House of Hot Dogs, Alaska

Image: Freunde des Snacks e.V.

The first of two Alaskan entries, the International House of Hot Dogs is loved by Anchorage locals thanks to its easily customizable options and wide range of dogs and toppings. However, the undisputed specialty is the reindeer Polish sausage, dressed with sautéed onions and the joint's secret chipotle sauce .

If reindeer is not of your liking, you can also choose between beef, buffalo, chicken, or veggie dogs.

9

Talkeetna Roadhouse, Alaska

Image: Andersen Jensen

As exotic as these treats might seem elsewhere, reindeer dogs are a normal thing in Anchorage, Alaska, as seen in the previous post, and this one, where the Polish-style dogs are the house’s specialty.

The menu even features names like Rudy-in-a-Parka and Chili-Rudy, as a nod to Santa Claus’ ride. But visitors can rest assured that the meats used don’t belong to the famous reindeer.

10

The Hot Dog Box, Chicago

Image: Zeki Okur

The Windy City makes a second entry at the last stop of our list with The Hot Dog Box, a father-daughter-managed joint venture. While classic Chicago-style hot dogs are on the menu, what makes this place a Chicago original is the craftier original creations that prove there's still room for creativity in the hot dog department.

The Bronzeville Bourbon Hot Dog is a menu star, comprised of a decadent steak dog covered with bourbon barbecue sauce, a fresh cabbage and carrot medley, and hickory-smoked bacon , all served in a pretzel bun.

1

"I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston

Image: Ransford Quaye

This legendary ballad was originally written and recorded by Dolly Parton in 1973. When the song was selected for the The Bodyguard soundtrack , the producers were initially hesitant. They were about to choose a different song for Whitney Houston, but everything changed in a second. Once they heard her sing it, they knew they couldn't pass it up. Today, it's considered one of her most iconic performances!

2

"Purple Rain" by Prince

Image: Doyoun Seo

While we can't imagine a world without the iconic "Purple Rain," it almost wasn't released! At first, Prince conceived the song as a duet with Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks, but she turned it down, saying the piece felt too overwhelming. Prince then trimmed the original version (the final still runs over 8 minutes) as the theme was considered too complex and extensive. Fortunately, after those arrangements, it was released on the album of the same name in 1984 and became one of his most legendary works.

3

"Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson

Image: Mathew Browne

The Thriller album wouldn’t be the same without the incomparable "Billie Jean"! But did you know that it almost didn't make the cut? Believe it or not, the album's producer didn't like the song and thought the title might confuse people, especially due to its similarity to tennis player Billie Jean King's name. He even suggested changing not just the title, but also the iconic bass intro. Fortunately, Jackson stood his ground, and the song became a turning point in his career!

4

"Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica

Image: Yurii Stupen

Metallica gave us the incredible ballad "Nothing Else Matters," later covered by multiple artists and bands around the world. But vocalist James Hetfield almost deprived us of this beautiful work! As he tells it, he composed the ballad on the road while missing his home and family. However, when his spirits lifted, Hetfield worried that the song might be too personal, and perhaps too soft for Metallica's heavy metal vibe. Fortunately, when the band members heard it, they loved it and convinced him to include it on The Black Album .

5

"Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi

Image: andre mosele

Who hasn't sung " Whoaaaa, we're halfway there, whoa-ooooh, livin' on a prayer " at the top of their lungs? We certainly have! But, strangely enough, Jon Bon Jovi almost kept this anthem a secret . When he first heard the full version of the song, he wasn’t convinced—he thought it was too simplistic and might not resonate with fans. Thankfully, his bandmates saw something special in it and convinced him to give it a chance.

6

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana

Image: Jurian Kersten

The legendary Kurt Cobain wrote "Smells Like Teen Spirit" as a protest against the polished pop hits dominating the music scene—but the result didn’t convince him. He was worried that the song would become too mainstream, given its commercial appeal. After some debate, the producer and the band convinced him to record it. To this day, it's one of the band's most iconic tracks and a defining anthem of the entire grunge movement!

7

"Like a Prayer" by Madonna

Image: Jonathan J. Castellon

"Like a Prayer" by Madonna is one of the most famous hits in pop music history. But the religious imagery in both the song and its music video raised concerns among her producers and record label executives, who feared an intense backlash that could affect the singer's career. Although it’s said that Madonna herself was initially hesitant as well, the song was not only released but also became one of her defining anthems.

8

"Sweet Child O’ Mine" by Guns N’ Roses

Image: Simon Weisser

Although it may be hard to believe, a record company once considered "Sweet Child O' Mine" unrepresentative of Guns N’ Roses’ sound. In fact, it’s said that Slash’s now-iconic guitar riff started out as an ironic joke! When the rest of the band heard it and wanted to build a song around it, he flatly refused. Luckily for the fans, the song did come out, and it also became the band's only number-one hit on the US Billboard Hot 100!

9

"1979" by The Smashing Pumpkins

Image: Francisco Moreno

Although many of us love "1979" by The Smashing Pumpkins, it was almost left off their album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness . The song, written by lead singer Billy Corgan, was initially rejected by the band because they felt it didn't fit with the overall vibe of the album. Fortunately, after hearing the completed track, they realized how unique it was and decided to include it.

10

"What’s Going On" by Marvin Gaye

Image: Caio Silva

One of the most iconic songs in American music history, "What's Going On," almost didn't see the light of day. When Marvin Gaye brought the track to Motown founder Berry Gordy, he was met with resistance. Gordy felt the song’s social and political themes were too risky and potentially controversial. But Gaye was determined. He pushed forward and recorded it anyway—and thanks to that decision, we have this timeless masterpiece today.