Kevin Costner Passed on This Movie Multiple Times—And It Still Got Made

Kevin Costner once admitted that he initially turned down a role as a ruthless villain before eventually agreeing to star.

Speaking to the Toronto Sun in 2016, the actor said, “I don’t know why they cast me… I kept looking in the mirror, questioning, ‘Why me? I’m a cowboy, I play baseball.’”

The film, Criminal, is a 2016 action thriller directed by Ariel Vromen. It follows a convict implanted with the memories of a dead CIA agent in order to complete a mission.

Costner starred alongside Gary Oldman, Tommy Lee Jones, Gal Gadot, and Antje Traue. The project marked a reunion for Costner, Oldman, and Jones, who previously worked together on JFK in 1991.

Costner revealed he turned down the role “two or three times” because he was uneasy about playing a violent character so different from his usual roles.

He said, “I said, ‘I don’t even know why you’d come after me for this.’” Eventually, he reconsidered after reflecting on his age and experience, realizing, “You’re not in Fandango anymore… I can play this guy. I can play this level of violence.”

During filming in London, Costner transformed his look to match his dark role as Jerico Stewart. He described his preparation, saying, “I had to go into the make-up trailer and create that really severe look,” including a tight buzz cut and makeup to show past injuries and surgical modifications. “Slowly but surely, Jericho came crawling out,” he added with a grin. “I started feeling a little bit like Frankenstein.”

Despite the star-studded cast and Costner’s dedication, Criminal struggled with critics and audiences. The movie made $38.8 million worldwide on a $31.5 million budget. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds just 30% positive reviews, with critics calling it minimal in terms of content.

Metacritic gave it a score of 36 out of 100, labeling it “generally unfavorable.” Reviewers were harsh: John Nugent of Empire joked that one might wish to erase the memory of watching the film, giving it one star out of five, while Tim Robey of The Daily Telegraph described it as “wanton, low-down entertainment.” BBC critic Mark Kermode even listed it among the worst films of 2016.

In hindsight, Costner’s leap into a darker, more violent role shows his willingness to challenge himself and take risks, even if the results were mixed.

It’s interesting to see an actor known for heroic, wholesome roles explore something completely different. What do you think about Costner taking on such a dark character? Share your thoughts in the comments.