Can you see anyone besides Tom Hanks sitting on that bench in Forrest Gump? Could anyone other than Whoopi Goldberg help Patrick Swayze navigate the afterlife in Ghost? Certain actors seem destined for certain roles.
The 1990s gave audiences a lifetime's worth of memorable movie characters. It may seem like cinematic blasphemy to imagine some of that decade's most iconic roles played by anyone but the original actors but it's sometimes fun to think "what if?" In the spirit of fun here are 10 iconic movie characters from the 90s replaced with current actors.
John Cena As Dr. Richard Kimble
The Fugitive was a huge success both at the box office and with critics, earning hundreds of millions and multiple Oscar nominations. Harrison Ford was a big reason for the film's popularity as one of the world's most popular action heroes of the time.
John Cena is slowly establishing himself as a bankable action star who, if given the right role, fans will root for. His natural ability as an actor along with many years as a WWE superstar has given him the physical prowess necessary to pull off the part of the wrongfully accused doctor.
Margot Robbie As Vivian Ward
Pretty Woman launched Julia Roberts into superstardom. She played the part of a Hollywood sex worker who is pulled from the streets by a rich introverted businessman. Her big smile, infectious laugh, and natural beauty made audiences forget Vivian was actually a prostitute.
From her understated role as Sharon Tate in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood to the crazed criminal Harley Quinn, Robbie proved she is more than capable of filling Julia Roberts' big shoes. Simply imagine her in a hot tub singing "Kiss" by Prince. Easy right?
Bryan Cranston as Hannibal Lecter
In Silence of the Lambs Anthony Hopkins' performance as Hannibal Lecter, a cannibalistic serial killer was nothing short of brilliant. With limited screentime, Hopkins made every one of Lecter's scenes memorable and instantly quotable.
Bryan Cranston has come a long way from his comedic role as the immature but loving dad on Malcolm in the Middle. Back then no one could have imagined Malcolm's dad would one day become the iconic Walter White. Though it may be hard to picture anyone other than Hopkins as the genius cannibal, Cranston has the skills to make the role his own.
Octavia Spencer As Oda Mae Brown
When thinking about the 1990 film Ghost there are two things that stand out - the pottery scene and Whoppi Goldberg's performance as Oda Mae Brown. Golberg's comedic turn as a shifty medium guiding Patrick Swayze through the afterlife gives the otherwise serious film some much-needed levity.
Octavia Spencer pulled off a similar feat in The Help where she turned in an Oscar-winning performance as the feisty maid, Miss Minny. Since then Octavia Spencer has become a master at stealing the show in many of her films, much like Goldberg did in Ghost.
Brad Pitt as William Wallace
In the 1995 film Braveheart, the character of William Wallace was ruggedly handsome, tough but loving and could give a great speech when he had to. Without a doubt, Mel Gibson owned that role but it's not hard to imagine an actor like Brad Pitt doing justice to the part.
It's no secret Brad Pitt is a Hollywood heartthrob but that has not stood in the way of a serious acting career filled with diverse roles that span many different periods. He has played everything from the mythical hero Achillies to a World War 2 Nazi hunter. This past Summer Brad Pitt tangled with the Manson Family and walked away with an Oscar.
Michael B. Jordan As Neo
In the 1999 sci-fi hit The Matrix, Keanu Reeves played Neo perfectly. He was quiet and virtually expressionless, a mirror to the dark void that was his actual reality. Upon being awakened Neo transforms from introverted computer geek to the ass-kicking chosen one.
Going back to his early days as a high school football star on the TV series Friday Night Lights, Michael B Jordan is a master of the understated performance. He has been great at playing characters with a calm demeanor often hiding the fire inside. Much like Neo in The Matrix.
Pete Davidson As Ace Ventura
The parallels between Pete Davidson and original Ace Ventura actor Jim Carrey are eerily similar. Both got their start on the stand-up comedy circuit before getting their big break on a popular television sketch show.
Jim Carey became a superstar after leaving In Living Color to star in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Although you can't predict if a similar fate would await Pete Davidson you can be sure if he left his gig on Saturday Night Live to portray the zany animal sleuth the young comic would certainly give it his all. Davidson has proved with the right material he can knock it out of the park.
Zendaya As Cher Horowitz
It's been hard for Alicia Silverstone to duplicate the success of her career-making role as Cher in the 1995 teen comedy Clueless. She became a role model for teen girls everywhere who were drawn to her fashion sense and snappy dialogue.
Zendaya has come a long way since her days playing Rocky Blue on the Disney show Shake It Up. After staring in two Spider-Man films Zendaya completely broke out of her Disney kid mold in the HBO drama series Euphoria. The girl can do it all on-screen and would be a natural fit for the role of Cher, a character who is always happy no matter what happens in life.
Ryan Gosling As Forrest Gump
Tom Hanks owned the role of Forrest Gump. It is perhaps his most famous role earning him worldwide acclaim and his second straight best actor Oscar. Forrest Gump is a simple man with simple ideas and values but as Hanks proved, it takes one hell of an actor to make that character believable. One misstep and you could end up with a performance like Ben Stiller in Simple Jack.
Don't let Ryan Gosling's boyish good looks fool you - the man can act. He has taken on quirky complex roles before such as Lars Lindstrom, a socially awkward man who falls in love with a sex doll. Gosling also has comedic chops proven by his appearances on Saturday Night Live.
Dwayne Johnson As Mrs. Doubtfire
When it comes to getting a laugh or making an audience believe in something there is not much Dwayne Johnson won't do. Dating way back to his WWE days as The Rock, Johnson would always go the extra mile to get a response from the crowd. What was important to him was regardless of the subject matter the audience needed to believe.
An attitude like that along with some God-given talent is what's needed to pull off an iconic role like Mrs. Doubtfire. Especially when that role has been made famous by a legendary actor like Robin Williams. The idea of Dwayne Johnson dressed as an English nanny is enough to get audiences in the seats. Thankfully the actor has the skills to entertain them once they are seated.