Actors turning down roles in movies that would go on to become huge commercial and critical successes is a very common occurrence in Hollywood. For example, Emma Watson turned down an Oscar-winning role in a musical that made more than $400 million at the box office just to play Belle in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast live-action remake.
Other actors that have turned roles in movies that became huge box-office hits include Emma Stone, Tom Holland, and 90s teen idol Katie Holmes.
Although she first achieved fame for playing Joey Potter on the teen drama television series Dawson’s Creek in the late 90s, Katie Holmes has proven she’s so much more than this role. Nowadays, Holmes has almost 50 acting credits under her belt and a rather impressive net worth. However, this actress once made a decision that greatly affected her career. Not so long ago, Holmes rejected a role in a sequel that made a billion at the box office for a blockbuster flop.
Katie Holmes Almost Didn’t Audition For Dawson’s Creek
Katie Holmes started acting at a very young age. When she was younger, she appeared in school productions of musicals such as Hello, Dolly! and Damn Yankees. When she was 14, she began taking classes at a modeling school in Toledo. This led her to participate in the International Modeling and Talent Association (IMTA) Competition held in New York City in the late 90s.
Believe it or not, Holmes was signed to an agent after she performed a monologue from To Kill a Mockingbird. Her tape was then sent to the casting director for the drama film The Ice Storm (1997). This ended up being Holmes' big-screen debut and her first professional acting gig.
In 1997, Holmes was offered the leading role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer but turned it down so she could finish high school. That same year, producers of a new show titled Dawson’s Creek asked Holmes to travel to Los Angeles to audition, but Holmes turned them down because the audition conflicted with her school schedule. Ultimately, producers allowed her to send in an audition tape and Holmes ended up getting the role of Joey Potter in this beloved teen drama.
Following the success of Dawson’s Creek, Holmes was able to transition to a successful and more mature acting career. She landed leading roles in films such as Disturbing Behavior (1998), Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999), Wonder Boys (2000), Abandon (2002), Pieces of April (2003), and First Daughter (2004).
Katie Holmes Made The Wrong Choice By Passing On A $1 Billion Worth Sequel For A Movie That Barely Made Over $26 Million
In 2005, Katie Holmes was cast as Rachel Dawes, an attorney in the Gotham City district attorney’s office and the childhood sweetheart of Bruce Wayne, in Christopher Nolan Batman Begins.
Although the film was a box-office success, making more than $371 million worldwide, Holmes received plenty of criticism for her performance. She was even nominated for a Golden Raspberry for "worst supporting actress" because of it.
Three years later, when The Dark Night came out, viewers were shocked to learn that Holmes hadn’t come back to reprise her role. Rachel Dawes was portrayed by Maggie Gyllenhaal in the 2008 sequel instead. That same year, Holmes would go on to star in the low-budget comedy Mad Money, opposite Diane Keaton and Queen Latifah.
This turned out to be one of Holmes' worst career decisions. While The Dark Night made over $1 billion at the box office, Mad Money only made a little over $26 million worldwide. In addition to this, Holmes’ performance in this comedy film was greatly criticized. She was even called “the movie’s weakest link”.
Despite the criticism she received for turning down a billion-dollar sequel for a low-budget comedy film, Katie Holmes never revealed why she decided not to come back for the Batman Begins sequel.
Many believed it was because shooting this superhero film would conflict with her shooting schedule for Mad Money. But some outlets speculated that Holmes’ marriage to Tom Cruise might have played a big role in her decision.
Katie Holmes’ Career Took A Turn For The Worst After Starring In Mad Money
After the critical and commercial flop of Mad Money, Katie Holmes’ career seemed to take a turn for the worst. Although she made her Broadway debut in 2009 and kept landing small roles in film and television, Holmes wouldn’t appear in any projects as successful as Batman Begins in the following decade.
In 2018, Holmes’ career seemed to get back on track when she starred in Ocean’s 8 alongside stars such as Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, and Sarah Paulson. Then, in 2020, she starred in Coda alongside Patrick Stewart. This movie was highly acclaimed by critics, receiving 3 out of 4 stars.
Most recently, Holmes wrote and directed a romantic drama titled Alone Together. It stars Katie Holmes, Jim Sturgess, Derek Luke, Melissa Leo, Zosia Mamet, and Becky Ann Baker. The movie also includes a cameo from Holmes’ daughter, Suri.