The Devils Rejects Almost Had A Very Different Cast – Screen Rant

Whether or not one appreciates Rob Zombie's horror films and directorial talent, he is a very purposeful filmmaker who has reached a fast ascent to the top as one of the best modern horror directors. However, a few minor changes to the cast ofThe Devil's Rejectswould have made it a very different movie.

Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, and Sheri Moon Zombie all returned toThe Devil's Rejectsto reprise their roles fromHouse of 1000 Corpses in a way that focused more directly on the outlaws of Zombie's murderous Firefly clan. While Rob Zombie may not have been in love with the first film of this particular trilogy, in many ways,The Devil's Rejectsis his masterpiece. It cleaned up some of what was scattered in the first movie and set a bar that was so high that its sequel,3 From Hell, couldn't quite measure up. In some ways, this film isn't considered to be a sequel at all: according to Sheri Moon Zombie, she sees it more like a couple of characters fromHouse of 1000 Corpseshad an adventure on their own, and thusThe Devil's Rejectswas born.

Related: The Devil's Rejects: Why Karen Black Didn't Return As Mama Firefly

Typically, multiple actors are considered for parts before other casting is solidified, which leads to interesting thoughts about what a movie could look like with a different cast; some films, likeThe Devil's Rejectsare so difficult to imagine even the minor roles as being played by other actors. Even so, there are some distinct changes that were almost made which would have certainly affected Rob Zombie's final product.

As is traditionally the case with prospective changes, some would have been a welcome - or even better - choice, and others might have altered the movie irreparably. Thankfully, Rob Zombie solidified his three leads based on their excellent performances inHouse of 1000 Corpsesand there was no way around that. Nobody could fill the shoes of these three legendary performers, and Zombie seems the type to not sign on to make a movie without certain things being just so. Most of the roles that could have gone a different direction were minor, but important in their own way.

The character of Candy (Elizabeth Daily) was a prostitute who the Firefly clan encounters, and, according to her boss Charlie Altamont (Ken Foree), is his best earner. Otis (Bill Moseley) develops a fondness for Candy, as much as he can, at least, and have a charming little exchange regarding a "menu" of opportunities Candy has on offer, since Otis is an interested party. Unfortunately for them, Otis never gets the chance to order from Candy's "menu", as she's fatally shot by one of the Unholy Two. This role almost went to Natasha Lyonne ofOrange Is The New Blackfame, which could have brought a different level of wit and dry sarcasm to the role, as this is one of Lyonne's trademarks.

It'd be difficult to imagine Rondo, one of the bounty hunters who are trying to track down the Firefly clan, as anyone other than Danny Trejo. However, Chris Jericho auditioned for the role before being turned down; the reason cited was that Jericho was "too pretty." It's a sensible choice, given that Rondo had to be rough and tumble, and Trejo has made a career out of being a gun-toting bad guy, which was essentially what the role called for. For this change, it's likely best that Trejo was the one chosen, though the professional wrestler does have more than a few acting credits under his belt. Rosario Dawson also was cast for a small part in the film, in a role that would have included Dr. Satan's character, but since Dr. Satan was cut fromThe Devil's Rejects, so was Dawson.

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Jack Wilhelmi is the horror features editor at Screen Rant, and has been with the site since 2019. He is a lifelong fan of the horror genre, and loves any excuse to discuss genre-related topics, since none of his friends dare challenge him in horror trivia. He has been published on the independent horror blog Morbidly Beautiful, and has covered major genre film festivals such as Cinepocalypse in Chicago. He has also served as a judge for the Ax Wound Film Festival.In his free time, he is a devoted dog dad to a high-spirited rescue pup named Peter Quill and enjoys volunteering with various animal rescue organizations. Jack likes to travel and explore dark tourism-related and other various haunted locations. He enjoys studying psychology, the paranormal, and will watch literally any schlocky B-movie on the planet for a laugh. Follow him on Twitter @JackMacabre or his dog on Instagram @quillthethrill.

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The Devils Rejects Almost Had A Very Different Cast - Screen Rant

Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero