Kyle Reese is one of the main characters in 1984's The Terminator, and while he has gone on to become an iconic part of the franchise, the film's original Kyle Reese casting plans were wild. Michael Biehn famously played Kyle Reese in the original film, with him bringing life to the time-traveling freedom fighter and father of John Connor. However, things were almost completely different, as the original casting picks for Kyle Reese in The Terminator were pretty different.
The Terminator spawned a massive franchise from its humble beginnings, with the sci-fi thriller being a huge hit upon its 1984 release. The film follows Sarah Connor, a young woman who lives in 1984, as she is being hunted down by a killing machine from 2029 known as a Terminator. However, a young soldier from 2029 named Kyle Reese gets to Sarah first, helping her survive the Terminator's pursuit. Kyle Reese is a key character in the Terminator series, and things would have been completely different if the film went with one of these original casting choices.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Was Considered For Reese
Although Arnold Schwarzenegger famously plays the Terminator across the franchise's various films, he was actually originally considered for Kyle Reese. One of the founders of Orion Pictures wanted Schwarzenegger for the script, and an uncertain James Cameron decided to meet with the actor. Cameron was so against casting Schwarzenegger that he thought about starting a fight with the actor so that he wouldn't have to cast him. Schwarzenegger would have been a completely different take on Kyle Reese, making it understandable why Cameron didn't want him in the role.
However, things completely changed for Arnold Schwarzenegger when he started discussing the film's villain with Cameron. Schwarzenegger and Cameron worked on how the titular Terminator would be portrayed, causing Cameron to realize that he would be perfect for the role. This was the perfect solution, as Cameron found a great part for Schwarzenegger, and Orion was happy because he was in the film. This turned out to be the right choice, as the Terminator has easily become Schwarzenegger's most iconic role yet.
Other Actors Considered For Reese In The Terminator
Although Arnold Schwarzenegger was the most notable alternative casting choice for Kyle Reese, there were actually several other contenders. The Police frontman Sting was considered for the role of Reese, but he had to due to prior commitments to his band as well as scheduling conflicts with 1984's Dune, in which he played Feyd-Rautha. Another big name that was attached for a time was Superman actor Christopher Reeve, although he was too expensive for the project.
According to ET, some other actors who were considered for the part were Kurt Russell, Mel Gibson, Tommy Lee Jones, Scott Glenn, Matt Dillon, and more. Interestingly, musician Bruce Springsteen was also considered for the part. However, similarly to Sting, he was too busy with his tours for The Terminator. The search for Kyle Reese was one of the most complicated castings in The Terminator, and Michael Biehn ended up being a great pick.
Source: ET
