Had Clint Eastwood accepted the lead role in M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs, that would have marked his only true horror movie. Following the success of Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, the filmmaker was tipped to become the next Steven Spielberg – which the cover of Newsweek famously proclaimed in 2002. The filmmaker couldn’t quite live up to such sky-high expectations, and M. Night Shyamalan’s movie follow-ups like The Lady In The Water or The Happening left many disappointed. After backing away from blockbusters and crafting more intimate projects where he has creative control such as Knock At The Cabin, he got his mojo back.
His alien invasion chiller Signs was a key movie for Shyamalan and told the story of a farmer (played by Mel Gibson) who has to protect his family when crop circles mysteriously appear on their farm. Signs was a major hit upon release in 2002, though reviews were mixed, especially regarding its ending and the aliens’ flawed invasion plan. It was also the last time Gibson was a major A-list movie star, and according to a vintage AICN article, the actor was a last-minute addition. The character of Graham was written for an older actor, and Shyamalan approached a couple of Hollywood legends for the movie.
Clint Eastwood Passed On Signs Due To Schedule Conflicts
Eastwood (who might break a directing record) was one of the first actors approached for Signs. At this juncture in his career, Eastwood was backing away from acting to focus on directing. In fact, he once recounted he considered quitting performing entirely following his lackluster thriller Blood Work. Prior to being offered Signs, Eastwood hadn’t worked with another director besides himself in nearly a decade, with the last being Wolfgang Petersen helmed In The Line Of Fire. It would be easy to see Eastwood as Graham, with the actor showing with his work in movies like The Bridges Of Madison County that he could turn in tender dramatic work too.
Unfortunately, Eastwood had to pass on Signs due to a scheduling conflict. Shyamalan approached another screen great in Paul Newman, who would have been around 75 during this time. As opposed to Eastwood – who starred in a lost Western – Newman simply wasn’t interested in the project and declined. After his two first choices passed, Shyamalan dropped the main character’s age around 20 years and decided Gibson was a good fit, as he and Newman shared the “same kind of haunted eyes” the director was seeking.
Signs Would Have Been Clint’s Only True Horror Film
Outside of tiny roles in b-movies from the ’50s like Revenge Of The Creature or Tarantula!, Eastwood has more or less entirely avoided horror. Signs would have been his only pure outing in the genre and one that would have played to his talents. He starred in films that border on the genre, like 1971’s Play Misty For Me or 1984 slasher movie Tightrope, but they belong in the thriller section more than anything. The sheer novelty of seeing Clint fighting off aliens would have been a must-see in 2002, but alas, it wasn’t to be.