Jake Gyllenhaal almost landed the 92% RT sci-fi role that propelled Oscar Isaac’s career

A role in the highly acclaimed 92% Rotten Tomatoes sci-fi film, which propelled Oscar Isaacs acting career, is almost given to Jake Gyllenhaal. Known to be one of the most prolific actors of modern times, Jake Gyllenhaal has dipped his feet into several movie genres. Recently, he even dabbled with television by starring as the main character in Apple TV + S so to speak, innocent. Even when it comes to science fiction, the actor has been a part of some compelling flicks that have showcased his versatility and range.

Interestingly, Gyllenhaal’s role in the indie sci-fi classic, Donnie DarkoBringing him into the limelight, highlighting how the movie genre has helped him grow as an actor. Since Donnie DarkoGyllenhaal has also appeared in other well-known sci-fi movies, viz Source code, LiveAnd The day after tomorrow. Almost a decade ago, he almost added another epic sci-fi movie to his portfolio, but the role eventually went to Oscar Isaac.

Jake Gyllenhaal almost played Nathan in Ex Machina

Alex Garland wanted Oscar Isaac to play the part

During the 2024 Edinburgh Film Festival (by Term), Alex Garland’s producer Andrew Macdonald revealed that Jake Gyllenhaal was initially considered to play Nathan in ex machina. The sales companies of the movie wanted to have Gyllenhaal as the character because “He was bankrupt,“That would allow them to sell the film to foreign territories. Unfortunately, when it came down to negotiating with Gyllenhaal’s team, his casting started to make a lot less sense.

As Macdonald recalled, he realized that Jake Gyllenhaal’s casting would not work after he had a word with the actor’s lawyer. As a result, the part eventually went to Oscar Isaac. Although the producer agreed that neither Oscar Isaac nor Alicia Vikander had enough weight to “Raise the money through international sales,“Universal International was willing to support this project because Oscar Isaac and Alicia Vikander both starred in films they believed would win big come award season.

Ex Machina would have become Jake Gyllenhaal’s best sci-fi role since Source Code

Source Code remains Gyllenhaal’s most acclaimed sci-fi movie

Although Donnie Darko has acquired cult classic status over the years, Source code remains the most acclaimed science fiction film Gyllenhaal has starred in. With an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 92%, the film embraces the familiar Groundhog Day Time travel trope however brings its own twists and turns to it to keep viewers hooked. The film’s narrative is primarily driven by Jake Gyllenhaal, who does an incredible job of capturing the sense of urgency his character experiences during his time-bound mission. Source code was also a box office success Still it grossed $147 million against a $31 million budget.

Unfortunately, since Source code, Jake Gyllenhaal has not starred in any critically and commercially successful sci-fi films. He was one of the leaders in 2017 LiveBut the movie did not meet favorable reviews nor did well at the global box office. ex machinaAlso, struggled at the box office but received wide acclaim for its VFX, performances and screenplay. Alex Garland also received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay for the film. If Gyllenhaal has starred in ex machinaIt would easily be his best sci-fi film since Source code.

Oscar Isaac was perfect for Ex Machina (and it helped make him a star)

It’s a good thing Jake Gyllenhaal didn’t get the role

Given his acting forte, it seems likely that Jake Gyllenhaal, too, would have been incredible ex machinas elusive billionaire character, Nathan. His star power may have also helped the film earn better numbers at the global box office. However, after watching the Alex Garland movie, it’s hard to imagine anyone else as Nathan because of how perfectly Oscar Isaac embodies the character.

From the character’s immoral tendencies to his brutality to his AI robots, from his strange dance sequence to his preachings about technology, Oscar Isaac brings a unique depth and intensity to this character Which is hard to forget. Since Oscar Isaacs performance is crucial in driving the film’s tension and exploring its philosophical themes around morality and the implications of AI, it’s good that the role eventually went to him. However, consider how Jake Gyllenhaal Has also given decent performances in sci-fi flicks, it’s hard not to hope that he will get to play more roles in the genre.