Johnny Depp Rejected ‘Face/Off’ Because He Thought It Was About Hockey—You Won’t Believe What Happened Next!

In the early 1990s, Hollywood was buzzing with the ambition of screenwriters hoping to sell their spec scripts for millions, inspired by the success of films like Lethal Weapon. Among the ambitious was Michael Colleary and Mike Werb, who crafted a bizarre, sci-fi action movie concept that would eventually become one of the most iconic action films of the decade: Face/Off. However, one of the most legendary rejections in film history came when Johnny Depp, at the peak of his young career, turned down the role that would later become part of a box office smash.

The Face/Off journey started in 1990 when Colleary and Werb, fresh off the heels of watching Die Hard 2, were inspired to create their own high-octane action script. The initial concept was an action-packed world featuring flying cars, a decaying Golden Gate Bridge, and chimpanzees doing manual labor. But as the script evolved, the real heart of the story began to shift from spectacle to the psychological tension of two men swapping identities—Sean Archer, a dedicated FBI agent, and Castor Troy, a ruthless criminal. This transformation from a sci-fi movie to a deeper psychological drama would ultimately define the film.

Despite the wild concept, the script struggled to gain traction in Hollywood. The project moved slowly through various stages, with different directors coming and going. However, one of the most amusing and infamous bumps in the road came during the film’s casting process.

In early 1991, Face/Off caught the attention of Paramount, and the studio wanted to cast a youthful Johnny Depp, then just 27, as Archer. The writers, Colleary and Werb, were quick to voice their displeasure, dismissing the idea completely. “That made no sense, and we were totally against it on every level,” Colleary recalled. Their objections seemed valid, given that Depp’s well-established image at the time didn’t fit the role they envisioned.

But Depp’s rejection of the film was even more surprising than the writers’ objections. It wasn’t because he thought the script was flawed—it was because he thought the movie was about hockey. Yes, Depp, presumably seeing the title Face/Off, assumed it was a film about hockey and was disappointed to find out that it was, in fact, an action thriller.

“I thought it was a hockey movie,” Depp reportedly said, before dropping out of the project with a quick “sayonara.” And with that, the director attached to the film at the time, Mario Brambilla, also exited the project.

In hindsight, Colleary found the entire situation somewhat amusing, especially since it allowed Face/Off to evolve into the chaotic, high-energy action film it became. “A lot of things had to go wrong to help this movie along,” Colleary said with a grin, clearly amused by how the path to Face/Off was paved with some rather peculiar decisions.

As the film continued to struggle, a new director came on board: John Woo, known for his work on Hard Boiled and Broken Arrow. Woo loved the script but suggested dialing back the sci-fi elements to make it more grounded. More importantly, Woo was already working on Broken Arrow with none other than John Travolta, who was eager to make a movie about good and evil twins. With Travolta and Woo both on board, Face/Off found its footing, and Nicolas Cage, who had previously been interested in playing Troy, was brought back into the fold.

The result was nothing short of a masterpiece—an over-the-top action film where the two lead actors, Cage and Travolta, delivered unforgettable performances as they swapped faces and lives. And while hockey never made an appearance in the film, Face/Off went on to become a cult classic, known for its insane action sequences, memorable performances, and utterly ridiculous premise.

In the end, Johnny Depp’s rejection, though initially puzzling, may have been a crucial moment in the film’s creation. It led to the film evolving into the chaotic brilliance that made Face/Off the success it is today, proving that sometimes, a little bit of serendipity—and a lot of wrong turns—can create something truly unforgettable.