Line #90 SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute/LiveActionFilms


1	* ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'':
2	** A rather bizarre set of examples occurred regarding the monster Baragon. First, ''Film/DestroyAllMonsters'' was going to have Baragon be the monster seen destroying France. Unfortunately, the suit was too badly damaged and instead Gorosaurus was used (Ironically, the dub version [[IAmNotShazam still calls Gorosaurus "Baragon"]])...And Baragon himself was reduced to a mere 10 second cameo. Later, Baragon was going to appear in ''Film/GodzillaVSMechagodzilla'' but the suit was still too damaged to function and Anguirus was used instead. In both cases, Anguirus and Gorosaurus were given traits that were originally attributed to Baragon (IE: Jumping and burrowing). Then averted in ''Film/GodzillaMothraKingGhidorahGiantMonstersAllOutAttack!'', when the director wanted to use Varan, Anguirus and Baragon as the Guardian Monsters, but the studio wanted more popular kaiju. This time, Baragon survived the axe.
3	** ''Film/GodzillaVsMechagodzillaII'': Godzilla Jr. was created as a replacement to Minilla (because Toho wanted to bring the character back but the director didn't) that's functionally the same character: the adopted son of Godzilla who actually likes humans.
4	** ''Film/GodzillaVsSpaceGodzilla'' was going to have Godzilla team up with the human-built Mechagodzilla previously seen in ''Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II'' to fight [=SpaceGodzilla=], but Creator/{{Toho}} realized that having Godzilla fight alongside the machine that came close to killing him would make the battle against the new villain too one-sided. Instead, they brought in M.O.G.U.E.R.A., another human-built robot that had also been controlled by alien invaders when first seen in its [[Film/TheMysterians Showa era incarnation]].
5	** The first ''Film/RebirthOfMothra'' movie and ''Film/GodzillaFinalWars'' feature members of the Ghidorah species who explicitly aren't King Ghidorah himself. The former has Desghidorah, a quadrupedal, red-and-black dragon, while the latter has Keizer Ghidorah, another quadrupedal dragon [[OneWingedAngel whose base form]] is the humanoid Monster X.
6	** Franchise/MonsterVerse:
7	*** ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'': Mark Russell's {{backstory}}, solitude, intellectual speciality and his strained relationship with his living family, and his anger at Monarch make him suspiciously similar to Joseph Brody from [[Film/Godzilla2014 the MonsterVerse's first movie]]. His hatred of Godzilla (due to him killing someone close to Mark) which clouds his judgment and his abrasive attitude also make him similar to both Preston Packard in ''Film/KongSkullIsland'' and Haruo Sakaki from the [[Anime/GodzillaPlanetOfTheMonsters AniGoji continuity]], although Mark gets over his hatred with time instead of getting worse compared to Packard, and Mark never puts RevengeBeforeReason when it comes down to it compared to Haruo.
8	*** ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'': Dr. Nathan Lind's role as a member of Monarch who tragically lost family and is reluctant to confront the same situation is somewhat similar to Mark Russell's role in ''King of the Monsters''. Meanwhile, Ren Serizawa's LikeFatherUnlikeSon stance against Godzilla and opposition to his father's wise views is similar to Aaron Brooks from ''The Birth of Kong'' graphic novel, but Ren never redeems himself like Aaron does.
9	* ''Film/Gremlins2TheNewBatch'': Mohawk is one for Stripe from [[Film/Gremlins1984 the first movie]]. In this case, it is justified because, [[WordOfGod according to director Joe Dante]], Mohawk is in fact Stripe himself reincarnated into a completely new character.
10	** Daniel Clamp, being a BunnyEarsLawyer and his desire to create innovations for his company, makes him stand in for Billy's BunglingInventor father Randall "Rand" Peltzer from the first film.
11	** For being Billy's co-worker who bosses him around and belittles him, while trying to brownnose his boss, Frank Forster is a Substitute of Gerald. He can be also one of Mrs. Deagle for being a CorruptCorporateExecutive, albeit ''considerably'' less vile than Deagle.
12	* ''Franchise/JurassicPark'':
13	** ''Film/JurassicWorld'':
14	*** Simon Masrani fills almost exactly the same role as Hammond did in the [[Film/JurassicPark1993 original film]], although Simon is younger and more successful in realizing the fruition of Hammond's dream.
15	*** Lowery is one to Dennis Nedry. Both are slovenly computer geeks with authority problems, but while Dennis betrays his superiors for personal profit and ultimately [[spoiler: dies trying to escape the park]], Lowery stays loyal to his boss and ultimately [[spoiler: risks his life to stay behind and [[BigDamnHeroes save Owen and Claire]]]]. Notably, Claire chews him out for having a cluttered workspace, just like Ray Arnold did to Dennis in the original.
16	** ''Film/JurassicWorldFallenKingdom'': For all intents and purposes, Benjamin Lockwood is a substitute of Hammond: a rich, elderly man whose lifelong passion has always been dinosaurs and a father founder of [=InGen=] whose health is in decline and seeks to make up for past mistakes brought about by good intentions. He even has a cane with an amber head, like Hammond (it may even be Hammond's cane he inherited after the latter's death). He also resembles Norman Atherton, Hammond's partner from the novel who developed the technology that allowed Hammond to clone dinosaurs. However, unlike Atherton, who was a PosthumousCharacter, Lockwood outlives Hammond.
17	* ''Film/TheHobbit'':
18	** Thorin Oakenshield is one to Aragorn in terms of appearance, leadership ability, fighting prowess, and determination to take his place as the rightful King. But the burden of his quest is more closer to Frodo's, both of them sharing bouts of SanitySlippage (including turning their swords on a friend) as well as being carried by the eagle's talons after the rescue from the fire, and they both leave Middle-Earth -- though in Thorin's case, [[spoiler:he dies]]. He also shares many similar traits with Boromir. Aside from the aforementioned SanitySlippage and desire to defend their respective homelands, both are jerkasses who [[spoiler:end up [[DyingAsYourself dying as themselves]] in the end. Bonus points for [[DiedInYourArmsTonight dying in a friend's arms]]]].
19	** Tauriel is one for [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Samwise Gamgee]]. She's a commoner very closely linked with a character of higher status than herself, and her main traits are loyalty, bravery, and humility. [[SimplemindedWisdom She comes across as less intellectual (by Elf standards), but also as a voice of common sense]]. She's a {{Determinator}} who goes into intense danger to save one specific person. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking And then there's her hair color...]]
20	** Alfrid to Gríma Wormtongue; a self-serving NumberTwo with treacherous intentions. He differs however in that while Wormtongue was pathetic and cowardly he was also a legitimately creepy and effective villain, with a ''tiny'' semblance of [[EvenEvilHasStandards redeeming qualities]]; Alfrid has none of that.
21	* ''Film/RoboCop1987'' had a cute brunette scientist with oversized glasses. She is replaced by a slightly less cute brunette scientist without glasses in ''Film/RoboCop2'', and then the slot is filled by Dr. Lazarus in ''Film/RoboCop3''.
22	* ''Film/TerminatorDarkFate'': Legion to Skynet, by design -- after the Connors stop Skynet's birth in ''T2'', Legion rises in its place to assume all of Skynet's familiar characteristics (causing Judgment Day, hunting down humans in the future, losing the Future War and sending a Terminator back to change everything). Dani seems to be this to John Connor: [[spoiler:in his absence she's the one who whips the remnants of humanity into fighting shape, and from there into the army that defeats Legion]] (the ending implies that this is justified, as she has Sarah as her mentor just as John originally did). Grace is a mix of Kyle Reese and Marcus. Like Kyle, she is [[spoiler:directly related to the person she is sent back in time to protect]], and like Marcus, she is a human converted into a cyborg; like both Kyle and Marcus, [[spoiler:Grace sacrifices herself to protect her charge]]. The Rev-9 is very similar to the T-X from ''Film/Terminator3RiseOfTheMachines''. Both are advanced Terminator models that consist of a conventional robotic endoskeleton coated in a liquid metal skin; ihe only real significant difference between the two is that the Rev-9's endoskeleton and skin can separate and operate independently and it lacks the built-in weapons of the T-X. In addition, despite [[spoiler:being built by a completely different AI from Skynet]], Rev-9's robot form looks very similar to the original Terminators.
23	* ''Film/JamesBond'' films:
24	** Creator/WalterGotell appeared in every film from ''Film/TheSpyWhoLovedMe'' to ''Film/AViewToAKill'' as General Gogol, the head of the KGB who generally acted as a FriendlyEnemy to Bond, [=MI6=] and the CIA. In the next film, ''Film/TheLivingDaylights'', Gogol has been replaced as head of the KGB by General Pushkin (Creator/JohnRhysDavies), who fills much the same role as his predecessor. In the initial drafts, Gogol was supposed to fill Puskin's role in the story, but Gotell's health was too poor at the time for him to play a major role in the story (though he does appear in a cameo as a retired Gogol).
25	** R (Creator/JohnCleese) in the ''Film/JamesBond'' films is introduced in ''Film/TheWorldIsNotEnough''. In ''Film/DieAnotherDay'' he becomes the new Q. Those who hadn't seen the previous film would assume he was TheOtherDarrin since he's exactly like his predecessor.
26	* ''Film/TheGodfatherPartII'': Frank Pentangeli was a replacement character for Peter Clemenza.
27	* ''Film/TheGodfatherPartIII'': Tom Hagen is written out (died in between sequels) and is replaced by the much less charismatic and interesting George Hamilton character, B.J. Harrison. This was done thanks to a paycheck dispute with Robert Duvall, forcing Francis Ford Coppola to create this new replacement from scratch.
28	* ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'':
29	** In ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanOnStrangerTides'' Philip and Syrena were this to Will and Elizabeth. Angelica also has some similarities to Elizabeth. Blackbeard also has some complaints being too similar to Barbossa's role in the first movie.
30	** In ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMenTellNoTales'', Henry and Carina mostly filled the role of Will and Elizabeth (not helped by the fact that Henry is their son). While Scarfield seems like a poor man's version of Norrington, with the witch Shansa being almost a carbon copy of Tia Dalma. Salazar is also criticized for being a blatant ripoff of either Barbossa or Davy Jones. Two of Jack's crewmen, Bollard and Cremble, are very similar in appearance and antics to Pintel and Ragetti.
31	* ''Film/BeverlyHillsCopIII'' Grumpy sidekick John Taggart from the previous movies is replaced by almost identical cop Jon Flint, since actor John Ashton had to drop out due to obligations to other pending film projects.
32	* ''Film/PoliceAcademy'' has a couple of examples of this:
33	** Lt. Mauser replaced Capt. Harris in the 2nd & 3rd movies, acting as that film's villain and having more or less the same traits has Harris had, filling the same role. They were so similar that when Harris returned in the 4th movie, he was paired of with Mauser's assistant, Proctor, and the two had the same relationship Mauser and Proctor had.
34	** When Creator/SteveGuttenberg refused to reprise his role as Sgt. Mahoney for the 5th and 6th movies, Commandant Lassard's nephew Nick was brought in to fill Mahoney's shoes, while the 7th movie had a cadet named Kyle Connors also fill the very same spot.
35	* When Creator/TheWachowskis wrote [[Film/TheMatrixReloaded the second]] and [[Film/TheMatrixRevolutions third]] ''[[Franchise/TheMatrix Matrix]]'' films, they originally intended to bring back the character of Tank from the [[Film/TheMatrix first one]]. But after they had a falling-out with his actor, they created Link as a replacement.
36	* Abigail Whistler from ''Film/BladeTrinity'' was originally supposed to be Rachel van Helsing from the comics, but was changed to an original character to avoid comparisons to the ''Film/VanHelsing'' movie.
37	* Roman in ''Film/TwoFastTwoFurious'' replaced Dominic from ''Film/TheFastAndTheFurious'' as the AntiHero with a criminal past. Though it's worth noting that Brian is now the main character with Roman as his sidekick, instead of co-lead with Dom. Both Roman and Dom returned in ''Film/FastFive'' and stayed for the rest of the series.
38	* ''Film/{{Beerfest}}'' intentionally invokes this [[PlayedForLaughs as a gag]]. Landfill dies about 2/3rds of the way through the movie, leaving the rest of the guys without enough people for their team. However immediately after Landfill's funeral his "twin brother" (who is never previously mentioned and is portrayed by the same actor) appears and asks to fill Landfills spot and the team, even asking the rest of the characters to refer to him as Landfill in honor of his dead brother. Due to how much Landfill told him about the other guys he "feels that he's already known them all his life," and even ends up sleeping with Landfill's wife. The story goes on as though none of this ever happened aside from a few minor jokes about it.
39	* Jack Traven (Creator/KeanuReeves) in ''Film/{{Speed}}'' was replaced by Jason Patric's character Alex Shaw in [[Film/Speed2CruiseControl the sequel]], with Creator/SandraBullock being the holdover from the first film and having mentioned her previous relationship. Alex is a ''very'' blatant {{Expy}} for Jack in almost every way--down to them each being a CowboyCop under the '''exact same lieutenant'''. Telling that the original script probably was written in mind with Jack coming back as well—which would probably make one wonder why they didn't just have Patric play the same character as Reeves instead.
40	* In ''Film/BluesBrothers2000'', "Mighty" Mack [=McTeer=] (Creator/JohnGoodman) replaces "Joliet" Jake Blues (Creator/JohnBelushi) from [[Film/TheBluesBrothers the original film]], who was written out as [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim having passed away between the events of the two movies]].
41	* ''Los Superagentes: Nueva Generación''. Unlike the sequels to ''Bañeros'' and ''Brigada Explosiva'', the new characters were clearly meant to replace the originals, as per the original Tiburon and Delfin show up in insultingly short cameos as opposing to joining in the action. Worse, the original Mojarrita and Chief of Acuario don't even show up.
42	* ''Franchise/FridayThe13th'' When Crazy Ralph was killed in ''[[Film/FridayThe13thPart2 Part 2]]'', audiences were introduced to very similar doomsayers in ''[[Film/FridayThe13thPartIII Part III]]'' and ''[[Film/FridayThe13thPartVIIIJasonTakesManhattan VIII]]''.
43	* Subverted like no tomorrow in ''Film/Scream4''. Characters are thrown at us as being replacements for the characters of the original film, but [[spoiler:most of the new characters die]], the [[FinalGirl apparent Sidney replacement]] [[spoiler:turns out to be the killer, and is more of a replacement of the killer from the [[Film/Scream3 previous film]]]], and we even get a [[spoiler:[[RedHerring subverted]]]] Billy replacement who [[spoiler:is almost successfully framed for all the murders]].
44	* Creator/JamieKennedy as the new Mask in ''Film/SonOfTheMask''.
45	* Every Cenobite that follows Pinhead that is NOT Butterball, Chatterer or the Female Cenobite in the ''Franchise/{{Hellraiser}}'' sequels.
46	* Due to not having a high enough budget to render the characters' powers onscreen, Husk and Chamber were excluded from the ''Comicbook/GenerationX'' TV movie and replaced with Buff and Refrax, two [[CanonForeigner new]] heroes who had similar, but [[CoconutSuperpowers cheaper abilities]].
47	* The Creator/MarxBrothers -- Allan Jones essentially takes over for Zeppo in ''Film/ANightAtTheOpera'' and ''Film/ADayAtTheRaces1937''.
48	** Frank Albertson steps in as the Zeppo substitute in ''Film/RoomService1938''.
49	* ''Film/HarryPotter'':
50	** Nigel Wolpert appears to be a replacement CompositeCharacter for Colin and Dennis Creevey. Colin appears in the second book and film, but doesn't appear again in the films, while Dennis never appears in the films. That said all three are fairly minor characters overall.
51	** Due to [[RoleEndingMisdemeanor the actor who plays Vincent Crabbe being convicted for drug offences]], Crabbe was PutOnABus for the two ''[[Film/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows Deathly Hallows]]'' films. Gregory Goyle took on his role, and Blaise Zabini took on Goyle's role. Because Crabbe's absence is basically ignored in the films, this case is sometimes mistaken for a RaceLift, when in actually Zabini just got a minor MookPromotion.
52	* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
53	** ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'':
54	*** Yoda was originally created as a replacement for the dead Obi-Wan Kenobi. When ''Film/ANewHope'' was being developed, the plan was that a large part of the sequel would involve Obi-Wan training Luke. The decision to kill off Obi-Wan in ''A New Hope'' was made late in the game and with the thought that the sequels might not be happening anyway. Thus, when it turned out the sequels were very much happening, a new character was needed to fill the Obi-Wan role, and that new character eventually became Yoda.
55	*** At the time, there was some serious concern that Creator/HarrisonFord might refuse to do a third ''Star Wars'' movie. This is the reason for the whole storyline about Han being frozen into carbonite, which would make it easy to write him out of the sequel if it became necessary while at the same time leaving open the possibility that he could return. The character of Lando Calrissian was thus created as a potential replacement, the movie ending with him positioned to take over the Han Solo role should Ford refuse to return. Of course, Ford did come back for ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', resulting in Lando ending up as more of a SixthRanger.
56	** ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'':
57	*** The Ewoks were a replacement for the Wookiees as they were conceived in earlier drafts of the original film. In those early drafts, the Wookiees were a primitive race who defeated the Empire in RockBeatsLaser fashion. When Lucas decided to [[RefittedForSequel revive this concept]] for ''Jedi'', he decided it couldn't work with the Wookiees anymore due to Chewbacca establishing them as a technologically-advanced species. Therefore, they were replaced with a new species called Ewoks. [[SdrawkcabName Note that "Ewok" is essentially "Wookiee" backwards.]]
58	** ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'':
59	*** ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' has Captain Panaka (Hugh Quarshie), Queen Amidala's bodyguard. After Quarshie was unable to make it to the location shooting for ''Attack of the Clones'', he was replaced with Captain Typho (Creator/JayLagaaia). Aside from the {{eyepatch\|OfPower}}, they're the same, both in appearance and personality, to the point that some viewers wondered why Captain Panaka was suddenly sporting an eyepatch.
60	*** ''Attack of the Clones'' also featured Jango Fett, of whom Boba was supposed to be a literal clone. Supplementary material cemented Jango as the same kind of badass antihero as his "son" was in the original ExpandedUniverse. To differentiate the two characters, creators from both continuities have generally tried to instill an AffablyEvil element to Jango, while his son is usually portrayed as being more brutal, pragmatic, and ruthless (albeit while honoring a code).
61	** ''Film/TheForceAwakens'':
62	*** The movie features the planet Jakku -- a backwater desert planet [[ScavengerWorld filled with rusting spaceship junkyards]], bustling marketplaces and isolated moisture farms -- as a major location. When images of the Jakku sets were first revealed to the public, they looked so similar to the old Tatooine sets that the fandom almost universally assumed that the planet ''was'' Tatooine until WordOfGod confirmed otherwise. Considering Tatooine has appeared [[OncePerEpisode in all but one of the previous six films]], it wasn't exactly an illogical assumption... Although Tatooine does eventually appear in the final scene of the closing chapter of the trilogy.
63	*** While a number of characters are [[GenerationXerox clearly filling similar roles to the original cast]], including members ''of'' the original cast, Kylo Ren in particular is an almost ostentatious Darth Vader {{Expy}}, obvious even from the first trailers. He's doing it deliberately, and the other villains make fun of him for it. This makes it a {{subversion}}, since the whole point ends up being he's ''not'' like Darth Vader in spite of taking example from him. What's not as obvious is that he's also [[CompositeCharacter a combination of]] [[Franchise/StarWarsLegends Jacen Solo and Kyp Durron]].
64	*** Supreme Leader Snoke, introduced in this movie and continuing the same way later, never manages to do anything much other than be a stand-in for Emperor Palpatine: the ugly old Force-using leader of the bad guys with a mysterious backstory, serving as TheCorrupter to a Skywalker, who took over the First Order and sits on a throne and controls Darth Vader's grandson as his [[TheDragon Dragon]]. Then ''The Rise of Skywalker'' reveals that [[spoiler:this is '''deliberate'', as Snoke was literally an in-universe stand-in for Palpatine, who created him to run things in his stead and facilitate Kylo Ren's rise to power as part of an elaborate plan of revenge against the Skywalker family]].
65	*** Captain Phasma, with her cool armor, [[AdvertisedExtra limited screen time]], and [[spoiler:being defeated while having their back turned to the {{Deuteragonist}} with whom ItsPersonal in her second appearance]] is touted by the filmmakers as Boba Fett for a new generation.
66	* ''Film/RockStar'' depicts such a replacement when the main character Chris, lead singer of a tribute band, is hired to replace his idol due to his intentionally similar appearance and slightly better vocals. The film culminates in Chris [[spoiler: picking a fan out of the audience at a concert to replace himself]]. This is based on actual events: Music/JudasPriest replacing their original lead singer by picking the front man of a Priest tribute band.
67	* Played in ''Film/TheGamers'': Ambrose dies, to be replaced by the nearly-indistinguishable Magellan, with a heaping helping of PlugNPlayFriends. ''Film/TheGamersDorknessRising'' parodies it even further. Leo's bard invariably dies from one hit whenever he participates in a fight, so the player prepares 50 copies of the same character sheet, expending them in a single fight. Eventually, the players hide behind "the mound of dead bards".
68	* In ''Film/{{The Room\|2003}}'', Kyle Vogt, the actor who plays Peter (essentially the voice of reason, or the man who "is always playing psychiatrist"), left during shooting - he had told the production team he would only be available for a limited time, but due to the film's TroubledProduction, his scenes were not complete by the time he had to leave for another project. Another actor replaced Peter and took the lines he would have had in a later scene. However, the new character (named "Steven" in the credits) never has any formal introduction. It is just implied he is another friend of Johnny and company.
69	* In ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull'' Creator/JimBroadbent plays a character meant to be a stand-in for Marcus Brody, who had died since the last movie, just as the actor Creator/DenholmElliott had died in between films. Also, the character Mac is essentially a replacement for Sallah; a BoisterousBruiser side kick with a shady past. The reason Mac is there instead of Sallah [[spoiler: might be that the plot calls for him to turn from good to evil, wich would be a depressing ending for the fans of the previous films]].
70	* ''Film/CitySlickersIITheLegendOfCurlysGold'':
71	** Duke is a suspiciously similar substitute for his deceased identical twin Curly. Granted, his personality is different enough (less of a JerkWithAHeartOfGold, more Machiavellian) not to be cause for viewers to truly cry foul (there are shades of the EvilTwin trope here), but he's a suspiciously similar substitute all the same.
72	** Creator/BrunoKirby did not return from the first movie, so his spot was filled by Creator/JonLovitz, playing Creator/BillyCrystal's annoying brother.
73	* Quarrel Jr., in ''Film/LiveAndLetDie'' is a Suspiciously Similar Substitute for his father, Quarrel, who was killed in ''Film/DrNo''. This is because the films were made in a different order from the books, where Quarrel gets introduced in ''Literature/LiveAndLetDie'', before being killed in ''Film/DrNo''.
74	* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'':
75	** Grindor from ''Film/TransformersRevengeOfTheFallen''. He looks exactly like Blackout in both shape, size, appearance, and alt-mode (they both turn into helicopters).
76	** Creator/MeganFox's Mikaela being replaced by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's Carly in ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon''. The script was mostly finished before Fox was fired, and it's rather obvious that most of the scenes that ultimately ended up going to Huntington-Whitely were originally written with her in mind. In particular, Carly being hired as the curator of Gould's car collection seems like a plot point that would've made far more sense for Mikaela, given that the previous films established that she has an immense knowledge of automobiles.
77	* [[Film/TheThreeStooges The Third Stooge]]. While Shemp was not Suspiciously Similar, Joe Besser and "Curly" Joe [=DeRita=] were. All three of them had their own unique method of delivery, however, distinct from Curly.
78	* When Creator/GeorgeSanders grew tired of appearing in ''The Falcon'' movie series, it was decided that his Gay Lawrence character would be killed off. The series continued with Gay's brother Tom stepping into the role of the Falcon. Tom Lawrence was played by Tom Conway ... who just happened to be George Sanders' brother.
79	* In ''Film/TheMightyDucks'', Coach Bombay's mentor is his late father's old friend, a kindly Norwegian sporting goods vendor named Hans. In the sequel, he is replaced by his brother Jan, who makes an offhand comment that Hans is visiting their mother in Norway. Then, in the third movie, Hans has returned, and Jan is nowhere to be seen--he doesn't even show up at [[spoiler:Hans's funeral]].
80	* The ''Film/DeathRace'' prequels star Luke Goss as Carl Lucas, rather than Creator/JasonStatham as Jensen Ames. Like Statham, Goss is a white British man with a shaved head and PermaStubble. The characters aren't hugely similar, but appearance-wise they're very much alike.
81	* Most of the ''Film/TheTexasChainSawMassacre1974'' follow-ups introduce new family members who are similar to Drayton and Nubbins, Leatherface's brothers in the first film.
82	* Scheduling issues with Creator/JetLi prevented him from reprising his role as Yin Yang in ''Film/TheExpendables2'' beyond a cameo. He was replaced by Maggie Chan, a new Chinese character played by Yu Nan.
83	* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
84	** ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'': [[spoiler:Admiral Marcus has similar motives to Admiral Cartwright from ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry'', who envisioned a more militarized Federation in the face of Klingon aggression and was willing to murder his own to see that dream become a reality]]. And he's played by the [[Creator/PeterWeller same guy]] that once played a human supremacist willing to use deadly force in ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise''.
85	** In ''[[Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry Star Trek VI]]'', Spock's young, female Vulcan protégé Valeris was created as a very blatant replacement for Saavik, his young, female Vulcan protégé from the previous films. Saavik ''was'' originally going to be in the movie, but several factors (including Creator/KirstieAlley being uninterested and worries that fans would not be happy about a popular character [[spoiler: [[FaceHeelTurn becoming a villain]]]]) resulted in her being replaced with a new character.
86	* Creator/CharltonHeston requested a smaller part in ''Film/BeneathThePlanetOfTheApes'', that would require Taylor to only show up at the beginning and end. Thus the film stars James Franciscus - cast specifically because he looked a lot like Heston - as another time-displaced astronaut. Though when the two finally meet, [[ContrastingSequelProtagonist the differences between their characters]] are pretty stark.
87	* Malcolm from ''Film/DawnOfThePlanetOfTheApes'' is blatantly similar to Will from ''Film/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes'', being a likable, sympathetic human character who tries to stop war from breaking out between the humans and the apes. The movie even has a scene where Ceasar tells Malcolm that Will was "A good man...like you."
88	* Dr Who's niece Louise and Tom the idiotic policeman in ''Film/DaleksInvasionEarth2150AD'' are replacements for Dr Who's granddaughter Barbara and Ian her idiotic boyfiend in ''Film/DrWhoAndTheDaleks''.
89	* ''Film/TheLawnmowerMan'': Creator/PierceBrosnan's Dr. Lawrence Angelo was replaced in the sequel ''Beyond Cyberspace'' by Patrick Bergin's Dr. Benjamin Trace, who is a clear stand-in for the former.
90	* Being a {{long runn\|er}}ing film series with a LongRunnerCastTurnover, it's unsurprising that the ''Film/CarryOn'' film series suffered from this when an actor was unavailable to fill a certain role.
91	** Creator/SidJames was known in the series for mostly playing TheChessmaster and DirtyOldMan that were [[InformedAttractiveness weirdly sex gods]]. When he was busy with other media commitments, he was replaced by Creator/PhilSilvers and Creator/HarryHCorbett (from ''Series/SteptoeAndSon'') for ''Film/FollowThatCamel'' and ''Film/CarryOnScreaming''. Like Sid James, both weren't conventionally attractive and were at least his age (50s) at the time (or close enough).
92	** For ''Film/CarryOnUpTheJungle'', Creator/KennethWilliams couldn't make the film, so he was replaced by comedian Creator/FrankieHowerd, even though Howerd had appeared alongside Williams in the series before. Both actors had a lot of controversy throughout their careers from rumours of being homosexual (although they were revealed to be true after their deaths), and it was often reflected through [[CampStraight their performances]] -- even hinted in some of the dialog. It's debatable whether it was a CastingGag or just pure coincidence.
93	** When Creator/CharlesHawtrey was suspended from the cast for diva-like behaviour, comedian Creator/LancePercival appeared in ''Film/CarryOnCruising'', portraying a socially-awkward chef that couldn't function on a cruise ship when he was seasick, and made a soup explode.
94	** The attractive members of the cast suffered through this as well. They usually went through two stereotypes: the [[TheKlutz clumsy]] PrettyBoy and the [[WomenAreWiser sane]] MsFanservice.
95	*** Creator/BarbaraWindsor is the most famous one that appeared in this role, but before her were Creator/ShirleyEaton and Creator/LizFraser. All three were [[EveryoneLovesBlondes blonde]] but the latter two were often smarter than her characters. The brunette versions were Creator/AmandaBarrie and Creator/AnitaHarris -- the former portrayed the villainous UsefulNotes/{{Cleopatra}} in ''Film/CarryOnCleo''.
96	*** The men of these types were Creator/JimDale, Creator/LesliePhillips and Creator/RichardOCallaghan. They were often the OnlySaneMan who either fell in love with a woman they meet or are a seemingly-HopelessSuitor, and occasionally trip over something.
97	*** This was often invoked by the production team. When Creator/JimDale proved unavailable, recurring actor Creator/JulianHolloway would be brought in to replace him.
98	*** Creator/KennethCope. ''Film/CarryOnAtYourConvenience'' shows what could possibly happen if two pretty boys were in the same ''Carry On'' movie, in which he and O'Callaghan ''physically'' fought each other over the affections of Sid James' attractive daughter. When it came to ''Film/CarryOnMatron'' a year after, Cope was playing the stereotypes straight -- his character being like a hybrid of O'Callaghan and Creator/KennethConnor.
99	** ReluctantFanserviceGirl Creator/AngelaDouglas appeared throughout most of the mid-'60s movies, mostly being the nice attractive blonde girl who often fell in love with Creator/JimDale. When it came to the early '70s, the attractive brunette Creator/JackiPiper would often fall in love with Creator/RichardOCallaghan.
100	** In ''Film/CarryOnSergeant'', there were two army leaders that were the {{foil}} to the nicer Creator/WilliamHartnell. In many ArmedFarces films to follow, they were either RedOniBlueOni, {{Officer Jerkass}}es, {{Drill Sergeant Nast\|y}}ies, or a BloodKnight and his {{beleaguered\|assistant}} DeadpanSnarker.
101	** The 6'7 Creator/BernardBresslaw was in the series for ten years. When the 6'4 Creator/JackDouglas appeared, he would start to get bigger roles, whereas Bresslaw seemed to be getting demoted into background characters, eventually leaving the series for good in 1975.
102	* Captain Sawada from ''Film/StreetFighter'' was created as a stand-in for Fei Long. Made even more obvious in the [[VideoGame/StreetFighterTheMovie video game adaptation]], where Sawada's theme song is merely a remix of Fei Long's theme from ''[[Videogame/StreetFighterII Super Street Fighter II]]''. Fei Long was even planned to appear in the movie game, portrayed by Kenya Sawada, the same actor who played Captain Sawada!
103	* ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'': When Tony's AI J.A.R.V.I.S. is destroyed [[spoiler: and later reconstituted as part of Comicbook/TheVision]], he starts using a new program, F.R.I.D.A.Y., who serves the same function as J.A.R.V.I.S., but has a female, Irish voice.
104	* ''Film/AssassinsCreed2016'': Two of the Assassins fighting at the end fight in styles similar to Shao Jun and Arno Dorian. Naturally, they likely learned these styles ''from'' Shao Jun and Arno Dorian through the Animus, since they descend from them.
105	* ''Film/SupermanReturns'' has Kitty for ''Film/SupermanTheMovie'''s Eve Teschmacher. Both are minions/{{Implied Love Interest}}s for Comicbook/LexLuthor, like expensive things, are attracted to Superman, and have some degree of a HighHeelFaceTurn.
106	* ''[[Film/{{Olsenbanden}} Jönssonligan]]'' had to replace the criminal mastermind they're named for after the first five movies, Charles-Ingvar "Sickan" Jönsson (the actor quit, and it was explained as the character having had a nervous breakdown), with each of the remaining (pre-reboot) three having a new replacement. The first was Dr. Max Adrian Busé, who nominally was the psychiatrist treating the original mastermind and got inspired, but in practice quickly slotted in a similar role. The second was Herman Melvin, who played with things a bit more in that he ''wasn't'' actually a criminal mastermind... he just had a good memory and was Busé's cellmate who got out sooner. The third was Sven-Ingvar "Sivan" Jönsson, Sickan's brother, whose twist was that he was ''aware'' of how similar he was to his brother and had spent most of his life going against his instincts to be as different as possible -- up until the last half of the movie, where he gives in.
107	* The Franchise/UniversalHorror {{crossover}}s ''Film/HouseOfFrankenstein'' and ''Film/HouseOfDracula'' both featured a ''different'' MadScientist with a [[TheIgor hunchbacked minion]], who [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial totally weren't]] Henry Frankenstein and Fritz (since they were both [[KilledOffForReal dead]] by that point). ''House of Frankenstein'' had "Dr. Niemann" and his sidekick Daniel, while ''House of Dracula'' featured "Dr. Edlemann" and his sidekick Nina. Just in case the audience didn't get the hint, the posters refer to them as "The Mad Doctor" and "The Hunchback". [[SarcasmMode Subtle]].
108	* ''Film/SchoolForScoundrels1960'' featured Creator/PeterJones playing one of his characters from the radio comedy ''In All Directions'', the HonestJohn Dudley Grovesner. In the absence of Creator/PeterUstinov playing his brother Morrie, however, Dennis Price plays his brother Dunstan.
109	* ''Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse'':
110	** ''Film/WonderWoman2017'' is a time shifted adaptation of Franchise/WonderWoman's [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 origin]] and while it does include a ragtag unofficial group of humans from a handful of countries that aid her and Steve in fighting a World War they're a bunch of men rather than the all women Holldiay Girls from the comics.
111	** Due to Creator/WillSmith not returning as Comicbook/{{Deadshot}} for ''Film/TheSuicideSquad'', his role was replaced with Creator/IdrisElba as Bloodsport, another Black, BadassNormal expert marksman with a young daughter and a CoolMask. Creator/JamesGunn even wrote the part as Deadshot in early drafts, and Elba was initially cast to replace Smith in an outright TheOtherDarrin situation before rewrites changed Deadshot into Bloodsport.
112	* ''Film/UpPompeii'': In [[Series/UpPompeii the TV series]], the local woe-telling soothsayer was Senna (played by Jeanne Mockford), but in the film, she has been replaced with the mythical seer Cassandra (played by Rita Webb).
113	* ''Film/ShockTreatment'': In early drafts, Bert Schnick was originally intended to be Dr. Scott returning from ''Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow'', but Bert was created when {{Creator/Jonathan Adams\|BritishActor}} didn't want to reprise the role.

Context SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute / LiveActionFilms