The Big Picture

• Michael Keaton's transformation from a comedic actor to a dynamic leading man has been surprising.
• He almost had a leading role in Clint Eastwood's 2003 film Mystic River, but was replaced by Kevin Bacon.
• Missing out on Mystic River affected Keaton's career, but he eventually found success in dramas like Birdman and Spotlight.

The transformation of Michael Keaton from a mainstay in 1980s American comedies to one of the most dynamic leading men in the industry has been one of the most surprising developments of recent movie history. Keaton was already beloved by audiences for his role in blockbusters like the Batman series and Beetlejuice, but he had never really ventured into “prestige territory” until his breakthrough Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in Alejandro Gonzáles Iñárritu’s 2014 film Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). However, Keaton nearly got his shot at leading man stardom a decade earlier when he got close to landing a spot in Clint Eastwood’s 2003 epic Mystic River. The role, which eventually went to Kevin Bacon, certainly would have changed the direction of his career.

Michael Keaton Almost Played Sean Devine In 'Mystic River'

Keaton’s stardom had long since faded in the early 21st century. After leaving the Batman franchise following the release of 1992’s Batman Returns, Keaton became more of a character actor than a leading man. While his work in films such as Much Ado About Nothing, Out of Sight, Jackie Brown, and The Paper was certainly impressive, those films succeeded based on the success of their respective ensembles and directors, Keaton was less essential to their popularity. This doesn’t suggest that he made any missteps as an actor, but it did change audiences’ perspectives on what a “Michael Keaton movie” actually was.

Although Keaton’s ensemble work was still largely within comedically-minded films, Eastwood still felt that he would be a good fit for his latest crime thriller, Mystic River. Based on the highly acclaimed novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane, Mystic River centers on the experiences of three childhood friends who grew up together in Boston. Sean Penn has already been cast as Jimmy Markum and Tim Robbins was set to play the role of Dave Boyle. Eastwood felt that Keaton could add something to the ensemble, and cast him as the third member of the trio, Sean Devine.

Sean is one of the film’s more underappreciated characters. Jimmy is an unrelenting force of nature with a nearly uncontrollable rage, and Dave is a sensitive man who holds a history of abuse and dark secrets within his heart. Sean is a counterbalance between them. He serves as a member of the Massachusetts Police Department, and attempts to solve the mystery behind the death of Jimmy’s young daughter (Emmy Rossum). While Jimmy is quick to judge and suspect others within the community, Sean is more sensitive and level-headed in his approach to the case. However, that doesn’t stop him from suspecting Dave based on their mutual history together.

Keaton did several script readings with the cast, and even did his own research into the practices of the Massachusetts Police Department in order to learn more about Sean’s responsibilities in the story. However, Keaton and Eastwood reportedly got into a disagreement about the depiction of the character which led to some creative difficulties on set. Eastwood’s insistence on the smoothness of his productions is one of the most well-known things about him, and he wasn’t interested in trying to change the script based on Keaton’s ideas about the role. Even though Keaton reportedly moved to Boston temporarily in order to immerse himself in the role, an argument resulted in Keaton’s removal from the project. He was replaced shortly thereafter by Kevin Bacon.

Clint Eastwood's ‘Mystic River’ Would Have Changed Keaton’s Career

Although Keaton certainly would have added something different to Mystic River, the film didn’t need him in order to succeed. Mystic River felt like Eastwood had announced a new stage within his career. Over a decade had passed since Eastwood’s final epic western Unforgiven, and it became clear that he had interests outside the genre that he had made his name in. Mystic River became one of the biggest hits of his career, scoring Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Both Penn and Robbins won the Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively.

Bacon is quite good in Mystic River, but it’s also the type of grizzled police role that he’s best known for. Had Keaton been cast, it would’ve felt more original, as audiences would have had to adjust to seeing such a typically goofy actor playing such a dark character. Although Sean is ultimately on the side of justice, he does some pretty terrible things in Mystic River, and covers for Jimmy when he knows that his childhood friend is guilty. It would have been fascinating for Keaton to play against type, and perhaps would have influenced the direction that his career went in the next decade.

Michael Keaton's Career Found Renewed Life With 'Birdman'

Losing out on the Mystic River role didn’t just mean that Keaton wasn’t part of an Oscar-winning modern classic; it made his projects within the next few years feel even more egregious considering what he had missed out on. Following the 2003 release of Mystic River, Keaton starred in lackluster comedies such as Herbie: Fully Loaded, Game 6, The Last Time, and Post Grad. His career had depleted significantly until he was cast in Birdman in a self-reflective role that allowed him to contemplate the nature of his success. Keaton’s performance in Birdman earned him an Academy Award nomination, proving once and for all that he was committed to cutting-edge projects from unique filmmakers. Keaton may not have made it into Mystic River, but he did find his place in Boston eventually, thanks to his role in the next year’s Best Picture winner, Spotlight.

In the last decade, Keaton has almost become better known for his work in dramas than his early debut in comedies. It’s almost hard to imagine that the same serious actor who appears in Trial of the Chicago 7 and The Founder got his start with Night Shift and Mr. Mom. Nonetheless, this pivot toward dramas could have started earlier. Now that Eastwood is working on what is reportedly his final project, it stands as a great shame that he and Keaton never got the chance to work together.

Mystic River is available to rent or buy on Apple TV+ in the U.S.

WATCH ON APPLE TV+