There is seldom anything as enticing to moviegoers as a truly great cast. Seeing an abundance of stars across the screen provides a certain thrill, presenting captivating on-screen dynamics with some of the greatest actors of all time bouncing off each other as scene partners.
While any film with such casts will usually create some sort of buzz, not all films with such stacked on-screen talent have become renowned hits. From genre-bending comedies to largely forgotten hits of decades long past, theRedditcommunity came up with some compelling answers when questioned about which films have had the most surprisingly stacked casts.
10’The Hunt For Red October' (1990)
As the best of the Jack Ryan films to be made thus far,The Hunt For Red Octoberstands as one of the better spy thrillers of the 1990s. Set during the final stages of the Cold War, it follows a Soviet submarine captain wanting to defect to America and the CIA analyst who deduces the captain’s intentions amid rising political tensions.
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Alec Baldwinappeared as Jack Ryan whileSean Conneryco-starred as the commanding officer of the Red October, with names likeScott Glenn,Tim Curry,James Earl Jones,Sam Neill, andStellan Skarsgårdfilling out the supporting roles. In response to a comment suggesting the movie was a big hit at the time,the userdefended their statement, commenting, “it just seems to have been forgotten with time unfortunately.”
9’Smokin’ Aces' (2006)
Something of a critical disaster,Smokin’ Acesfeatured an all-star cast as its greatest asset. The action-comedy starredJeremy Pivenas Buddy “Aces” Israel, a Las Vegas magician turned mafia informant who has a $1 million bounty put on his head and faces off against a vast array of contract killers trying to kill, capture, or protect him.
The variety of characters allowed plenty of A-listers to make their mark in supporting roles, withRyan Reynolds,Ben Affleck,Jason Bateman,Andy García,Chris Pine,Ray Liotta,Alicia Keyes, andMatthew Foxamong the cast. The film was suggested by the RedditorFantasticPear, who highlighted the substantial cast in the post.
8’Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over' (2003)
The children’s spy franchiseSpy Kidswas a delightful adventure series that boasted its fair share of Hollywood stars, something that was noted by the userFormo1287. The Redditor’s comment stated “all theSpy Kidsmovies really, but I’ll mentionSpy Kids 3specifically.”
The entire franchise had featuredAntonio Banderas,Carla Gugino, andDanny Trejoas the adult members of the Cortez family whileAlan CummingandTony Shalhoubhad been recurring stars.Spy Kids 3went to ridiculous levels, though withSylvester Stallone,Elijah Wood,Salma Hayek,Bill Paxton,George Clooney, andSelena Gomezadded to the cast.Steve BuscemiandEmily Osmentalso reprised their roles fromSpy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams.
7’The Outsiders' (1983)
An ’80s cult hit,The Outsidersis an undervaluedFrancis Ford Coppolafilm.Following a teen gang in the ’60s, it starredC. Thomas Howell— who was hot off the back of his debut inE.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial— as Ponyboy, but where its cast really raises eyebrows retrospectively is with its supporting actors.
As was stated by RedditorRed_AtNight, the film had a litany of up-and-coming actors, with the supporting cast includingTom Cruise,Matt Dillon,Patrick Swayze,Diane Lane,Emilio Estevez, andRalph Macchio. Additionally, it also featuredRob Lowein his cinematic debut.
6’True Romance' (1993)
A punchy romantic crime drama with a scintillating script fromQuentin Tarantinoand directed byTony Scott, 1993’sTrue Romanceis one of the defining films of its decade. It starsChristian SlaterandPatricia Arquetteas unlikely newlyweds who must go on the run from the mob after killing a pimp and stealing his stash of drugs.
The film’s supporting cast was nothing short of astounding, withDennis Hopper,Val Kilmer,Gary Oldman,Brad Pitt,Christopher Walken,Samuel L. Jackson,James Gandolfini,Chris Penn, andTom Sizemoreall included. The userWorried-Trip635shared their reaction to the opening credits, commenting “I was convinced the listed named at the beginning were some kind of meta joke, no way the movie could have so many A-listers.”
5’Little Shop of Horrors' (1986)
Based on the off-Broadway musical of the same name,Little Shop of Horrorswas a comedy horror hit fromFrank Ozwhich featured a cast littered with iconic American comedians of the time. It follows a nerdy florist who discovers a carnivorous plant and struggles to provide for its increasingly bloodthirsty appetite as it sees the popularity of the store skyrocket.
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While its theatrical release was underwhelming, the film did find success upon its home video release and has become a timeless classic in the decades since. The RedditorUppruniTegundannamentioned the film, highlighting its impressive cast, including the likes ofRick Moranis,Steve Martin,James Belushi,John Candy,Christopher Guest, andBill Murray.
4’Black Hawk Down' (2001)
From directorRidley Scott,Black Hawk Downwas a war drama following a U.S. Rangers mission to extract two lieutenants from a Somalian warlord which turned into a brutal firefight when two Black Hawk helicopters get shot down. In addition to having heart-pounding action, it also featured a ridiculously loaded cast of Hollywood A-listers, both established and emerging.
Josh Hartnettled the ensemble cast withEwan McGregor,Eric Bana,Tom Sizemore, andWilliam Fichtnerin co-starring roles, whileTom Hardy,Orlando Bloom,Jeremy Piven,Jason Isaacs, andNikolaj Coster-Waldauwere among the names to appear in supporting roles. The usercheftripleLstated, “every speaking role is a star.”
3’Galaxy Quest' (1999)
A beloved science-fiction parody movie,Galaxy Questplayfullyrips on series likeStar Trek, following the cast of a cult sci-fi series who are recruited to aid in an intergalactic conflict by an alien race under the impression that their show is actually a collection of historical records. In addition to being pitch-perfect, it features a cast far greater than most comedies could dream of.
Redditorbappypawedotterput forward the film as being one with a surprisingly loaded cast. It hadTim Allenin the starring role withSigourney Weaver,Alan Rickman,Sam Rockwell, andTony Shalhoubrounding out the major parts whileEnrico Colantoni,Justin Long,Missi Pyle, andRainn Wilsonappeared as well.
2’Scott Pilgrim vs. the World' (2010)
An energetic cult classic comedy,Scott Pilgrim vs. the Worldhas excelled as a comic book musical comedy imbued withEdgar Wright’s signature style. It also boasted quite the talented cast, as was noted by the userSalarian_American, commenting, “it wasn’t considered quite ‘stacked’ when it first came out… but like everyone in that movie was like a year or two away from blowing up in a big way.”
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WhileMichael CeraandJason Schwartzmanwere two of the bigger names at the time, it also featuredChris EvansandBrie Larson,who would become stars of the MCU as well as future A-listersKieran Culkin,Mary Elizabeth Winstead,Aubrey Plaza,Alison Pill,andAnna Kendrick.
1’Mars Attacks!' (1996)
A wonderful homage to B-movie sci-fiof the 1950s,Mars Attacks!quickly became a cult classic with its mix of genres containing elements of horror, comedy, and sci-fi. The iconic film focuses on the invasion of Earth by a legion of Martians with advanced weaponry and follows several groups of survivors as they try to save the world.
As presented by the userPlus-Statistician80, theTim Burtonfilm had an obscene cast of stars withJack Nicholson,Glenn Close,Annette Bening,Pierce Brosnan,Danny DeVito,Martin Short,Sarah Jessica Parker,Michael J. Fox,Natalie Portman,Tom Jones,Christina Applegate, and evenJack Black.
