Total Recall The Rewatchables
Total Recall poster
Total Recall

Casting What-Ifs

Richard Dreyfuss or William Hurt as Quaid; Robert Davi or Kurtwood Smith as Richter

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 00:57:53Read transcript
  • In the mid-80s Dino De Laurentiis had Richard Dreyfuss attached as Doug Quaid, around the time of Stakeout; the hosts mock the idea with a Dreyfuss impression.
  • David Cronenberg was given the script, wanted William Hurt and envisioned it as a Spider-Man-goes-to-Mars story, before Arnold took it.
  • Robert Davi and Kurtwood Smith turned down Richter before Ironside stepped in.
  • The hosts say Verhoeven cast Stone in Basic Instinct for her ability to flip from sweetheart to diabolical, and said on the commentary that this is how she is in real life.