Mike Myers is initially said to have been offered the role; later discussion explicitly qualifies the conflicting reports.
Steven Soderbergh reportedly tried to develop the remake before leaving for Out of Sight.
Spielberg reportedly considered directing and producing with Jim Carrey and possibly Al Pacino.
Carrey remained involved after Spielberg departed and contributed ideas before leaving; reports of a Mike Myers offer are explicitly uncertain.
Stiller is judged better for awkward dinner-table humor than the more physical version imagined for Carrey.
Naomi Watts reportedly initially had Pam’s role and said producers replaced her because they did not find her sexy enough; that explanation is met with disbelief.
Christopher Walken reportedly was the backup if De Niro declined, inviting a Wedding Crashers comparison.
Soderberg won because people thought he was a flash in the pan who couldn't make a commercial movie; without it he doesn't get Ocean's 11.
A two-tiered answer: Lopez wins the actual movie with the hardest job, but big picture Soderberg wins, since this didn't lead to the Lopez career that was wanted.
The movie cemented Clooney as a top movie star, yet none of them feel he won; it did the most for Soderberg, and with Sondafeld it would not have been the same movie. 'So Soderberg, we'll go with that.'
