Billy Bob Thornton has never been one to gravitate toward the world of big-budget blockbusters when considering his next role. He’s made it clear that he has little interest in joining the ranks of franchises and massive action spectacles. Despite this, even Thornton is not immune to the allure of mindless escapism, as he once considered roles in major blockbuster films that would have dramatically increased his bank balance. He was offered the chance to play the Green Goblin in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man and Owen Davian in JJ Abrams’ Mission: Impossible III—two iconic roles that would have made him a part of some of the most famous movie franchises of the early 2000s. However, Thornton turned down both offers, a decision that ultimately proved to be for the best. Willem Dafoe, who took on the role of Green Goblin, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, who played Owen Davian, both brought strong performances to these parts that would have been hard to rival, and their portrayals remain iconic to this day.

Ironically, the most successful blockbuster Thornton has ever been a part of is probably Michael Bay’s Armageddon, a film he has since called a “two-hour piece of trash.” Thornton’s role in this 1998 action film was one of his few forays into high-stakes, high-budget spectacle, and he admits that he only took it because he was financially struggling at the time. After his fourth divorce, Thornton found himself in desperate need of money to cover the costs, and Armageddon, despite its heavy reliance on explosions, was a paycheck he couldn’t turn down. While the film grossed over $550 million worldwide and is remembered for its over-the-top action, it remains a source of mixed feelings for Thornton, who has always preferred more nuanced, character-driven material.

Thornton’s relationship with the world of big-budget films wasn’t always as complicated as it seems, but his experiences certainly shaped his aversion to them. One of his least favorite films to work on was On Deadly Ground (1994), in which he starred alongside the notoriously difficult Steven Seagal. This film was a miserable experience for Thornton, and it helped shape his general disdain for action films driven by explosions, car chases, and gunfire. He quickly realized that he preferred roles that allowed for deeper exploration of character and less reliance on the spectacle of action sequences. After this difficult experience, Thornton steered away from the genre as much as possible, though he still dipped his toes into it on occasion.

In the years following Armageddon, Thornton took part in two more films that followed the same formula of large-scale action, but these projects were far less well-received. Eagle Eye (2008), directed by DJ Caruso, was a high-concept thriller featuring Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan. Thornton played a supporting role in this fast-paced film, but both critics and audiences found it forgettable. Similarly, The Gray Man (2022), directed by the Russo brothers, was another action thriller that relied heavily on spectacle, but despite its all-star cast, it failed to leave a lasting impact. These films, while perhaps lucrative for Thornton, were far from the types of roles he usually sought out. They were forgettable and tedious, offering little to challenge him as an actor.

Despite these occasional forays into blockbuster action films, Thornton’s heart was never fully in the spectacle-driven, explosion-heavy genre. Even when he had opportunities to land significant paydays in some of Hollywood’s biggest films, he passed on them, preferring to stick to his artistic integrity. One such instance involved his decision to pass on roles in two major blockbuster films—Con Air (1997) and Pearl Harbor (2001). When asked about any lucrative gigs he regretted passing on, Thornton admitted that he had turned down both of these films, even though they could have made him a lot of money.

Con Air, a thrilling action film directed by Simon West, became a beloved classic of the 1990s. The film featured an all-star cast, including Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, and a host of character actors like John Malkovich, Steve Buscemi, and Danny Trejo. Although Thornton didn’t reveal the specific role he was offered, it’s easy to imagine that he could have been a strong addition to the ensemble cast. The film’s absurd and over-the-top premise—featuring Cage as a man trying to get back to his family while a plane full of dangerous criminals is hijacked—was perfectly suited for Thornton’s trademark dark humor and offbeat charm. Had he joined the cast, he might have been a standout presence among the ensemble, bringing something unique to one of the most ludicrously entertaining blockbusters of the era.

On the other hand, Pearl Harbor, directed by Michael Bay, is widely remembered as a disappointment. Despite its attempt to blend historical drama with action, the film was lambasted by critics for its melodrama, historical inaccuracies, and excessive runtime. Thornton, who had already starred in a better historical film (Sling Blade, which earned him an Academy Award nomination), likely saw the potential disaster that Pearl Harbor turned out to be. He would have been cast as part of the military personnel, and it’s safe to say his role would have been a one-dimensional part in an overly long and tedious movie. While Pearl Harbor did win an Academy Award for Best Sound Editing, it was also widely mocked, earning several Razzie nominations, and became a punchline for many years after its release. Thornton was likely wise to avoid it.

Ultimately, while it’s easy to see how Thornton could have fit in these two blockbuster films, his decision to turn them down was consistent with his preference for more meaningful roles. Con Air might have offered him a fun, over-the-top action flick to showcase his skills in a different light, but Pearl Harbor was nothing more than a cash grab in a film that failed to live up to expectations. Looking back, it’s hard to argue that Thornton wouldn’t have been a memorable addition to the Con Air ensemble, and it’s likely that his career would have taken a very different trajectory had he embraced that type of project. But as it stands, Thornton has maintained his integrity by staying true to his own values, choosing roles that were meaningful to him and steering clear of the more predictable, spectacle-driven movies that many actors of his caliber might have jumped at. In the end, Billy Bob Thornton’s refusal to bow to the pressure of blockbuster fame has solidified him as one of Hollywood’s most interesting and idiosyncratic actors.