Sean Connery turned down what would become one of the most expensive "no thanks" in Hollywood history. Peter Jackson wanted the Scottish actor as his first choice for Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The studio sweetened the pot: $30 million upfront, plus 15% of the box office. That back-end deal would have netted Connery $450 million.

He said no.

"I Still Don't Understand It"

Connery's reason was refreshingly honest: he didn't get it. "I read the book. I read the script. I saw the movie. I still don't understand it," he admitted in a later interview. New Line Cinema executive Mark Ordesky confirmed that Connery "read the material and just didn't get it."

This wasn't the first time Connery's instincts cost him. He'd previously turned down the role of Morpheus in The Matrix for similar reasons—also citing confusion about the script. That franchise would've been another massive payday.

The Ghost of Turning Down Star Wars

These passes echo an earlier Hollywood legend. George Lucas offered Alec Guinness a percentage deal for Star Wars, which Guinness accepted and which made him millions. The lesson? When confused by a fantasy/sci-fi script, maybe say yes anyway.

To Connery's credit, he harbored no bitterness. He praised Ian McKellen's performance as "marvellous"—high praise from Bond himself. And McKellen, for his part, became so synonymous with Gandalf that it's now impossible to imagine anyone else in the role.

The Cost of Clarity

Upfront offer: $30 million
Box office percentage: 15%
Potential total earnings: $450 million
What he understood about it: Nothing

Sometimes not understanding something costs you nearly half a billion dollars. But Connery stuck to his guns—if he didn't get the material, he wasn't going to fake it. That's either admirable integrity or spectacularly expensive stubbornness, depending on how you look at it.

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