1917 has been capturing the minds of critics with various wins at major awards shows, 10 nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards, and seemingly a real shot at taking home the prize of Best Picture after wins at the Golden Globes and Producers Guild of America.
Where perhaps the film, starring Dean-Charles Chapman and George MacKay, may be lacking however critically is nominations for their two stars. As of so far, neither have picked up any major acting nominations- having to settle for the occasional nomination for best British/Irish actor or breakthrough star. While critics are loving 1917, it could be argued that the two are being utterly swept aside by well-known names such as Joaquin Phoenix, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Adam Driver.
Interestingly however, as reported exclusively by ThatHashtagShow in September of 2018 – Tom Holland was seemingly in talks to play the role of Lance Corporal Tom Blake. One source told us that Holland was even potentially attached in the lead role for a short period of time. This role eventually went to Dean-Charles Chapman. Although this is yet to be confirmed, timelines would appear to indicate that reshoots on Doug Liman’s Chaos Walking scuppered Holland’s chances to star in the film. According to Eagle Radio, 1917 was filmed over 20 weeks beginning in April of this year, while posts from both Tom Holland and Doug Liman indicate this time period is also when Chaos Walking reshoots occurred.
1917 is still an undeniable success. Few are likely to bemoan what could have been a dramatic turn for a hugely popular actor like Tom Holland that may have seen Mendes’ film solidified even further as Best Picture winner. Nevertheless, with Tom Holland set to star in The Russo Brothers’ ‘Cherry’, a deeply personal story for the directors regarding the opioid crisis, it seems that the actor is making more steps into award-potential films.
