many of you know ernest p. worrell as the goofy denim wearing psychopath who starred in a tv show and A LOT of direct-to-videos but what most people dont know is he was considered for the lead in very reputable action movies. i made a thread of exactly those missed opportunities

the ernestinator (the terminator, 1984)

ernest and the raiders of the lost ark (indiana jones and the raiders of the lost ark 1981)

ernest: first blood (rambo: first blood 1982)

commando ernest (commando 1985)

ernest hard (die hard 1988)

ernest the duck (howard the duck 1986)

ernest/off (face/off 1997)

romancing the ernest (romancing the stone 1984)

ernest (top gun 1986)

ernestcop (robocop 1987)

ernest lives (they live 1988)