The Unfinished OJ Simpson Innocent Movie And The Iconic Actor Who Turned Down Millions To Star

According to director Joshua Newton, Owen Wilson, best known for Wedding Crashers, was offered a substantial $12 million offer to portray the role of attorney Douglas McCann but turned it down due to reservations about the film’s subject matter. “If you think I’m going to take the lead role in a movie about how OJ didn’t do it, you’ve got to be kidding me,” said Owen despite his agent showing interest in the movie and the overall positive feedback on the script of OJ Simpson movie.

Newton also expressed disappointment over Owen Wilson’s decision, adding that the actor would have been perfect for the role but remains determined to find a suitable replacement. He also added that he found another perfect actor for the role of McCann but hasn’t revealed who that actor might be. Newton is hoping to finally complete the OJ Simpson movie by October 3, 2025, which coincides with the 30^th anniversary of Simpson’s not-guilty verdict.

The OJ Simpson movie is supposed to follow Douglas McCann, a real-life attorney who dug deep into the rabbit hole of conspiracies about the case following Simpson’s acquittal in 1995—the portrayal of whom Owen Wilson turned down. Still, the OJ Simpson movie has resumed production with an unspecified actor in mind for the portrayal of McCann, Charlotte Kirk in the role of Nicole Brown Simpson, and German-born actor Boris Kodjoe in the role of OJ Simpson.

OJ Simpson rose to athletic fame due to his success in college and NFL football, going on to become a well-known spokesperson for Hertz, a rent-a-car company. He’s perhaps better known for acting in movies like the Naked Gun trilogy. However, he’s best known for his televised trial for the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, Simpson’s ex-wife and her friend. The 1995 trial was highly publicized, featuring a lengthy and controversial court battle, which the upcoming OJ Simpson movie satirizes.

Simpson’s defense argued that the evidence was mishandled and that OJ Simpson was wrongfully targeted. He was ultimately acquitted of all charges near the end of 1995, but the case has remained a significant part of American legal and cultural history, particularly because of its implications on race, media, and the legal system. However, Simpson was subsequently found liable for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman in a 1998 civil suit filed by the victim’s families—which should also find its way into the upcoming OJ Simpson movie.

Sadly, no other details about the movie are currently available, and Newman has kept the identity of a potential new actor under wraps. This means we’ll have to wait for the OJ Simpson movie to drop, hopefully, sometime next year, to see who landed the $12 million role Owen Wilson turned down.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter