Before it became a beloved staple for sports and movie fans alike, [insert film title, e.g., Field of Dreams] was almost never made. When Kevin Costner signed on to the project, many assumed it would be an easy greenlight. But nearly every major studio turned it down, unsure if a heartfelt, mystical story about baseball would connect with audiences.
They couldn’t have been more wrong.
Against the odds, the film was eventually picked up and went on to become one of Costner’s most iconic roles. Blending sports, nostalgia, and emotion, the movie has since found a permanent place in pop culture, quoted by fans and rewatched every season.
It’s a reminder that even Hollywood legends face rejection—and sometimes, the greatest hits are the ones no one believed in.