Evidently, Lithgow knew he wasn't right for the role since the beginning. “My worst audition was for Tim Burton for Batman,” Lithgow stated in a 2017 interview. “I tried to persuade him I was not right for the part, and I succeeded.”
Tom Cruise, Edward Scissorhands
Despite his bizarre nature and propensity to play "over-the-top" characters, Johnny Depp wasn't the first person that was asked to play Edward Scissorhands. Tom Cruise was part of the conversation as well. In fact, 20th Century Fox was so interested in casting Tom Cruise that they denied Johnny Depp the audition.