If you've seen a trailer for the upcoming movie, War Dogs, you know Jonah Hill and Miles Teller are the two leads. But there was a time when that movie could've turned out very differently...with James Corden and Shia LaBeouf as the two main stars.
Todd Phillips, the director of War Dogs, appeared on The Late Late Show Tuesday and took a trip down memory lane with Corden as Bradley Cooper enjoyed the stories. Calling seeing a trailer for the movie "bittersweet," Corden revealed that he was originally supposed to read for Teller's part while LaBeouf was going to read for Hill's. But the night before they were supposed to audition, LaBeouf got arrested and sent to jail after becoming disruptive during a Broadway showing of Cabaret.
"I think he forgot he was in the theater," Corden joked. "I got a message, 'I don't know if it's going to happen tomorrow. Shia LaBeouf is in jail.'"
Somehow LaBeouf was released in time and was able to make the audition at the hotel Phillips had been staying at, so Corden headed over—after seeing actual TV footage of LaBeouf heading to the hotel. Fortunately, Corden said LaBeouf said it would be OK if the British host aired some of the footage from their audition.
"I just want to preface it that Shia came straight from jail," Phillips noted, "so he does look a little bit draggled."
Corden and Phillips pressed play on the footage, and then the magic truly unfolded. LaBeouf, still in his tattered shirt that he wore the night he was arrested, looked completely disheveled (as prefaced), wearing sunglasses and his shoe laces on his face. LaBeouf read the part seemingly perfectly, discussing gunrunners and war conflict, when he said he and Corden's character should celebrate.
"We're going out tonight—to a play," LaBeouf laughed. "Reservations for two at Phantom of the Opera."
Watch the video to see what could have been!