“Let Him Play the Hero”: Gerard Butler Was Supposed to Play Jamie Foxx’s Role in Law Abiding Citizen

Law Abiding Citizen remains an underrated gem in the vigilante genre. Is it in the same league as Death Wish? Maybe not. Yet, this 2009 F. Gary Gray-directed film starring Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx holds up better than anyone could have imagined. One thing’s for certain, though: you wouldn’t want to cross Butler’s Clyde Shelton!

Much like Law Abiding Citizen‘s plot, the journey to the final movie took several unexpected twists and turns. At one point, Frank Darabont (yes, that Frank Darabont) was meant to direct the film, but he left the production. Reportedly, it wasn’t an amicable parting of ways either. Another interesting switch-up was Butler’s role in the movie.

“I love the opportunity to play a villain,” Butler revealed in a Reddit AMA. “Funny enough, in Law Abiding Citizen, I was always going to play the hero [Nick Rice] – the Jamie Foxx role – and I was producing the movie, and I kept saying to the other producers that I would love to play the villain, and my manager and agent were telling me not to be silly. We were discussing Jamie Foxx one day, and we had offered him the role of the villain and he had responded that he was interested in being the hero, and I said, ‘Let him play the hero, and I’ll play the villain.'”

Considering how the film turned out, it’s difficult to argue that the right choice was not made here. Butler is sensational as Clyde, while Foxx convinces as Nick. Would you want to switch the actors and roles? Unlikely.

For Foxx, there was one reason he took the role: his co-star Gerard Butler. “I’m a big fan from 300,” Foxx told Blackfilm.com. “I know he probably thought I was a stalker because I had the DVD with me all the time. Then we got my man Gary Gray who’s a great friend of mine onboard and he took the project with six weeks to prep. He’s an absolute genius and I just [want] everyone to know that he’s a genius, to only have six weeks to prep for this movie and to turn in what I thought was just a crazy incredible project.”

Well, Foxx and Butler must have had plenty to talk about regarding 300, since Butler revealed that his preparation for King Leonidas in Zack Snyder’s 2006 film was the most challenging of his career. “My preparation was the most preparation I’ve ever put into any role because I promised the head of Warner Bros. that if I did this movie, I would make him so proud and make the character – Leonidas – look good and be the most badass character,” Butler revealed in the same Reddit AMA.

“So from there it was four months of training, sometimes [six hours] a day, with doing the 300 workout but also with my own bodybuilder, and then two hours a day with the stunt guys learning very specifically those fight techniques and the choreography of the fight sequences. And then the diet – I could go on for hours, but let’s just [say] it was a nightmare. It was high protein, healthy fats like avocado, low carbs. Brown rice, cupcakes (just kidding), a lot of vegetables, way too much chicken and tuna, protein shakes until they were pouring out my ears.”

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From 300 to Law Abiding Citizen, Gerard Butler was responsible for many of the most memorable action movies of the 2000s. Years later, it’s good to see that some things never change.

Law Abiding Citizen turns 17 on October 16, 2026, and it is now streaming on Netflix in the US, with rentals and purchases also available on Amazon Video, Apple TV and Fandango At Home.

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