Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park is considered by many fans to be a masterpiece in filmmaking, and it's easy to see why. The first film in the franchise, which was adapted from Michael Crichton's book of the same name, is filled with top-notch storytelling and groundbreaking visual effects that still hold up to this day. Not only that, but the performances given by Jurassic Park's ensemble cast were as memorable as the film itself. Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum and Richard Attenborough all gave performances that were so iconic that their characters have become instantly recognizable among the pantheon of famous movie characters.

For this reason, it is hard to imagine anyone else taking on these roles. Yet, like many films during their production phase, every one of these roles was almost passed off to someone else. Sean Connery, for instance, was considered for John Hammond, and Jim Carrey was close to being cast as Ian Malcolm. Even the role of Ellie Sattler, despite Dern always being Spielberg's first choice, could have gone to Robin Wright. While all these casting choices would have probably changed the dynamics of the character, it is doubtful that any of them would have entirely changed viewers' perception of the film quite like Spielberg's initial choice for Dr. Alan Grant: legendary actor, Harrison Ford.

RELATED: Jurassic World Dominion Wastes the Perfect Opportunity to Kill the Dinosaurs Again

Ford's connection to Jurassic Park was revealed by Spielberg back in 2011. At a Q&A following the 30th Anniversary screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Ford had made a joke that Spielberg only hires him to play Indiana Jones. In response to this, the director brought to light that he had initially wanted the iconic Star Wars and Indiana Jones actor for the role of the fictional Paleontologist. "I gotta correct this," Spielberg stated. "Do you know who I offered Jurassic Park to? This guy. Alan Grant, I first offered to this guy."

While this fact was revealed during that Q&A, it remains unclear as to why Ford turned down the role. Whatever his reasons were, his decision to pass on the role of Alan Grant led Spielberg to look elsewhere. Other actors who were considered for the role after Ford included William Hurt, Richard Dreyfuss and Kurt Russell, all of whom declined the role for various reasons. This eventually led to Sam Neill earning the part only a few weeks before filming started.

RELATED: Jurassic World Dominion's Main Villain Had a Vile History

Han Solo Indiana Jones feature

The knowledge that Harrison Ford almost made it into Jurassic Park certainly puts into perspective just how different the film could have been. While Ford would have most certainly made sense in the role, the fact that he was already a household name by the time the film was put into production seems like an element that would have changed not only the dynamic of the characters but also how the audience would have perceived the film. After all, it had only been a few years since Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade had made it to the big screen. So having Ford play a similar character in Jurassic Park would have more than likely caused inevitable comparisons.

In the end, it was definitely the right call on Ford's part to decline the offer, as it was probably better for the movie and ultimately led to the casting of Sam Neill, who is now synonymous with the role of Alan Grant. Still, it is an interesting piece of trivia that looks into a version of the film that could have been.