Actor Joseph Fiennes is unlikely to win any Michael Jackson lookalike competitions – but he has been cast to play the King of Pop in a new TV special.

This surprising news comes with the announcement of a Sky Arts programme, telling the unlikely tale of a post-9/11 road trip where Michael, Elizabeth Taylor (Stockard Channing) and Marlon Brando (Brian Cox) piled into a hire car and drove from New York to Ohio in an attempt to get home to California.

Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor (Chris Pizzello/AP)

 

Details of the bizarre September 2001 journey came out in a Variety magazine article, although whether the road trip actually happened or not is disputed.

Joseph, who is Ralph Fiennes’s younger brother, is a surprising choice to play the singer, who – despite his light skin later in life – was of African-American descent.

Here are five more controversial casting decisions which took people by surprise:

Daniel Craig as James Bond

Daniel Craig was cast as James BondDaniel Craig was cast as James Bond (Hidajet Delic/AP; AP)

 

Although Daniel Craig has been one of the most successful James Bonds in history, not everyone was convinced when he was first cast.

Why? Because of his blonde hair. Previous bonds, from Roger Moore to Pierce Brosnan, were firmly brunette.

Heath Ledger as The Joker

Heath Ledger was cast as The Joker Heath Ledger was cast as The Joker (Ian West/PA; Rex)

 

Heath had big shoes to fill when he played the iconic comic book character: Jack Nicholson had previously been The Joker. And plenty of people thought he just couldn’t do it – that he couldn’t play such a psychopathic character.

Suffice it to say: Heath proved them wrong.

David Bowie as Nikola Tesla

David Bowie played Nikola Tesla David Bowie played Nikola Tesla (PA)

 

People didn’t really know what to make of David Bowie as an actor: some of his films became classics, while others – such as his 1978 film Just a Gigolo with Marlene Dietrich – were critically panned.

One of his last roles was as scientist and inventor Nikola Tesla in The Prestige, where he was almost unrecognisable behind a moustache, and brought out his serious side.

Noma Dumezweni as Hermione Granger

Noma Dumezweni was cast as Hermione GrangerNoma Dumezweni was cast as Hermione Granger (Simon Annand; PA)

 

When the casting was announced for Harry Potter stage play The Cursed Child, the internet erupted. Some were surprised to see a black actress, Noma Dumezweni, cast in the role of Hermione Granger – played by Emma Watson in the film series. Others couldn’t see what the fuss was about.

Both Emma and JK Rowling tweeted their support, with the Harry Potter author writing: “Canon: brown eyes, frizzy hair and very clever. White skin was never specified. Rowling loves black Hermione.”

Ben Affleck as Batman

Ben Affleck was cast as BatmanBen Affleck was cast as Batman (Richard Shotwell/AP; ABC)

 

When Ben Affleck was cast as superhero Batman, not all comic book movie fans were impressed. Some were convinced he did not have the ability to portray the Dark Knight. The reaction got so bad that the studio warned Ben to stay off the internet for a while.

In an interview with Jimmy Fallon, he declared his confidence in his own ability to brush it off, saying: ““I handle s**t!”