Daniel Radcliffe was originally cast as the lead in All Quiet on the Western Front

Daniel Radcliffe was originally cast in the lead role for 'All Quiet on the Western Front'.

Screenwriter Lesley Paterson has revealed that the 'Harry Potter' actor was set to play the role of Paul Baumer in one of his first film projects after the wizardry franchise came to an end in 2011.

Movie bosses believed that casting Daniel, 33, would secure the necessary funding to make the project based on Erich Maria Remarque's 1929 novel but it turned out not to be the case.

Lesley told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "When we optioned the book 16 years ago, the landscape was so different. There's no way you could have done a German-language film and raised any money for it.

"So we decided pretty early on, we would probably have to pitch it as English speaking with a German accent.

"And we thought, 'What names are going to raise finance?' And at that time, Daniel Radcliffe was coming off the back of 'Harry Potter'."

Lesley explained how Daniel's name alone was not enough to generate funding for the film as it was the 'Harry Potter' brand that had made him so well known.

The 42-year-old triathlete said: "We realised pretty quickly that although he's a wonderful actor, he wasn't right for this and his name actually didn't raise any finance.

"Because ultimately, what's made him known is the brand of 'Harry Potter' and not him as an actor. But he was so lovely."

Felix Kammerer was eventually cast in the role of Baumer as 'All Quiet on the Western Front' was released on Netflix last year.

The movie is up for nine Oscars at this weekend's ceremony and Lesley thinks that the anti-war theme will strike a chord with the judges due to the Ukraine conflict.

She said: "They tend to support politically resonating films in the belief our industry can make a difference."