Sunday, April 25, 2010

Casting a Project That Will Probably Never Happen, Even Though It Would Kick Ass

There has been some back and forth, some "Will he or won't he" talk about JJ Abrams and Daniel Lindelof adapting Stephen King's Dark Tower Series for film or television. The last word on this was that it wasn't going to be adapted anytime soon, with Lindelof just wrapping up Lost it would probably be a pretty huge feat to pull off something with such a big mythology as DT. However, the speculations still abound and a few days ago I came across This Site with their ideas for DT Casting. Some of them I have no Problem with...others I'm not so sure. And since I think I rock at this sort of thing, I'm going to give it a shot myself. I'm putting in a jump since this is an image-heavy post...Click Images to Enlarge...


   

  Roland Deschain - Richard Armitage
Tall? Check. Dark hair? Check. Blue Eyes? Check. Intense Expression? CHECK, yo. Roland is of "undetermined" age (some say he may be over 1000 years old), and is the last vestige of a dead world, the sole survivor of the "Line of Eld" (his world's version of King Arthur).
Runners Up: Daniel Day-Lewis, Michael Fassbender, Josh Holloway
 

Eddie Dean - Jensen Ackles
Jensen actually looks like what Eddie is described as, good looking with light brownish hair and hazel eyes. And we already know from Supernatural he looks good with a gun! I have no doubt he could pull off the Wisecracking Junkie-turned-Gunslinger.
Runners Up: James McAvoy, Casey Affleck, Ryan Kwanten
 

Susannah Dean - Rutina Wesley
I love her on True Blood, but regardless I think she'd be perfect to play a wheelchair-bound warrior with split personalities. She'd have to switch between the sweet and refined Odetta Susannah Holmes and the devilish Detta Susannah Walker, and then later carry an evil spider baby. I think she could handle it.  Runners Up: Gina Torres, Kerry Washington, Rosario Dawson


Jake Chambers - Nathan Gamble
  Jake is the youngest gunslinger, I believe he's only 13 but looks younger.  Roland sees him as a son, and thinks he might be a reincarnation of his old friend Alain Johns, who like Jake had the psychic touch. Runners Up: Freddy Highmore, I don't know any other kid actors. 


Cuthbert Allgood - Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Joseph Gordon-Levitt was also Unreality's pick (and this is partially their photo- thanks!) and I can't but agree. JG-L has really come into his own over the past few years, I'm really looking forward to seeing him in Inception. Always quick with a joke and quicker with a slingshot, Cuthbert was the predecessor (in more ways than one) to Eddie Dean in Roland's original band of Gunslingers. I've always hoped that King would give us a novella told from Cuthbert's point of view, it would be a perfect balance of comedy and tragedy.

Alain Johns - Charlie Hunnam
This is yet another instance where I wholeheartedly agree with Unreality's list. Another member of Roland's original Posse, Alain Johns was more thoughtful than Roland and better tempered than Cuthbert.  Charlie Hunnam has already proven how well he can handle a gun in Cold Mountain and Sons of Anarchy.


Susan Delgado - Emma Watson
Emma Watson is so lovely, she has the innocence and spirit that would beautifully capture Roland's tragic first (and only) love Susan.



I'm going to work my way around to all the "B" characters at some point, I just want to throw one more at you...

Flagg/Marten/Walter - Alan Tudyk

If anyone has the range to play the gleefully psychotic Flagg, it's Alan Tudyk. He already proved his bad guy chops with Alpha on Dollhouse, and I still say if Christopher Nolan ever wants to put the Joker in another Batman movie, Alan's the guy to do it.

UPDATE: The latest word is is that Abrams, Cuse and Lindelof are off the table, and the most interested party at this point is Ron Howard, Brian Grazer & Akiva Goldsman. Not who I would have picked, that's for damn sure. 

5 comments:

Traxy said...

Oooh. I haven't read the book(s?) in question, but I like your casting choices... Looking at the middle pictures, I think you've picked very similar-looking actors! :)

Bee said...

Yes there are 7 books and a good many novels that are part of the story without being part of the series, so it's quite an undertaking.

I love casting books in my head...every time I read a new book I always think "Oh I know who would be perfect for this role". I knew you would at least like my first choice!

Sarah Auron said...

Woah woah woah... back the frack up. I stopped reading when you said that one character has to "carry an evil spider baby". How the whozit have I not read these books yet?! Also, my word verification for this comment is weansted. I'm going to define that as a state beyond 'wasted'. Excellent....

Bee said...

It's not for lack of trying on my part! I've been trying to convince you to read the Dark Tower for the last 3 years at least! Finish The Talisman and then we'll talk.

Nimet Başar Kesdi said...

On february 2017 motion picture is rolling. Your cast is far more beautiful than the Nikolaj's.