Mini Fantasy Cast: Across the Universe

'Across the Universe' by Beth Revis is one of those books that isn't going away.  Even though the book has been on store shelves for a month now, there is still a ton of internet buzz.  For that reason, I thought it was time to do a mini fantasy cast and let you in on who I would cast as Amy and Elder. 


Emma Roberts (Nancy Drew, Hotel for Dogs) as Amy:

I had trouble thinking of a natural red head to play Amy.  So the next best thing?  Find an actress who can dye her hair! Emma Roberts has proven that she has some acting talent and has a pretty wide fan base! As Amy, I think she'd bring out the inquisitive element of her personality quite well.


Taylor Lautner (Twilight) as Elder:

Okay, so you know how hard it is to cast a mixed monoethnic looking character using the actors we see in the industry today?!  Hard.  Seriously.  I think the slight 'rigid-ness' that can be seen sometimes in Lautner's acting might help with the role of Elder, who is quite a stoic character.  


What do you think? Who would you cast? 

Fantasy Cast: Tomorrows Guardian

This week I'll be hosting author Richard Denning in honor of the release of the paperback edition of his novel 'Tomorrow's Guardian'. I thought it would be fun to create a fantasy cast for the book! Let's begin, shall we?


Alexander Ludwig (The Seeker) as Thomas:

Thomas- The main character in 'Tomorrows Guardian', Thomas is a kid on the verge of becoming a young man.  He's quick witted, smart, and a true friend.


Let me set the record straight-- while I pretty much hated the travesty that was 'The Seeker' (in which Alexander played the title character), I put most of the blame on the producers, script writers, and anyone at all included with pre-production. As an actor, you have to do the best with what's given to you and Alexander suffered from having to read a *really bad* script (think Hayden Christensen in the Star Wars prequels). 


Is this kid the most spectacular actor? No, but he's still growing. I think he has the look of Thomas (though his hair may need to be dyed darker) and good enough acting chops to play him. He's a little older than the original characters age, but in movies age doesn't always matter.


Colin Morgan (Merlin) OR Gregory Smith (Everwood) as Septimus Mason:

Septimus Mason- Septimus is a time traveler very much like Han Solo. In his mid twenties, you're not always sure of his intentions, but you want to always hope his intentions are good... 


I chose two actors similar to Mason's age in the story, but who both have baby faces. That way, it won't seem out of place for them to be hanging out with the younger Thomas.


Colin Morgan and Gregory Smith are both fantastic picks for this character. They're both solid actors who play believable characters every time they are on screen. They both also happen to be two crushes of mine. :-)


Jim Broadbent (Inkheart) as the Professor:

Professor- He is the person behind The Hourglass Institute, the Professor X of the cast.


Jim Broadbent just reads the professor to me. When it comes to casting this role, he is pretty much the picture in my head. I wish I had more to back this up, but I think he would be great.


Tom Ellis (Doctor Who) as Edward:

Edward- Edward is a soldier battling Zulu's in a battle that I don't recall learning about-- ever.  (So that's all the history you get in this bio!) But is he more than just a soldier?


I've only seen this guy in Merlin and Doctor Who, but according to his IMDB he has done quite a bit! I think he has the look and is around the right age to play Edward, a time agent taken out of his own time and thrust into a future *very* different from his own.


Zac Efron as Charlie:

Charlie- Charlie is a sailor fighting World War II.  Course... There's always more than meets the eye in sci-fi, right?


(Rest assured-- if I did cast a movie, it would have lots of pretty boys in it, don't you think.)  Why Zac for this character? Of the three people taken out of time by Thomas and Septimus, he's the youngest and from a time closest to present day. Zac fits the bill in age, physique, and acting ability.


??? as Mary:

Mary- Mary is a baker's assistant in during the London fire of 1666.  Through the course of the novel, she finds out that all talents are not to be ashamed of...


I had a bit of a problem casting this character because I just couldn't figure out her age. Well, I now know she's 16 years old...  Let me ponder this role for a bit and I'll add an actress in this post later!


Leonard Nimoy as the Redfeld:

Redfeld- Every series needs an unscrupulous character and this guy is it...


Believe it or not, I've only ever seen Leonard Nimoy playing Spock. A travesty, right? I'd really like to see him play someone a bit shady... And Redfeld is definetly shady!!!

And there you have it--- my fantasy cast of 'Tomorrow's Guardian'.  Somehow I managed to accidentally fit in three of my celebrity crushes and two Star Wars references...  


For those who have read the book, what do you think?  Who would you cast?

Fantasy Cast: The Pendragon Series-- Part One

One of my favorite series of the past ten years is The Pendragon Saga by DJ MacHale. If you haven't read the series, then check it out now! Seriously, it's really good. Something I've always loved about the series is that it's truly a book series that reads like a movie. There are tons of characters in the saga, so I'm splitting this fantasy cast into different segments.


Here's the first installment which includes the first four travelers introduced in the the book series!


Skandar Keynes (The Chronicles of Narnia) as Bobby Pendragon:

First Introduced in 'Merchant of Death'--Bobby Pendragons' face was on every cover of the original bindings of the book series. Ideally, I'd like to get someone who looks like the 'kid' on the cover, but Skanar could work quite well in the role, too!


Malese Jow (The Vampire Diaries) as Loor:

First Introduced in 'Merchant of Death'--  Malese rocked on 'The Vampire Diaries' last season. She is relativly unknown and can play both tough and emotional... Perfect for warrior girl Loor!


Corbin Bleu (High School Musical) as Spader:

First introduced in 'The Lost City of Faar'--  Let it be known, I have a bit of a soft spot for Corbin.  Not exactly as described in the book, he is my perfect Spader. Spader has to be played by someone likable and carefree and Corbin fits the bill!!!

Morgan Freeman (Evan Almighty) as Gunny:

First appeared in 'The Never War'--  Would an A-lister take a roll in a sci-fi adventure like the Pendragon Saga? I sure hope so, because every time I pictured Gunny, he looked very similar to Morgan Freeman! Hands down, he is Gunny head to toe!!!


Check back next week (or so) for the next four travelers and maybe even a few acolytes!


So, fellow Pendragon fans, what do you think of this casting? Disagree? Who would you cast?

Fantasy Cast: The Grey King

By now, I think I've mentioned my favorite book on this blog hundreds of times. It's 'The Grey King' by Susan Cooper and is part of the 'Dark Is Rising Sequence'.


A while back a horrible movie was based off the first book in the series-- that movie was called 'The Seeker'.  Since 'The Seeker' made no money and was so changed around that that it was impossible to make the sequels, I figured it was about time to cast the fourth book in the series-- 'The Grey King'. Who knows, maybe one day when I'm a big producer, I'll be able to make the series myself...


And on we go-- the fantasy cast of 'The Grey King'.


Will Poulter (Voyage of the Dawn Treader) as Will Stanton:

Will is the title character of the series. A few things to keep in mind when casting him-- he needs to still be a bit young or at least have a baby face. Also, I've always pictured him fair skinned. And most importantly, the actor chosen needs to be able to play a character who is young phsyically, but play like he has an 'old soul'. Will Poulter seems to be the Will Stanton of today. Plus, I quite enjoyed him in 'Voyage of the Dawn Treader'. That kid has talent.


Colin Morgan (Merlin, Doctor Who) as Bran:

Arg, Colin isn't my first choice, but he's the closest to what I picture for Bran.  It mostly has to do with his eyes. They just seem so Bran like to me. (It helps that he's such a cutie!) Were I casting this movie, Bran would probably be an unknown actor or a new, little known actor.  However, for the purposes of this post, it goes to Colin.


Johnny Depp (Chocolat, PotC) as John Rowlands:

Oh, Johnny Depp... This isn't just an excuse to get Johnny Depp's picture on my blog. Nope. The character John Rowlands has to be mysterious, friendly, and exude trust. While not Welsh like the character, I think Johnny Depp could blow this character out of the water and be very believable in the role.


John Simms (Doctor Who) as Caradog:

While I'd hate to see John Simms play such a bad guy, I think he has the look of Caradog, the big bad in the 'The Grey King'. I have only seen him in Doctor Who, but he comes off as a great actor.


Sam Neill OR Ian McKellen as Merriman:

My case for Sam Neill? I quite enjoy him as an actor in the lighter projects he's done. Plus, while he's not an older actor, he seems to have the personality and aire of the central Merlin character in the sequence. Make up to make him look a bit older and a new hair do could make him a great choice for this role.


Now, to be 100% honest, my first and favorite choice is Ian McKellen just as he is in 'Lord of the Rings'. That is always how I pictured Merriman to look. However, I'm not sure how open McKellen would be to pretty much playing the same character he played in 5 (counting 'The Hobbit') movies...


So there you go, my cast of 'The Grey King'.  What do you think?  Who would you cast?

Fantasy Cast: The Host

Now that the Twilight movie franchise is almost complete, it's time to look to another Stephenie Meyer title-- 'The Host'. 'The Host' is one of my favorite books and I really hope they do it justice on the silver screen.


For you enjoyment, here is my fantasy cast for 'The Host'.


Ian Somerhalder (credits: Vampire Dairies, Lost) as Ian:

Ian is perfect for the role of, well, Ian. He has the look and the acting chops!


Matt Lanter (credits: 90210, The Clone Wars) as Jared:

Matt is under-rated as an actor. Take him out of the 90210 environment and I think we'll see a lot from him. Jared is a tough character to cast because he has to be a semi-likable jerk through most of the movie. Dress him up like the 26 year old he is and I think Matt could accomplish that (and win a few hearts while doing it).


Runner up for Jared: Eoin Macken (credits: Merlin)

Jason Behr (credits: Roswell) as Kyle:

I wanted to find an actor that looked like he could be related to Ian. Jason bears a bit of a resemblance. I think this movie could thrive as an ensemble piece as long as it's not cluttered down with 'blockbuster' actors. Jason worked wonders in his 'Roswell' years working in an ensemble and could do the same here as Kyle.


Jeff Fahey (credits: Lost) as Jeb:

It was hard picking Jeb! I went through so many-- John Goodman, Treat Williams... But I think I have my favorite. Jeff Fahey played the pilot on Lost during the last few seasons and he kind of looks like the Jeb I was looking for. Plus, along the same lines as Jason, he works well in an ensemble!!!


William Sadler (credits: Roswell) as Doc:

I don't know about any physical description, but I always pictured doc older and skinny (not built). William Sadler would be perfect. He plays emotional well and has good comedic timing. Most importantly, he has a friendly persona that comes off swimmingly on screen!




Jemima Rooper (credits: Hex)as Melanie/Wanderer:

I found it really hard to pick Melanie/Wanderer's actress. I'm not 100% happy with this casting, but I think Jemima Rooper might be a good pick.  That being said, who would you place here?


So there you have it. My fantasy cast for 'The Host'. How does it compare to yours? Who do you think should play Wanderer? What characters do they need to get right for you to watch this adaptation?

Fantasy Cast: Matched

Recently, Variety announced that Disney had bought the rights to the upcoming book 'Matched' by Ally Condie.  See my review of the book here.  I'm not surprised 'Matched' got picked up, but am surprised it happened so quickly!  The book hasn't even officially come out yet!  The sequels are years away!  The story, though I predict it won't, could fail miserably or have really bad sequels.  Fingers crossed it doesn't, but it could. I'm almost forgetting the fact that Disney could also mess this up by casting, say, Miley Cyrus as Cassia or something.  Note to Disney-  I'd prefer NOT seeing any Hannah Montana stars in 'Matched', thanks.

With 'Hunger Games' and 'Vampire Academy' already fantasy cast here on the blog, now I think it's time for 'Matched' to get the same treatment.  Here you go-- the fantasy cast of 'Matched'.

Bradley James (credits: Merlin) as Xander:

My excitement over the third season of Merlin may have prompted this casting, but the more I think about it, Bradley would be the perfect Xander. He's handsome, built, and comes off as friendly on the screen. I believe Bradley has the acting chops to really get the audience to root for him and Cassia, just like Taylor Lautner did as Twilight's Jacob. All he needs is to work on an american english accent and he'll find himself a whole new fanbase over here as Xander!

Steven Strait (credits: Sky High, The Covenant) as Ky:

Originally, I thought Steven Strait would be too old to play an older teen. However, it turns out he was born in 1986! Dressed up right with a young hair-do and look, I think he'd be really good as the mysterious Ky. He has that bad boy aire to him that totally shouts Ky. On a sidenote, I was shocked when I read that he got married in 2008! Why are all the hot ones off the market?! ;)

???? as Cassia:

?????

I just have no idea who to choose! Cassia's hard because you need a girl with a classic sort of prettiness about her, nothing too over dramatic or sexy. She also needs to believably play someone responsible, hardworking, and smart.  You don't know how hard it was thinking of young actors who have that trait.

If I had a TARDIS, I'd probably bring a young Anne Hathaway or Rachael Leigh Cook into the future for the role of Cassia, but alas...

I'm open to suggestions on this casting. Who do you believe would be an awesome Cassia?

Fantasy Cast: The Hunger Games

Back in 2009, movie production company Lionsgate bought the rights to a book called 'The Hunger Games' vowing to make a movie trilogy once the three book series was released. Now that all three books are out, they can get to making it.

Here's my fantasy cast for 'The Hunger Games'!!!

Paul Wesley (credits: Fallen, Vampire Diaries) as Gale:

I adore Paul Wesley.  He fell on my radar when he starred in the ABC Family mini-series 'Fallen'.  If you haven't seen it, check it out!!!  Anyway, he seems like a pretty perfect Gale.  Strong, manly, and hot.

Elle Fanning (credits: Because of Winn-Dixie, Astro Boy) as Prim:

Dekota Fanning is too old to play Prim, so the role has to go to her sister, Elle.  If she has even half the talent of her famous sister, she should be able to pull at our heartstrings in the role of Prim!!!

Alex Pettyfer (credits: Alex Rider, Beastly) as Peeta:

I'll be honest here... I haven't seen this kid act yet.  He just really looks like Peeta and I think he'd match up pretty well to my Gale.

Robert Downey Jr.  (credits: Iron Man) as Haymitch:

The actor who plays Haymitch needs to have the ability to make us love him, even with his addiction to the bottle.  Robert Downey Jr. could totally do that.

James McAvoy (credits: Shameless, Penelope) as Cinna:

Oh, James McAvoy, how I love thee.  Really, he's talented and pretty.  Those are two things an actor playing Cinna needs to be!

And playing the title role of Katniss?  In my opinion, it should go to an unknown or at least relatively unknown actress.  Bring in someone we viewers won't associate with any other major roles; someone who the audience will really see as Katniss.  (Not in the crazy way Twilight fanatics see Kristin and Rob as Bella and Edward, but in a less obsessive sort of way!!  Sorry, Twi-hards, you have to admit, asking someone to 'bite' you or 'growl' at you at a signing is weird!) 

So there you have it-- my 'Hunger Games' movie cast.  Agree?  Disagree?  Let me know!  Remember, keep comments spoiler free!!!

Fantasy Cast-- Vampire Academy

Have you been keeping up with the Vampire Academy producers on Twitter or Facebook?  Well, if so, you already know how proactive the producers are being at getting the fans input on the movie adaptation of the Vampire Academy series. It got me thinking-- who would I cast in the Vampire Academy Movie... Take a peek below!

Emily Browning (credits: Series of Unfortunate Events, Sucker Punch) as Rose:

Okay, she's got a new haircut and color now, but still she could totally pull off Rose.  She has a unique look that I think is a requirement for the character.

Ben Barnes (credits: Prince Caspian) as Dimitri:

It's no lie-- I totally dig the long dark locks on this guy.  He has the build, look, and attitude to totally rock the role of Dimitri!

Eliza Bennett (credits: Inkheart, Nanny McPhee) as Lissa:

So, she doesn't have that many credits.  Big deal.  I think she brought Meggie to life pretty darn well in Inkheart and think she could do the same for Lissa.

Skandar Keynes (credits: The Chronicles of Narnia series) as Christian:

Skandar could so pull off Christian.  He has the look and from what I've seen in the Narnia movies, the attitude. 

What about Adrian? I don't remember him being in the first VA novel, so I decided to leave him out. 

So what do you think of my fantasy cast?  Who would you like to see in the title roles?