As a lover of all things pop culture, I love to read and watch book adaptations on the big and small screen. I first saw HBO’s True Blood series before absolutely devouring the Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse books. Same for The Golden Compass, which was panned by critics, but led to me reading the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. The screen versions captivated me and I simply had to know the literary origins of the characters. When I read a particularly engaging novel, perhaps with a hunky romantic lead, it’s fun to imagine who would star in a film version. Authors sometimes even use an inspiration board with their dream list actors to play their characters.
For this weekend’s CBR Diversion, I thought it would be fun to dream cast recent books you’ve read or the one you’re currently reading. And for a bonus round, you can include a director too.
I’ll start off the game with A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers, which was my pick for our The Future is Queer Cannon Book Club. My director pick would be Karyn Kusama (Aeon Flux) or Duncan Jones (Moon).
Dream Cast
Now your turn! Please share your casting ideas for your book characters in the comments. Feel free to cast the main character, the love interest, or the ensemble. Whatever character inspires you!
This isn’t a recent read, I don’t tend to cast books in my head but Loretta Chase’s Mr. Impossible. Her romantic lead, Rupert, gave me serious Thor Ragnarok vibes, and it would be so fun to see Chris Hemsworth in that role.
I would like to see Chris Hemsworth in more romances.
I’d like to see Chris Hemsworth in more of everything.
I need some help with casting one of my favorite recent reads – 40 Love by Olivia Dade. One of the main characters is a gorgeous, 40 year old fat white woman with large breasts and I can’t think of anyone other than Melissa McCarthy, but she’s about 10 years too old. Any suggestions? She gets a hot 26 year old tennis pro as a love interest.
What about the actress from Drop Dead Diva? (She was in a recent Netflix series, Sweet Magnolias or something but her character was kind of horrible person).
Brooke Elliott! She’d be pretty perfect.
I love your selection of Robert Wisdom!
I love him. I want him to be in everything. Bunny in The Wire was just the beginning. I just recently watched Watchmen where he was the newspaper agent.
HE IS SO GOOD. I love this choice.
I also had the same person in mind for Corbin!
I keep trying to dreamcast the Ngaio Marsh books, but the people I would love are all the wrong ages now….
It’s a dream cast – so just dream! Who would you pick?
Young Paul Bettany for Roderick Alleyn,
Chigago-style Catherine Zeta Jones as Agatha Troy,
James MacAvoy for Nigel Bathgate
Oh heck… I had more but now I forget them
It’s a good cast.
Ok, this is a little unfair because the book isn’t out until next month and I just posted the review. But I woke up at 2 am thinking about dream casting the forthcoming post apocalypse road trip Deal With The Devil. https://cannonballread.com/2020/06/deal-with-the-devil-emmalita/
Deal with the Devil is the first in a series, so I’m imagining this as a tv series. it would be great as a series.
Karen Kusama would be a fab director
The Librarians:
Nina – Dichen Lachman – can definitely play the leader of a group of post apocalyptic archivists who can fight, but would rather freeze dry food and show movies.
Dani – Beth Riesgraf – Dani was inspired by Parker on Leverage, so why not cast the actress who played Parker on Leverage.
Maya – Keke Palmer – Palmer can play the layers of Maya – funny, a little vulnerable, and will stick a fork in you.
The Silver Devils:
Knox – Karl Urban – Leader, tough but conflicted
Rafe – Manny Montana – can go from smooth and charming to threatening
Gray – Michael Ealy – He has the gravitas and charisma to carry a character who makes some people comfortable and makes others think he’s a serial killer
Conall – Pablo Schreiber
Clem – Margo Martindale –
The Professor – Jared Harris
I need this book and tv show adaptation in my life!
I can’t wait until it’s out in the world. I don’t want to overhype it, but it is so readable. I started reading it again this morning.
There are a couple of major characters I didn’t cast because that would be a spoiler for first time readers.
I read The Orphan Master’s Son several years ago, and have since dreamed of it being adapted for the screen, ideally as a limited series rather than a film. Cast Simu Lu as Pak Jun Do, and Gemma Chan as Sun-moon.
I would like to see them both in a lot more things.
Well, now I can only think about A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet! I would love to see an adaptation of that universe…
teresaelectro- it’s a challenge for me to think beyond your Dr. Chef/Corbin!!!
Rosemary: Kiersey Clemons
Sissix: Cameron Esposito
Ashby: Diego Luna
Dr. Chef: James Earl Jones
Kizzy: Greta Lee
Jenks: Bring-It-On-era Jesse Bradford
Ohan: Mads Mikkelsen
Lovey: Aparna Nancherla
Corbin: Philip Seymour Hoffman
Pei: Sofia Boutella