# Blockbuster movie (a la Towering Inferno) with second tier cast **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 31, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-movie-a-la-towering-inferno-with-second-tier-cast/558992 "2010-10-31T18:19:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-movie-a-la-towering-inferno-with-second-tier-cast/558992/1 "2010-10-31T18:19:22Z")
Title isn’t enough to get across the idea that I would love to see a movie with a dozen or more “second level” actor/star types that would rival those _Poseidon Adventure_ or _Cassandra Crossing_ things of the past. The main idea is the cast. We can decide the plot and that sort of thing later. Add to this list of “stars.” Philip Seymour Hoffman David Strathairn John C. Reilly Delroy Lindo Laura Linney Felicity Huffman Hope Davis Patricia Clarkson ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-movie-a-la-towering-inferno-with-second-tier-cast/558992/2 "2010-10-31T18:34:30Z")
From your list, I take your definition of second-tier to be in reference to movie star status and not talent. When that’s the case in these sort of hypotheticals, I can always safely scalp actors from HBO’s fine original programming. I’ll artificially limit myself to three from each show - with apologies to actors I pass on. Deadwood: Timothy Olyphant Ian McShane Garret Dillahunt Rome: Kevin McKidd James Purefoy Kerry Condon Six Feet Under: Frances Conroy Michael C. Hall James Cromwell Generation Kill: Alexander Skarsgård Michael Kelly Lee Tergesen Band of Brothers: Neal McDonough Ron Livingston Donnie Wahlberg Something the Lord Made (movie): Mos Def Alan Rickman Gabrielle Union Had to stop somewhere! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-movie-a-la-towering-inferno-with-second-tier-cast/558992/3 "2010-10-31T18:43:20Z")
You have definitely picked up on the vibe I’m after, **drastic\_quench** 🙂 Good sources, too. Showtime’s shows are also a good source in some cases. Another concept to re-cast, at least in the headliners section, would be the _Ocean’s X-Number_ after Clooney, Damon, Garcia, Roberts, Pitt, and a few others have been rejected for being “too pretty” for the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Nicest\_of\_the\_Damned](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8baadc/32.png) [@Nicest\_of\_the\_Damned](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nicest_of_the_Damned)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-movie-a-la-towering-inferno-with-second-tier-cast/558992/4 "2010-11-01T01:21:08Z")
So if we follow the Towering Inferno template, we need some people who can do rich and glamorous, because it will be some fancy dinner going on when disaster strikes. We need the following: A couple of rugged action men (Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, though this is 2010 so one of them could be a woman) Sports star (O.J. Simpson) Female singer in a cameo (Maureen McGovern) Handsome, distinguished middle aged man (Robert Wagner) Imperiled children - preferably a boy and a girl (Mike Lookinland and some girl) Aging Hollywood legend couple (Fred Astaire and Faye Dunaway if memory serves) I don’t remember the movie that well but I think we need the arrogant business man who cut corners on safety because he was sure nothing could go wrong but ends up cowering in fear. Maybe this would be a good role for Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Maybe Celine Dion for the singer? ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-movie-a-la-towering-inferno-with-second-tier-cast/558992/5 "2010-11-01T01:26:42Z")
Maybe The Rock for the Sports Star? ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-movie-a-la-towering-inferno-with-second-tier-cast/558992/6 "2010-11-01T02:21:52Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Add to this list of “stars.” > > Philip Seymour Hoffman > David Strathairn > John C. Reilly > Delroy Lindo > > Laura Linney > Felicity Huffman > Hope Davis > Patricia Clarkson I would love to see any movie with all those people. I especially want to see a film with Linney, Davis and Clarkson playing sisters. Oh when will someone make that happen?! ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-movie-a-la-towering-inferno-with-second-tier-cast/558992/7 "2010-11-01T02:46:48Z")
Seems to me Billy Zane should be in there somewhere. Oh, and John Lithgow.