Inspired by Lobsangs’ post in this thread about wanting to see a remake of the original SW triology.
Ok, we all know a remake would suck but let’s pretend that the originals were never made and that Lucas is just now a young director with the story ideas and script drafts for Star Wars. It’s a brand new idea. Let’s also pretend that some studio has gone insane an given him an LOTR sized budget, so SFX won’t be an issue and we can pay for whatever cast we want.
Who would you cast now for Luke, for Han Solo, for Leia, for Obi-Wan. for Vader, for the voice of C3PO, etc?
Here’s mine:
Luke: Keanu Reeves (natch)
Han Solo: Johnny Depp
Leia: Natalie Portman (remember, the prequels never existed).
Obi-Wan: Patrick Stewart
Darth Vader: Mickey Rourke (I think he’s “big” enough as an actor to make it work in the costume and I think he could come up with a cool voice. If you’ve seen *Sin City[/i[, you’ll understand where I’m coming from).
Voice of C3PO: Chris Rock (just kidding…Alan Rickman)
Luke: Michael Rosenbaum
Leia: Keira Knightley
Han: Nathan Fillion
Obi Wan: Ian MacKellan
Darth: Yeah, Rourke could do it
C3PO (voice): Kevin Kline
Grand Moff Tarkin: Patrick Stewart
Lando Calrassian: Samuel L Jackson
Palpatine: Derek Jacobi
I’m trying to do this. I really am. I just can’t. Imagining anyone but Peter Cushing as Tarkin? Imagining a face on Luke that isn’t Mark Hamill? I used to think my imagination had no limits, but I was wrong, and that limit is right here.
And yet it’s interesting that we’ve had two proposed Obi-Wans who are not different from the original one: well-respected British actors who would end up hating the role and everything associated with it. Patrick Stewart is philosophical but vaguely annoyed with Trekdom, Star Wars would be at least as bad. The closest McKellen has come to sci-fi is the X-Men series and he seems to be having a lot of fun with those.
By the way, Tarkin IS in this movie, and obviously it isn’t Peter Cushing. (Here’s hoping it doesn’t turn into a DVD with another ‘replacement’ situation.) I heard someone mention it before. I guess I hoped they were wrong, but it’s there on the IMDb cast list. It’s supposed to be a younger Tarkin, so maybe it’ll be okay?
I’m imagining him in the cantina with a prosthetic arm ala Once Upon a Time in Mexico.
My picks:
Luke: Joseph Gordon Levitt
Leia: Christina Ricci
Han: Brendan Fraser
Palpatine: Al Pacino
Grand Moff Tarkin: Malcolm McDowell (or his nephew Alexander Siddig)
Uncle Owen: John Goodman
Aunt Beru: Kathleen Turner
Darth Vader (voice): Jeremy Irons (though only because I can’t recast James Earl)
C3PO: Harvey Fierstein
Lando Calrission: Dave Chapelle
I wonder if Bebe Neuwirth auditioned for Leia. I can so totally hear Lilith saying “I thought I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board.”
David Hyde Pierce would be good both in body and voice for C3PO.
I can really hear Pacino yelling at Luke about the Dark Side, though. “Young Skywalkuh! I feel the hate swelling widdin you! Join us!”
Or “Every time I think I’m out, the Force pulls me back in.” Grr.
On the Chappelle side, I’m hearing “Vader, you promised me, bitch!”
Grace Jones—as Darth Vader.
Patrick Stewart is philosophical but vaguely annoyed with Trekdom, Star Wars would be at least as bad. The closest McKellen has come to sci-fi is the X-Men series and he seems to be having a lot of fun with those.