# Vin Diesel as Hannibal Barca?! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 3, 2004, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199 "2004-03-03T00:47:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/1 "2004-03-03T00:47:10Z")
My brother (curse him) sent me [this link](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0382731/) this morning. :eek: I pleaded with him to kill me as soon as I finished smashing the nearest Caravaggio with a Stradivarius. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/2 "2004-03-03T00:51:24Z")
I love it when a plan involving elephants comes together! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/3 "2004-03-03T00:53:44Z")
Hannibal had a surname? What’s the big deal? Vin’s sort of black yet south European-looking, and if you can get hold of some of his early work (ie. pre-all the ridiculous action flicks) he’s actually a decent actor. Besides, I hear option #2 was The Rock. ---
**Author:** ![Pythagras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/45deac/32.png) [@Pythagras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pythagras)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/4 "2004-03-03T01:20:12Z")
Another thing that is interesting is that Vin Diesel is listed as a Producer as well! I wonder if the whole thing was his idea, maybe he’s a Roman history buff in secret. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/5 "2004-03-03T01:36:43Z")
Presumably this movie’ll cost more than just peanuts. [d&r] I wonder, if staging a c.200 B.C. army traversing Spain, Gaul, and finally the Alps with elephants will eerily recall, in a premodern way, the Imperial Walkers in the Battle of Hoth from **The Empire Strikes Back**. The icy terrain, the beasts’ lumbering gait, the height advantage and psychological intimidation of ground troops, the ease with which the big beasts could be tripped up… Perhaps that scenario was inspired by the story of Hannibal? ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/6 "2005-12-18T04:29:38Z")
> [@Really Not All That Bright](#): > > Hannibal had a surname? > > What’s the big deal? Vin’s sort of black yet south European-looking, and if you can get hold of some of his early work (ie. pre-all the ridiculous action flicks) he’s actually a decent actor. > > Besides, I hear option #2 was The Rock. He’s actually not a bad choice for the roll. Maybe a little too buff but otherwise a decent choice. Hannibal wasn’t black though (i.e. he wasn’t sub-Saharan African). Not even close really. He looked more Greek or Arab than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/7 "2005-12-18T04:37:55Z")
> [@Really Not All That Bright](#): > > Hannibal had a surname? Yes, he did. The Barca clan was rather influential in Carthaginian affairs. Hannibal’s father [Hamilcar Barca](http://www.barca.fsnet.co.uk/hamilcar.htm) was Carthage’s military leader in the First Punic War, and afterward put down a rebellion in the northern regions of Carthage’s influence and founded the Iberian bases from which Hannibal later attacked Rome in the Second Punic War (that’s the one with the elephants). ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/8 "2005-12-18T04:52:06Z")
I wonder if they are going to go "all action"or make an effort with some historical accuracy. It _could_ be a good movie if done right. ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/9 "2005-12-18T06:14:28Z")
> [@The Scrivener](#): > > I wonder, if staging a c.200 B.C. army traversing Spain, Gaul, and finally the Alps with elephants will eerily recall, in a premodern way, the Imperial Walkers in the Battle of Hoth from **The Empire Strikes Back**. The icy terrain, the beasts’ lumbering gait, the height advantage and psychological intimidation of ground troops, the ease with which the big beasts could be tripped up… Perhaps that scenario was inspired by the story of Hannibal? You know what they say … An elephant never forgets. My $0.02? This is either going to be really, really good, or really, really bad. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/10 "2005-12-18T06:38:42Z")
> [@The Scrivener](#): > > I wonder, if staging a c.200 B.C. army traversing Spain, Gaul, and finally the Alps with elephants will eerily recall, in a premodern way, the Imperial Walkers in the Battle of Hoth from **The Empire Strikes Back**. If Hannibal sowed the seeds for the Battle of Hoth, I think the inspiration came by way of the Oliphaunts at Tolkien’s Battle of Pelennor Fields. The scale is closer. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/11 "2005-12-18T07:24:48Z")
> [@Really Not All That Bright](#): > > Besides, I hear option #2 was The Rock. I’d rather see the Rock in this role. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/12 "2005-12-18T08:37:12Z")
Well, when he gets to Rome, he’ll at least have easy access to a nice Chianti and some fava beans… ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/13 "2005-12-18T14:49:56Z")
Actually I, too, think that Vin Diesel is a pretty good actor. I wish he would get some better roles / better movies. And I think The Rock is one of the most underrated actors out there right now. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/14 "2005-12-18T16:14:50Z")
> [@](#): > > Another thing that is interesting is that Vin Diesel is listed as a Producer as well! I wonder if the whole thing was his idea, maybe he’s a Roman history buff in secret. I’ve heard he’s got some real literary/history buffing going on in the head atop all that muscle. At the very least, he apparently still plays Dungeons and Dragons. Boooyaaa! Geeks unite! ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/15 "2005-12-18T16:29:41Z")
> [@LiveOnAPlane](#): > > Actually I, too, think that Vin Diesel is a pretty good actor. I wish he would get some better roles / better movies. > > And I think The Rock is one of the most underrated actors out there right now. **LiveOnAPlane** , you might want to check your cabin pressure – I think you might be experiencing hypoxia. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/16 "2005-12-18T17:02:40Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > **LiveOnAPlane** , you might want to check your cabin pressure – I think you might be experiencing hypoxia. 😉 I quite understand. Only my humble opinion, and I have been wrong before. But then, there were folk who disagreed with my take on Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin’s singing on “Paint Your Wagon!!!” 😉 Go figure. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/17 "2005-12-18T17:08:54Z")
When I read the thread title I thought it said “Hannibal Barbera”. I thought Vin Diesel in a movie about the creator of the Flintstones? Did they conflate 2 guys into one? WTF? I just needed more coffee, that’s all. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/18 "2005-12-18T17:14:47Z")
It can’t be much worse than Oliver Stone’s “Alexander” so I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt. The Rock never struck me as someone who took himself all that seriously so I’m guessing this’ll be a “Scorpion King” in Rome remake 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![some\_white\_dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@some\_white\_dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/some_white_dude)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/19 "2005-12-18T22:11:27Z")
Did I just see that he’s also attached to direct? I’m gonna go ahead and predict a disaster. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199/20 "2005-12-18T22:30:05Z")
So who’s gonna play B.A. Baracas? Michael Clarke Duncan? How about Face? Tom Cruise? Maybe Jim Kerry as Murdoch? _Oooooooh!_ **That** Hannibal! Nevermind. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vin-diesel-as-hannibal-barca/232199.md?page=2)