I would have never thought of Hugh Laurie! But I like it, I like it!
The whole time I was reading the books, I was “casting” the movies (I do this all the time! Dammit, Scatman Crothers went and died before they could cast him in The Talisman as Speedy Parker!) I was thinking, damn, if only Clint weren’t so old. . .
But yeah, I think Hugh could definitely do it! Viggo Mortensen gets my second vote.
Lance Henricksen is who I mostly pictured while reading the books.
So help me if that glitter vampire is the Roland of W&G I will spit nails. Nails, I tell ya.
But I will accept Haley Joel Osmet as Alain.
Christopher Walken?
Dark Tower 8: Roland the Zombie
Only slightly off topic, but lately whenever I think of Eddie I picture Ashton Kuscher.
You’re gonna think I’m drunk but I always picture Adam Sandler as Eddie. Think about it for a second before you laugh.
Ryan Reynolds as Eddie. Angela Bassett as Susannah.
I just read this in Wikipedia - “In May 2009, rumours emerged that Leonardo Dicaprio was the top contender to play Roland.” Dear lord, save us from baby-faced actors trying to play Roland Deschaines. I can hardly think of worse casting. In a recent thread on this topic, someone suggested Robert Knepper for the role of Roland - not bad, not bad.
Dudes got the look.
The more I think on this, the more I think Jackman is the man for the job. Kurt Russell would have been awesome 10 years ago, but he’s much too old now. Still the biggest badass around, but Roland’s got to be in his 30s or 40s.
For the eligible actors, my test is to picture the actor saying “Do you say so? Then let it be so.” Of the ones mentioned so far in this thread, plus a few others I can think of, I think only Hugh Jackman could say it sincerely and not have it come out sounding narmy (warning: TVTropes link). He’s also already shown that he can do grizzled and weathered very well, and I think he’s got more than enough acting skill to handle Roland.
I’m a little bothered by the fact that Ryan Reynolds is the go-to guy for smartass roles these days, but other than the lack of a Brooklyn accent, I have to admit he’d be perfect. He can be a smartass and serious at the same time, which Eddie does frequently.
Edit: Oh, oh! Jason Statham for Roland! Think about it!
Garret Dillahunt
Neal McDonough.
Gary Oldman, but it’ll take some camera wizardry to make his 5’9" seem more like Roland’s 6’2"
I like Garrett Dillahunt, as well, but I came in to nominate Liev Schreiber. He’s always got so much going on under the surface.
I actually think Andy Serkis would be pretty good.
[sub]well, maybe not[/sub]
I can see Hugh Jackman.
What about Stephen Moyer? He’s got the look, and he seems to do OK with non-narmy antiquated speech.
If you don’t like Reynolds for Eddie, maybe Jeffrey Donovan would be good. Flip, yet steely - he’s certainly got that down.
Timothy Olyphant, without question. Roland is a gunslinger; nobody acting today has the gunslinger cred of Olyphant.
Zombie David Carradine as Roland, FTW!
Or, more seriously, his half-brother Keith Carradine (he has recently played Agent Lundy on Dexter).
I really like the suggestion of Jeffrey Donovan for Eddie. Another would be Joshua Jackson (FRINGE).
For Susannah, I like Naomie Harris (from 28 Days Later and the POTC movies) or maybe Thandie Newton.
Not for Roland; I think he’d be excellent for the Man In Black, though.
Again, not for Roland, but he would be great as Roland’s friend who was always laughing and joking.
Yeah, either of those guys would work.
Naomie looks okay; Thandie looks too fragile and delicate for Susannah.
Ed Harris was the first actor I thought of, so I’ll just third him.
winner.
