We are only a few short years away from the release of The Avengers! on July 15, 2011. Excited? Well nothing ups the excitement for a film like some quality casting news. And since the film is so far down the road, most of the roles have yet to be filled. So I thought, why not get the rumor mill churning and toss out my two cents on who should star in The Avengers. Sure, there are a couple of roles that have been filled. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t cast the other parts! And as an added bonus, I will throw in my opinions on the Villain that SHOULD be the evil mastermind in The Avengers. Keep in mind this is purely speculative. Are we ready?!?
We will start with the roles that have already been cast. How about Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man? Is there anyone out there who actually thinks there is someone better to play Tony Stark, billionaire industrialist and smooth talking ladies man? I didn’t think so. Never has a hero been cast so well. Period.
Next off we have Dr. Bruce Banner, a.k.a the Hulk. The Hulk has been confirmed as being in the movie, but there has long been speculation that Hulk might be the baddie. Fear not, for the Hulk will be fighting on the right side! Marvel has confirmed that Hulk will be a member of the Avengers for the upcoming film. And while we already know who the man to play Banner is (Mr. Edward Norton!) there are a great deal of people out there, myself included, that worry Dr Banner will not be making an appearance because of the well publicized problems between Norton and the studio. I hope I’m wrong, because it just wouldn’t feel right to have the Hulk but no Banner.
Finally, we have Nick Fury. While Marvel has not confirmed his presence in the film, any film about the Avengers must include Fury. Captain America may be the vocal leader of the group, but he follows orders given by Fury. Samuel L. Jackson will star as Fury, a character that was re-drawn with Jackson in mind. Way to plan for the inevitable movie guys!
Okay, now the fun part. We have some heroes currently left uncast. I spent hours upon hours researching who would be the perfect fit for the character. They not only need to have the acting chops, but also at least look a little like the character they are supposed to play. With that, we will begin with the first Avenger himself.
Captain America/Steve Rodgers: Colin Ferguson
I have to give it up to Heath over at Screenrant.com for turning me on to this idea. But now, it is official in my mind. You may know Colin as Sheriff Jack Carter on Sci-Fi channel’s Eureka. Ferguson is a terrific actor with the build to play the character. His presence on screen draws attention, something Cap always does. He is young enough to lock down for several films. And he has the iconic Captain America steely jawline. He IS Captain America like Robert Downey Jr IS Iron Man. Enough said!
Ant Man/Henry Pym: Matthew McConaughey
OK, I plan on getting a lot of flak for this one. McConaughey was rumored to be in the running for Cap, but I already gave the part to Colin Ferguson! So give him Ant Man. Ant man is a character that had to be created with “action/comedy” in mind. You know McConaughey could do the comedy, and he certainly has the build to be a hero. Besides all that, I just can’t get over the fact that he looks so damn much like Pym! Everyone wants to make Pym some geeky scientist type, but go look at the comics. I dare you to look up a picture of Pym and not see McConaughey. Seriously.
Wasp/Janet Van Dyne: Natalie Portman
Can’t have the Avengers without the Wasp. She came up with the name! So who should play Janet? Well honestly, I don’t think there is a very large part in the film for her, given that she was not officially confirmed to be in the movie. But the actress has to be short and cute, and Natalie Portman covers those bases well!
Thor: Charlie Hunnam
No word yet on whether or not the good doctor would be a part of a Thor film. Seems as though he will just be a god with no human alter-ego. So enter Hunnam. I’m sure many of you are scratching your heads in bewilderment right now. Well, Hunnam can currently be seen on the FX series Sons of Anarchy. He plays the young VP of a biker club who struggles to find a balance between his new life as a dad and his love for the club. He’s also starred in Children of Men and Cold Mountain. Stay with me now… He’d have to keep the long hair he has on the show, but with the hair and scruffy look on the show, he looks like Thor. He’s got the build for it, and he’s not too short (6ft 1″) He could pull it off as good as anyone else I’ve heard being bandied about for the role. IMDB this kid and look at a picture of him from Sons of Anarchy. You’ll see.
And in my final call as casting director for The Avengers! I will present to you a villain worthy of a team of heroes…
Loki: James Callis
Loki should be the villain in this flick, because if he can be a handful for a god, he’s perfect for the Avengers. And adding Loki would be a great way to bring Thor down from Asgard to join Earths mightiest heroes! Maybe Loki escapes to the Earth realm, and causes havoc. Cue what is beginning to become the Avengers (maybe Cap, Ant man/Wasp, and Iron Man) but he is a little too much to handle. As the movie moves on they finally convince Hulk to join, and enter Thor, and there we have it. The Avengers! Who better to play Loki than James Callis. I’m sure you know him from Battlestar Galactica. But he can really act, and he possess that devilish charm that would be required to play a god of mischief and all around evil dude like Loki.
There! We are finished. The Avengers has been cast! Spread this around, and maybe we can help get some of these actors cast the Earths mightiest heroes! What do you think? Am I crazy, or genius? Sound off people!
And remember, The Avengers is set to open July 15, 2011