The Film/Shake Challenge
I was watching the new Bond movie, and early in the film, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Wishaw, and Rory Kinnear were all on screen together. Instinctually, I found myself thinking “Oh, too bad they’re not doing Shakespeare right now.” And then I thought, “Okay, if I had this cast at my disposal, what would I do? How would I cast it?” And, thus, the Film/Shake Challenge was born.
So, here’s my first attempt, casting Cymbeline using the cast of No Time to Die:
CYMBELINE, King of Britain: Ralph Fiennes
Cymbeline’s QUEEN: Lashana Lynch
IMOGEN, daughter to Cymbeline by his former queen: Léa Seydoux
POSTHUMUS LEONATUS, husband to Imogen: Billy Magnussen
CLOTEN, son to the present queen by a former husband: Ben Whishaw
PISANIO, Posthumus’s servant: Daniel Craig
CORNELIUS, a physician in Cymbeline’s court: Jeffrey Wright
PHILARIO, Posthumus’s host in Rome: Christof Waltz
IACHIMO, friend to Philario: Rami Malek
CAIUS LUCIUS, a Roman general: Hugh Dennis
BELARIUS, an exiled nobleman: Rory Kinnear
There’s a lot you could do with that cast, but instead, let me cast King John with the actors from Dune:
JOHN, King of England: Stellan Skarsgård
QUEEN ELEANOR, King John’s mother: Charlotte Rampling
BLANCHE of Spain, niece to King John: Zendaya
CONSTANCE, widow of Geoffrey, King John’s elder brother: Rebecca Ferguson
ARTHUR, Duke of Brittany, her son: Timothée Chalamet
KING PHILIP II of France: Javier Bardem
LOUIS THE DAUPHIN, his son: Oscar Isaac
DUKE OF AUSTRIA (also called LIMOGES): Jason Momoa
The BASTARD, PHILIP FAULCONBRIDGE, illegitimate son of King Richard I: Dave Bautista
HUBERT, supporter of King John: Stephen McKinley Henderson
Get the idea? Feel free to post your own Film/Shake combo in the comments below!
November 2nd, 2021 at 12:20 pm
Going back in time – Boogie Nights / Hamlet
Boogie Nights / Hamlet
Hamlet – Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Horatio – Don Cheadle
Polonius – Burt Reynolds
Claudius – William H. Macy
Gertrude – Julianne Moore
Ophelia – Melora Walters
Laertes – Mark Wahlberg
Rosencranz and Guildenstern – John C. Reilly and Tom Lenk
Fortinbras – Luiz Guisman
Gravedigger – Phillip Baker Hall
November 2nd, 2021 at 4:42 pm
Love it!
Going back in time is permitted. I happened to use two films currently in theaters, but that is not required or even expected. I guess we should say that the production takes place at the time the movie was filmed, as we consider people’s ages and whether they are alive.
It’s fun to see someone else’s casting and imagine the production. I’d go to see yours! Thanks for breaking the ice!
November 4th, 2021 at 12:15 am
Thanks!! Ill do more when get theough this busy week :) also – youre fun!!!
November 19th, 2021 at 10:17 pm
I used to be really good at fantasy casting in my college days. Very rusty at it now.
When I saw this challenge, I immediately wondered if I could stick it to Joss Whedon by doing a better Much Ado About Nothing using MCU/Avengers actors.
I’d have to avoid Clark Gregg, Ashley Johnson, and Michael Keaton, who are in the MCU and have done Much Ado movies before.
Then it occurred to me that Thor and Loki are basically Don Pedro and Don John all over again. One’s a prince who’s great on the battlefield but now has to settle down, the other a bastard brother who’s resourceful in the name of causing trouble.
And then it occurred to me that the first Thor movie was directed by Kenneth Branagh, which means that Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston have already been directed by the two directors who made movies of Much Ado About Nothing.
And then I gave up. After casting those 2 roles, everyone else would pale in comparison.