How about Colin Salmon as the Marquis de Carabas?

quote:

How about Colin Salmon as the Marquis de Carabas?

Interesting. I'd been thinking of Jeffrey Wright, but Salmon has the advantages of (a.) an actual British accent and (b.) an eccentric name.

I still like Jeffrey Wright, though.

Limertilly--You know, I don't like Keira much myself, but I just see her as Door, physically, for some reason....Lol, I never noticed the mouth thing
I could see a young Helena Bonham Carter as Door, too...pity she is too old for the part--Stephanie Leonides? I loved Gary Bakewell, was that his name?, as Richard. I would really have to think to come up with someone new...

Here's my version:

Richard: Alexis Dennisof

Door: Natalie Portman

Marquis de Carabas: Chiwetel Ejiofor

Hunter: Gina Torres

Mr. Vandemar: Hugo Weaving

Mr.Croup: Colm Meaney

Islington: Tilda Swinton

The Earl: Bernard Hill

Jessica: Laura Fraser

Lamia: Summer Glau

oooh. sysrae done good. i like that list. possibly a little based on recent works of the great Joss Whedon? maybe?

stephanie leonidas might do an ok job of Door, but i don't know about her playing a second neil gaiman lead role...

i know--it might be too much the same thing, huh? I think it would need to be someone with that look though, y'know?

i definitely agree about the need for that particular look, but i'm wracking my brains for other people that have it. and the pool isn't VERY full. if you see what i mean.

where have all the tough and scrappy yet innocent, pale, and beautiful ingenues gone?

(I did enjoy Laura Fraser, though she was bit older than I imagined and I found her hair and coat thing distracting.) I would have loved to see a young Helena Bonham Carter playing Door, which is partially why Stephanie Leonides came to mind...she looks so much like her, to me...

quote:

Originally posted by Limertilly:
oooh. sysrae done good. i like that list. possibly a little based on recent works of the great Joss Whedon? maybe?

There's a distinct possibility I just think those people have the right kind of look and the acting cred to pull it off.

A young Helena Bonham-Carter for door sounds good to me, too - pity about the age.

yeah, i agree about the leonidas/bonham-carter LOOKS thing, although stephanie leonidas is SO much better an actress. i really despise cardboard-box, as she is known in my family.

With Neverwhere finally being made into a feature film, I have found myself going nuts thinking about who will fill what role... I am fully aware that these cast lists nearly NEVER end up being even 10% accurate but... Dare to Dream right?



First and Foremost I would kill to see Billy Boyd in the role of Richard Richard Mayhew Dick. He has every definable quality I would want from the character, from his voice, physical stature, demeanor and of course performance ability... Given the Arc Richard's character goes through, in my mind Billy Boyd is custom fit to the Role.





Door

This is a tough one for me... There are several girls I think would fit the character but are not British or are too old. A couple that might work are:

Emily Browning


And given the Director, I'd say Ellen Page has a VERY good chance of getting the role.



Personally though, I'd like to see an unknown. Beyond her, for whatever reason I'd really like a stellar cast of Familiar UK faces to fill out the rest of the film.



With the Marquis and Hunter, I have chosen black actors, simply becasue I saw the show first, before reading the novel and the two of them simply look that way in my mind.


Marquis De Carabas

Chiwetel Ejiofor would make a great Marquis



Or even Mos Def


And I'd actually like to see Patterson Joseph play it again.





Hunter

Naomie Harris seems like a perfect Hunter in my opinion, she is tall, slender but fit, has intensity and strength and can play stoic quite well without coming off as bland.



It's funny, I wanted here in the role when she was still rather unknown, now her star is rising pretty fast, especially with the Pirates films.



Anastasia

I am a fan of Summer Glau, I'd like to see here in the film, she may be a bit old to play Anastasia but she does look fairly young still... Alternatively, she would also make a decent Lamia, the Velvet guide.




Lamia

I think the Velvets would be fairly easy to cast and any one of Hundreds of pale looking beauties could fill the role of Lamia but I like the idea of Eva Green.





I'd demand that Bill Nighy be in it... Even though he is already in everything Similar to this, But he's like a British Christopher Walken in that he Improves ANY production he is involved with... Perhaps as Illiaster... But just about any role calling for an older man would work for me.





The Earle of Earle's Court

Michael Gambon would make a great Earle but like Nighy could fill any one of several roles.




Old Bailey

Bob Hoskins would make a pitch perfect Old Bailey.







Mr Vandemaar

I think that Vinnie Jones Simply IS Mr Vandemaar... Much like Billy Boyd, in my mind there is just no arguing this... The man is Custom Fit in every possible way... In fact, this is the one role I feel 90% certain WILL get filled the way I'd like it.





Mr. Croup

I've had MANY choices over the years for Mr. Croup, Including but not Limited to

Bob Hoskins


Tim Roth




and Ricky Gervais



But at the moment I'd actually like to see Michael Sheen in the role.




I think he has what it takes to bring the greasy, smarmy aspect of the character to life and also channel the Ego and Bravado needed.



The Angel Islington

This is a tough one... In the book, the Angel is described as having no definable sex or age but being beautiful in both a masculine and feminine way... So I'd actually cast a woman over a man, someone like Tilda Swinton perhaps.



Tilda has already played a character similar to this so while I would not choose her specifically, you get the idea.

As for a male Islington. I'd go with Cillian Murphy.





Gary

I love Simon Pegg and for quite a while I was hoping that Edgar Wright would direct this and Simon could play Richard but that time has passed... I'd think I'd throw him in there as Gary and add some humor early on.





Varney

Ray Winstone would be great as Varney, the Bodyguard Croupe and Vandemaar first Hire to audition for Door.



Incidentally, Ray would also make for a good Hammersmith if they played up his size with camera tricks.



Lord Rat Speaker
Jude Law would make a good Rat Speaker, if he played it in a self-mockingly arrogant kind of way... I don't really like Jude Law and I suspect that opinion is held my many people, this is the reason I think it would work for him... It's a good role to dislike.





Jessica

I don't really care who plays Jessica, as long as she works well with Richard and can play a bitch.

I think I'd like to see someone like Sienna Miller.



or perhaps Rhona Mitra





There are other roles such as the Black Friars or Serpentine that I am on the fence about, this covers most of the major players though.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Clark Parker,

Hey, Clark, I like alot of your casting opinions. I myself could see Vinnie Jones as Vandemar before I ever thought about a movie for the book. However, Billy Boyd just doesn't fit for me. He seems a bit too... pipsqueakish, and please pardon my ugliness there. Its too hard not to see him as a frightened hobbit for him to fit this role for me. I actually think someone along the lines of Charlie Cox would fit better. But we will have to agree to disagree on that role.

On the subject of Marquis, how about someone older and wiser by way of the visage of Kieth David. For some reason I can really see him fit in this role, although the accent may be too much of an issue.

Rachel Hurd-Wood looks to fit the Door role quite well from what I see. She has the "almost" innocent look I would expect for Door to have.

I do like Bob Hoskins as Croup. "Unleashed" made him into a good candidate in this role for me.

I also feel like a man should play the Islington role for the movie. Despite the cherubic nuances of it, it really seems that the actor should be almost a father figure for the lead cast. A dominance without dominating, if you will. Tilda killed that for me in her last role as an angel. She seemed too aloof and bemused with her job there. Of course, I don't have any suggestions myself, so who am I to judge... Hey, wait! I have it! CHER!
(I should crawl into a deep, dank, hole for the remainder of my life after uttering that comment )

Please keep in mind that all of this is simply my opinions on the subject at hand and should be taken as absolute, written in stone, guide your life by it, OPINION. (After all, my casting choices actually coming true would be like De Niro in a dress...
oh wait...

I don't think it fair to typecast Boyd as a hobbit just yet. The guy actually has a lot in common with Mayhew outside of his Pippin role and I trully think he is the man for the job... But to each their own.

Skipping down to Islington, I don't really think Swinton should play the role, I did just say someone like her. I agree that her role in that god awful Hell Blazer basterdization should probably count her out.

But here is a thought, if you prefer a man, how about Cillian Murphy?




He has the chops, the look, and... ahem... the balls to pull it off.

How about Jude Law as Islington? I could see Cillian Murphy doing it, though.

I really wish there was some fresh news on this Potential film. 30 days of night was pretty decent and so was Hard Candy. I can see david Slade pulling it off very well... I also read recently that he consider's Ellen Page his muse... So the chances of here becoming Door are very good.

quote:

Originally posted by Limertilly:
eurgh. i'd want to not see it if it had keira knightly in it. she drives me INSANE. the girl never closes her mouth.

oddly, my mother has the same complaint about Tom Cruise. I guess it's not just her with the insane close-your-damn-mouth compunction. huh.

I have no firm thoughts on casting other than Paul Bettany would make a superb Carabas, Tilda Swanson would indeed make a remarkable Islington...had she not already been Gabriel. I actually really really like the idea of Cillian Murphy playing Islington. and Alan Rickman makes me happy, but, for some reason, I can't see him as Croup. Summer Glau would make a good Anastasia, and I would also like to see Bill Nighy, but as the Earle, maybe?

I need to go before I speculate myself into suggesting Cher or something like that...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Apathy,

Hello HELLO!! SOO happy to be here. I just read Neverwhere and I'm soo sad that I finished the book (this morning). I hope there is a sequel sometime in the future. As for casting, I have an American perspective to offer:

1. Richard Mayhew: I'm saying Orlando Bloom for now...if Hugh Grant was 20 years younger, I'd pick him. I'm thinking of a golden boy who we would love to see and would do a good job at falling from grace into the cracks.

2. Door: Natalie Portman (though they should give her a bob with bangs like she had in the professional). Gwen Stefani, if she can act.

3. Marquis De Carabas: Clive Owen, scruffy, tanner and heavier, a regal mullet gray at the temples, lambchop side burns and a beard...oily hair...black sooty outfit high with high white collar, but dirty and ratty of course. He was the Count of Monte Cristo so maybe this is why he comes to mind. Marquis B would be Antonio Banderas...or anyone that can pull off a shistering classic mafioso.

4. Hunter: The rap signer EVE (she's truly caramel), Naomi Campbell or even Madonna (must put on some instant tanner of course. (Madonna can be Serpentine!!)

5. Islington: I couldn't help but picture Gandalf the Grey so Ian McKellen. Someone suggested the actress from Constantine - good choice too.

6. Vandemar: Vinny Jones - definitely hope so.

7. Croup: the 1st choice on Clark's list.

8. Varney: Vin Deisel (lol) - we need a big stupid looking tough guy. Not a long part anyway.

9. Jessica: Elizabeth Hurley, if she was 20 years younger too (lol!) Sienna Miller is not quite the oblivious cougar that I imagined during my read - she looks too nice for the part. Anne Hathaway, maybe.

10. Black Friars: Mos Def, Seal...

11. The Velvets: Rose McGowan, Dita Von Teese, Uma Thurman, Gwen Stefani

12. Serpentine: Madonna, Marcia Cross. Serpentine's imp: Bai Ling.

I say all this provided that the film is not at all Mickey Moused - you can have these kind of actors provided that the tone remain a bit serious, like Meet Joe Black, but even darker but not to the point of cheesiness like Blade or something. I'm hoping for a cross between the Sopranos, Constantine, the History Channel and Charles Dickens' a Christmas Carol.

That's all for now...have to read my new book - got the Anansi boys...so far, Neverwhere is my favorite.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: literally, rosary the good war that fell,

The Marquis de Carabas:

I don't know actors AT ALL, but bouncing off of what I've just read and who I recognize...

I think Billy Boyd could make a good Richard Mayhew.

Emily Browning (who I recognize from A Series of Unfortunate Events) was the first one to pop out at me as a good Door.


Paul Bettany might make a good Marquis, but I imagine him as being darker. (What about as Islington, though?)

Um I don't think any of the Hunters I saw were nearly intimidating enough.

And, Keira Knightly does NOT belong in Neverwhere.

I always thought Ewan McGregor would make a good Richard, but I agree that Martin Freeman is an excellent pick. The best I could come up with for Door was Keira Knightly, because she is very beautiful but (no offense to Miss Knightly) it can easily be disguised and come across as plain. But I am completely open to suggestion on that. In my mind the Marquis was Johnny Depp, but I could see Geoffrey Rush; either one there would be wonderful. Mr. Croup is Eddie Izzard through and through, and for Mr. Vandemar no one does creepy like Vincent D'Onofrio. And Islington, trust me, has got to be Macaulay Culkin. If you don't believe me, watch Party Monster. But I would not be disappointed with Cillian Murphy. He's wonderful, and pretty enough to play the part. Really, I just want this movie to be made. I was so happy when Stardust came out because Gaiman's work deserves to be shared with the world through beautiful film and it would please me to no end to see this one done justice.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: andivaclavicek,