The Odd Couple

The enduring comedy of the Odd Couple continues to be the basis for sitcom after sitcom, now 44 years after Neil Simon's original was brought to life by Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon, it's time to go back to the drawing board and find the two young actors who could bring to life the opposite roommates. Since both Matthau and Lemmon had been rather experienced, and yet fairly anonymous up until "Odd Couple" I'll try to follow the same basic script here.

Characters
Felix
Oscar

Felix
Christopher Mintz-Plasse, the 23 year old actor who first made it big as McLovin in the Judd Apatow hit "Superbad," has continued to prove his comedic chops in "Role Models" and "Year One." Though he has yet to break out, he has been surrounded by a stream of top notch comedic talent, and no one would doubt that his characteristic haltingly awkward characteristics are both hillarious and a perfect fit for the role Jack Lemmon made famous.










Oscar
Jay Baruchel, who turned 30 this month, made his way up through a series of short lived TV comedies before nabbing the title character in the rom com "I'm Reed Fish." He's proved his funny on the big screen in the surprise hit "Tropic Thunder" and "Night at the Museum 2." While it may be hard to picture the suave Baruchel as the slobbish Oscar. I think it's Jay's natural laid back comfort that would fit him naturally into the role. As for the chemistry that they would most certainly need to make the project work, there can never be any guarantee, but hopefully they started to develop some on the sound stage of "How to Train Your Dragon" which the two worked on together.

Gritty Aladdin Noir

So far, we've focused on pretty upbeat projects. This time I thought I'd try to go a little bit further out of the box. Let's remake Aladdin, let's leave all of the Disney characters, because that's the one most people are most familiar with, but set it in 1940's LA. A gritty Aladdin noir, where Aladdin couldn't enlist because of a physical deformity, the Sultan is the mayor, and the genie is a magical homeless man touched by Aladdin's kindness. OK it's hokey, but casting it should be fun.





Characters
Aladdin
The Genie
Jasmine
Jafar
Abu
Iago
The Sultan




Aladdin

At his heart Aladdin is a lovable rascal, and even within the gritty setting we've placed him in, that inherent charm still needs to come out. The trouble with trying to cast the part then, is that in today's age virtually every Arab actor available has gotten most of their experience playing terrorists on "24." Since the best Arab parts, don't even go to Arab actors (see Jake Gyllenhaal) These parts are often so one dimensional that it's impossible to get a good read on an actor's ability from them. I chose Sammy Sheik for the role. While Sheik has polished his skills on "24" he has also had lengthy story arcs on "The United States of Tara" and "In the Moment" while getting big screen experience in "Transformers 3" and a critically acclaimed role in the independent film "The Son of an Afghan Farmer." While I would prefer to cast the lead with someone with more experience in major films, I have to work with who's availalbe and Sheik is certainly a good catch.

The Genie

In order to change this from the fun cartoon to a gritty noir drama, the character of the Genie is the one that has to change the most. As a homeless man with mystical powers, it's important the characters sincerity shine through and let us believe that he really just wants to be Aladdin's friend. It's the perfect part for a late career Jimmy Stewart, but considering he's no longer with us, the modern day Stewart, Tom Hanks, would also be able to embody that sincere friendship. Hanks, however, spends most of his time these days producing and getting him for a project other than his own (or Toy Story) seems nigh to impossible. Peter MacNicol, whose career is just starting to turn toward film with his turn in this summer's "Battleship" is best known for his off the wall TV characters. MacNicol's subdued quirkiness is just the kind of balance this otherwise serious piece needs.


Jasmine
For sheer appearance's sake my first thought was to go with Melissa Molinaro, however an actress best known as a Kim Kardashian look alike, whose last film credit is as Nooki in "Jersey Shore Shark Attack" is not exactly a presence conducive to a serious movie. Besides, Molinaro is Canadian. Zina Zaflow, who is from Iranian descent, has the smart, sexy and powerful chops to do justice to the princess. Zaflow, who is also a screen writer, is perhaps best known for her powerful moment on "The West Wing."




Jafar
My first thought for Jafar was Jeremy Irons, who provided the voice for the similar Disney baddie Jafar. Irons, however, is now getting older and has started to move his career in a gentler direction. Since making the nefarious Jafar grounded is the key to making this remake work, it needs to be cast with an actor who can bring a present vitality to it. For this task I can think of no better actor today than Daniel Day-Lewis. Day-Lewis is regarded as one of the pickiest actors in Hollywood, but how could he pass up this gritty Oscar bait. Day Lewis has proved in films such as "There Will Be Blood" and "Gangs of New York" that no one brings more life and dimension to the most nefarious of characters. With Daniel Day-Lewis anchoring the cast, the pieces for a great film seem to slip into place.

The Sultan

Omar Sharif-Dr. Zhivago himself. If there is a living actor that could stand face to face with Daniel Day-Lewis and you not know which one is the better actor, Sharif may be the entire list. While the actor who celebrated his 80th birthday last week, has gone into semi-retirement, he still will perform for the right part. Certainly he brings the presence needed to be both the powerful mayor and overbearing father, while still allowing the audience to root for and love his character. As the elder statesman of the cast, Sharif acts as a kind of cherry on top of the ensemble.

The Wizard of Oz

With a couple of new stories that take place in Oz coming out soon, I thought what if they remade the original, true to the original. That means we need actors who can also sing.

Characters
Dorothy
Glinda
Scarecrow
Tin Man
Lion
Wizard
Wicked Witch


Dorothy
Britt Flatmo the 15 year old actor has just broken onto the scene with her role in last Summer's "Super 8." It's important that Dorothy be kept relatively young, she was 8 in the books, and while Judy Garland was a little older, she was still only 16 during shooting. As for singing, she certainly has pipes. My biggest worry about Flatmo is that she's never headlined a film before, not even close. Clearly she demonstrated that she could fill her scenes with emotion in Super 8, but not only did she not have to carry that film, her scenes were more about others reacting to her then anything she was doing. Showing the emotional arc of wanting to run away from home to knowing that there's no place like home is a big job for any actor, especially for one with so little experience, but a role like this requires someone from left field, and in the few scenes we've seen her in, I get the feeling Flatmo could pull it off.


Glinda
Jennifer Hudson-While her dramatic turn in "Dream Girls" won her an Oscar, Hudson has not had much movie success since then. Though, I tend to believe her acting range is a little limited, her singing voice certainly is not, and the role of Glinda would probably end up a little more important in the soundtrack then the final cut. That being said, as the Oscar demonstrates, no one doubts Hudson could hold her on, and with her angelic face, no one would doubt that she was the good witch, since only bad witches are ugly.






Scarecrow
Alan Cummings the versatile actor and director may be best known today for his role on "The Good Wife," but has grown up on stage in both plays and musicals. On film he sang in the recent movie musical "Burlesque" as well as narrating "Reefer: The Movie Musical" on Showtime. Cummings' career has tended towards roles that are distinctly more adult, however he had a role in several of the Spy Kid films.










Tin Man
The role of the Tin Man requires a face that can take you on a journey. My first thought was Eric Dane Cummings' co-star in "Burlesque" and the big hearted surgeon on "Gray's Anatomy," but I realized that Jamie Foxx hasn't been terribly busy lately. The star of musicals such as "Ray" and "Dream Girls" certainly has the ability to play both sides of the does he have a heart question, and a voice that would set this production apart.












Lion
If there is an actor in Hollywood with more pure manic energy that Robin Williams, I've never seen him. Williams is the kind of actor that would fill up the cowardly lion role to the brim. While he certainly is not renowned for his singing, don't forget his turn as the Genie in "Aladin." Williams is going through a bit of a career down turn, so a major (if supporting) role in a big picture would work out perfectly for him, and while that energy may have the effect of overpowering some of the smaller characters in the cast, Williams has shown that he can town it down in films such as "Good Will Hunting" in order to play effectively within the ensemble.






Wizard
For the role of the Wizard, I decided to go for someone who looked grandfatherly. When we discover that he is a fraud, I don't think the audience should feel angry, just disappointed. So I went with the 76 year old Alan Alda. Though he's gone on to do quite a bit since that time, Alda will forever be remembered as the rapscallion Hawkeye Pierce on "MASH." Much like he would need to in this role, Alda always managed to make us root for Pierce, even as he went about causing trouble. The warm eyes he would need to try and sooth things over, in fact have recently been put to good use as Dr. Atticus Sherman on the dramedy "The Big C"






Wicked Witch
My first thought for the role is the terrifying Deborah Ann Woll from True Blood, but her evil lurks beneath a  shiny surface, much like the queen in "Snow White" the original "Wizard of Oz" production on the other hand, made a specific choice to have their witch be made to look ugly, an approach I just don't think would work with Woll. So I thought I would go a more traditional route. Helena Bonham Carter is no stranger to suiting up as the bad guy, whether as the Red Queen in "Alice in Wonderland" or Bellatrix Lestrange in "Harry Potter," Carter knows how to play ugly and wicked. While her part certainly wouldn't require it, she wouldn't feel out of place in a musical having already pumped out "Sweeney Todd."

Obama's Run For the White House

I hope everyone had fun with Rumpelstiltskin. Today's movie idea is based on the recent HBO Film Game Change, which was about John McCain's presidential run in 2008. What if we were to make a movie about Barack Obama's presidential run, who would play the major characters? Remember the rules, this would be a major production, probably directed by Oliver Stone, and since this is a biopic looks matter.

Characters (along with pictures of their real life counterparts)
     Barack Obama                                       Michelle Obama                                      David Axelrod    

          Joe Biden                                             Robert Gibbs                                         Hillary Clinton

 

Barack Obama

Well even though we all know Drake wants the role, I just don't think Degrassi gives you enough dramatic weight to pull off a president. Will Smith would certainly be the next obvious choice, he has a similar build and face to the president, and clearly as he showed in Ali he can go inside a character, but I worry that with such a big star and personality, Smith would distract from the role. So I settled with Harry Lennix, the actor is only 3 years younger than Obama, and also from Chicago. He played the American President in the British Sketch comedy "Little Britain USA," but has mostly demonstrated dramatic gravitas in films like "Ray." The combination of  his close resemblance, and the seriousness he brings to his roles makes Lennix an excellent choice to play Barack Obama. 

Michelle Obama

Anyone's first choice to play Michelle Obama would be Viola Davis, the recent Oscar Winner is a ringer for the first lady, and one of the best actors working in Hollywood. Her recent success has thrust her into the spotlight, however, and upcoming projects like "Enders Game" makes it unlikely she would be able to take the time out to play the first lady. Fortunately it looks like "Southland" is coming to an end leaving Regina King plenty of time on her schedule. King has experience playing in the White House, as the sister of both President Palmer's on "24." As her time on "Southland" show she's not afraid of taking names, but can do so with a big smile on her face. Besides is there anyone else who could hope to match Michelle's sculpted triceps?

Hillary Clinton

For a political character that has been in the public consciousness for so long, it would require an actor of similar stature. Who could portray a woman who stood under the public glare for decades, only to be the biggest obstacle to our sympathetic main character's quest to become president. It would require a woman who could stand up to Michael Corleone himself. Since her role in the "Godfather" trilogy Diane Keaton  has been the embodiment of the strong woman. While in recent years Keaton, like Clinton, has taken some of the edge of her persona off in roles like "Father of the Bride" and "Morning Glory," she has the acting chops to be both powerful, but empathetic enough to be understood even as she takes her quest for the presidency to the convention.

Joe Biden

Jeff Bridges-the veritable character actor has the laid back working man demeanor that defines Joe Biden. There are few actors who could manage to pull off the kind of regular gaffes that Biden made during the campaign and keep us loving him. There is no doubt that Bridges, who managed to make Rooster Cogburn lovable, could pull off the same trick with Biden. While the last several years have seen a career resurgence for Bridges, I have no doubt that he could still find time to put in a bit part in a production  about the President.

David Axelrod

Stephen Toblowsky is one of those actors you've seen everywhere. Though he is most often seen playing up his comedy side in TV shows such as "Glee" or as the Insurance Salesman in "Groundhog's Day" he has also shown the crazed intensity neccessary to play any campaign manager in films such as "Memento" or "The Insider." Toblowsky would have to grow a mustache and lose the glasses, but otherwise he's a great physical fit, and would be happy to take a large role in an important production.

Robert Gibbs

Kevin Dunn, who has started to become famous due to his streak of on screen fathers, particularly in the "Transformer" movies, certainly has the face for Gibbs. More important is that as the president's communication Director, it was Gibbs' voice that was Obama's voice to the press. Dunn is not one for imitations, but his soothing voice is as near a match as you could find for Gibbs'. Gibbs is also well known for his temper, and Dunn's big red cheeks would be a great give a way any time the script called for Gibbs to get grumpy.

What do you think? Does Harry Lennix have what it takes to play the president? Who would be a better choice? Do Dunn and Toblowsky have the intensity for a political insider? Sound off below.

Rumpelstiltskin

Let's imagine that a new big budget production of Rumpelstiltskin was being made. Though it would be live action, it's audience would be primarily children, similar in idea to the recent "Mirror Mirror" although we can pretend that this one will be well made. If you need a refresher on the story of Rumpelstiltskin you can find one here.

Characters:
The Miller
His Daughter (The lead character)
The King
The Prince
Rumpelstiltskin

The Daughter

Shailene Woodley-The 20 year old star of "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" just coming off her first nomination for a Golden Globe in "The Descendants" is poised and ready for a breakout. She has the ability to portray the complex emotions of being locked up in a tower, and especially important for a young actor, someone who could play the desperation necessary for a mother trying to keep her child, an ability she shows regularly on her TV series. Woodley is young, beautiful, has the acting chops, and the experience necessary to headline a major blockbuster. She is my choice for the lead.


Rumpelstiltskin

If I could reimagine Rumpelstiltskin, I think I would make him a classically good looking man, with a dark underside, but for our children's film, I think we'd better stick with a more traditional approach to Rumpelstiltskin such as this Steven Player illustration. Steve Buscemi would not be a bad thought, but he's the star of a major HBO production, and a creepy character part doesn't seem like a career move he would be likely to make. John Malkovich I would worry would legitimately scar children, so I settled on television actor Michael Emerson. Emerson certainly can play creepy as his 4 time Emmy nominated run on Lost attests. He is now working on the CBS drama "Person of Interest" so a character part in a major motion picture would be right up his alley. His physical features, seem to be a great fit for the part as well. 

The Miller

Jim Broadbent- The 63 year old actor is certainly no stranger to fantasy, having played Professor Slughorn in "Harry Potter" and the Professor in "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe." The role that makes me think of him the most here though, was as Fenoglio in "Inkheart" an otherwise completely forgettable film, where he played the vain, yet easily manipulated author of the story. Broadbent, an Oscar Winner and consummate professional, would bring a sense of dignity and grounding to the production, while giving credibility to the wild inciting incident of the story, that a farmer would promise his daughter could complete a task he absolutely knew she could not.


The King
Brian Cox-The King is an interesting role to cast because we would need someone who could realistically threaten someone's life if they can't spin straw into Gold, and yet someone that the Miller's daughter will readily accept as a father-in-law. Brian Cox certainly has managed to create a resume as a strict and to the point character in his run in the Bourne series and as the Russian in "RED:, while also creating the persona of a loving father in turns such as "Rookie" or "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." Cox is exactly the kind of dependable actor that could round out a cast for top notch blockbuster.



The Prince

The main role of the prince is the story is to appear so good looking and wholesome the audience never questions why the Miller's daughter would be happy to settle down for a long and happy life with him, without even so much as meeting him before she got locked up to spin gold in the tower. The choice came down between two actors Freddie Stroma, the handsome Brit who escorted Hermione to the Christmas Dance in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" and Nicholas Hoult the boy that adopted Hugh Grant in "About a Boy" all grown up. When it came down to it, however, Hoult's recent experience in blockbusters like "Clash of the Titans" and as Beast in "X-Men: First Class" convince me that if the role were to get expanded, he would handle it just fine, and I'm still confident he'd take the part for exposure as a romantic lead.




What do you think of this cast, who would be so much better than what I've suggested, tell me in the comments below.

The Casting Chair

The Casting Chair is born from a love I've always had, casting other people's movies. I love reading casting news, as movies I'm waiting for are coming out, but real casting news comes slowly, and isn't nearly as fun. What if we could come up with a crazy idea and then cast it, and argue about it. Wouldn't it be fun if one day it came true. On this blog we will be casting all sorts of things, books that haven't already been made, remakes of popular movies, or a unique take on a fairy tale or movie. The rules are simple, we have to come up with a realistic cast for the concept. This isn't about listing off a bunch of movie stars for every idea. Dig deep, and tell me who you think is ready to break out. I hope you have as much fun with this as I do.