What if there were a Live action BG Movie?
the_spyder
Member Posts: 5,018
So, I was thinking this morning about how I would cast a Live action Movie of BG. Now, in order to do this, I started thinking about not necessarily A-List actors, but known actors from the last several decades. Here is what I came up with:
Branwen - Vanessa Angel
Xzar - Dwight Schultz
Xan - Brent Spiner
Shar-Teel - Fairuza Balk
Saravok - Clancy Brown
Kivan - Roger Cross
Imoen - Michelle Trachtenberg
Edwin - James Callis
Montaron - Peter Dinklage
So, that is a decent start. What do you guys think? Who else would you suggest for the various characters, not just the NPCs?
Branwen - Vanessa Angel
Xzar - Dwight Schultz
Xan - Brent Spiner
Shar-Teel - Fairuza Balk
Saravok - Clancy Brown
Kivan - Roger Cross
Imoen - Michelle Trachtenberg
Edwin - James Callis
Montaron - Peter Dinklage
So, that is a decent start. What do you guys think? Who else would you suggest for the various characters, not just the NPCs?
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Comments
Clearly Clancy Brown is getting beyond the age where he can play a powerful warrior like Saravok, but back in the day I think he would have been perfect.
oh, and I hardly think that Michelle is 'The most talented'. She merely looks the part and could easily be that annoying (in my opinion).
Minsc - Nicholas Cage
Gorion - Nicholas Cage (in makeup)
Viconia - Kiera Knightly
Xan - Alan Rickman
Khalid - Alan Alda
Jahiera - Michelle Rodriguez
Charname - Shia LaBeouf
@the_spyder - yes, yes...but who would play Viconia? (Actually a good choice of ppl - at least those that I know. Brent Spiner would rock as Xan. I just think that Clancy Brown is a bit old for Sarevok. I always imagined him more like Jason Momoa)
I could see Vin Diesel as Saravok. And he might even know the lore and the role. Although he might be good as Dorn as well. Probably Saravok though because a big name like that would demand a bigger role.
Who would play a good Tiax? I suppose they could get someone like Jim Carrey and CGI him??? No, how about Gilbert Godfried?
I am almost thinking that Matt Bomer would be good as Eldoth, though I am not sure on that front.
And if Dwight wouldn't play the role of Xzar, how about Brad Dourif?
Lol I was very inspired when dreaming up the list. I liked the idea of casting Nic Cage twice lol
I could see Alyssa Milano as Imoen or Neera. That woman simply doesn't get older, so the age is not a problem here.
Khalid: John Hannah
Jaheira: Famke Janssen
Minsc: Dwayne Johnson
Neera: Allison Brie
Sarevok: Idris Elba
Tomoko: Ziyi Zhang
Noober: Tony Hale
That's all I've got, although I'd have to agree that BG would be a total disaster as a live action movie. A novelization, though - now that's an idea!
I wouldn't adapt Baldur's Gate as a feature film, but as a 1-hour TV show with yearly seasons of 10 episodes much like Game of Thrones. Then you could develop the story and the characters without any time constrains. Also, that way one could include a lot of NPCs as cameos or on-and-off characters.
Of course, Minsc, Imoen and Jaheira would be part of the main cast. As for the others, I really don't know and I guess no decision could please all the fans. You'd have message boards clogged with topics full of raging posters protesting the fact that this or that NPC wasn't given enough screentime.
But whatever choices were made, I'd make a lot of effort to stay true to those characters. The story itself, however, could use a tweak or two. And since we're on that, I'd take a hint from Lost in how the episodes would be structured. It could alternate between the main storyline and flashbacks that show a little background of characters as well as the Time of Troubles.
We'd see stuff like Minsc and Dynaheir on their way from Rashemen to the Sword Coast and find out a little more about how Dynaheir's mission ties into the bhaalspawn storyline. We'd also see the very moment when Gorion rescued charname from the Bhaal temple, leaving young Sarevok behind. Midway through the first season, the band would find their way to the bandit camp with the help of Kivan, and we'd see exactly what happened to him and Deheriana on the hands of Tazok so you'd really hate him when charname and company finally meet him for the first time.
Flashbacks could also do wonders for Irenicus' storyline - his story with Ellesime is too good to only be alluded to. If you're going to adapt the SoA portion of the saga, you really need him to be as compelling a villain as he is in the game. That can only be done if he's a tragic, tridimensional character with understandable (I'd dare even say relatable) motives.
My dream cast would have Liam Neeson as Gorion, Cate Blanchett as Jaheira and Gary Oldman as Irenicus (he doesn't look too imposing, but he's an amazing actor who can put on a performance with just the right ammount of scenery-chewing). Imoen should be a young, up-and-coming actress. Minsc would be the trickiest one to cast, since you'd need an actor who not only looks (and sounds) like him, but can also deliver a great performance without making him annoying. As for Dynaheir, I don't know... what about Zoe Saldana?
And since we're fantasizing, it'd be cool to have cameos like William Shatner as Winthrop and Leonard Nimoy as Elminster. No, really.
I don't know who could play charname, but it'd be interesting if it was a female character.
@Kilivitz - Imagine the plot twist, if Liam Neeson plays Gorion : Sarevok kidnaps CHARNAME and Liam Neeson spends whole movie kicking ass, searching for him and thwarting Sarevok's plans. And killing Sarevok in the end.
Whereas if Sean Benn plays any role, he is bound to die so Gorion fits like a glove...
As an addendum to my previous post: let's not forget Yoshimo! I wouldn't take the predictable way of making his betrayal be a huge plot twist - I would use the flashback story device to show right off the bat that he's related to Tamoko - from then on the show would be constantly building tension, as you wonder what exactly are his intentions and when/if he's going to strike.
I don't personally think that a Live action movie would be any good, although I do like the idea of a Game of Thrones type movie (particularly with all of the extra sex they would have to infuse into the game). But that doesn't stop me from imagining who would play good key roles in it if there was one.
But to see CHARNAME with Vicky to have a go at it...
So a mix of clash of the titans (the real one) and romero gore (day of the dead) and feeling when it´s getting intense!