Cinematic universes are all the craze right now with Disney
and Marvel Studios being the kindling that lighted a fire. Warner Bros is
currently self destructing with its DC Comics universe and Universal Studios stumbled along with its Monster’s Universe before it crashed and burned. However, there is one cinematic universe
concept that I haven’t heard about being developed but that I think would be an
amazing undertaking.
A Greek mythology cinematic universe.
Think about how
amazing that would be? All our favorite Greek mythological tales woven together
in cinematic form. That would be quite a spectacle.
From the primordial gods
like Ouranos and Geia to the Titans and Lord Cronus. Followed by the Olympian
Gods headed by Zeus and Poseidon with Hades ruling the Underworld. There would
be so much storytelling potential and an opportunity for an extremely large
cast of diverse characters.
With that in mind, I decided to do a fancast with some of the most popular figures in Greek Mythology with who I thought it would be good fits in these
roles.
Kronos: Morgan Freeman
Who better to portray the Lord of Time than this legendary actor? Morgan has the voice, the presence and the acting authority to provide us with an excellent performance as Kronos
Zeus: Dennis Haysbert
Dennis is a long time acting veteran with an imposing stature and signature baritone. He would be a perfect casting for Zeus. He has already played God in the hit show Lucifer so it would be nothing new to him to undertake being the Lord of the Sky.
Hera: Viola Davis
Who better to play the regal but vengeful queen of the gods than Viola Davis? Her talents can go up against the best actors and actresses in the industry and the power she would bring to this role would be incredible. She has played Amanda Waller in the DCEU and also Annalise Keating in the How To Get Away With Murder tv series. Both roles give a glimpse into how she could easily pull this off.
Poseidon: Jason Mamoa
One of
the coolest actors walking around. Jason made everyone pay attention to him
with his role as Khal Drogo in the HBO series Game of Thrones and he showed us some great action chops as Aquaman and Conan the Barbarian. His Apple TV+ series, See, is also a hidden gem. I felt he was a fitting choice to play the Earthshaker
and God of the Sea, Poseidon, because of his intensity, lordly presence and
mercurial nature. Jason can go from 0 to 100 quickly, just like the seas can go
from calm to raging.
Hades: Lee Pace
Ralph Fiennes
did a great job as Hades in the Clash/Wrath of the Titans movies but I think
Lee Pace could play a darker, scarier Hades. He's played Thranduil, the Elven King, in the Hobbit movies and also Ronan the Accuser in Guardians of the Galaxy. He has the range to pull this off
and having the Lord of the Underworld towering over others at 6’5” would have a
serious affect onscreen. Ralph Fiennes’ Hades was a little more on the
sniveling side whereas I could see Lee Pace bringing more gravitas and bravado.
Ares: Michael Fassbender
There are
few actors that bring the passion that Michael Fassbender does and he is who I
would want as Ares, the God of War. If you want a good look at what Fassbender
could bring to the role of Ares you have no further than to look at one of the
greatest action films ever, 300. In that film, ironically based on Ancient
Greece, he plays the Spartan soldier, Stelios, who seems to love fighting and
battle more so than his peers. He is probably most famous at this point for his masterful portrayal of Magneto in the most recent X-Men movies. Michael would be a great fit as the God of War.
Hephaestus: David Harbour
Hephaestus,
the God of fire and blacksmiths, is usually shown as an older looking, gnarled,
somewhat bitter kind of god. I think David could pull that off
flawlessly while adding a unique kind of flair. He has an grizzled edge to him that would mesh nicely with the lonely demeanor that is often attributed to Hephaestus. His role as Hopper in Stranger Things has helped him become a beloved actor and I think has similar shades to Hephaestus.
Apollo: Alexander Skarsgard
Alexander was the first person that came to mind when I thought of Apollo. As
the god of the sun, music, prophecy, healing, and more, he is somewhat of a rockstar
among the Olympian gods. Alexander can bring charm, humor and a certain amount
of sensuality to the role as well as a handsome visage that fits the persona of
the God of the Sun. Alexander has played Eric the vampire on HBO's True Blood and recently he played the role of Tarzan in "The Legend of Tarzan".
Artemis: Tessa Thompson
Tessa
would be perfect as the Goddess of the Hunt. Artemis is a maiden goddess who
absolutely detests the presence of men and is the champion of women everywhere.
Tessa would be able to portray an intelligent, intense, unyielding and wildly
beautiful take on Artemis. She was great in "Creed" as the love interest of Adonis Johnson, Bianca, and she has a role in the MCU as the formidable Valkyrie.
Athena: Nicole Beharie
I love Nicole and think she was done a huge disservice by being killed off on the tv series ‘Sleepy Hollow’. She radiates a certain strength and fierceness that is hard to find. Hera is the goddess of women and marriage which gives her an unyielding air when it comes to faithfulness and family. Nicole would own this role and be a commanding presence to boot.
Aphrodite: Francia Raisa
Francia isn’t as well-known an actress as some of the other people on this list but I’ve been a fan of hers since her days
on the tv show “The Secret Life of the American Teenager”. She is talented and
extraordinarily beautiful. She has such a sensual and exquisite spirit that I
think she’d be perfect to play the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite.
Hermes: Caleb McLaughlin
It took me
a second but the more I thought about this, the more I was certain this would
be a good casting. Caleb could play a great Hermes, the messenger of the gods
and God of Thieves. His most notable role at the moment is as Lucas in the hit NETFLIX series, Stranger Things. I think he has the range to give us the carefree and talented trickster that Hermes is.
Demeter: Alfre Woodard
Alfre is another veteran of the industry who has long not gotten the accolades she deserves. She
is a talented actress and to me she’d be able to emulate the earthy tone that
is required for Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest and Agriculture. I think she has to potential to provide a soulful and sharp performance for a role that most people would probably consider to be bland.
Hestia: Jurnee Smollet
Jurnee is
a powerful actress and I think she could bring so much strength and warmth in a
portrayal as Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth. Hestia is often overlooked but she
is an important goddess. Jurnee emulates a powerful energy that captivates
people in her roles and it would be no different here. One of her stand out performances was in "The Great Debaters" alongside Denzel Washington as well as her powerful performance as Leti in the hit HBO series, Lovecraft Country.
Persephone: Aurora Perrineau
Heracles: Henry Cavill
Could this role be done by anyone else other than Superman himself? I'm sure there are a few that could but I think Henry would embody it. He'd certainly be better than that travesty of a portrayal the Rock gave us. Henry has show with The Witcher and his role as Geralt that fantasy might be his best genre and with his beloved performance as the Man of Steel, I think he'd give us a Heracles for the ages.
Achilles: Yahya Abdul-Mateen ii
One of the fastest rising stars in Hollywood, Yahya has shown himself to have a good range of acting chops and with his physical stature, he would be a damn good selection to play the greatest warrior to ever live. His role as Cal/Dr. Manhattan in the HBO show Watchman only gave us a glimpse of his talent and it would be a treat to see him with sword and shield in hand.
Odysseus: Giancarlo Esposito
A well renowned and respected actor, Giancarlo has a filmography that go up against the best of them. He is currently playing the villainous Stanford Edgar in the Amazon show, The Boys, and I have no doubt that he could easily pull off the clever wiles of Odysseus.
Circe: Sanaa Lathan
She already looks like an immortal goddess so I don't think there would be much of a change from her daily life for Sanaa. One of the most beloved and beautiful actresses in the world, I think she would make an excellent Circe. Especially if the role takes cues from the book written by Madeline Miller.
Calypso: Lucy Liu
The timeless Lucy Liu would be a dead ringer for the goddess-nymph of Ogygia. Lucy has a wide range as an actress and can emanate the wisdom mixed with a longing, tortured sadness that is required. If you’ve seen Lucy Liu in the hit show “Elementary” as Dr. Watson, then you’ll know that this is a perfect role for her.
That is my casting for the Greek Mythology Cinematic Universe. I will probably add more characters in the future to this like some of the primordial gods and also demigods/heroes. If you like/dislike and/or have suggestions on any character casts please let me know!
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