5 Actors That Should Be Considered For Skeletor In Jon Chu's HE-MAN Movie
Who will play Skeletor in Jon Chu's Masters of the Universe? Nobody knows, but I present you with five actors that I think have the ability to portray Skeletor as the dastardly evil being that he is.
5. Idris Elba
Idris Elba is a fine actor, ask anyone that has seen him in the BBC1 detective show, Luthor, or as drug kingpin, Stringer Bell, in HBO's highly-acclaimed show, The Wire. While the British born actor has certainly done his fair share of dramatic roles, he has also featured a gift for comedy on NBC's The Office, and ability to do action, as one of the few bright spots in the thoroughly panned, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.
So, why Idris? First off, we don't know how Skeletor is going to be put on screen. Is it going to be an actor covered in prosthetics? Or, will it be motion-capture like Caesar in Rise of the Planet of the Apes? Either way, Skeletor will most likely be portrayed by an actor that has the ability to be very expressive with his voice, which is something Elba is quite capable of. His deep timbre is hypnotic, yet also capable driving a shiver down your spine with a sinister cackle. And best reason of all, who wouldn't want to see Idris unleash his rage with a ruthless villain like Skeletor? I know I sure would.
4. Jason Momoa
2011 should've been a big year for Jason Momoa. He starred as Conan in Conan the Barbarian and played Khal Drogo in HBO's hit television series, Game of Thrones. But after Conan flopped at the box office, and Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that he was returning to the role for his long overdue sequel, that nailed the coffin shut on any possibility of Momoa returning to the role. Also, his character in Game Thrones met his demise, and his career right now is hanging on by a thread with Sylvester Stallone's upcoming action film, Bullet to the Head.
So, why Momoa? First off, Momoa wasn't THAT bad as Conan. He was actually pretty good, but stuck in a film with a terrible script and surrounded by terrible supporting cast that seemed to be sleep walking through their lines. Is that all? No, Momoa has a quality that no other actor on this list has, and that is an impressive physical frame that would be able to match any actor that wins the role of He-Man. Think of all the money producers could save on CGI, or prosthetics for adding muscles, he'd need neither. Just shave his body and paint him blue.
He also has a booming voice, that could scare a flock of birds off a dumpster in a McDonald's parking lot. And let's face it, Momoa seems more fit for villain duty than the role of a hero.
3. Cillian Murphy
Why isn't Irish actor Cillian Murphy a bigger star yet? It baffles me, everything I see him in, I like. He has the ability to make small roles, seem big. Just look at his last two appearances as Dr. Jonathan Crane (Scarecrow) in the Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, or even better as Robert Fischer in another Nolan film, Inception.
But let's not forget his magnificent performance as Jim in Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later. His stardom began to rise shortly after that as audiences were captivated by his ability to go from a weak fragile victim coping with a zombie apocalypse, to a lean mean killing machine soaking with unbearable rage when confronted by human being that are more monstrous than the zombies. It's that ability to switch on a dime that adds so many layers to his character, but done in a genuine manor, which makes it all the more frightening.
While Murphy doesn't feature a large imposing frame like Momoa, he still has the ability demand your attention with a cold stare that is so intimidating that could make the Little Engine That Could pack up and go home. Director Jon Chu would be a lucky man if he was able to add an actor like Cillian Murphy to his cast.
2. Viggo Mortensen
Sure, most will only think of Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn in Peter Jackson's The Lord Of The Ring trilogy, but that would be a huge disservice to him and yourself. I've always considered him to be a pretty good actor, but when I saw him recently in 2009's The Road I was shocked at how much he has grown. Here was an actor that exuded so many feelings with the slightest body movements and with minimal dialogue. A man nearly crippled by malnutrition, with the weight of the world pressing upon his shoulders as he tried to keep himself and his son alive in a terrifying post-apocalyptic world that would literally chew you up for dinner.
I think his maturity and his ability to restrain his intensity would be ideal for Skeletor so that the character is not portrayed in a cartoonish manner. Yes the show was birthed from a toyline and nurtured through an animated series, but that doesn't mean Skeletor has to be silly. For me the most dangerous threat to Eternia should be just that, a threat.
1. Willem Dafoe
Let's face it, Willem Dafoe has a face that was made for Skeletor. Just look at those protruding cheek bones, it's like God spray painted on a thin layer of flesh. Think of all the time makeup artists could save working on that boney palette. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if the late great, Ray Harryhausen, considered Dafoe as a stop-motion skeleton warrior for Jason And The Argonauts.
Okay, so beyond having the "good" looks for Skeletor, why Dafoe? Because he has experience as a villain hiding behind gobs of makeup or a mask, while still being a powerful presence. I'm not a huge fan of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, but there is no doubt in my mind that Dafoe was an amazing Green Goblin. Where as most actors would've dimmed under that Power Ranger mask, Dafoe was able pull me in with his unique voice that seems to hiss like a cobra. The fact that Dafoe truly enjoyed playing the Green Goblin, chatting about the role with a childish glee makes me think that he could surely bring that same passion to Skeletor, and if so we'd be in for quite a treat.