This February, the Valiant Cinematic Universe is set to kick-off with Bloodshot, starring Vin Diesel. Though Ray Garrison has already been cast, fans of the comics know that there are still a ton of great Valiant characters that have yet to be cast in this universe. Luckily, we took it upon ourselves to fan-cast them for you.
Jack Quaid as Archer
Raised as a child assassin by his parents, Obie Archer is one half of the Archer & Armstrong adventuring duo. Characteristically, we'd like to think of him as Tin-Tin, but if he had lived John Wick's life. Kind, naive, but always prepared to pull the trigger. The Boys' Jack Quaid has displayed his abilities to play a similar wide-eyed avenger in that show, which would almost certainly translate well to portraying the big screen version of Archer.
Russel Crowe as Armstrong
For Archer's immortal partner; Armstrong, we're leaving the role to none other than Russel Crowe. Armstrong is a brawling, hedonistic alcoholic who travels the world battling ancient organizations. No one would fit the worldly, boisterous fighter better than Crowe. His roles in The Nice Guys, Cinderella Man, and 3:10 To Yuma come to mind as examples of this range.
Mads Mikkelsen as Eternal Warrior
Eternal Warrior is an immortal protector of Earth who has seen war of all kinds across several millennia. As a man who has seen quite a lot, we need an actor with true screen presence who can carry the weight of the world's greatest warrior. Looking at his work in projects like Vallhalla Rising or Death Stranding, we'd wager that Mads Mikkelsen may be a great fit.
Alexander Skarsgård as X-O Manowar
In order to kick the VCU off right, we need to cast the big guns. And arguably the biggest gun Valiant has (aside from Bloodshot) is the heroic warrior-turned alien superweapon; Aric of Dacia, aka X-O Manowar. He's a character who bears his history on his shoulders. He's initially defined by the loss of his people, and grizzled by his lifetime as a warrior. The character is frequently prideful and stubborn, but his deep desire for compassion and protection is where audiences will fall for him. We think Alexander Skarsgård fits the bill for all of the above. Given Skarsgård's work in both Legend of Tarzan and Mute, he already has experience in playing characters with gravitas who can kick ass for the people they love, while also fighting through personal trauma. And tell me he doesn't already look like Aric.
Vanessa Kirby as Punk Mambo
For the voodoo priestess Punk Mambo, we need someone who can fully embody the rude, rebellious, London punk attitude of the comic character. Though her roles in Mission Impossible 6 and Hobbs and Shaw are as antagonists, Kirby's grit and intensity in those films are not that dissimilar from this hero's unapologetic demeanor.
Donald Glover as Shadowman
Jack Boniface was an entertainer with a dream before he's endowed with the supernatural, voo-doo powers of Shadowman. So first of all, we need someone who can portray a character with stage presence. But as Shadowman, he is a guardian between the worlds of the living and dead, so we also need someone who can embody the haunted nature of the character. Not only does Glover have the range for all of those things, but it's about time we've seen him with super powers in something, don't you think?
Laura Harrier as Livewire
The technology-based commentary that is built into Livewire is begging to be adapted to film, and we think that Spider-Man: Homecoming's Laura Harrier is the woman to lead the way. The character is an awesome technomancer that battles corrupt government forces, and based on what we've seen from Harrier's work in things like BlackKklansman, we think she can pull of all of the confidence and kick-ass that the character needs.
Let us know your thoughts. Do you agree with these choices? What other actors would you cast? Post in the comments.