This is my first fan cast since my Batman 1960's cast a while back which seemed to be pretty well received which I feel may put this under a lot of pressure. This will be nowhere near the magnitude of that cast for many reasons. It's based in the present day so we have no clue where these stars will end up or what mark they will leave on the industry, and casting young stars is generally more difficult. Don't mistake this as excuses however, these are still choices I made and I will stand by them.
I have not written a plot nor do I have one in mind, if I did it probably would've required the casting to be completely different since it would've started as a origins story. This casting is based in season 2 aka 2016 after the 6 year gap, which should be obvious. You may notice some connections of actors that have worked together already in their career, I promise I watched a lot more than just one movie for most of these picks and having existing chemistry could only help this film from the get go.
Speaking of writing though, if I were to choose a writer or director I would want Shawn Christensen to helm one of those areas. When it comes to working with young adults he's the best around. Relatively new to the scene he has recently won an Oscar for his short film "Curfew" and before that he wrote the teen action flick "Abduction" which may not have been the best film but shows he's able to work with action which is of course required for a CBM. To sum it all up: action from Abduction, charm and drama from Curfew, and able to work very well when it comes to young stars.
The only real adult roles in this fan cast are for the villains, I decided against casting the Justice League. They should not be involved in a Young Justice film but instead let the team have the spotlight. I'd also like to think we could get past age even though now I'm sure someone will bring it up, I tried to cast under 25 for the most part. Remember, a lot of the team are over 20 now anyway and my choices likely still play high school roles today. Now, onto the actual cast:
THE ORIGINAL TEAM
Thomas McDonell as Nightwing
His age made me question the decision myself but Jackson Rathbone is currently playing a high school student at 28 so why not? Anyway, McDonell has most notably appeared in 'Prom' and 'Fun Size' in which he played a rebel type. While I enjoyed his work in both of those films my main reason for casting him honestly comes from watching some his interviews, his mannerisms stood out to me. Interviews can mean a lot, after all Heath Ledger got his Joker idea from Tom Waits interviews if I recall correctly. McDonell also had a small role as a younger version of Johnny Depp's character in Dark Shadows and I think it's fair to say he's almost like a young Johnny Depp himself. Depp started off as a slasher victim and a background soldier, everyone starts somewhere.
Miles Teller as Superboy
Teller is known for his partying in movies mostly, with roles in 'Project X', 'Footloose' remake, and the up-coming '21 and Over' but his newest project caught my attention. In 'The Spectacular Now' he's set to play a more serious role and it seems he may want to head the direction of more serious parts. I think it has a lot of potential and he's also at the point where his looks aren't going to change that much so he's a perfect Superboy candidate.
Jean-Luc Biledou as Kid Flash
When I first joined the site I put together an awful Teen Titans cast, this is only one of two picks that made it out of that cast. Ever since his role in 'Trick r Treat' I've thought JLB was great and this role would be perfect for him. Since then he's done a lot more work including a wacky part in Piranha 3DD and his own show on ABC Family. He's obviously got the comedic sense needed for KF and I think he's good enough for the hero part as well.
Jane Levy as Miss Martian
I worked Jane Levy into my Spider-Man cast in a small role a while back but now I've found a more prominent part! Levy is probably my favorite young actress at the moment, I think she's doing well and has all the potential in the world. She can pull of the sweet thing naturally but starring in the 'Evil Dead' remake soon she's showing she can also rock a strong character as well! Levy has worked with McDonell on multiple occasions including her hit TV show 'Suburgatory', 'Fun Size' and even a little short film so they'll obviously work well alongside each other again.
Titus Makin Jr. as Aqualad / Kaldur'ahm
To be quite honest I hadn't seen Titus in anything up to this point, he has a few TV movies and guest spots under his belt but hasn't broken out yet. I checked out his reel and his appearance on 'The Closer' really impressed me, he seems like a good unknown that could make it with the help of this role.
Caitlin Stasey as Artemis
I'm surprised I haven't seen Caitlin in more fan casts honestly, she's a total badass in 'Tomorrow, When The War Began' and has some projects coming up including a sequel to that movie and CBM 'I, Frankenstein'. She may not have the right color hair but I'm sure we're all past that stuff by now and she has the right slightly exotic look that Artemis has.
Vanessa Hudgens as Zatanna
The other pick that remains from my TT cast, Vanessa Hudgens is simply a perfect Zatanna to me. I hear she's not too well liked around CBM but I think she's an excellent actress and long past her 'High School Musical' days with more mature roles in 'Sucker Punch' and the up coming 'Spring Breakers' which is getting a lot of good hype.
Vanessa Morgan as Rocket
She may still be stuck with a Disney image but Vanessa is a pretty good actress. Like many young talents that there were to choose from she hasn't done much as of yet. Probably most notable for currently starring in the series 'My Babysitter's A Vampire' which is pretty well received.
Lucas Till as Arsenal
This was a crazy one to cast. At one point Lucas Till was my Nightwing because I think he would make an excellent leader and Alexander Ludwig was my Arsenal based on how similar he looked to him in 'The Hunger Games'. After watching the newest episode of Young Justice where we got some focus on Arsenal I thought Till was a perfect fit. I first became a fan of the guy with his appearance on an episode of 'Blue Mountain State' and of course he really impressed me in 'X-Men: First Class'. His portrayal of Havok makes him a great candidate for Arsenal if you ask me.
THE NEW ADDITIONS
Jake T. Austin as Blue Beetle / Jaime Reyes
Yes, the youngest brother from Wizards of Waverly Place... with that show behind him I think he has the right look to move his career in a new direction, obviously he has the heritage that fits Jaime but he's also not that bad of an actor either already having acted in 'New Years Eve' with a ton of other fine talent.
Skyler Samuels as Wonder Girl / Cassie Sandsmark
The first time the world really got to see Skyler on the big screen was in 'The Stepfather', her role was small playing the sister of the protagonist but it was easy to see potential. After starring in the short lived but much loved series 'The Nine Lives of Chloe King' it's easy to see the talent she possesses. Still quite young I believe she could be a great Wonder Girl.
Cameron Boyce as Beast Boy
Cameron fits the Young Justice version of Beast Boy perfect. He's very young, looks the part, and used to wacky roles. While he got his start alongside Keifer Sutherland in the creepy flick "Mirrors" and then "Eagle Eye" he went on to play Adam Sandler's son in "Grown Ups" and it's upcoming sequel and currently stars in the Disney channel series "Jessie". All of his roles are based around being apart of a family so he'll have no problem bonding with Jane Levy as Miss Martian's younger brother.
Alexia Fast as Batgirl / Barbara Gordon
Alexia got her start at a young age in the film 'Fido' in 2006 but has only recently come into her own starring in the blockbuster 'Jack Reacher' with Tom Cruise. Thanks to this role she knows how to act in the action genre and many suspect big things to come from her already landing a spot in 'Queen of the Night' alongside many big names. With Supernatural being my favorite TV show I loved her appearance on the show last year as well as her appearances on 'The Secret Cirlce'.
Colin Ford as Robin / Tim Drake
One of the best and youngest up and coming actors around. Much like my Batgirl pick, my first time taking note of Colin was on an episode of Supernatural where he played an exceptional young Sam Winchester. Ford seems to be doing well right now popping up in some things, I took interest in the fact that he's landed a spot on the Stephen King based series 'Under The Dome' coming this Summer and it just reminded me of how bright of a future this kid should have. Right now he's at the proper age for Tim and a great prospect for a young hero coming into his own.
Alexander Ludwig as Lagoon Boy / La'Gaan
Originally I was going to cast Disney star Jason Dolley for this part and make La'Gaan simply a comedic background character but I think it struck me in the episode where Miss Martian is kidnapped that he's much more then that. He can come off as silly at times but La'Gaan really is a dick when it comes to his relationship with M'gann, almost Jock like in his approach and now in light of this past episodes events he seems to be just a bitter soul. Ludwig can definitely pull off the meaner role, you may recognize him from 'The Hunger Games' or many of his roles when he was younger.
Keke Palmer as Bumblebee
Keke seems to be favorite around when it comes to the young African American roles and with good reasoning, early in her career she astonished the world in the leading role of 'Akeelah and the Bee' alongside Laurence Fishburne, due to that connection and her stellar performance she was dubbed "the next Cuba Gooding Jr". Ok, that may not be exactly true or the best comparison... but let's move on. As she grew up she went into the Nickelodeon family with her show 'True Jackson, VP' or aside from that only played parts that required her voice but her perky personality seems perfect for Bumblebee.
Dayo Okeniyi as Mal Duncan / Guardian
I really only know Dayo from The Hunger Games but he seems to have the proper "kind giant" thing going and of course the right look for Mal. I almost feel bad since this is the exact situation I was in when casting Cyborg in my 1980's Teen Titans cast! Lol, he does however have existing chemistry with Hunger Games co-star Alexander Ludwig (La'Gaan) and will be acting alongside Miles Teller (Superboy) in The Spectacular Now!
Jimmy Bennett as Impulse
Jimmy is no stranger to super powers having starred in ABC's 'No Ordinary Family'. That role was similar to Impulse and his personality seems to be the same as the characters as well. He knows the comedy that's needed for the role having just been part of the massive 'Movie 43' cast. By all means, I think Jimmy is dead on for the role.
THE LIBERATED
The team that came together due to being abducted by The Reach were probably the hardest to cast. They're a very diverse group and it's harder than you may think to find young actors of different ethnicity's. Aside from my Virgil pick the rest are a bit older then I'd like but oh well.
Connor Cruise as Virgil Hawkins / Static
Connor has acting in his veins... kind of. His parents were Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Aside from a small part in 'Seven Pounds' at a young age his career has really just started with a main role in the remake of 'Red Dawn'. While he could use improvement I was impressed his work and being new to acting he kind of automatically fits the mold for Virgil's situation.
Kiowa Gordon as Tye Longshadow
Not knowing any actors of the proper age and ethnicity I really just set out to find one. Kiowa was the best I could find. I've never seen him act but he is apparently linked to the much hated Twilight series. His up coming project "Into the Darkness" however looks genuinely interesting.
Jodelle Ferland as Asami "Sam" Koizumi
While I'm certain I'm going to get hate for this choice since Jodelle isn't actually Asian, she can pass for it. Come on, there's been race casting... the only young asian actress that comes to mind is Hayley Kiyoko who I've been wanting to cast for awhile but she doesn't seem right for Sam to me, Jodelle is also younger too. She has the sweet innocence of Asami and also talent required of course. She is used to landing roles in horror movies such as "Silent Hill", "Case 39", "The Tall Man", and "Cabin in the Woods". She is usually playing the innocent role but sometimes the dark and terrifying role, showing her talent.
Devon Bostick | Eduardo Dorado Jr.
Known for playing the older brother Roderick in the 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' series and while I admittedly enjoy those movies for what they're worth Devon is best when it comes to his two zombie films 'Survival of the Dead' and most recently 'Dead Before Dawn 3D' in which he was the center. Both involve him being apart of a group and some action, makes sense to me.
MISC.
Aimee Teegarden as Tula
Landon Liboiron as Garth / Tempest
I'm sure you can figure which is Aimee and which is Landon... I figured since these characters are related (I don't mean family, that would just be weird) I'd knock out two in one. I see a hell of a lot of potential in both of these actors but like Jane Levy in my previous Spider-Man cast I couldn't seem to find the right starring role for either...they definitely work for Tula and Garth though! Aimee you may know from the multi award winning show 'Friday Night Lights'and Landon has a pretty good TV background with the short lived epic 'Terra Nova', a stint on 'Degrassi', and the phenomenal looking up-coming Netflix exclusive series 'Hemlock Grove'. Both impressed me most when it came to horror/thrillers however, Landon in 'Altitude'as well as the underrated reboot of The Howling and Aimee in 'Beneath The Darkness' and the highly entertaining opening of 'Scream 4'. They both play very well off a strong co-star of the opposite sex as well.
Gia Mantegna as Wendy Harris
Jeremy Allen White as Marvin White
Again, two related characters. I remember seeing Gia long ago in one of my favorite Christmas movies (for some reason) 'Unaccompanied Minors' and thinking that she could have a bright future, at least the best of the bunch. Sadly all my predictions can't be right and none of the group saw much success, but Gia still manages to keep up with parts in some decent indy films. Jeremy I thought could have a future and while he still has a shot he was recently apart of Movie 48 as one of the smaller stars with a main role... hopefully he bounces back though as his performance on the series 'Shameful' is top notch with a great cast behind him and at least his Movie 48 role shows that he has the comedic chops for what is really just a silly/fun supporting role here.
Fatima Ptacek as Secret
Gaspard Ulliel as Harm
Like I said in my introduction, having Shawn Christensen involved is a must for this project and it would be perfect to involve the girl that helped get him well deserved recognition as well. Fatima Ptacek played his niece in 'Curfew' and while before this she may have been known for voicing Dora The Explorer she has now shown that she is an amazing actress at such a young age! Coming out of filming such a short film she knows how to act with her movements and faces more than just her lines which is something you need for a character like Secret.
As for Ulliel, many know him from his role as Hannibal Lector in 'Hannibal Rising' and that is where I got the idea for him in this part. Harm is a very interesting villain, I would've loved to see more him. Gaspard possesses the proper chilling yet charming mix for this role.
THE REACH
Christian Camargo as Reach Ambassador
The perfect two faced villain, Dexter fans will know him as Brian Moser which is the main role that inspired this choice. Much like the Ambassador he was a nice guy on the outside to the people only to be evil with an alternative motive on the inside. Of course this wasn't Camargo's only role that you may know him for as he was also in the Best Picture winning 'Hurt Locker'.
Carrie-Anne Moss as Reach Scientist
Carrie has been in huge movies like 'The Matrix' and 'Memento' and is incredibly talented. Despite this, she is used to playing supporting roles like the Scientist. Carrie also has some voice credits to her name, even voicing another alien, Aria, in the Mass Effect universe. Seems perfect to me.
Kevin Grevioux as Black Beetle
There really isn't much to say or that should be said when it comes to this choice. Not only does Kevin Grevioux have the perfect size for the role but I soon learned after seeing him that he voiced Black Beetle as well! How can you say no to that?
Doug Jones as Green Beetle
I tried hard to avoid casting Jones sense it seems he's up there with Andy Serkis when it comes to casting CGI characters but for Green Beetle everything about him reminds me of Doug Jones. Of course there's a reason Jones appears in so many casts, he's amazing at what he does! He can play villains or heroes too, and we all know Green Beetle is a bit of both.
THE LIGHT
Along with The Reach, The Light are the group of main villains of Young Justice. I decided against casting Ra's Al Ghul, to me he's too big of a villain to play a minor role like this and his role as a member of The Light isn't crucial anyway. I also stayed away from casting The Brain as there's really no point, he's a brain. He can still be a part of The Light, sure, but I'm not big on voice casting and even then I prefer the old fashioned "robot voice". I've also included some associates of The Light in this section.
Anson Mount as Vandal Savage
Mount really brought his career to life scoring the lead role on HBO's "Hell On Wheels" and soon after he played the notorious clever villain in the action packed movie "Safe". It's hard to ignore his talent and it's definitely hard to ignore his look. He's a man of pretty large stature and has a wise look to him while he himself is not old, much like Savage who is of course immortal. Maybe that's the reason I was drawn to placing him in this part.
Damian Lewis as Lex Luthor
Star of the critically acclaimed TV series 'Homeland', I've been a fan of Lewis for a while and I'm glad many others are finally seeing the talent he possess now. He's been honing his craft since a very young age and it payed off. My first time seeing Lewis was in 'Dreamcatcher' leading one hell of an ensemble cast, playing not only the protagonist but the antagonist as well! He is British but has a great American accent, he also has orange hair but since Lex is bald that shouldn't be a problem. I imagine without the hair he would look like a perfect Luthor and I'm sick of every casting for this character having to be a bald guy anyway.
Wood Harris as Black Manta
One of the finest African American actors around today but still overlooked a lot of the time since people only think of Will Smith or Denzel Washington. Harris is still likely most known from his amazing performances in 'Remember The Titans' and the TV show 'The Wire' but he recently came back into prominence in the underrated CBM 'Dredd'. He did play a villain in Dredd but I think he could do so much more when it comes to that type of role, he would make Manta seem like a real force to recon with and the character would do the same for him in Hollywood.
Garcelle Beauvais as Queen Bee
Beauvais is a classy woman that can also be intimidating, that's what's needed for Queen Bee. Similarly, Beauvais will soon be playing The First Lady in 'White House Down' and has just come off of the mega-hit 'Flight'. Though, I'm most familiar with her from the comedy series 'Franklin & Bash' and others may know her from 'The Jamie Foxx Show' that just goes to show that she's a diverse actress.
Cainan Wiebe as Klarion The Witch Boy
Cainan has been my pick for Klarion since the first time I saw him. He has the perfect look for the devious Witch Boy! While the first time I saw him was in 16 Wishes (with Jean-Luc Bilodeau), where he at least played a "evil" little brother, he still has a horror background playing young serial killer Billy Lenz in the "Black Christmas" remake.
Luke Evans as Deathstroke
I've cast Deathstroke in the past and tried too hard to cast the face we know under the mask, Slade Wilson, and that's where so many go wrong. Ron Pearlman was my choice originally, others go for Stephen Lang, while both are still beasts they're not right. Deathstroke moves like a ninja and is a total warrior, that's why I've gone younger and better this time with Luke Evans. An amazing actor that seems to be getting some recognition these days with roles in "Immortals", "The Raven", and the up-coming "Fast & The Furious 6". When it comes to the use of Deathstroke's favorite weapon, a sword, Evans has plenty of experience such as "The Three Musketeers" in which he was one of the leads.
Caleb Landy Jones as Icicle Jr.
Another member of the new X-Men but this time as a villain to match Lucas Till as one of our heroes. Caleb seems like an interesting man in reality and has plenty of strange movies under his belt, most notably the disturbing "Antiviral". I almost wish I had a better role than Icicle Jr. for him but based on his Banshee he can play the slightly silly comic book character, though I think he could bring a whole new perspective to the character.
Thomas Jane as Sportsmaster
Camilla Belle as Chesire
I'm sure plenty of CBM users have hatred towards Thomas Jane for his Punisher film but hopefully that can be looked past since he's a pretty great actor and hopefully you're all aware with "Dirty Laundry" Punisher short film that proved he's a total badass. This would also reunite him with Damian Lewis who he starred in "Dreamcatcher" with. As for Camilla Belle, SAT used her for the role in his phenomenal fan cast (http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fan_fic/news/?a=72989) and I thought she would be perfect for the role!
Garret Dillahunt as The Joker
Probably the most underrated actor in Hollywood. Sadly he's likely most known for his role on the sitcom "Raising Hope" but he has appeared in "Looper", two totally different roles in "Deadwood" and most importantly the demented Krug in "The Last House on the Left" remake. I know it's hard to cast The Joker, especially after Heath Ledger's performance but keep in mind this is a different universe, a different Joker, and he wouldn't really be a leading villain either. Hell, did anyone expect Ledger to nail the role though? No, nobody would expect this sitcom star to either but I know he possess the talent to do so.