Cowboy Bebop has to be one of my favorite animus, up there with the likes of
Trigun and
Fullmetal Alchemist (and I plan on doing casts for them later down the line). It would be wonderful to see it on screen. I was excited when I found out that they were considering it for a big screen adaptation, but that excitement plummeted when they casted Keanu Reeves as Spike Spiegel, and the film adaptation is in development hell for now. Anyway, for those of you who are unfamiliar with this anime,
Cowboy Bebop takes place in the year 2071 where travel through the solar system has been made possible through the use of space gates. Due to the influence interplanetary crime syndicates over the government and the corruption of the ISSP (Inter-Solar System Police), bounty hunters (nicknamed "cowboys") are issued to deal fugitives, terrorists, and other criminals. The series follows a team of bounty hunters aboard the Bebop: Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine, "Radical" Edward, and Ein the Data Dog.
Here are a few videos to help those of you unfamiliar with the show . There are the show's opening, promos for it that aired on Adult Swim, and a fight scene from the show's first episode:
Anyway, my director for this is Rian Johnson, director of
Brick and
Looper. He's a fan of the series, and his style is tailored for it.
Looper is pretty much proof that he's made to direct this.
Anyway, here's the cast:
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (
Looper,
Don Jon's Addiction) as Spike Spiegel: A former member of the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate who now works as a bounty hunter. He is often depicted with a cavalier attitude, but frequently shows signs of compassion when dealing with strangers. Spike makes use of sleight of hand techniques to win card games, pickpocket, and slip things onto other people unnoticed. He is also shown to sneak up on enemies through disguise or quiet movement. He is proficient with weaponry (such as his personal Jericho 941 handgun as well as other guns and explosives) and hand-to-hand combat skills. He is a skilled martial artist and a practitioner of Jeet Kune Do. He often smokes cigarettes, despite rain or “no smoking” signs.
Reason for Casting: Like many Cowboy Bebop fans, I was pissed when I heard that Keanu Reeves was attached to play Spike Spiegel. His acting is very wooden and he's too old (Spike is suppose to be around 27 years old). JGL is a vastly superior pick. He's a talented actor who's great with both comedy and drama and has a certain charm that fits Spike. Plus, he knows his way around action. What completely sold me on casting him was his performance in
Looper.
Bryan Cranston (
Drive,
Argo) as Jet Black: A former ISSP (Inter-Solar System Police) detective and is the owner of the Bebop. Once called "The Black Dog" by his fellow officers for his relentless nature, he left the ISSP in disgust due to corruption and red tape, and turned to bounty hunting as a way to pursue justice. Although medical science could replace his lost arm, he voluntarily wears a cybernetic prosthetic as a reminder of the consequences of rushing into danger. Jet is skilled with handguns, carrying around a Walther P99, and is a proficient hand-to-hand combatant. Compared to Spike, Jet tends to use more raw muscle than technique.
Reason for Casting: Cranston is badass older actor who you may know from
Breaking Bad. He can easily pull off the fatherly vibe that Jet has and would have good chemistry with JGL. He's one of the few actors who I can see bring Jet to the big screen.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead (
Scott Pilgrim vs The World,
Smashed) as Faye Valentine: A novice bounty hunter with a gambling addiction. She joins the crew of the Bebop uninvited, to the consternation of Jet and Spike. Though she abandons the ship several times during the course of the series, her attachment to the crew always brings her back. Her gambling, cheating, and competitive skills are unrivaled except by Spike. She is often seen with a cigarette and in a revealing outfit complete with bright yellow hot pants and a matching, revealing top (and, on occasion, a bikini). She sports violet hair, green eyes, and a voluptuous body. SHe excels with guns, and carries around a Glock 30 handgun.
Reason for Casting: I originally had Milla Jovovich for Faye, but I decided against her because she's too old and almost everyone would universally hate it. Anyway, Mary's a pretty versatile actress who's great at kick ass roles. I think she has the right attitude for Faye, and even looks a bit like her. And it would be a treat to see her in Faye's outfit.
Chloë Grace Moretz (
Dark Shadows,
Movie 43) as Edward: A young, eccentric computer genius and master hacker, who uses the name "Radical Edward". Edward is a girl, although her name and androgynous appearance suggest otherwise. Ed could be considered a "free spirit;" she is fond of silly exclamations and childish rhymes, is easily distracted, has the habit of "drifting off" from reality, sometimes in mid-sentence. Although extremely intelligent, Ed is still a child, and looks up to the crew of the Bebop as members of her family. SHe usually hangs around with Ein, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi that the crew brought aboard after a failed attempt to catch a bounty.
Reason for Casting: Chloe is a young actress with tons of talent, and is pretty versatile. She hasn't played anybody as eccentric as Edward, but I believe she could pull it off. Plus, she's worked with Joseph Gordon-Levitt before (in
500 Days of Summer).
Mélanie Laurent (
Paris,
Beginners) as Julia: A beautiful and mysterious woman from Spike's past. Not much is known about her, except that she was originally a syndicate member herself and was the reason why Spike left the Red Dragon Syndicate.
Reason for Casting: Melanie has the dead-on appearance for Julia and is a great actress, as seen in
Inglorious Bastards or
Beginners. She'd be perfect for Julia, and would have good chemistry with JGL.
Charlie Hunnam (
Sons of Anarchy ,
Deadfall) as Vicious: A ruthless, bloodthirsty, cunning and ambitious enforcer of the Red Dragon Syndicate. Vicious was Spike's partner and friend in the syndicate, and is now his sworn enemy. He lives up to his name both through his violent actions and his treacherous scheming within the syndicate. His weapon of choice is not a firearm, but a katana which he wields skillfully, even against gun-wielders.
Reason for Casting: Hunnam is a woefully underrated actor who needs to get into film. He's very talented and knows how to play dark and disturbed very well. What convinced me to cast him was his performances in
Cold Mountain and
Children of Men, where he played cold and violent men. He would make a great Vicious to JGL's Spike.
Please leave your thoughts and comments below. I hope you have enjoyed my cast. Rude or hurtful comments will be deleted.