First, I'll start with Crisis Core, then FFVII, then Dirge of Cerberus, so it's in chronological order.
Crisis Core is literally my favorite story. I'm so attached to it that making a fan cast was something I at first didn't want to do. But if it were made into a film, these are the people who I believe could get it done right. This film would be filmed and released around 2008, a similar time to the game's release.
Jake Gyllenhaal as Zack Fair
Credits: Donnie Darko, Zodiac, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Literally the only person I'd allow to play Zack. Gyllenhaal is amazing in "Donnie Darko" and "Prince of Persia" (yes, I actually liked that movie), and his face and just overall persona is the only one right enough for me to portray my most favorite character of all time. The picture of him I'm using here is from 2004, because it shows him looking younger. Through a few effects, this visage could probably still be pretty well captured for the film.
Astrid Berges-Frisbey as Aerith Gainsborough
Credits: Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides, The Sea Wall
Astrid Berges-Finnley would make literally the perfect Aerith. She looks absolutely perfect for the role, and she has that other-worldly quality to her. She doesn't look normal, but she does look beautiful. She is a very talented actress and is mostly known for being Syrena in "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides", but since that hadn't happened yet, this would be her Hollywood debut. I also really like Zooey Deschanel as a choice for this role, too, but I finally had to go with Astrid. Deschanel would be an adorable Aerith, though...
Jack Davenport as Angeal Hewley
Credits: Pirates of the Carribean
Angeal is a hard one to cast because it's hard to find an actor good enough to capture Angeal's complex persona. Davenport, however, is tried and true in this type of character from playing the similarly conflicted James Norrington in Pirates. He also has a good visage for Angeal.
Jared Leto as Genesis Rhapsodos
Credits: Requiem for a Dream, singer of 30 Seconds to Mars
Genesis was literally the hardest one to cast. What I needed was a sort of pretty boy similar in age to the actors I have playing Angeal and Sephiroth, who also has a flare for the dramatic. The person I just described is Jared Leto. I think of Leto as a musician first, being a big 30 Seconds to Mars fan, so it took awhile for me to come up with this (I actually ended up looking through a "50 Hottest Actors over 30" list, which was uncomfortable, but worth it when I saw Leto and had the idea).
Alfred Molina as Hollander
Credits: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Spider-Man 2
This one was a pretty quick casting. I needed someone with a few extra pounds to them who can rock a beard and be a little bit funny while not being a comedic character. Molina would be great as the inferior scientist here.
Louis Fan Siu Wong as Tseng
Credits: Ip Man, Ip Man 2
I saw this picture of Wong and instantly knew he was the man for the job. He was great in "Ip Man" and I'm sure he can pull off that chilled demeanor that Tseng is loved for. Only problem, he doesn't speak English as far as I know. He really is the man for the job, but decent substitutes who do speak English could be John Cho or Harry Shum Jr.
Keira Knightley as Cissnei
Credits: Pirates of the Carribean, Atonement
The beautiful Keira Knightley playing the beautiful Cissnei. Knightley looks great as a redhead and is, in my opinion, a phenomenal actress who I could certainly see being perfect as Cissnei.
Alex Pettyfer as Cloud Strife
Credits: Stormbreaker, I Am Number Four
Now, keep in mind this is Crisis Core... not FFVII itself, otherwise I'd never cast Pettyfer as Cloud. However, Cloud is not a central character in CC and he is supposed to be very young here, so I believe a young Pettyfer is exactly what is needed in this case.
Emily Browning as Tifa Lockhart
Credits: Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Ned Kelly
Okay, first of all, I can't even express my love for Emily Browning here. She was flawless in "A Series of Unfortunate Events". Once again, keep in mind that this is Crisis Core, so Tifa is not supposed to be this super sexy fighter girl yet... wait for my FFVII fancast for that. However, Emily Browning does have a certain appeal that makes her adorable, sweet, mysterious, and even a little sexy all at the same time. Her acting is top-notch, though, which is most important in this choice.
Hugo Weaving as Hojo
Credits: The Matrix, V for Vendetta, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
When I was making this cast, I kept telling myself "No, think of someone else for Hojo". This is because I instantly think of the monotone chill of Smith in "The Matrix" with Weaving. And Hojo is supposed to have a crazy voice. But really, there is no other choice. Weaving just makes too much sense here. I'm sure he could come up with something vocally that would work just fine.
Alan Tudyk as Director Lazard
Credits: Firefly, Serenity, 3:10 to Yuma, Tucker & Dale vs. Evil
I don't think I'll ever make a cast that doesn't include at least one actor off of "Firefly". Tudyk is a great actor and he'd be a nice Lazard (even though half of Lazard's screen time would be done by Jared Leto, because of what happens to Lazard).
And last but certainly not least...
Adrien Brody as Sephiroth
Credits: The Pianist, Midnight in Paris, King Kong
When I was racking my brain, trying to think of who would play old Sephi, I was looking through a list of the most amazing movies of all time. I hit "The Pianist" and, of course, Brody popped into my mind. Just look at him! The search was over. He's a phenomenal actor and has that dark angel type of face that is perfect for Sephiroth. He just has the right presence to him, and for a character so loved and feared, presence is the most important thing. When Sephiroth first gets onscreen, people need to have that moment of "Yep, that's Sephiroth, shit just got real". Brody would be able to pull it off, guarantee it.
And now for the big one, Final Fantasy VII itself. The following will remain the same:
Berges-Frisbey as Aerith
Brody as Sephiroth
Gyllenhaal as Zack
Weaving as Hojo
Wong as Tseng
Garrett Hedlund as Cloud Strife
Credits: TRON: Legacy, Troy
Garret Hedlund just really seems to have the Cloud aura to him. I could really see him doing a fantastic job throughout the story. Seeing him driving a motorcycle in "Tron: Legacy" sort of sealed the deal.
Annie Wersching as Tifa Lockhart
Credits: 24, The Last of Us
I did consider Olivia Wilde for this role to play off the romance in Tron: Legacy with Hedlund and Wilde (not to mention Wilde may be the hottest actress alive), but she just didn't feel like a Tifa. Then I thought about Annie Wersching. Couldn't look more perfect for the role of Tifa. Super sexy, right hair, right body, right complexion, and is a solid actress (see her as Tess in the trailers for "The Last of Us", soon to be released on PS3). I put up a different picture this time to show her a little younger. She's 35 now, which may seem a little old to play Tifa (who is supposed to be 20), but with a few effects, she can look just fine as Tifa, like in this picture. Here's the picture I used before, which is more recent but gives off a stronger Lockhart aura...
Chad Coleman as Barret Wallace
Credits: The Walking Dead, Wire
I'm very happy with this choice. He's a leader of a group in "The Walking Dead" and he really, really looks the part. I can just see him as Barret yelling and shooting everything around him and then turning around and getting all soft when Marlene is around.
Adam Baldwin as Cid Highwind
Credits: Firefly, Serenity, Full Metal Jacket
Okay, who in their Firefly-loving mind wouldn't want to see this? As Jayne, he isn't the brightest or most polite and really just cares about shooting stuff up. Cid gets a little more complex than that, but the premise is very similar, and I could definitely see Baldwin pulling it off.
Richard Brooks as the voice of Red XIII
Credits: Firefly, The Crow: City of Angels
At first I was thinking of having Jeremy Irons to voice Red XIII. I saw someone else do this and I thought it would be very interesting, as Irons did the voice of Scar in "The Lion King". However, I just love Richard Brooks' voice... probably more than any other actor, and I think he would work very well for old Red. If you aren't familiar with Brooks, check out the last episode of "Firefly".
Fan Bingbing as Yuffie Kisaragi
Credits: Buddha Mountain, Shou Ji, Iron Man 3 (upcoming)
I originally had Lynn Hung cast as Yuffie, but I later found out that she does not speak English, so I had to go searching for someone else. I'm glad I did, because Bingbing is perfect for the character. She'll be in Iron Man 3, which is my indicator that she does in fact speak English... but even if she didn't, I'd just get her to learn it, because there is no other choice, she just has to be Yuffie.
Ben Barnes as Vincent Valentine
Credits: Dorian Gray, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Ben Barnes really does feel like the right choice for Vincent. He is very handsome, which is essential for Valentine. His performance as Dorian Gray serves as the example for why he is a great choice for this role; I feel like he'd do a really good job as a broken hero.
Orlando Bloom as Reeve Tuesti
Credits: Pirates of the Caribbean, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
I knew I'd end up with Bloom as Reeve. The resemblance is pretty strong here and I feel like Bloom could could up with a very fun interpretation of the character.
Jamie Campbell Bower as Reno
Credits: The Twilight Saga, Sweeny Todd
Another choice that I'm very proud of... just take a moment to appreciate the resemblance here. I would absolutely love to see Bower go crazy and let loose playing Reno. He's been in "Sweeny Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street" and the "Twilight" movies; what he needs is a less intense, more fun and sarcastic role. No other choice for Reno for me.
Jamie Foxx as Rude
Credits: Collateral, Ray, Django Unchained
Yes, I realize the coincidence that Reno and Rude's actors have the same name. I also am aware of the significant age difference between Bower and Foxx. However, I always saw Rude as the older one anyways, it'd be interesting to really highlight that dynamic. Plus, Foxx is amazing at those quiet type roles (see "Django Unchained").
Emma Stone as Elena
Credits: The Amazing Spider-Man, Easy A, Zombieland
Honestly, I just flat-out love Emma Stone and any time I have even the slightest excuse to cast her, I do. She'd do a fine job as Elena, probably making her more funny and interesting than in the game to boot.
Robby Coltrane as President Shinra
Credits: Harry Potter, Cracker
Coltrane is known for playing Hagrid in the "Harry Potter" films, among other things, so I though it'd be nice to see him as something quite the opposite of Hagrid.
Cillian Murphy as Rufus Shinra
Credits: Inception, Batman Begins, 28 Days Later
Murphy in "Inception" reminds me a little of Rufus Shinra; the son of the president of a company who isn't sure what he's supposed to do. Seeing Cillian in this role would be great. I'm actually really happy with this choice, because not only does the character resonate with Murphy due to Inception, but he looks perfect for the role, too. I originally had Christian Bale in this spot, but Murphy is clearly the much better choice.
Amber Heard as Scarlet
Credits: All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, Zombieland, Paranoia (upcoming)
Requirements to play Scarlet: Be hot. Be blonde. Be able to play a pretty simple, slutty character. For Amber Heard, this is all a walk in the park.
Ian McShane as Heidegger
Credits: Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides, Pillars of the Earth
Okay, I'm not sure who else could possibly come to one's mind when thinking of Heidegger, this was an instant choice for me, kind of speaks for itself.
And, finally, the cast for the dark finale, Dirge of Cerberus. The following will remain the same:
Barnes as Vincent
Bingbing as Yuffie
Bloom as Reeve
Weaving as Hojo
(and yes, the cameos for Cloud, Barret, Tifa, ect. will all also stay they same)
Evan Rachel Wood as Shalua Rui
Credits: Across the Universe, The Ides of March
Wood would just look great as Shalua. For me, Shalua has to be attractive in a certain way, and I feel like Wood captures that. Wood is also an actress who needs and deserves a break (the biggest film she's been a main character in was "Across the Universe"), so I'd love to see her star alongside actors like Bloom and Moretz.
Chloe Grace Moretz as Shelke the Transparent
Credits: Hugo, (500) Days of Summer, Dark Shadows, Carrie (upcoming)
Moretz is definitely the top young actress in Hollywood right now and I would absolutely love to see her play Shelke. She looks kind of different than the original Shelke, yes, but I'm perfectly fine with that. Honestly, she'd probably end up being a better version, both in appearance and character. Shelke is personally one of my most cherished characters, and Moretz is the only young actress I'd trust her to.
Richard Moll as the mocap for Azul the Cerulean
Credits: Batman: The Animated Series, Spiderman: The Animated Series, Dante's Inferno (game) (all voice acting roles)
Moll is 6'7'' and has the facial structure of Azul. I don't think any amount of make-up could make any actor looks anything but ridiculous as Azul, so I would just have him as a CGI character, like the Hulk. Moll would be the voice and motion-capture actor, once again, because of his physique.
Marion Cotillard as Rosso the Crimson
Credits: Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Midnight in Paris, La Vie en Rose
Another pick that I'm really happy about. In "The Dark Knight Rises", she got to play Talia Al Ghul, but only in the last part of the movie. Cotillard could expand on that playing as Rosso. She also looks beyond perfect for the role; along with Bower as Reno, I think she's the best resemblance I've got. Not to mention she's easily one of the best actresses around and she could nail that signature Rosso accent, maybe with an even better twist to it. It actually took me a very long time to think of this, because at first I was trying to find a Russian actress, but with no luck. I was about to cast the lesser known Bitsie Tulloch, but then I thought about Cotillard, and spent another half hour or so trying to decide between the two of them. It was worth it, though!
Ezra Miller as Nero the Sable
Credits: The Perks of Being a Wallflower, We Need to Talk About Charlie
Ezra is a very promising young actor who, based off of "We Need to Talk About Charlie", I feel could really do a good job as Nero. This would be his first time being in a film of this genre, so he'd be able to branch out and become an even better actor in the process. Not to mention that, with the face wrappings, he'd look like the perfect Nero.
Robert Pattinson as Weiss the Immaculate
Credits: The Twilight Saga, Harry Potter
My respect for Robert Pattinson as grown a lot recently, since the end of the "Twilight" saga. Just watch one of his recent interviews, you'll get it. Basically, he's the opposite of Edward Cullen in real life and he is actually a broadly talented actor if you look at his other roles. I think he would love to play Weiss because 1. He'd be trying to kill a vampire-ish character, and 2. Pattinson's fluency in sarcasm and carelessness would be absolutely brilliant when applied to Weiss. And look at the picture... no can can realistically look like Weiss, and Pattinson would make a good, realistic version (he just has to bulk up a bit).
Jewel Staite as Lucrecia Crescent
Credits: Firefly, Serenity, The L.A. Complex
This one was actually a very hard decision because I originally had the idea of an having an older Lucrecia to highlight how the years aged her but not Vincent. I had Jennifer Connelly as Lucrecia and had Michelle Trachtenberg as Young Lucrecia (for the flashbacks). However, even though Connelly and Trachtenberg would do a fine job, I couldn't help but replace them with Staite when the thought came to me. Her character, Kaylee in "Firefly", was such a sweet, cute, and very smart person, which are all the right traits for Lucrecia, too. With some effects, the age contrast idea could still work, which is important to me. I thought it was so dumb that Lucrecia looked the same in the flashbacks to when Vincent was a Turk as she did in the events of Dirge.
Christoph Waltz as Grimoire Valentine
Credits: Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained
Waltz making a cameo appearance as Vincent's father would be the perfect icing on the cake for this cast. He looks the part and is more than qualified to play it.
And so there it is! I actually put a lot of thought into these (seriously, Genesis and Rosso took FOREVER), and it was a lot of fun. Don't hate, just meditate and rate! :)