Those of you who checked my previous fan casts will know for my casts I’ve taken on a bit more a generic view with casting, those of you who don’t, just to make it clear; rather than cast one specific film entry in a franchise I decided to cast of characters I’d expect to be around in a ‘5 year’ window of the Marvel universe/existence of the Avengers (yes, I’m inspired by the New 52), and who will hopefully crop up in Marvel’s future films.
Anyway, outside of the first Iron Man film I have to admit I haven’t really enjoyed the character’s presence in the MCU. The first film actually got me reading Iron Man comics as at that point, Stark was perfectly portrayed (if not a little more jokey than his comic book counterpart), but as the character’s presence and role in the MCU progressed I can’t help but feel he’s become a parody of himself mainly due to the overabundance of comedy that’s associated with the character now; whether this is because of Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal or executive decisions on Marvel’s part is a topic for another time.
Due to this, with my cast I’ve gone for a more serious take on Iron Man as quite frankly I liked what we heard about Iron Man 3 prior to its release, as like a lot of people I imagined it’d be a darker and new story for the hero, but we got a shit served on a stick. I personally would like the next bunch of Iron Man films to be a tonally more in line with films like Minority Report, Inception and Skyfall; might seem like an odd selection of films to get some inspiration from, but the way I see it Iron Man like Captain America is one of those Marvel character’s that needs to fall in that fine line of ‘believable’ sci-fi and gritty espionage thriller. Quite frankly, if we got something like that with some nicely timed humour and dark drama thrown in every now and then I think we’d finally get a good Iron Man film again.
___________________________
Alex O’Loughlin as Tony Stark/Iron Man
Casting someone other than Robert Downey Jr. for this role is considered blasphemy round these parts but given the fact that Downey’s portrayal was actually more in line with the Ultimate universe incarnation of the character I’d like to see the next actor who dons the suit to portray the character more in line with the regular universe incarnation. So, why O’Loughlin? Well, I think he’s a very underrated actor, but like Downey he knows how to play charming and charismatic very well and is also very capable with drama and even action too. Whilst a lot of people tend to cast O’Loughlin as Batman I personally think he’d be more appropriate for Iron Man mainly as he comes across as an ‘intelligent Hal Jordan’ and this more or less is what Tony Stark is.
Jim Caviezel as Howard Stark
Caviezel is a really great actor and someone I’ve really come to enjoy watching; if he were younger I’d cast him in a ton of different roles, but seeing as that’s not the case I think he’d be pretty good here. Put simply, Caviezel comes off as pretty intelligent and has certain authoritative presence which I think would just do wonders for Iron Man’s supporting cast.
Claire Danes as Virginia 'Pepper' Potts
I’ve seen Danes in a bunch of things now and have been wanting to cast in something for a while now, but just haven’t really found the right role for her yet. With Potts, I think Danes can really shine in the role and just elevate it to another level, as currently like with most of the MCU’s supporting cast I wouldn’t actually care if the character is killed off and this is clearly something that needs to be rectified given the fact that Pepper is (or at least should be) Tony Stark’s ‘Lois Lane’.
Mark Valley as Harold ‘Happy’ Hogan
I admittedly haven’t seen Valley in much outside of
Human Target and
Fringe but it’s pretty clear he’s a solid actor who can handle action and balance comedy and drama very well. Whilst I’ve found Jon Favreau’s version of the character entertaining I’ve never really cared for him and with someone like Valley taking on the role I think he’d just shine in the role and prove to be a valuable part of Iron Man’s supporting cast (again).
Stephen Fry as J.A.R.V.I.S./Just A Rather Very Intelligent System
Fry is a really great actor, haven’t seen him in much but his role in
V for Vendetta is something that really sticks with me. More so than his acting skills though I cast him here because of his voice; he sounds (and is) classy and intelligent and he’s got great wit so think he’d be solid contributor to the cast.
Only other thing I’d like to say though, I’d like for it to be mentioned somewhere that Tony had a butler called Jarvis when he was kid- essentially his basis for naming his A.I.; just as a little fan service for us.
Mahershalalhashbaz Ali as James 'Rhodey' Rhodes/War Machine
Ali is a pretty solid actor; his work in
Alphas and
The 4400 made me think he’d be a solid choice for the role as not only did it display his dramatic capabilities but also his action skills- both of which he showcased well.
Daisy Betts as Bethany Cabe
I haven't seen Betts in much admittedly, but her work in
Last Resort caught my attention nicely. Put simply; she's hot, talented, capable with drama and action (to a degree) and comes off as more than just a pretty face- she looks like she could genuinely handle herself. End of the day, I think she could do very well in the role and just further flesh out Tony's supporting cast.
Mandy Patinkin as Sal Kennedy
What can I say? Patinkin is a really great and underrated actor so would be a great addition to any cast, but given his natural wise/calm and relaxed charm I think he’d be a really great fit as Tony’s mentor and basically do what Michael Caine did for Alfred in the role.
Denzel Washington as Nick Fury
Replacing Sam Jackson? Not an easy job, but if there is one actor in Hollywood who could surpass him as super spy Nick Fury it’s Washington. He’s a badass and has proven himself time and time again and with roles in films like
Training Day and
Safe House in particular showed me what he could do as Fury and I loved his characters in both films so would love for him to eventually get the role.
Rhona Mitra as Maria Hill
First off I just want to say Cobey Smoulders is a hot but cringe worthy actress whereas Mitra on the other hand, is a really great actress. She won me over a long time ago with her work in
Doomsday and more recently
Strike Back. If given the chance I’m certain she could deliver with the role in spades, because let’s face facts; she’s hot, she’s tough and she can act- already an improvement from Smoulders.
Alexandra Breckenridge as Natasha Romanov/Black Widow
I’ve seen Breckenridge in a few things now and it’s clear she’s a pretty talented and versatile actress. Breckenridge has showcased her skills in both light and dark material and whilst she hasn’t really done anything with action her acting more than makes up for it and I think she’d be an ideal choice for the role especially given that she so strongly resembles the character.
Ken Watanabe as Gene Khan/the Mandarin
Since seeing Watanabe in
The Last Samurai and
Batman Begins I’ve wanted him for the role. Watanabe is a great actor. It’s really that simple. He’s a credit to any cast and has a great authoritative presence that would just compliment the character really well, so hopefully one day he will get the chance to play the role he rightfully deserves.
Ed Harris as Obadiah Stane/Iron Monger
Whilst I liked Jeff Bridges in the role, I can’t help but think he deserved a better/more fitting role in the MCU but too little too late. Harris has a history of playing characters similar to this well and with ease; his roles in
A History of Violence and
Man on a Ledge in particular made me think he’d be great in the role so if ever he gets the chance to play the character I think he’d really make it shine rather than making him seem like a generic evil businessman.
Keifer Sutherland as George Tarleton/M.O.D.O.C./Mental Organism Designed Only for Computing
To some this might seem like a bit of strange casting decision, but hell it comes down to Sutherland’s voice. As expected for a role like this it isn’t necessarily physical, however this is hardly a problem as Sutherland perfectly showcased his capability of being a cerebral villain masterfully well in
Phone Booth. If cast and if he plays the character anything like his character from that film I think we’d be in for a real treat.
The only thing I’d say is, as expected I’d like MODOC to get somewhat of a redesign. Whilst I couldn’t really find any images of what I have in mind, I’d like him to still look like lab experiment gone wrong but maybe a little bit more cybernetic if that makes sense…
Daniel Craig as Anton Vanko/the Crimson Dynamo
Craig is a badass actor and frankly I’d just love to see him as a villain, especially in a CBM. His role as James Bond in particular stood as my reasoning for casting him here; if he translates the qualities he conveys there (absent the womanising) to this role I think he’d just do a really great job and gives a very memorable taken on Iron Man’s Russian counterpart.
Just wanted to mention for those of who you who might be confused, the above image is the
Ultimate Marvel version of the character, I personally hope if the character is ever brought to the big screen this is the version used simply because it has that nice balance of looking tough/bulky yet streamlined and modern.
Dustin Clare as Mark Scarlotti/Whiplash
I haven’t seen Clare in anything outside of
Spartacus but he’s more than proved his mettle there. He’s a solid actor, badass, charming and engaging; whilst all these qualities don’t necessarily fit with this role I think he’d be really great in bringing the character to life and just prove to be a very entertaining adversary for Iron Man.
Still, I’d just like to mention whilst I’d like Whiplash to show up in look similar to the image I posted above, I’d like him to appear a little more armoured looking, but not just a guy in another robot suit; couldn’t really find any images which captured what I had in mind but I basically want Whiplash to look like he could go toe-to-toe with Iron Man without looking like a robot if that makes sense…
Xander Berkley as Justin Hammer
Berkley is another really underrated actor who deserves as much attention as possible. He’s really great at playing cerebral villains and has a great presence which just sells him in the role of the smug and manipulative businessman. His roles in
24,
Nikita and
The Booth at the End in particular just made me think he could elevate the role and bring something new to the character.
Mélanie Laurent as Justine Hammer
I haven’t seen Laurent in anything outside of
Inglorious Basterds but her role there left a lasting impression on me. She’s clearly a talented actress and I think if given the chance could really impress in the role especially if she portrays the character anything like she did with her character from the previously mentioned film.
Burn Gorman as Abbott Sinclair/Spymaster
Gorman’s had my attention since
Torchwood; he’s a really talented actor and is much deserving of a spotlight. I cast him here as Gorman has something of slippery presence which just made it feel appropriate in casting him here, plus his small role in
The Dark Knight Rises felt like a restrained version of this character so I’d like to see what he could do if given the chance to ‘reprise’ the role on a larger scale.
Ben Whishaw as John Morley/the Ghost
Whishaw is another pretty talented actor I’ve cast. I mainly cast him her though due to his roles in
Perfume,
The Hour and
Skyfall; I just think he could bring a good balance of creepiness and intelligence to the role and just really wow us in the role.
Norman Reedus as David Cannon/Whirlwind
Reedus is just a badass actor; his work in
The Boondock Saints series and
The Walking Dead is a testament to that, so I think if cast in this role not only would he provide us with a different kind of villain for Iron Man to face but I think he’d also make the character more badass and just more entertaining to watch.
Only thing I’d like to say though is like a few characters I’ve cast here, I’d like Whirlwind to get a bit of redesign if he hits the big screen; something a little more modern and armoured mercenary looking. Again, I couldn’t really find any images which captured what I had in mind, but hopefully you guys kind of got the gist of what I was going for…
David Thewlis as Arthur Parks/the Living Laser
I mainly know Thewlis from his work in
Dragon Heart, the
Harry Potter series and
Kingdom of Heaven, but it’s clear he’s a talented actor. Whilst this might seem like a strange role to cast him in, I think he could deliver as like I said he’s definitely a talented individual plus he has somewhat of a cerebral presence which makes me think he could bring some depth to the role.
Andrea Riseborough as Maya Hansen
Riseborough is rising up and comer, I’ve seen her in a few things now, most notably
Welcome to the Punch and
Oblivion and it’s clear she’s a talent to watch. She has the right kind of no-nonsense attitude needed for the role plus she comes off as pretty intelligent so I’d like to see what she could do.
Paul Dano as Ezekiel Stane/Iron Man 2.0
I’ve seen Dano in a bunch of things now and it’s clear he’s a very talented individual. He can play creepy and intelligent assholes very well and I think if given the chance to play the character could prove to be a very solid opponent for Stark to face and just prove to be a great cinematic villain too.
Ivana Milicevic as Leslie Brandt/Firebrand
Milicevic is an actress who I’ve also seen a lot of now; she’s a solid actress, hot, badass and has a bit of an edge so in a role like this I think she could prove to be pretty entertaining.
Erik King as Jack Taggart/Firepower
‘Surprise mother[frick]er!’ Fans of
Dexter will immediately know what I’m talking about, those of you who don’t know should know that King is very cool and underrated actor, his role in the aforementioned show really struck a chord with him me; he’s a really talented actor and pretty badass and it’s actually a shame he isn’t as famous as he should be, but if given the chance I think he could really own the role and provide audiences with an interesting take on the character.
___________________________
So, that’s my ideal cast for Iron Man. I hope you enjoyed checking it out, and if you did look out for my Thor cast!