Now I know Metal Gear Solid is not a comic book (though there have been some graphic novels based on the games), but many of the same principles should be applied to the casting processes.
Hideo Kojima has created a wide array of amazing characters in the Metal Gear franchise, and it should be well known by now that he isn't about to hand his creations to just anyone. And the same should be expected out of who should play the wonderful (and a few not-so-wonderful) characters he's helped bring to life.
Note that this is only my opinion. So don't start calling me names that sound like something only a three year old can come up with just because you don't agree.
Let's start this off...
SOLID SNAKE
The anti-hero of the series, badass extraordinaire and very much a dark, cynical man. Snake is not only tough and frightening to face against, but he's very smart, with an IQ of 180. He's a man with a stern, calm disposition, a no-nonsense kind of guy. We need an actor with both that tough edge and intelligent, mature look.
Who Should Play Him: Christian Bale/Michael Trucco/Sam Worthington. If any of those three get chosen, I will not complain.
WHY: Bale's rant during Terminator Salvation does not erase the fact that he's an excellent actor, and the fact that he's a fan of the series and actually looks the part is a definite plus as well.
WHY: Trucco has done a great job in Battlestar Galactica, and he definitely is deserving of big-screen fame.
WHY: Worthington is an actor to watch for; he's going to be big.
LIQUID SNAKE
The twin brother of Solid Snake, Liquid was he was told that he was the recipient of Big Boss' recessive genes. Believing this, Liquid held a strong resentment towards Solid Snake, who supposedly inherited the better genetics, and wished to kill him in combat and reclaim what he felt was his birthright, thus proving his superiority. He's loud, in charge and arrogant, and speaks with a British accent (having been raised there after his birth).
Who Should Play Him: Since Solid and Liquid are the TWIN SNAKES, it makes sense (to me) that they should be played by the same actor. Christian Bale might be the only actor of my choices who actually looks like he may actually be able to do it.
ROY CAMPBELL
A rather amiable man, driven by duty and Snake's commanding officer, Campbell has been around for a long time. He has a extensive history, being an old friend of Big Boss' and then fought against Outer Heaven with Snake, and then was forced to pull Snake out of retirement for the Shadow Moses takeover.
Who Should Play Him: Chris Cooper
WHY: Well, just look at him. Good dramatic actor, has the looks, and he's not a particularly big name type, so he won't clog up things.
HAL EMMERICH/OTACON
A mild-mannered scientist with a strong anti-nuclear stance, Hal is also an anime fanboy who befriends Snake. Upon finding out that the weapon he had been designing was actually a tank meant for launching nukes instead of destroying them, Otacon vows to atone for his sins.
Who Should Play Him: Cillian Murphy
WHY: Murphy's pretty much perfect for it - he's very intelligent and scientific, but also is great at coming across as vulnerable and mild, as well as giving that slight touch of iron to Hal. And he looks the part too, which is a major plus. Not to mention I really want to see Murphy and Bale in something together again, only this time, fighting on the same side.
MERYL SILVERBURGH
Roy Campbell's niece, Meryl is the rookie trapped in the middle of Shadow Moses when MGS1 starts. She acts tough and even surprises Snake a few times, but she actually has little to no combat experience. She's basically the girl playing soldier who doesn't really know what she's getting herself into. Meryl is very smart though, and more than just a pretty face.
Who Should Play Her: Evan Rachel Wood
WHY: Meryl is more than just a pretty face, and Evan here is a great actress. Plus she's naturally beautiful, and can flex some of her tough-girl acting muscles in this role.
REVOLVER OCELOT
Revolver Ocelot is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, and is known for his distinctive style of shooting a revolver, love of cowboy movies, love of torture, and ridiculous hand gestures. He also apparently works for Liquid, but for all we know he actually has an entirely different agenda.
Who Should Play Him: Bill Nighy
WHY: Ocelot is quite the over-the-top character, but also intelligent and you can't help but admire him. Bill Nighy is a great character actor who knows how to do chew the scenery and bring both that ruthlessness Ocelot is known for, along with that suave quality.
SNIPER WOLF
The beautiful and deadly markswoman who works in solitude, Wolf is very surprisingly deep. She doesn't have much screen time, but she stole the show in many ways. She needs an actress who is very talented and can convincingly play strong, imposing, dangerous, vulnerable and sympathetic at the same time.
Who Should Play Her: Ivana Milicevic
WHY: Ivana is admittedly an unknown actress, but, she's got the looks and a fresh face ought to be good for this movie. Plus she actually does come from the same region as Wolf does, more or less. A little authenticity should be good, especially considering Wolf's accent in the game.
Psycho Mantis
A master of telekinesis and fourth-wall breaking, Mantis is every bit as frightening and memorable as he is powerful. He's a pretty straightforward character though and doesn't last long after he's introduced, but many (including me) still regard him as one of the best bosses ever in the series.
Who Should Play Him: Doug Jones
WHY: Doug Jones is best known for his roles as the Faun in Pan's Labyrinth and Abe Sapien in Hellboy. He's got the wispy physique required for the character, along with that otherworldly aura required for a character like Mantis. Plus he'd sound totally awesome through a gas mask.
VULCAN RAVEN
A giant Inuit shaman who lugs around a giant gun and a few philosophical questions for Snake, Raven is every bit as tough as he looks. He can go from unstable to surprisingly articulate at the drop of a hat.
Who Should Play Him: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
WHY: Raven is a huge guy, but he's way smarter than he looks. Usually, I personally find wrestlers who attempt to transition into acting extremely laughable, but Johnson is one of the very few who actually does have talent, as well as the build required for the part.
GRAY FOX
He's the only member of Foxhound ever to receive the codename of Fox, and not without good reason. Originally a child soldier, he was one of the deadliest people on earth at just the tender age of eleven. He was then rescued by Big Boss, but then experimented on to become an even better soldier. After a series of complicated events, he ends up supporting Big Boss and Outer Heaven, and then nearly dies, and is turned into the Cyborg Ninja. As the Ninja, Fox helps his old buddy Solid Snake one last time in Shadow Moses to take down Metal Gear REX.
Who Should Play Him: Jason Statham
WHY: Well, Fox is a crazy, physical character, powerful and agile. However, he’s also full of emotion, tormented by his past sins. We need someone who can do both the physical and emotional aspects of the character. I will say that Statham’s getting a bit better in his acting. I originally proposed Ray Park as Fox, but there is a reason why his characters are always silent.
NAOMI HUNTER
A geneticist with a past even she's not completely sure of, Naomi was chosen to support Snake during the Shadow Moses mission to provide feedback on the Genome Soldiers. She has her own agendas, which become more and more apparent as the mission goes on.
Who Should Play Her: Rhona Mitra
WHY: Rhona has it all for Naomi - the tan complexion, the dark hair, and the looks. Her acting is also good, so she can certainly pull off Naomi.
MEI LING
An American citizen born to Chinese immigrants, Mei Ling is a young prodigy well versed in technology. She's helped to develop Snake's gear, particularly the Soliton radar and the Codec.
Who Should Play Her: Liu Yi-Fei
WHY: It makes sense to actually have a young Chinese actress play Mei Ling, right? And moreover, Liu is not a huge name actress, so she wouldn't take up too much of the cast budget or clog things up, especially in a fairly small part.
NASTASHA ROMANENKO
A Ukrainian nuclear weapons analyst, Nastasha was born in Ukraine where she and her family were exposed to radiation due to the Chernobyl nuclear accident. This made her become very strongly opposed to nuclear weapons and nuclear power. She later became a member of NEST and helped Solid Snake during his mission on Shadow Moses.
Who Should Play Her: Anne-Marie Duff
WHY: While it is doubtful Nastasha may actually be in the movie (since calling her on the Codec is entirely optional), if she were to, then they should get an actress who's pretty low in the limelight. Anne-Marie is very talented, but since she's not too famous, she won't take up too much screen time in the movie.
BIG BOSS
The supposed father of Solid Snake, Big Boss was once Snake's greatest mentor, who later became his greatest enemy. He wished to create a world where soldiers would always be needed, never to be thrown away or used by a corrupted government. Snake had no choice to stop him and kill him; however, Big Boss' memory still lives on in many more ways than one…
Who Should Play Him: Donald Sutherland
WHY: Short answer is that Donald Sutherland is very talented and has the looks. He can carry the stern resolve and introverted personality of this very tragic character without overdoing it.
OTHER CHARACTERS
The small side characters, such as the DARPA Chief, Kenneth Baker and Jim Houseman should just be played by very small, no-name actors. We don't need someone like Clint Eastwood in these parts.
I'll probably do one for the next games sometime in the future. I'll be looking forward to finding actors for Raiden and many more.