The Big Sleep: Fan cast

The Big Sleep is a 1939 novel by Raymond Chandler, the first to star his well know private detective character Philip Marlowe, though he'd written a number of short-stories later retconned to star Marlowe by then. The convoluted plot followed Marlowe, a hardboiled yet contemplative private detective, as he investigates the affairs of the Sternwood family; both the gambling debts of the young Carmen Sternwood and the disappearance of her older sister's husband.

The novel was adapted for film in 1945, though not released until 1946, and starred Humphrey Bogart as Marlowe. The film is hailed as one of the foremost examples of the Noir genre. Other actors to portray Marlowe in adaptations of other novels were Rogert Montgomrey, George Montgomrey, Dick Powell and Elliot Gould.

I generally wouldn't both even thinking of a remake, but it wouldn't really be the first time. The Big Sleep was remade in the modern day in 1978, and starred Robert Mitchum. While the original is seen as the superior version, Mitchum's performance is no without its supporters.

There was some talk years ago of Clive Owen to take over the role of Marlowe in a series of movie adaptations of the Marlowe novels. But nothing had come of it.

It was supposedly going to be still set in the 1930s and '40s, as it should be.

My choice for director would be Steven Soderbergh, Sam Mendes or William Fitchner.

Peter O'Toole (Lawrence of Arabia, Venus)
as Guy Sternwood
A decrepit and dying retired Army General, millionaire and father to Vivian and Carmen Sternwood.

Amanda Righetti (The Mentalist, K-Ville)
as Vivian Sternwood-Regan
General Sternwood's older brother, whom he describes as spoiled, exacting, intelligent and ruthless.

Amanda Seyfried (Chloe, Big Love)
as Carmen Sternwood
General Sternwood's younger daughter, described as childish, cruel and possibly unhinged.

John C. Reilly (Gangs of New York, Magnolia)
as Arthur Gwynn Geiger
A pornographer using a rare books store as a front.

James Badge Dale (The Pacific, The Departed)
as Joe Brody
A gambler and former lover of Carmen Sternwood.

Bill Lush (Generartion Kill, The Black Donellys)
as Carol Lundgren
A.G. Geiger's lover.

Rebecca Hall (The Prestige, The Town)
as Agnes Lozelle
An employee of A.G. Geiger.

Jim True-Frost (The Wire)
as Harry Jones
Agnes Lozello's lover and a small time criminal.

Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight, Thank You For Smoking)
as Eddie Mars
A.G. Geiger's landlord. A gangster and manager of a casino.

Christina Hendricks (Mad Men, Firefly)
as Mona Mars
Eddie's Mars wife who'd run off with Rusty Regan.

Frank John Hughes (Band of Brothers, 24)
as Lash Canino
A ruthless hired killer in the employ of Eddie Mars.

Keith Szarabajka (The Dark Knight, LA Noire)
as Bernie Ohls
A District Attorney's Investigator and associate of Philip Marlowe.

Michael Fassbender (Inglourious Basterds, X-Men First Class)
as Philip Marlowe
“I’m thirty-three years old, went to college once and can still speak English if there’s any demand for it. There isn’t much in my trade. I worked for Mr. Wilde, the District Attorney, as an investigator once. His chief investigator, a man named Bernie Ohls, called me and told me you wanted to see me. I’m unmarried because I don’t like policemen’s wives. […] I was fired. For insubordination. I test very high on insubordination, General.”