Magic: The Gathering- TV/Movie Fan Casting
So, with the birth of my son and the search for a job, I had to take a hiatus from The Den for a time. But, I am happy to say, I am back! And as my comeback post I want to propose a Magic: The Gathering fan-casting. I'm actually surprised that, in a world where we have cartoons of Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh, and World of Warcraft and Assassin's Creed are feature-length movies, that we haven't seen at least a MTG TV adaption. The stories and characters are already laid out thanks to the game's cards and lore, and the surprising number of novels that have been written based on the game's characters.
But who would star in the Planeswalker lead roles? Pulling from the greatest from both old and new, I have put together a Planeswalker dream casting.
Jace Beleren- Liam Hemsworth
--Jace Beleren is the Planeswalker known for control, illusions, and magical manipulation. Sometime love interest of the dark and deceptive Liliana Vess, Jace is known as being inquisitive and obsessively bent on exploring the unknown.
Liam Hemsworth is known for his roles as Gale Hawthorn in "The Hunger Games" movie franchise. He has also appeared in "The Expendables 2", "Knowing", and "Independence Day: Resurgence". He has proven he can not only handle an action role, but can also play and deep and well-rounded character. He hasn't done anything in the way of fantasy roles, but I'm sure that he would be perfect to don the blue robes of Jace Beleren, The Living Guildpact.
Liliana Vess- Brooke Williams
--A necromancer beyond compare, Liliana has let a twisted and sad existence. She first delved into the dark arts in order to save her brother's life, but her attempts only resulted in her brother turning into an undead zombie. After her pact with four of the universe's demonic entities and her quest for the Chain Veil, Liliana and her zombies are now permanent fixtures in the Multiverse.
Brooke Williams can be seen in such projects like "The Shannara Chronicles", "Spartacus: War of the Damned" and "12 Monkeys". But it was her portrayal of Eva/the goddess Hel in "The Almighty Johnsons" tv show that convinced me she would be perfect for Liliana. Hel, the goddess of death and decay, demonstrated elevated signs of depression and psychopathy. Her unstable mental state lead up to the destruction of her marriage, family life, and eventually her own death. The perfect actress to take on the role of Liliana must be able to handle a level of darkness and emotional destability that Brooke has perfectly demonstrated already. She would be perfect as the Multiverse's Queen of the Undead.
Chandra Nalaar- Christina Hendricks
--Another Planeswalker born of hardship and turmoil, Chandra is known for being bold and brazen. A pyromancer of the highest caliber, Miss Nalaar runs hot, and her spells even hotter.
Christina Hendricks is known for playing smart, clever, seductive female characters. An iconic example is Saffron from the "Firefly" TV series. With her red hair and feisty persona, Christina would capture the fiery attitude and intelligent personality that is Chandra, Flamecaller.
Ajani Goldmane- Jeremy Irons
--Ajani is a warrior/healer from the plains of Naya. Friend of Tamiyo and Elspeth Tirel, A champion for justice and with a passion for healing realms, Ajani Goldmane is a force to be reckoned with.
Also a reckoning force, Jeromy Irons would excel at playing the leonine Planeswalker. I dont mention his name simply because he played Scar in the Disney hit, "The Lion King". Throughout his career Irons has been a crusader, a thorn in John McClane's side, and he even managed to somewhat redeem the character of Brom in the blockoffice failure, "Eragon". His voice is expressive and distinctive and would truly bring the role of Ajani to life in a way few could.
Gideon Jura- Shane Brolly
--Originally from the realm of Theros, Gideon Jura grew up on the streets. Despite his humble beginnings, the soldier/warrior now marches through the Multiverse with the likes of Jace and Chandra. Recently he was seen on Zendikar, facing down the monstrous Eldrazi. No matter where he goes, Gideon is know as the Champion of Justice.
Shane Brolly is an Irish actor best known for his role as the vampire "Kraven" in the "Underworld" movie franchise. Thought most known for a villain, Brolly has shown a depth to his characters and a passion that would do well depicting Gideon. He is already no stranger to the fantasy genre, and his clean-cut looks and determined glance are just what you need in a brave Planeswalker.
Garruk Wildspeaker- Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
--Once a skilled hunter and tamer of beasts, Garruk Wildspeaker was a talented and powerful Planeswalker. But, after an unfortunate encounter with Liliana Vess, Garruk was cursed by the Chain Veil and his powers corrupted. plagued by dark magic, he hunted the Death Witch until he encountered her again on Innistrad. Failing once more to kill her, Garruk let the Darkness consume him completely and now hunts any and all Planeswalkers.
--The Rock had his break-out debut a number of years ago in "The Mummy Returns". Since then we have seen his grow as an actor until recently he excelled in the movie "Hercules". A physically imposing figure to start with, Johnson's screen presence has become equally imposing. He tends to lean towards good-guy rolls, but with his role of super-bad "Black Adam" coming up, he may be perfect to take on the dark and disturbed Garruk Wildspeaker.
Nissa Revane- Sienna Guillory
--An Elf native to Zendikar, Nissa's one and only goal is to save her realm and quell the rise of the Eldrazi titans than plague her land. Though she has not succeeded as of yet, she is strong in her magic and has allied herself with other powerful Planeswalker in a like-cause.
-No stranger to fantasy roles, Sienna Guillory has been seen in everything from "Inkheart" to "Eragon" to the TV series "Helen of Troy". A skilled actress in her own right, Guillory also possesses the elven features and snarky personality needed to bring Nissa Revane to the big screen.
Elspeth Tirel- Emilia Clarke
--A misplaced Planeswalker who now resides on Theros, Elspeth is a born leader and specializes in building, bolstering, and protecting armies. But for all her bravery and skill as a leader and warrior, all she wishes is to put away her arms and settle down in quiet solitude in some forgotten realm. But, alas, her own nature and the fascination of the Theros god, Heliod, will not allow her. And despite her best efforts, her goal may never be realized.
-Emilia Clarke is most known for her current role of Daenerys Targaryen on the hit TV series, "Game of Thrones". She has shown through her portrayal an ability to play a strong, intelligent and powerful female character with an ocean of emotional undertone just beneath the surface. She is perfect to take on the weight-laden mantle of the Planeswalker Elspeth Tirel.
Sorin Markov- Ian Sumerhalder
--Sorin is the vampire Planeswalker from the Realm of Innistrad. Centuries ago,Sorin banded together with two other powerful Walkers to trap the Eldrazi to keep them from devouring the Multiverse. Now, with the Eldrazi on the move once again, Sorin is in search of the other two in hopes they can lock away the World-Eaters once again.
-Another potentially ironic pick for me, Ian Sumerhalder is known for his smoldering portrayal of the vampire Damon on the cult-followed show, "The Vampire Diaries". Once again, I did not pick him because he looks good as a Vampire and can possess a girl's heart with one heartless twitch of his lips. Ian has proven through this role and others that he can play a dark and complex character with multiple faucets. He is able to wrestle with the questions of right and wrong in a way that is almost tangible to his audience, and that is what is needed to properly portray Sorin, Lord of Innistrad.
Sarkhan Vol- Keanu Reaves
--Sarkhan Vol was a dragon worshiper who was given the ultimate gift; the ability to save dragons from extinction. Lead by the spirit of the dragon, Ugin, Sarkhan went back in time and rescued the dragon from the hands of the dragon Planeswalker, Nicol Bolas, and managed to change history. Now, a man outside of time and with no real plane to call home, Sarkhan Vol is a unique individual, a Dragonspeaker born of madness.
-With movies like "The Matrix", "Devil's Advocate", "Much ado about Nothing" and "The Day the Earth Stood Still" under his belt, Keanu has shown that he is pretty much good at playing one kind of character. He excels at playing the brooding, haunted savior with kick-ass combat abilities and a quite nature that explodes into fiery rage when ignited. Keanu is perfect as the Dragon Lord, and after his "47 Ronin" performance, it isnt hard to see him with the part.
Ashiok, The Nightmare Weaver- Sofia Boutella
--An architect of nightmares, Magic: The Gathering never has actually clarified the gender of the Nightmare Weaver. Partially because of the seeming lack of really interesting female Planeswalkers, partially because I can see a woman messing with your dreams more than a man, I think Ashiok should be a woman. Not much is known about her, except she feeds on bad dreams and favors the realm of Theros for its rich dreamscape.
-Sofia Boutella is a rising star best known for her role as Jaylah in "Star Trek: Beyond" and lately as Ahmonet in the Tom Cruise remake of "The Mummy". She is a strong actress who can still look good while being covered in makeup and prosthetics. Done right, she would make a chilling Ashiok.
Vraska- Cate Blanchett
--Another mysterious unknown in the Multiverse, the Planeswalker Vraska is a deadly unknown heralding from the plane of Ravinica. There. she acts as a kind of bounty hunter and hitman for the Golgari Guild, taking only the targets that catch her fancy. Unknown to all, however, is that she has been playing on other realms as well, slowly and assuredly amassing a collection of petrified creatures and victims from every realm she visits.
-Cate Blanchett has been in more movies than I can count, most notably the "Lord of the Rings" series and "Indiana Jones: The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull". She has demonstrated an ability to play a mystery, and the darkness she brings to her characters is stunning. Though a minor Planeswalker in the Multiverse, Cate is the only one I can imagine in the deathly Gorgon's role.
Kiora- Scarlet Johansson
--A native of Zendikar, the merfolk Kiora is another caught up in the conflict with the mighty Eldrazi titans. She has searched the Multiverse for the sea monsters, Leviathans and Krakens she is convinced is key to taking back her ocean home. Currently, she is in temporary residence on the plane of Theros, home of some of the most fearsome seafaring denizens. She looks to control them and use them against the Eldrazi, taking back her watery realm once and for all.
-Scarlet Johansson has recently been heralded as the living an breathing embodiment of the Marvel comic book character Black Widow. From her early days in "Home Alone 3" to her more recent years starring in blockbuster hits such as "Ghost in the Shell" and "Prestige", the role of Kiora is not entirely out of her ballpark. Though not unfamiliar to sci-fi and fantasy roles, I dont think Scarlet has taken on a character quite like this before. Regardless, once she picks up the trident and headpiece of Kiora, Scarlet will own the role of The Master of the Depths.
But who would star in the Planeswalker lead roles? Pulling from the greatest from both old and new, I have put together a Planeswalker dream casting.
Jace Beleren- Liam Hemsworth
--Jace Beleren is the Planeswalker known for control, illusions, and magical manipulation. Sometime love interest of the dark and deceptive Liliana Vess, Jace is known as being inquisitive and obsessively bent on exploring the unknown.
Liam Hemsworth is known for his roles as Gale Hawthorn in "The Hunger Games" movie franchise. He has also appeared in "The Expendables 2", "Knowing", and "Independence Day: Resurgence". He has proven he can not only handle an action role, but can also play and deep and well-rounded character. He hasn't done anything in the way of fantasy roles, but I'm sure that he would be perfect to don the blue robes of Jace Beleren, The Living Guildpact.
Liliana Vess- Brooke Williams
--A necromancer beyond compare, Liliana has let a twisted and sad existence. She first delved into the dark arts in order to save her brother's life, but her attempts only resulted in her brother turning into an undead zombie. After her pact with four of the universe's demonic entities and her quest for the Chain Veil, Liliana and her zombies are now permanent fixtures in the Multiverse.
Brooke Williams can be seen in such projects like "The Shannara Chronicles", "Spartacus: War of the Damned" and "12 Monkeys". But it was her portrayal of Eva/the goddess Hel in "The Almighty Johnsons" tv show that convinced me she would be perfect for Liliana. Hel, the goddess of death and decay, demonstrated elevated signs of depression and psychopathy. Her unstable mental state lead up to the destruction of her marriage, family life, and eventually her own death. The perfect actress to take on the role of Liliana must be able to handle a level of darkness and emotional destability that Brooke has perfectly demonstrated already. She would be perfect as the Multiverse's Queen of the Undead.
Chandra Nalaar- Christina Hendricks
--Another Planeswalker born of hardship and turmoil, Chandra is known for being bold and brazen. A pyromancer of the highest caliber, Miss Nalaar runs hot, and her spells even hotter.
Christina Hendricks is known for playing smart, clever, seductive female characters. An iconic example is Saffron from the "Firefly" TV series. With her red hair and feisty persona, Christina would capture the fiery attitude and intelligent personality that is Chandra, Flamecaller.
Ajani Goldmane- Jeremy Irons
--Ajani is a warrior/healer from the plains of Naya. Friend of Tamiyo and Elspeth Tirel, A champion for justice and with a passion for healing realms, Ajani Goldmane is a force to be reckoned with.
Also a reckoning force, Jeromy Irons would excel at playing the leonine Planeswalker. I dont mention his name simply because he played Scar in the Disney hit, "The Lion King". Throughout his career Irons has been a crusader, a thorn in John McClane's side, and he even managed to somewhat redeem the character of Brom in the blockoffice failure, "Eragon". His voice is expressive and distinctive and would truly bring the role of Ajani to life in a way few could.
Gideon Jura- Shane Brolly
--Originally from the realm of Theros, Gideon Jura grew up on the streets. Despite his humble beginnings, the soldier/warrior now marches through the Multiverse with the likes of Jace and Chandra. Recently he was seen on Zendikar, facing down the monstrous Eldrazi. No matter where he goes, Gideon is know as the Champion of Justice.
Shane Brolly is an Irish actor best known for his role as the vampire "Kraven" in the "Underworld" movie franchise. Thought most known for a villain, Brolly has shown a depth to his characters and a passion that would do well depicting Gideon. He is already no stranger to the fantasy genre, and his clean-cut looks and determined glance are just what you need in a brave Planeswalker.
Garruk Wildspeaker- Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
--Once a skilled hunter and tamer of beasts, Garruk Wildspeaker was a talented and powerful Planeswalker. But, after an unfortunate encounter with Liliana Vess, Garruk was cursed by the Chain Veil and his powers corrupted. plagued by dark magic, he hunted the Death Witch until he encountered her again on Innistrad. Failing once more to kill her, Garruk let the Darkness consume him completely and now hunts any and all Planeswalkers.
--The Rock had his break-out debut a number of years ago in "The Mummy Returns". Since then we have seen his grow as an actor until recently he excelled in the movie "Hercules". A physically imposing figure to start with, Johnson's screen presence has become equally imposing. He tends to lean towards good-guy rolls, but with his role of super-bad "Black Adam" coming up, he may be perfect to take on the dark and disturbed Garruk Wildspeaker.
Nissa Revane- Sienna Guillory
--An Elf native to Zendikar, Nissa's one and only goal is to save her realm and quell the rise of the Eldrazi titans than plague her land. Though she has not succeeded as of yet, she is strong in her magic and has allied herself with other powerful Planeswalker in a like-cause.
-No stranger to fantasy roles, Sienna Guillory has been seen in everything from "Inkheart" to "Eragon" to the TV series "Helen of Troy". A skilled actress in her own right, Guillory also possesses the elven features and snarky personality needed to bring Nissa Revane to the big screen.
Elspeth Tirel- Emilia Clarke
--A misplaced Planeswalker who now resides on Theros, Elspeth is a born leader and specializes in building, bolstering, and protecting armies. But for all her bravery and skill as a leader and warrior, all she wishes is to put away her arms and settle down in quiet solitude in some forgotten realm. But, alas, her own nature and the fascination of the Theros god, Heliod, will not allow her. And despite her best efforts, her goal may never be realized.
-Emilia Clarke is most known for her current role of Daenerys Targaryen on the hit TV series, "Game of Thrones". She has shown through her portrayal an ability to play a strong, intelligent and powerful female character with an ocean of emotional undertone just beneath the surface. She is perfect to take on the weight-laden mantle of the Planeswalker Elspeth Tirel.
Sorin Markov- Ian Sumerhalder
--Sorin is the vampire Planeswalker from the Realm of Innistrad. Centuries ago,Sorin banded together with two other powerful Walkers to trap the Eldrazi to keep them from devouring the Multiverse. Now, with the Eldrazi on the move once again, Sorin is in search of the other two in hopes they can lock away the World-Eaters once again.
-Another potentially ironic pick for me, Ian Sumerhalder is known for his smoldering portrayal of the vampire Damon on the cult-followed show, "The Vampire Diaries". Once again, I did not pick him because he looks good as a Vampire and can possess a girl's heart with one heartless twitch of his lips. Ian has proven through this role and others that he can play a dark and complex character with multiple faucets. He is able to wrestle with the questions of right and wrong in a way that is almost tangible to his audience, and that is what is needed to properly portray Sorin, Lord of Innistrad.
Sarkhan Vol- Keanu Reaves
--Sarkhan Vol was a dragon worshiper who was given the ultimate gift; the ability to save dragons from extinction. Lead by the spirit of the dragon, Ugin, Sarkhan went back in time and rescued the dragon from the hands of the dragon Planeswalker, Nicol Bolas, and managed to change history. Now, a man outside of time and with no real plane to call home, Sarkhan Vol is a unique individual, a Dragonspeaker born of madness.
-With movies like "The Matrix", "Devil's Advocate", "Much ado about Nothing" and "The Day the Earth Stood Still" under his belt, Keanu has shown that he is pretty much good at playing one kind of character. He excels at playing the brooding, haunted savior with kick-ass combat abilities and a quite nature that explodes into fiery rage when ignited. Keanu is perfect as the Dragon Lord, and after his "47 Ronin" performance, it isnt hard to see him with the part.
Ashiok, The Nightmare Weaver- Sofia Boutella
--An architect of nightmares, Magic: The Gathering never has actually clarified the gender of the Nightmare Weaver. Partially because of the seeming lack of really interesting female Planeswalkers, partially because I can see a woman messing with your dreams more than a man, I think Ashiok should be a woman. Not much is known about her, except she feeds on bad dreams and favors the realm of Theros for its rich dreamscape.
-Sofia Boutella is a rising star best known for her role as Jaylah in "Star Trek: Beyond" and lately as Ahmonet in the Tom Cruise remake of "The Mummy". She is a strong actress who can still look good while being covered in makeup and prosthetics. Done right, she would make a chilling Ashiok.
Vraska- Cate Blanchett
--Another mysterious unknown in the Multiverse, the Planeswalker Vraska is a deadly unknown heralding from the plane of Ravinica. There. she acts as a kind of bounty hunter and hitman for the Golgari Guild, taking only the targets that catch her fancy. Unknown to all, however, is that she has been playing on other realms as well, slowly and assuredly amassing a collection of petrified creatures and victims from every realm she visits.
-Cate Blanchett has been in more movies than I can count, most notably the "Lord of the Rings" series and "Indiana Jones: The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull". She has demonstrated an ability to play a mystery, and the darkness she brings to her characters is stunning. Though a minor Planeswalker in the Multiverse, Cate is the only one I can imagine in the deathly Gorgon's role.
Kiora- Scarlet Johansson
--A native of Zendikar, the merfolk Kiora is another caught up in the conflict with the mighty Eldrazi titans. She has searched the Multiverse for the sea monsters, Leviathans and Krakens she is convinced is key to taking back her ocean home. Currently, she is in temporary residence on the plane of Theros, home of some of the most fearsome seafaring denizens. She looks to control them and use them against the Eldrazi, taking back her watery realm once and for all.
-Scarlet Johansson has recently been heralded as the living an breathing embodiment of the Marvel comic book character Black Widow. From her early days in "Home Alone 3" to her more recent years starring in blockbuster hits such as "Ghost in the Shell" and "Prestige", the role of Kiora is not entirely out of her ballpark. Though not unfamiliar to sci-fi and fantasy roles, I dont think Scarlet has taken on a character quite like this before. Regardless, once she picks up the trident and headpiece of Kiora, Scarlet will own the role of The Master of the Depths.
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