Fan Casting Friday #4: The Golden Age!

It's been a while since I did one of these...but I've had a few ideas running in my head, so now's as good a time as any to bring Fan Casting Fridays back!

"Smashing down upon the underworld rackets comes the Blue Beetle...made almost invulnerable by special armor, and given super-energy by vitamin 2-X, he crusades with hard-hitting fists for law and justice...in reality he is Dan Garret...rookie police man" So began the golden age adventures of the Blue Beetle on the pages of Fox Features Syndicate's comic. He had a radio show...but what if he appeared on the silver screen in the late 1930's/early 1940's?

Fan Casting Friday #2: Super Buddies!

Ever since the first time I was inspired by the fan casting done by Ryan Daly at Flowers & Fishnets and Count Drunkula's Thought Place and Diabolu Frank at Idol Head of Diabolu, I've wanted to do another...and this time I wanted to do something a little different...comedy!

So, taking my inspiration from Giffen, DeMatteis, and Maguire's "Formerly Known as the Justice League" and " I Can't Believe It's Not the Justice League", I present to you..."Super Buddies: The Motion Picture!"

Ted Kord/Blue Beetle - Justin Long

I know last time I said James Roday would make the perfect Blue Beetle...and he would, for the story I had in mind then. For the "Super Buddies" though...I'm going with Justin Long! Why? Well to me, he looks more "animated"...I also think he'd be better suited for the humor of this kind of story while still maintaining a level of sincerity...I'm thinking one of his earlier roles in the movie "Accepted"

Michael Carter/Booster Gold – Alan Ritchson 

Sure he was Aquaman on "Smallville", but he also played college football player "Thad Castle" on the hilarious series “Blue Mountain State”. As Thad he was sometimes goofy, and always cocky, as the linebacker and team captain. Booster? Future college football star for the Gotham University and "Bwahahahaha" JLI buddy to Blue Beetle...coincidence? I think not!

Captain Atom - Alexander Skarsgard

Captain Atom should be a leader, a tough guy (c'mon...in DC continuity he's ex-military), and in the JLI/Super Buddies he'd be a straight man to the antics of Blue and Gold. Plus he has the experience he'd need for the role. On "True Blood" Skarsgard plays a leader, a sheriff, among the vampires, and in HBO's mini-series "Generation Kill" he played a Marine Sergeant.

Fire - Vanessa Hudgens

Beatriz da Costa aka Fire, is former model and former member of the Global Guardians. Vanessa Hudgens is a former child star...and looks really cute in that green dress! Seriously though, I've seen several of her films and have to say (as I'm sure some reader are thinking "The girl from 'High School Musical'?! Seriously?!") she's not a bad actress! Plus, she's already played a superhero...sort of...in "Sucker Punch".

Mary Marvel - Olivia Cooke

Who do you cast as Mary Marvel? An all-American, wholesome looking girl-next-door type...Olivia Cooke looks the part...but is actually British. And her other acting credits? the horror movie "The Quiet Ones" and the TV series "Bates Motel" (based on the film "Psycho"). Still I think she'd be the perfect Mary Marvel!

Elongated Man - Steve Zahn

A lot like Blue Beetle/Justin Long, I needed someone that could play funny and sincere, only a little bit older...enter Steve Zahn. I've been a big fan since seeing him in "That Thing You Do!" and think he'd be perfect for the role of Ralph Dinby, the Elongated Man!

Sue Dinby - Carla Gugino

I think Carla Gugino is beautiful! If you look at her credits on IMDB she's played in everything from kids movies like "Spy Kids" to more dramatic/action fair like the series "Justified". It's the variety of her roles and a certain, hard to identify, down to earth quality that make me think she'd be a good Yin to EM/Zahn's Yang. 

Max Lord - Timothy Olyphant

Speaking of "Justified"...Timothy Olyphant is amazing on that show. Cool, confident, calculating...who else is like that? Max Lord! "But, can he be funny?" you ask? Check him out in "The Girl Next Door" 

L-Ron - Craig Ferguson

L-Ron...funny talking robot sidekick...Craig Ferguson, is funny, and has a talking robot sidekick on his late night talk show! It's a match made in heaven!

Friday Fan Casting #1

Inspired by the fan casting done by Ryan Daly at Flowers & Fishnets and Count Drunkula's Thought Place and Diabolu Frank at Idol Head of Diabolu, I decided to go ahead and give it a try myself...here's what I came up with...

I figure we need an origin story of sorts, but I hate superhero origin movies (Batman Begins...I'm looking at you!) where the costumes and heroics don't appear until 3/4 of the way through the film! My solution? Use a slightly modified version of Ted Kord's origin from DC's "Secret Origins #2". The elevator pitch? It's "Indiana Jones" meets "Terminator", with a little bit of "Batman" in the mix. 

Ted Kord, heir to Kord Industries/Technologies/Omnicorp, and his old archaeology professor, Dan Garrett, track down his crazy uncle Jarvis Kord. Jarvis, bent on world domination, has built a base on the remote Pago Island where he's using Kord technology to create an army of robots. Once they arrive on Pago island, BOOM! Things take a bad turn for our heroes, and the rest of the film is a rollercoaster of action! We get the reveal that Dan is also the Blue Beetle, battling robots, mad scientists, Dan's sacrifice and Ted's ultimate acceptance of the mantle/legacy of the Blue Beetle! In act 1 you get adventure, in act 2 robots and a hero, then act 3 closes with the birth of a new hero! Cinema gold, I tell you! 

Ted Kord/Blue Beetle – James Roday

You probably know James Roday best from the TV series "Psych" (2006-2014), though he's had other guest spots in TV and movies. I like the idea of casting him as Ted, because on "Psych" he has a likable charm, and a great delivery for the humor. It's not too over the top, like...Jim Carrey...but just the right blend of sincerity and absurd that I think would work well for Blue Beetle, and more importantly Ted Kord...a likable, every-man, trying to live up to a legend and having a little fun doing the right thing.

Dan Garrett/Blue Beetle – Bruce Campbell

Bruce Campbell known for his roles in "Evil Dead", "Army of Darkness" and more recently as "Sam Axe" on the TV series "Burn Notice" I think Bruce has what it takes to deliver a great performance as a teacher/mentor/hero. Plus, did you ever see him in the Jim Carrey film "The Majestic"? Bruce played "Roland" in the movie within the movie "Sand Pirates of the Sahara"...a swashbuckling explorer...just what I need for archaeologist Dan Garrett, and look at that jaw! He looks like a Silver Age superhero! 

Jarvis Kord – Sam Rockwell

Sam Rockwell is a great actor but it's his role as game show host Chuck Barris in "Confessions of Dangerous Mind" that makes me think he'd be a great mad scientist/crazy uncle...a perfect blend of intensity, paranoia and ego

Melody Case - Emmy Rossum

Melody, Ted's girlfriend and one of Kord Inc.'s top scientists. It's not a huge role, but the right actress could make it shine! That actress? Emmy Rossum! I love her on Showtime's "Shameless" and I think she'd bring the right blend of girl next door looks and smarts to pull it off.

Well? What do you think Beetlemaniacs?