We’ve just heard word that John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War series has been acquired by Paramount studios and is on its way to the silver screen! The lineup so far has Scott Stuber producing, David Self adapting the book and Wolfgang Petersen as director. It sounds like a solid team, and we couldn’t be more happy for Mr. Scalzi!
Of course, now the thought on all of our minds should be obvious: who will they cast as John Perry? Sean Connery has given up acting, or he’d make the immediate shortlist. What do you think? We’re all up for starting casting rumors….
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what about Viggo Mortensen as John Perry?
Huzah for Old Man’s War and Little Green Men!
I always thought it would be cool to start with Tom Hanks in the first few scenes, then Colin Hanks.
Although I’ve never seen a Cameron Douglas film, so if he’s any good as an actor, I’d be willing to go with Kirk Douglas in the first reel, then Cameron Douglas for the lead.
I was thinking the same thing, with Donald and Kiefer Sutherland. Although I guess Kiefer’s a little past the peak-physical-condition-soldier days already.
I’ve been thinking of this for the last half hour before saying anything.
Ron Livingston.
John Perry needs to be an everyman more than a soldier in appearance. Engineered and awesome as they are, they’re based off of the regular average joe. So take the Office Space everyman. Not in a comedic way but in a “this is life” kind of sence.
But you do still need someone who can actually be a soldier. Now you take the Band of Brothers captian. And it’s been a while since i’ve seen it, but i remember him as the average joe kind of soldier rather than the grr faced hard ass. That’s what the role needs the most… someone who’s human at the end of the battle
Tommy Lee Jones to cameo as the elderly John Perry, then Andrew Lincoln to play him as the rejuvenated super soldier John Perry, for my money.
Andrew Lincoln would be AWESOME!!
I like the idea of Viggo as he could be aged realistically, but not sure he can carry off the rejuvenated version. I’m guessing they’ll have to go with two actors. After looking at photos of Tommy Lee Jones and Andrew Lincoln, yeah, I can see it. Not so sure if it’d work with Jones and Javier Bardem (No Country For Old Men). I’m just not familiar enough with younger actors to thing up names and faces. Is Brad Pitt too old to play rejuve version?
With the things they can do with CGI and makeup ANYONE can play their olderselves and have it look right. So I don’t think we would really need to worry about who fits the “older” version. I like the Ron Livingston idea but at the same time Ryan Renolyds could pull it off. He’s a little overused right now but he can do the sharp wit pretty good. At the same time an unknown would be good also, so the focus is on the movie not the people in it. Really, as long as Tydum whatever isn’t John Perry I’ll be alright with it. I’m more trying to figure out who Jane/Kathy would be played by.
This (fantasy casting) is one of my favorite games.
Y’all are not thinking old enough OR young enough. The CDF soldiers come out of the incubators about 20-25 years old. Andrew Lincoln is nearly 40. Others mentioned here are older.
No, the soldier-actors in the movie ought to be newcomers and unknowns. The exception is Jane Sagan — for whom I nominate Eva Green.
The old folks at the beginning? No need to “age” an actor, there are plenty of great veterans to call on. Here’s your cast: James Garner as Perry, James Earl Jones as Tom, George Segal as Harry and Gene Wilder as Alan. Eva Marie Saint as Susan. (To match Eva Green as Kathy Perry, I imagine a moderately frumped up … Cher.)
Remember, the younger versions are green with cat eyes. This is going to take special effects no matter what. May as well use the same actor for the human body and the soldier body.
I’m thinking…Clint Eastwood for John Perry old.
#9 has it right. It will be the same young actor for both roles, with make-up or CGI to “age him” for the first couple scenes. I highly doubt the studio would pay the cash for a big name when they can pay tech nerds to use the same actor.
So think young. And beefy – this guy is essentially a ‘roided soldier, so you won’t get someone skinny.
Yeah, I don’t have enough to do today because I keep thinking about this. But it just hit me:
Lena Headey as Jane. if you don’t know she’s the girl in 300 and Sarah conner from the Sarah Connor Chronicles. She’s hot and bad ass. I know she’s a older than the 20-22 age that they are suppose to be but it’s going to be hard to find actors that fit the part in that age range anyway.
Thhinking about this from the studio’s POV in terms of money, it is cheaper to make young actors look old for the first qtr of the movie than it is to youthenize (yes thats a joke) older actors for the bulk of the film and potentially 2 or more sequels. We may even want to consider Older actors and look-a-like younger actors. They could even go for Father and son or Mother and Daughter actors to play the old and young versions of the same characters.
Given the “action” sequences when they first are transformed and the in-book references that several of the characters are exceedingly good looking, I’d go the route of young, good looking actors. Alexis Bleidel, anyone? Rachel Bilson? Blake Lively? Eva Green would work too if she’s not too old, that is.
The older characters are described as not being goodlooking (fat, etc.), and it is a shock to all when they transform. So while it would be nice to have son-father or daughter mother combos, I’d get really good older actors that have some physical resemblances to the young’uns. Sean Connery, Helen Mirren, Betty White – the possibilities are endless….
Rob
I act. I like Old Man’s War. I’ll be in it.
Fin Coe
I just hope they don’t go the Avatar route with the CDF.
Carrie-Ann Moss as Jane Sagan ?
Harder for John Perry, which must be able to play one-track-mind as well as quite subtle, sometimes… Liev Schreiber, maybe ?
Gotta be Abe Vigoda.
Storycasting.com, the web’s top “fantasy casting” book-to-movie site, has 7 titles by John Scalzi up for casting, including Old Man’s War. So, who do YOU see in the movie? Come and cast it YOUR way!
I started a blog a few years ago where I shared my ideas for casting in whatever book I was reading at the time. Unfortunately, it fell to the wayside when I went back to school to complete my degree. I really need to get back into it, it was pretty fun. You can see my cast list for OMW here.
For those not interested in clicking the link, I have Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Perry. He has the physique to pull off a genetically engineered soldier, but more importantly, he has the charm and dry humor to portray John’s character.
john scalzi- as old john perry
john scalzi- cameo as the guy that tells them to have fun in the new bodies and all of that.
the problem I have with girls like Alexis Bleidel, Rachel Bilson, ect is that I can’t see them in that action roll. I just can’t picture them shooting a large gun and whooping ass. BUT how about Summer Glau? All browncoats know she can like natural kicking ass and she looks the right age range.
#18, what do you mean by the avatar route? as in making the people green? or all the CGI? I don’t see the big problem. I mean yeah, the story was meh and pretty unoriginal but the movie LOOKED pretty. This one has a much more original story, now they just need it to look pretty.
Old Perry not good looking? How about Wallace Shawn or Bart Giamatti? Both are terrific actors, albeit not matinee idols.
If you’re going to have a real metamorprhosis, why not make it a big one? Maybe Chris Pine or Sam Worthington as the new John? Both are decent actors and, either would make a good John Perry. I don’t think Scalzi necessarily meant the new John Perry had to be an older version of the young one. I could be wrong and, I’d love to hear what John Scalzi thinks of the idea.
On the other hand, I’m 66……..
I don’t care who it is playing John Perry, I just want it to NOT BE SHIA LABEOUF. Thank you, that is all.
Michelle Rodriguez for young Jane and Arnold Schwarzenegger for old John. I can’t think of an young action heroines other than Michelle and AHnold is the definition of strapping young man who is no longer strapping nor young.
Also, the actors should be green. That’s a tough one to cast.
The more I think about it, Ron Livingston would be a wonderful choice. His portrayal of the intel officer in BoB was so natural, so rational, you could see him grow right through the course of the war. Perfect! As for Jane, please, no stick figure 20 year olds.
@@@@@#26: Maybe you meant Paul Giamatti, and not the former commissioner of Major League Baseball who is, by the way, dead?
Agree with post # 12, by KristaB. : Clint Eastwood for the elder John Perry.
The role needs someone with the gravitas to pull it off playing the elder John Perry, plus the wiry physicality to suggest that their rejuved / green younger self may actually be capable.
The movie needs someone who’s elder state and our collective memory of the roles they’ve played allows for the possibility that their rejuved / green version could be (a) awesomely physically competent and (b) have a clue about life after 75. Clint Eastwood fits so perfectly.
The very much harder job is to cast John Perry the younger. Perhaps Christian Bale ?
I’ve been thinking about this since I read the series, so here it goes:
Tommy Lee Jones /Old Perry
Jane Sagan/ Eva Green (although zooey dechanel would also be a a good choice)
Young John Perry – bear with me… Justin Timberlake. He would be great, plus he would bring in large audiences. It’s a physical role, plus he’s been in both serious and comedic roles.
Well, they should cast me since I am available and perfect for the role, but I guess they will overlook me once again.
I think you folks are forgetting that John Perry & the others are supposed to appear in their 20’s for the entire series.
John Perry – James Brolin (old) & Liam Hemsworth (young), they are roughly the same height & build.
Jane Sagan – Emma Watson. I dont really care who plays Kathy, since her roll should be flashbacks & extremely limited, if not left out completely.
Jessie – Camilla Belle
Harry – Chris Warren Jr.
Alan – Chris Colfer
General Szilard – Alexander Ludwig
Master Sgt Ruiz – Luis Rosales
I am just now reading Old Man’s War, and don’t really like the idea of a movie version, having just been dissapointed (though it wasn’t a terrible movie) by Ender’s Game. The depth and scope of some books just don’t translate well to a movie.
Ive never recovered from Starship Troopers the movie…