Everyone loves to see their favorite book, or comic book brought to the big screen. It allows the reader to enter their favorite stories through another door, and, in some cases to gain a new appreciation for the story and its characters. On the other hand it can have the opposite affect. Adapting a story from one medium to another is always going to change some things—it just isn’t practical to present everything in the movie as it was done in the book. There is one aspect above all, however, that has the ability to make or break a film adaptation and that is the casting.
Attached to US screenings of The Amazing Spider-Man, is the trailer for the Jack Reacher film starring Tom Cruise in the title role – based on the books by Jim Grant (writing as Lee Child). In the novels, Jack is described as 6’5″ with a sandy blonde hair. Mr. Cruise is a modest 5’7″ and has black hair. Is this something fans will forgive in the film? Will it attract movie goers who are fans of Cruise while not being familiar with the source material?
We’ll find out soon enough – but in the meantime here are ten characters (in no particular order) who’s physical appearance differed greatly from the source material.
10. Colin Farrell – Alexander the Great
In 2004, then 28 year old Colin Farrell took on the title role in a biopic of Alexander. 5’10″ from Dublin, Ireland, his countenance doesn’t seem to lend itself to the writings about the great emperor.
Historically, Alexander is purported to be short and stocky with one blue eye and one brown eye. Not to mention the fact that he had neck and back problems that gave him the appearance of always looking toward the heavens.
Having conquered the known world and created one of the largest empires in existence by the time he was thirty—at least Farrell was age appropriate for the part.
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23 Comments
I agree with some of your entries, especially Keanu as Constantine who I would have put in first place. But I thought Shelly Duvall was awesome in The Shining and a much more intresting character than the one in the book. And considering the type of film Verhoeven’s Total Recall was, Schwarzenegger was the perfect person to play Quaid. I don’t think Quaid from the book would have worked in the film.
That’s the point though, for fans of the books, these changes from book to movie were just unforgivable.
I think of a couple and I’m probably going to be hanged for mentioning these as they are the worst infractions.
Haley Berry as Catwoman
Ben Affleck as Dare Devil
:)
Thank you for being one of the few fan sites to acknowledge that Colin Farrell is a better fit for Douglas Quaid. He was never intended to look like a walking killing machine! Not saying I don’t love the original, of course, just pointing out that I’m looking forward to the Farrell version.
Everyone’s criticizing Cruise for Reacher, yet I’ve never heard anyone call foul on Hugh Jackman for playing Wolverine in 4 films. Wolverine in the comics was what, 5’3″? Jackman’s about 6’4″, but no one ever got mad about that. Furthermore, Sandra Bullock’s character in “A Time To Kill” was a drab woman who wouldn’t catch anyone’s fancy based on looks, yet Bullock’s gorgeous. It’s just more of the Cruise hatred that’s been prevalent for the past 7 years. Happens all the time in Hollywood, but it’s Cruise, so film as we know it is taking 100 steps backward.
Technically five, if you count his cameo in First Class.
Well, the thing about Hugh Jackman waas he was GOOD in the part, even if he didn’t share the same physical characteristics as the comic book character.
Jack Reacher looks pretty much like an exact re-make of Dirty Harry with Clint Eastwood
Matthew Goode as Ozymandias in Watchmen was pretty unforgivable.
I’m not so much pissed that Cruise doesn’t look like Reacher. He just doesn’t FEEL like Reacher.
Reacher doesn’t have a driver’s licence. Yet in the trailer he’s revving an engine and pushing throttle. That may be weak writing and a bad adaptation but it’s all part and parcel.
I love Cruise. But he isn’t right for Reacher. Physicality, personality or voice.
I still say it should have been Dominic West.
I believe Liev Schreiber can fill the bill. He’s 6’3″ and played in a number of action films and deserves a chance at a character like this. Cruise is wrong if only for the fact that Reacher is a physically imposing character and Cruise is not.
Is it just me or did Jason Segel and Emily Blunt not really work together in The Five Year Engagement? I’m a big fan of both individually, but I just didn’t feel like they quite meshed. It was still a rather enjoyable film but I still had this thought in the back of my mind the whole time.
Maybe I’ve just been watching too much How I Met Your Mother…
Ryan Reynolds as Hal JOrdan was a horrible decision. The Hal I remember in the comics was not brash or wise cracking – 2 things Reynolds is in most of his films
Val Kilmer was a casting mistake for Batman.
Jeremy Irons would’ve made a great Mr. Freeze.
James Marsters or Eddie Izzard for Constantine.
Justin Hartley might be interesting for Ghost Rider.
Nathan Fillion for Green Lantern.
Uhhhh… Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker?!?!?!
Jessica Alba as Sue Storm. They could have at least made the fake blonde hair and blue eyes a plot point or something (an affectation to let her succeed more easily in a white world). Once she’s a persona non grata, she can go back to the brown hair and real eye colours and let the “real” her out (and it would have gone along with that whole “I feel invisible” thing she was supposed to be feeling).
I hated Taylor Kitsch as John Carter. I question his action ability. But more than that, the character in the movie was completely unlikeable and annoying. In the books, John Carter was decisive and constant. Some of this may be because of Andrew Stanton. It makes me sad to say that.
Halle Berry as Storm in the X-Men movies.
You’re dumb, Halle was a perfect Storm-strong, sexy, awesome………and at least she was supposed to be black, unlike in Catwoman, I really don’t know what they were thinking.
Ah no you’re dumb. Storm is tall and athletic, Halle is neither.
Storm: 5’11″
Halle: 5’6
Personally, I think Sophie Okonedo (of Aeon Flux) would have been a great choice. She’s attractive without being “cute” like Barry.
I think the perfect choice for Constantine would have been Paul Bettany.
Wow, yes. That would have been perfect.
I agree with all except for one thing. Interview with a Vampire/Queen of the Damned. Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise are the most over-rated actors of all time, and I get bored with every performance they’ve ever done (Fight Club, se7en, War of the Worlds, Minority Report etc) and I was very disappointed when both appeared in the film. I can forgive casting for incorrect eyes, incorrect hair and incorrect face shape, but what I cannot forgive was the fact they put in their usual dull, monotonous shift. Stewart Townsend can, at least, act.