Roland Deschain is one of the most complex characters in literature. He is the protagonist in Stephen King’s Dark Tower, the author’s epic opus, what he in my opinion will be remembered for long after he is gone.
Ron Howard and company decided to attempt a live-action adaptation of the seven books, a bold move for any director including Academy Award winners. They are planning something never done before, a set of television series interwoven with silver screen movies. It is a daunting task, one Howard has been looking at for months trying to figure out if it can be done or not.
Apparently within a week, Ron Howard will announce who will be playing Roland. The actor to play him will need to have great acting ability as well as a “look” all Dark Tower fans have come to expect of the character.
Since Clint Eastwood is sadly too old to play Roland, it will have to be someone else. So my question is: Which actor should play Roland Deschain?
Daniel Craig. Hugh Laurie. Viggo Mortensen. Another actor? Or an unknown?
For me, Hugh Laurie is the frontrunner out of those listed. He proves himself weekly that he can be a bastard, and Roland is a bastard to his core, a man who is willing to sacrifice anything and anyone to get to his Dark Tower and set right Mid-World. He is also over 6′2″, which the other actors are under 6′. I think Viggo Mortensen has the better voice though, gravelly, commanding and unyielding. Daniel Craig has the acting chops as well as the blue-stare.
Here is the poll:
So, who do you think should play Roland? Discuss! Would love to hear what you guys think. And we should know within the next seven days or so who will don the guns of Gilead.
Why isn’t Javier Bardem on the list? Supposedly, it’s between him and Mortensen…
For me Bardem doesn’t work. It’s his eye color. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.
Bardem would be a gawd damn terrible choice. Hugh Jackman looks a lot like young Eastwood- and Timothy Olyphante is great in deadwood… For the Gunslinger, the first book, I think Timothy Olyphante is a great choice. Give that man some blue contacts and a Big ol’ Sandal wood gripped gun.
Blue contacts, that’s my problem with Bardem, Jackman, etc. Actors with brown eyes can’t wear blue contacts. They look super fake. Brandon Routh in Superman Returns, anyone? I live in Seattle, so I see a lot of Asians with blue contacts and none of them look natural. They look fake. So anyone needing to use contacts — in my opinion — is automatically disqualified. The actor needs to have blue eyes. I can’t be taken out of my movie experience every time Roland pops up on screen because of something superficial like that.
I love Bardem as an actor though. And Jackman brings his own cred, as I loved him in The Prestige.
I think either Mortensen or Laurie can pull it off, Im leaning to Mortensen myself. Each has there strong points, I can easily see Hugh Laurie droping Jake but Viggo would pull of the hero moments better. Bardem is great but the blue eyes thing kills it IMO as well.
Its still pretty far out, but im also intrested in who would play Susanna Dean. Her character makes Roland seem like an apple in comparison. It will take some serious ating chops to pull off everything she goes through.
Susanna will end up being someone like Halle Berry.
I agree. Laurie could definitely pull off the bastard moments, but Mortensen could do both hero and bastard convincingly.
Bardem could act the part perfectly but he just doesn’t look like Roland.
This is something I haven’t thought about in years. I will have to think about this with current actors in mind.
I knew it would never happen, but I have been saying for years that they need to do this in animation, realistic animation, with Clint Eastwoods face. Just my opinion.
I feel either Stephen Moyer or Christian Bale would have the best chance of pulling this off. Josh Brolin, Josh Hartnett, Daniel Day Lewis and maybe Eric Bana would do a great job. Sam Worthington would be awesome but he just doesnt quite look the part.
I cant imagine Viggo Mortensen, Daniel Craig or Hugh Laurie as Roland, it just doesnt work for me.
How about Nicolas Cage for Randall, and Dominic Monaghan for Eddie Dean?
Come on guys … Daniel Day Lewis. Hands down.
Daniel Day Lewis would be an excellent pick. I could see that. Well done, Nick!
they offered it to javier bardem last week. i guess im a purist but he doesnt have gunslinger blue eyes, but what can ya do? also heard jennifer carpenter is on the short list for susannah. just me but they need to cast that role the way it was written. halle berry does a great nutjob, shed get my vote.
ill throw in that viggo or bale would have been better choices, and that i would love emile hirsch for eddie, and crazy as it might sound nic cage or john malkovich for flagg.
How bout William Sadler or Andrew Lincoln?
I would have loved to see Karl Urban play Roland. He has the acting experience, the looks, and the physical presence to make Roland come alive! (Also, I’ve seen a vid of Karl dancing…it would have been interesting to see him do the commala, lol!)
Thomas Jane should play Roland and i imagine Edward Norton as Eddie
If the guy from House plays Roland I will stab my eyes
Edward Norton? Are you fucking serious? He’s too old!
Bardem is perfect for Roland, despite the eye color — contacts or CGI can fix that, which I’m totally fine with as long as they don’t overdo the CGI in every other aspect.
All these other suggestions for Roland seem based on pretty-boy/LOTR jerk-off fantasies. What’s wrong with you people?
It only makes sense that several actors will have to play Marten/Walter/Randall, since Roland didn’t know they were the same person until a bit later in the story. Gary Oldman or Alan Rickman for Marten/Walter. Randall Flagg needs a more young, badboy look, since Flagg is pretty much his rockstar persona…
Why does everyone say Halle Berry for Susannah? Can’t think of any other black actresses? (fair enough, there aren’t that many famous ones…) Either the hick that played Ohura in the new Star Trek, or an unknown.
Eddie Dean…
that is, the “chick” who played Ohura.
daniel day lewis shud deff play roland!!!
Anson Mount
Sergey Bezrukov will be perfect…
Josh Holloway might be a consideration.
I think an unknown would do well. Those names are already established. Star Wars started with unknowns. It turned out great.
Anson Mount from Hell on Wheels is perfect.
Here’s how I see the line up… Roland: Hugh Jackman Jake:Daniel Bruhl(shaven he looks young, but this probably wouldn’t work but in my head as I read he’s kinda of the Jake I see) Eddie Dean: Ryan Reynolds or Dane Cook Henry Dean: James Franco (I think he could play the cracked brother well if he wanted) Sussannah:Rosario Dawson, Halle Berry, or and I can’t think of the other person I had in mind…hmm. But I definatly agree about the movies taking too long to film and then release at different times. A TV series would be perfect! All I know is Russel Crowe would be an AWEFUL choice for Roland. To me Roland is HOTT and I can’t really see anyone but Hugh Jackman playing him in my head, “MAYBE” Jon Hamm but Hugh: YOU HAVE TO DO THIS ROLE!!!
You want someone HOT to play Old Tall and Ugly as someone wise once said? No, Russel Crowe, Daniel Day Lewis (Experience: 3:10 Yuma) or Timothy Olyphant as a possibility. Those two are the prime choices as opposed to Eastwood, Jackman is a pretty boy and couldn’t really pull him off, they need experience in Westerns to prove they can act in the same vein as Eastwood.