Casting Couch: Super Edition
Tue, April 13, 2010 
Yes, the casting couch, in its most original design, was supposed to be a weekly article, in which I gave my opinion, and possibly that of TMT as a whole, of whom should be cast in upcoming epic movies. Unfortunately, due to swaying changes both in and out of the TMT world, we had an obvious lapse in our intended continuity. And I missed the opportunity to give my thoughts on Captain America before Chris Evans was announced for the role. (I would have used Thor’s little brother Liam Hemsworth)
So, in an effort to somewhat make amends, I’m tackling the big one. The queen mother of casting dilemmas. Today I cast Superman.
This edition is going to be a little different than the previous, because, one, I’m going to provide three hopefuls for the lead character with a nod to my personal favorite, although it’ll never happen. Then, two, with such an important supporting cast, I’ll give ideas on who should be slotted in those places as well. So, without further ado…
Scott Porter: Most of the masses know him as Jason Street from television’s Friday Night Lights. A few others might have seen him as Rex Racer in The Wachowski Brothers’ Speed Racer. Okay, you’re right. No one saw that. He even did some work on As the World Turns, but we won’t count that against him. Even George Clooney did his time in the soap opera world. Okay, bad analogy. I just remembered that ghastly performance as Batman that Clooney crapped out for us. Anyway, if you’re still not familiar with Porter, you can check out the rest of his acting resumé HERE.
Travis Van Winkle: Funny name. Serious look. This guy’s face is almost too chiseled, but I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt. I have to admit that I caught Meet the Spartans on HBO awhile back, and it was then that I noticed Van Winkle for the first time. Well, that and the mediocre performance as that dickhead in 2009’s remake of Friday the 13th. I think that was the actual name for that character. Looking over the rest of his work, which you can do as well HERE , I think if he can shed that frat boy persona that goes hand in hand with his look, which and ACTOR should be able to do, he might really be in the running for this role.
Henry Cavill: If any of you readers follow internet message boards related to casting or movie rumors, which I would expect you do if you’re reading this, you’ll know that Cavill has been a heavy fan favorite for this role even before Brandon Routh was chosen for Returns. I can’t really disagree here. In my opinion, the decision on casting should be even more dependant on acting ability than looks. Yes, there’s a certain amount of importance riding on a basic resemblance to the character, which Cavill meets, but remember, different artist have portrayed Superman with only similar physical attributes over the years. The real constant is his presence. So, we need an actor that can pull off this god-like being that was raised with the most humble morals of middle America. Watch the Tudors and see what you think.
I’ll just quickly mention two other names that I personally wouldn’t mind. Jim Caviezel, in my opinion, would be perfect. Especially if we were to ever see a team up with Christian Bale’s Batman. I’ve been told it’ll never happen with him. The other name, and I’m probably going to be stoned for this, but if they went with the Alex Ross version, I’d suggest Chris Noth. Hell, Routh could even cameo in a flashback. But that’s really reaching on all parts.
Now, on to Luthor. He’s almost as pivotal as Superman, because the ultimate good guy needs the ultimate bad guy to play off. I was actually really excited, when I heard Kevin Spacey had been cast in Returns. He was just given the wrong material. With that said, I’m going to have to cast my vote for Timothy Olyphant. And no, its not just because he played a bald guy in Hitman. Its more for his performance as the villain in Live Free or Die Hard. He was cold, calculating and collected the entire time he was wreaking absolute havoc to the entire country. Plus, he has a naturally sinister look. Even when he’s smiling, he looks like he’s hiding a secret or an ulterior motive. My back up plan on this one would be Olyphant’s co-star in Die Hard, Bruce Willis. Again, this depends on the version of the characters approached by the writers. Also, Nolan nodded to his intentions to mimic Donner’s approach to casting, in that he would pick an unknown for the lead role and surround him by already established stars.
Lois Lane has always been an easy pick for me. Jennifer Morrison, from Fox’s House just embodies that character. And its not just because I dated a girl by the same name in high school, either. She carries a pouty smirk that’s both adorable and irritating, depending upon which end of the conversation you land. She can play the strong, passionate persona without making it feel forced, too. Please, just don’t even argue.
Keeping with the talent of Fox, I’d put Hugh Laurie in the editor’s chair of The Daily Planet as Perry White. You may remember that he was also my pick for J. Jonah Jameson in the Spiderman reboot. After seeing him as a leader and mentor figure on House for so long, I just picture him as the boss. I’m hoping the new film will portray Perry as a little edgier, more influential character, too.
And finally, if it has to be discussed, there’s Clark’s little buddy Jimmy Olson. I’ve got to say, I thought Lois and Clark got it right with their first casting of Jimmy. There’s no need to make him overly annoying. He’s a good use of comedic relief and a source of respect for both Clark and Superman. For that, I’d choose Ben Feldman. He’s kind of a smaller guy and can work well with sarcasm, which would play well with Perry.
I’ve pretty well covered the main characters that we know will be in the film. As more information about the story and the characters involved is released, I’ll revisit this article and possibly add a few more picks for additional characters. I know that this is a touchy subject for many of you. I, just like you, have been following forums for years. And I’ve seen tons of proposals from different fans. These are my picks, but I always love to hear feedback from the readers. Good or bad. So, the shooting gallery is officially open. Bring it on.
Reader Comments (8)
Great article Mike. Haven't really heard anything from you in a while.
You've been carrying to torch too fast for me to keep up. Great job.
Timothy Olyphant is great idea for Luthor and I agree about spacey
I actually hope the next super man is fuckin ripped, a good actor as well, but just fuckin ripped
i agree dave, but what about when hes clark? should he be huge then as well?
They based the returns superman too much on reeves look and not supermans, i hope the new director gets reeves out of their head
Great picks.
Travis Van Winkle definitely fits the "ripped" criteria. He's actually becoming my front runner pick. And Angela, yes. Its fine for him to be noticeably attractive as Clark as well. The era that Goyer is using as a reference actually mentions Clark keeping a weight set around to excuse his appearance.