Well Pierce Brosnan might be stepping down as James Bond, who would make a good replacement (if Die Another Day proves successful at the box office), I wonder, and so should you. If you don't why are you hanging around a fanboy movie website.
That mental train led me to wonder which pseudo-stars (or fanboy favorites) would prove adequate, or just plain weird, replacements for established franchise characters?
Yes, boys and girls, it's High Concept Casting, yet again! Here are some of mine
Bruce Campbell as James Bond (okay, wrong nationality, but hey this is my fantasy)
Fred Dryer as Dirty Harry Callahan (his run as Hunter made me think that it could work, really - WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING AT ME!?!)
The Rock as John Rambo
Who would make a good Bandit? Sheriff Buford T. Justice? Rocky Balboa?
Rocky Balboa - Matt LeBlanc
Buford T. Justice - Possibly John Goodman with a bad accent, although I think a shorter pudgy actor would work better. William Shatner maybe.
A British actor for Bond? How about Chris Barrie? That would be really weird. Then again, he could play him as Ace Rimmer and it might work. Probably a better choice than Hugh Grant.
I've often thought John Lithgow would make a good Col. Klink, if Hogan's Heroes ever got to the big screen. Just imagine Dick Solomon with a monocle and a German accent. Then John Goodman could play Shultz. Mel Gibson could be Hogan. Christopher Walken could be Maj. Hochstetter and Gen. Burkhalter could be played by Joss Ackland.
Then there's Adam Sandler as Gilligan and John Goodman as the Skipper (we really need more lovable fat guys in Hollywood).
Jim Carrey as Freddy Kruger. Could you imagine?
I would have gone to see a Bond film with Malcolm McDowell as the bad guy and Fred Ward as the unrefined American agent. Sort of a "James Bond meets Remo Williams" thing.
While I am at it, and in a "Time Machine" moment - I think that Rod Taylor would have made a good Bond. Every time I want to see some understated classic acting I pull "The Time Machine" off the shelf. The quiet camaraderie between him and Alan Young is excellent. They played up to that big time in the remake, but it took an effects shot to push the point home. In the original it was all about two old friends who were comfortable around each other. Obviously Rod's penchant for tripping through time caused his friend some worry.
Peter O'Toole as James Bond
This doesn't really fit with the recast actors bit, but it does sort of fit with the producer bit.
I was lucky enough to see 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY in a real theater the other day. Of course, seeking a smartass comment while walking out of the theater with my friends I said "Man, that movie would've been so much better if it ended with a song by Smash Mouth."
Of course, we couldn't get rid of the picture of the incongruity of replacing "Thus Spake Zarathustra" at the end with Smash Mouth's "All-Star". It just fit too terribly well. Made me think it would be hilarious to rescore the movie with the godawful pop music of today.
Well, maybe it would only make me laugh, but it would be worth it.
Hugh Grant as Bond and Steve Buscemi as the bad guy. Oh Yeah. Why not Hugh, he plays a Bond character in all of his films (dashing , reckless , ass hole,) had a gun in Mickey Blue Eyes. If he gained a few pounds and cut his hair (like in About A Boy) it could work.
Maybe Tom Hanks as Bond to counter Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt in MI.
I saw a funny idea somewhere to cast Sean Connery as Papa Smurf in a Smurf adaptation.
Heath Ledger as He-Man?
I would also love to see Jackie Chan (as a good guy) fight Jet Li (as a bad guy) cuz Jet Li is one mean dude, (see the One or Lethal Weapon 4 for confirmation)
Carrot Top as OJ SImpson in a movie about his trial, "Nicole would never call collect, damn her"
And what about Wayne Knight. (Newman). Isnt he a lovable fat man?
Wayne Knight! Of course! Still, he wouldn't make a good Buford T. Justice or a good Sgt. Shultz.
Love the idea of Connery as Papa Smurf, or maybe Ian McKellan. Better yet, how about Frank from Trading Spaces as Papa Smurf. I think it's about time he had his own movie :)