The Specialists

On Tuesday, we cast the title characters from The Specialists movie, which is in pre-pre-pre-production (that’s the stage where no movie studio has considered making the movie, or is even aware of the property). Today we’ll continue with casting of Die Übermenschen and the supporting cast. Again, Shawn’s incoherent babblings are in blue and Al’s reasoned observations are in red.

Die Hexe

Rooney Mara. She was great in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and with her hair worn in a less punky style, she looks perfect.

I haven’t seen the Hollywood version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, so I can neither confirm nor deny your choice of Ms. Mara. Since I am lacking any ideas as to a viable alternative, I will accept your proposal.

Panzer

I’m going to suggest Robert Maillet (300, Sherlock Holmes) because, well, he’s huge.

Oh, that’s a good choice. However, I think that Panzer is a character that probably requires the CG and mo-cap treatment. I don’t think makeup could produce a convincing metal man. Still, if we had to choose an actor, I’d prefer to go with someone like Maillet over a more predictable choice like an in-his-prime Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Baron Crossbones

Christoph Waltz, who was so amazing in Inglorious Basterds, would make the perfect Baron von Schädel. I was blown away by his ability to be outwardly charming while maintaining an undercurrent of menace. He might be concerned about being pigeonholed as a Nazi, but hey, this is our fantasy; he can deal with it.

Christoph Walz is a good choice. I might also put forth Hugo Weaving, had he not already turned in his own top-notch Nazi villain performance as Red Skull. A less conventional choice would be reliable German character actor Thomas Kretschmann (though, now that I’ve considered it, he’ll probably show up as my choice for another Uber…)

My gonzo, go-for-broke, crazy German wacko choice would be Klaus Kinski (I think he might play the Baron a bit more over the top though; still, he’d be interesting to watch).

Geist

I’ll go ahead and mention Thomas Kretschmann again. (And by the way, I know we don’t have to pick bona fide Germans to play the Ubers.) A young (Dead Zone-era) Christopher Walken would be fun to see in the part, or perhaps creepy character actor Brad Dourif.

I’m not familiar with Kretshmann’s work, but he’d look good in the roll. But I really like your young Walken idea. Before he turned self-aware and kooky, he was intense and kind of creepy. He’d be great as the cruel and sadistic Ingo Rosenheim.

Kapitän Deutschland

He’d have to bulk up a bit, but I’d like to see Michael Pitt in this role. I hadn’t been much impressed with him in the past, but his performance in Boardwalk Empire changed my mind.

I was pretty impressed by Michael Pitt’s work on Boardwalk Empire, but I think I might pick Tom Hardy; he’s played some diverse roles, from vicious thug (Bronson) to cooly arrogant professional (Inception).

I can also see a younger Ralph Fiennes in the part (think of his chilling performance in Schindler’s List).

Max Schnell

I’ll admit to having spent very little time considering an actor for this Uber. I’m willing to agree to any suggestion(s) you might have.

Okay, I’ve got a suggestion that will blow your mind: Jerry “the Beav” Mathers. Think about it… no, don’t think about it, it’s silly. I got nothin’.

General Hightower

I like John Slattery for General Hightower. He may be a little young for the role, but he certainly looks the part and has a certain kind of gruff charm that I think would fit right in.

Slattery’s not bad, but I’d like him better if he were ten years older. How about John Mahoney (the father from Frasier and Say Anything)? He can kind of straddle the line between being gruff and avuncular, which is good for Hightower.

Good job using the word “avuncular”. I salute you!

Frank Goetz

For pushy/whiny Frank Goetz, I can’t think of anyone better than Joe Pesci, though perhaps a bit younger than he is today. I can totally picture him getting in Max’s face and demanding “What do you do, kid?”

Another superhero movie beat us to the punch by casting Stanley Tucci (and in a role that seems diametrically opposite that of Goetz). Still, this is a hypothetical discussion, so what the hell? If not Tucci, then maybe Steve Buscemi.

That’s three fine actors that Captain America stole from us: Stanley Tucci, Hugo Weaving, and Tommy Lee Jones (whom I would have suggested for Hightower if he hadn’t already played the general in that other movie). And they already stole the concept of a patriotic super-soldier! Won’t they ever be satisfied?

Doktor Metzger

I mentioned Brad Dourif earlier and I think he’d be a good fit here as well. Alternately, I think the late, great Peter Lorre would make a fantastic Mad Doktor.

Lorre would be great, as would Ronald Lacey, who played Major Toht in Raiders of the Lost Ark. He was super-creepy.

Ox

Sgt. Oxley is a big teddy bear of a guy. How about a young Ron Perlman?

Ron Perlman would do in a pinch, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him as much of a teddy bear. This is a tough one to cast. How about Adam Baldwin from around the same time as My Bodyguard?

Have you forgotten the old Beauty and the Beast TV show? Though I guess he was more of a cat-man in that. Still I like Adam Baldwin better. You win this round!

And that’s that. As before, please give us your recommendations in the comments (especially since we dropped the ball on Max Schnell)!