As is the current trend with all red hot video game franchises, Resident Evil has spawned a number of Hollywood films bearing its name. And as is the trend with those films, all of the characters were poorly casted (not to mention poorly portrayed) by some soulless, greedy suit who has never even played the games.
Instead of utilizing the many multifaceted video game characters as the main protagonist in Paul W. S. Anderson’s abominations, they chose to invent one out of thin air. Don’t get me wrong, Milla Jovovich possesses decent acting chops and her looks were pretty much the only reason to keep watching after the elevator scene, but why break what doesn’t need to be fixed? That would be like giving Lara Croft a cybernetic arm and a talking chimp sidekick voiced by Robin Williams.
If Capcom were to ever follow in the Dark Knight’s ever-wise footprints by eradicating the previous Resident Evil movies and starting from scratch, these are the actors and actresses who would not only talk the talk, but walk the walk when it comes to cracking zombie skulls and solving obscure puzzles while a room fills with noxious gas. If you like what you see, be sure to check out GEN’s previous Casting Couches as well: Left 4 Dead, Street Fighter, and Gears of War.
Chris Redfield-Eric Bana
Claire Redfield-Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Leon Kennedy-Jared Padalecki
Jill Valentine-Olivia Wilde
Albert Wesker-Christian Bale
Ada Wong-Maggie Q
Steve Burnside-Thomas Dekker
Ashley Graham-Elisha Cuthbert
Billy Coen-Jason Behr
Rebecca Chambers-Natalie Portman
Carlos Oliviera-Ben Barnes
William Birkin-Edward Norton
Alfred Ashford-Cillian Murphy
Ramon Salazar-Andy Serkis
Barry Burton-Brendan Gleeson
Tofu-Bruce Campbell
Do you agree? Who would you like to see in your favorite character’s shoes?
March 9th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Amazing!! Great job with these. I love the Tofu Campbell one the best! lol
March 9th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Oh my god, inspired choices Melissa. I particularly like Olivia Wilde as Jill and Thomas Dekker as Steve. I can picture him saying “Sowrrry Claire” now…Also, Cililan Murphy! Hello perfect!
March 9th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Awesome choices. My favorite has to be Natalie Portman, but that’s probably because I’m biased and she’s always gonna be gangsta in my eyes now after The Lonely Island.
March 9th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
The Jill art even looks exactly like Olivia Wilde, nicely done Melissa. I would have just put all Megan Fox and Adriana Limas, even for the male roles.
Natalie Portman does have the looks, but like Cupcake said, she’s a little too gangsta for her own good. Rebecca proved she is no pushover when it comes to killing giant bats in RE0, but she is still extremely girly in a way.
It’d be nice to have Christian Bale in a villain role again though, especially now that everyone has seen his darker side (pun seriously not intended).
March 9th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
good choices and good review!
March 9th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Carlos Oliviera-Ben Barnes is my favorite! The choice of actors are all very good.
I think I would be a better Ramon Salazar though
March 9th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Looks expensive.
March 9th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Thanks guys!
Haha, @Molotov I thought so too! I guess I just couldn’t get that lonely island rap outta my head…
@Jill, I love cillian murphy for it, and I totally got the idea from breakfast on pluto! Have you seen it?
March 9th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
William, you and me are done. Professionally.
Melissa, no, I haven’t seen that one but I just looked it up and it makes perfect sense!
March 10th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Ahaha @ Salazar, nice.
The choices are amazing and you line them up with good profile comparisons and put up a convincing selection I must say… I’m not sure about the Leon though, but some of these choices bare uncanny resemblances; if only the directors could see this!
Luckily, Degeneration was fantabulous, unlike the rest of the movies that keep spawning about our zombie-hunting (hollywood?) Resi flicks.
March 11th, 2009 at 6:38 am
Mmm Ashley Cuthbert. She’s a bit too old by now to retain the perv factor, perhaps?
March 11th, 2009 at 7:20 am
The choices really are amazing, and I’m 200% happy that you didn’t include Johnny Depp as a choice. Andy Serkis as Salazar had me laughing and nodding in agreement for a good long while. And anything with Cillian Murphy is golden in my book.
Great list!
March 12th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Shit, Cillian Murphy is perfect!
So is Elisha Cuthbert—she already has the whole “annoying and stupid” thing down from 24. Ohhhh, snap!
March 14th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
Excellent, excellent first post Melissa! I can’t believe how close most of these match!
April 24th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Nice choices overall but I think you guys blew it with your choice for Barry Burton.
Here’s who should play him:
Jeff Daniels!
The photo below is a comparison between Barry Burton and Jeff. Take a look!
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee150/re4all/barry_jeff.jpg
May 1st, 2009 at 9:50 am
that looks really good to me
but i think sienna guillory as jill was great. i mean olivia wilde would have been a good choice too, but the jill from the games look more like sienna than like olivia but that picture seems to be from olivia
June 21st, 2009 at 7:18 am
so looool! thomas is the best! as steve
July 30th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
friggin awsome
July 31st, 2009 at 2:02 am
i love mary elizabeth winstead to be claire redfield
August 1st, 2009 at 5:59 pm
hollo thomas dekker an steven bunrside perfect ko. jill valentine an olivia wilde nouuuuuuuu perfect. wesker an cristian bale noooooooooooooooo perfect. leon an jaded padalecki nouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu is mierct
August 14th, 2009 at 11:39 am
omg!!!!!! perfect!!!!!! mary elizabeth winstead as claire is genius!!!
August 15th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
For Leon try with Sean CW Johnson (Red Ranger of Lightspeed Rescue)and for Chris Redfield I like Jensen Ackles or Ben Affleck.
But anyways.. I also had in my mind of Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Claire.. good Cast
September 17th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
awesome
regarding barry burton
i thought on chris meloni from law & order svu.
when i saw the pic that RED posted of barry
he just looks identical to meloni
the other one im not so sure is ada wong…