Who should play which role? I’ve come up with a few options…
I’ve been vocally frustrated and openly against all the Disney remakes that are occurring, especially those that aren’t actually live-action (looking at you, Lion King). However, Hercules is one I welcome. From the independent Meg to the whole story being told through the Muses, there’s a lot that Disney can come back to and revisit that a lot of their other movies wouldn’t allow them to (though that hasn’t stopped them from trying to force it… Aladdin). All that being said, I think Hercules also is weird enough to allow for some really fun casting choices.
Here are the options I dreamt up. I chose at least two potential actors per role. Let me know if I missed any obvious ones, or there are some out-of-left-field choices that would work well.
Hercules Dream Casting
Hercules: Felix Mallard, Nicholas Hamilton, Taron Egerton, Aaron Taylor Johnson
In my opinion, the actor playing Hercules needs to be young, and not incredibly well known. He’s supposed to be between 16-18 in the movie! So I don’t want to see any of the Chrises (Evans, Pratt, Hemsworth, or Pine) or any other superhero actor in this role–outside of maybe Tom Holland, though I don’t think he can pack the required muscle on. Taron Egerton is my leading choice (have you seen Rocketman?), and we know he can lead a franchise (Kingsmen).
Phil: Danny DeVito, Zach Galifinakis
There’s really only one choice here, and that’s recasting DeVito. He’s perfect, and his work on It’s Always Sunny proves that. On the off chance that he turns it down, I think Galifinakis could make an interesting choice and would take it in a different direction rather than getting some actor to do a DeVito impression.
Hades: Jeff Goldblum, Ted Danson, Jim Carrey
There’s honestly so many great options here, but Goldblum would have so much fun with it. I think he edges out the competition based on his acting in Thor, as that’s the kind of Hades I’m imagining here.
Megara: Aubrey Plaza, Emma Stone, Elizabeth Gillies
I don’t want to hear any of this “Ariana is perfect.” No, she’s not. She cannot pull off the sass required. All three of the above actors can, and I would be down for any of them.
The Muses: Amber Riley, Janelle Monae, Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Rowland, Keke Palmer, Lizzo, Tinashe, Coco Jones, SZA
There are so many great options here. I don’t like Beyonce, and she had her moment with The Lion King, so that’s why she’s not on this list. Let someone else in for a change. My only must on this list is Janelle Monae because I adore her.
Zeus: Hugh Jackman, John Stamos
Both have greek heritage, and both would make great Zeus-Dads. Jackman edges out Stamos with the muscle.
Hera: Jennifer Aniston, Amy Sedaris
Again, both have Greek heritage, and both could play well off of the aforementioned Zeus actors. I think Sedaris would play the perfect foil to Jackman, and their role could be slightly expanded because of it.
Pain & Panic: Eric Andre & Hannibal Burress, Nick Kroll & John Mulaney
Both are phenomenal comedic duos that are distinct from one another, and both would bring a certain flair to it. Personally, I’d love an Andre-Burress team up, but Eric was just in The Lion King as well, so Kroll and Mulaney (maybe playing their “Oh, Hello” characters) would be hilarious.
Cyclops: Jason Mantzoukas
I want Mantzoukas to be part of this project somehow because he’s Greek and he’s finally getting the recognition he deserves. Whether it’s Maximum Derek, Dennis Feinstein, Pimento or Rafi, I’m 100% on board.
What do you think? Am I wrong on all fronts? Lemme know.
Alastair Heinrichs 