The Chronicles FILMED!

Post by **burgs** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 1:12 am

Unfortunately, with the absence of William Hurt or Anthony Hopkins (it's 25 years later), I don't really think that any current "hot" actor has what it takes to play Covenant.

Post by **Iryssa** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:03 am

Burgs makes a good point...they sure don't make 'em like they used to, do they?
Caamora makes a good point too, though...Johnny Depp is amazing, and he can do so many different roles...the only thing with that is how people would go in there expecting him to be this heart-throb hero again (and TC is nothing of the sort)...Depp's tried very hard to avoid that image, but somehow, it simply will not die...

Post by **burgs** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 12:00 pm

I think that Depp's portrayal of a tortured soul - which he portrays well - isn't right for Covenant. We wouldn't be seeing TC's tortured soul, IMHO, we'd be seeing straight through to Depp.

Hmm...how about Ewan McGregor? He has tremendous range.

Post by **amanibhavam** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 1:12 pm

Now with the passing of Marlon Brando I might mention my opinion that he would've made a great TC, had it been made fifty years ago.

Post by **Haruchai** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 11:54 am

Hadn't thought of Ewan McGregor before, but it could work.

Post by **CovenantJr** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 2:17 pm

Hmmm.... At a stretch, I might be able to fit Ewan into Hile Troy's shades, but not TC himself.

Post by **I'm Murrin** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 2:23 pm

CovenantJr wrote:I might be able to fit Ewan into Hile Troy's shades

An interesting thought - and you know, it might just work...

Post by **burgs** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 2:30 pm

This is the beauty of literature. We all have different perceptions of what we think TC looks like. The only person who really knows what TC looks like is SRD, and if he says that 25 yrs ago Hopkins would have fit the role, then that's probably the closest we can get to TC's mien.

Because of Michael Whelan's horrendous cover art (at its absolute worst on The Illearth War), I always saw TC as depicted on the cover of The Wounded Land. With that image in mind, Ewan McGregor seems a good fit for me today, and is why I can't imagine someone like Johnny Depp or Keanu Reeves (who can't act his way out of a nut sack) in the role. 25 years ago, I would have pegged William Hurt as a good fit.

Let's just hope that they make the movie first, and then pray that it is cast reasonably well. There where a few mistakes in LOTR, imnsho, but it still worked.

Post by **CovenantJr** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 3:20 pm

Check out the pics of SRD in the Elohimfest Album - knock a few years off him and he is TC

Post by **wayfriend** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 8:56 pm

CovenantJr wrote:Check out the pics of SRD in the Elohimfest Album - knock a few years off him and he is TC

I've always suspected that myself.

So we just need to look for an actor that resembles SRD ...

Post by **burgs** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 9:44 pm

...William Hurt...kinda...

Yeah, I'm biased. But he certainly seems to be Covenant-like in his own life.

Post by **Seafoam Understone** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 4:26 am

I'm thinking now-a-days... Gary Oldman (or did someone already come up with him?)

Post by **burgs** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 4:37 am

I don't know, but I was thinking the same thing today while reading W.A. Senior's book. He definitely has the emotional range.

Post by **ur-bane** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 10:46 am

I believe that not one single actor I've seen could portray the role of Covenant. There is a depth to his character that would make it difficult to portray.
But, if ever a film was made (which quite frankly I am not so sure I want to see it, since I don't want a director's view to taint my own mind's view of the Land.) I would hope that the actor chosen was not anyone we have seen before. I for one want to have no basis for comparison, and therefore no expectations from the actors themselves.

But, as long as names are being mentioned, one person recently reminded me of what I picture when I see Covenant in my mind, and that is Ashton Kutcher (The Butterfly Effect. While he was unkempt and "scrubby" in that movie, without even thinking about it, an image of Covenant and his self-proclaimed "fanatic" look popped into my head.

Post by **Seafoam Understone** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 2:37 am

Well, I sat around (waiting for the bus ... an hour) and thought about the various movies I've seen Oldman in:
Bram Stoker's Dracula (title character...natch)
The Fifth Element (as a Billionare Southern boy)
Sid and Nancy (as Sid Vicious)
JFK (as Lee Harvey Oswald)
True Romance (as a jive talking, rasta haired, home-boy wanna be white-boy pimp)
Immortal Beloved (as Beethoven)
Air Force One (as a Russian terrorist)
Lost In Space (Dr. Smith...sorry Gary but the original was MUCH better...we're doomed!)
Hannibal (Mason Verger... also uncredited for some reason)
and of course Harry Potter's Sirus Black
(word! He'll be in the next Batman Movie as Sgt. James Gordon)

But consider the broad variety of characters this man has portrayed I think under the right direction he would do very well with the Covenant paradoxial character. But then, that's just me.
Most actors are able to work with a good script and go from there. But a great actor would take the time to read the books that the script is based on because they know that screenplays are not (always) capable of fleshing out the character in question.
Peter Jackson's Masterpiece LOTR was well portrayed by all the actors/actresses because each had read the series to some degree or another and thus had the background needed.
I think (IF TCTC were ever made to film) that the Covenant actor be encouraged to read (if they haven't already) the series in full before doing one minute of screen time then we (the fanatical fans) would have a shot at being very pleased at seeing Thomas on screen.

Post by **A Gunslinger** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 2:50 am

Oldman is good. What about Guy Pierce?

Post by **burgs** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 3:47 am

Sheesh. Talk about a difficult role to cast.

I wish I was a casting agent, with access to headshots to plaster over my wall.

Post by **shrike** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 1:23 pm

I'm surprised Billy Bob Thornton didn't get much agreeance. The character he portayed in Bad Santa was such an unpleasant a-hole yet redeemed somewhat at the end (plus the t-shirt and scruffy beard), was just how I pictured Covenant to look and act. If anybody ever ends up playing Covenant in a movie they are going to have to throw away the charm.

Here's an unusual idea for Mhoram. How about the guy who played Sargeant Zeke Anderson in Tour of Duty (Terence Knox I think his name was)

Post by **Ninquelote** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 10:30 pm

Oldman was my choice, MIINE!

...I got some great pics of him some time ago...just don't have the energy to find them again

Post by **burgs** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 11:45 pm

Without a photo of every male who might be fit to play the part on my wall, my choice would be Gary Oldham today. I still think William Hurt would have done the role justice 25 yrs ago.

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Kevin's Watch

The Chronicles FILMED!