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Author	Topic: New Movie News: Good Casting/Bad Casting!!

dantoris Standard Userer	First, the good news. George Lucas announced that Christopher Lee has been cast in Episode II (character unknown). Well, at least there's one thing to look forward to. Now, the bad news. Everything is pointing in the direction of Ben Affleck to become the new Jack Ryan, after Harrison Ford turned the upcoming film (I believe it was) The Sum of Fears. Now, Affleck is certainly no Harrison Ford, but I have nothing against him. He's still a fine actor, but he is just totally wrong for Jack Ryan. He's too young. My bet would be to go with Kurt Russell, especially since Jack Ryan ultimately becomes President of the United States in the novel Executive Orders. Ford has already played the President, so it's likely he wouldn't do it anyway. But at least with Kurt Russell, we'd get to see a new actor play President. At least, that is, if the producers are hoping to head that way if Fears is a success. Anyway, I think Affleck is wrong and they should go with Kurt Russell for Jack Ryan. Could prove to be a better choice than Ford was, though that's nothing against him. Just me rambling.
posted 07-11-2000 12:50 PM PT (US)

Chris Kinsinger Standard Userer	WHY would Ben Affleck be chosen over the original Jack Ryan, Alec Baldwin? Don't get me wrong, I'm not a big Baldwin fan, but at least some consistency would survive in this film series if he was hired!
posted 07-11-2000 09:08 PM PT (US)

Chris Kinsinger Standard Userer	P.S.: I love Christopher Lee...and this announcement insures that I shall remove my cash from my wallet to see George's next Star Wars movie. But my hopes will remain as low as the tip of Jar Jar Bink's tongue as it drags across the battlefield. Mr. Lucas will have to earn my trust, because he has (after American Graffiti 2, Howard The Duck, The Ewok Adventure, Radioland Murders, and The Phantom Menace) LOST ME!!!
posted 07-11-2000 09:14 PM PT (US)

dantoris Standard Userer	Agreed. Christopher Lee is one of the actors who is simply always amazing to watch, period. He can make any bad film watchable, or any good film already more enjoyable. Even his small role in Sleepy Hollow (which I was unaware of) was great! NP: Mission: Impossible rejected - "The Basement/Elevator Problems" ***/***
posted 07-11-2000 10:19 PM PT (US)

Marian Schedenig Standard Userer	And don't forget that we'll also see him as Saruman in the upcoming LOTR trilogy!
posted 07-12-2000 09:14 AM PT (US)

Mark Olivarez Standard Userer	Ben Affleck??? NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes to Christopher Lee. He is a favorite of mine. [This message has been edited by Mark Olivarez (edited 12 July 2000).] [This message has been edited by Mark Olivarez (edited 12 July 2000).]
posted 07-12-2000 07:21 PM PT (US)

SEBULBA Standard Userer	Jimmy Smitts has also been cast in the film as Senator Bail Organa, Leia's stepfather. Interesting choice. And Christopher Lee will play a "charismatic separatist." And according to the Hollywood reporter, Affleck has been cast in hopes of drawing in a younger crowd so that the Jack Ryan franchise can continue. Oh great, more with Affleck. [This message has been edited by SEBULBA (edited 13 July 2000).] [This message has been edited by SEBULBA (edited 13 July 2000).]
posted 07-13-2000 02:19 PM PT (US)

Chase MacDonald unregistered	As much as I do like Kurt Russell and think he's a fantastic actor, I think the perfect Jack Ryan would be Mark Harmon. This guy has been underrated for years, and I think he would make an excellant choice. He's got that "everyday man" thing down to a T, and I think he would be the best choice for the role. Ford is good, but I never cared much for Alec Baldwin (I like him as well, but not as Ryan). I know the studios would never even consider Harmon, seeing as how he's not what they would consider an "A list" actor, but I think given the chance, he could be excellant in the role. [This message has been edited by Chase MacDonald (edited 13 July 2000).]
posted 07-13-2000 02:55 PM PT (US)

H Rocco Standard Userer	Affleck is a preposterous choice for Jack Ryan -- WAY too young and callow. On the other hand, Ford, nearly sixty, is getting too old (unless they address this in some way, as the later Clint Eastwood pictures did, but I have the feeling Ford is too vain for that.) The average filmgoer, however, is not going to give a damn as long as the story features the requisite number of explosions. I don't think "Jack Ryan" is really regarded as a franchise as such, any more than the MISSION IMPOSSIBLE pictures really had much to do wih the original TV show -- they're just Tom Cruise action vehicles, and his character in them is the same one he usually plays -- Tom Cruise. They could have called it TOM CRUISE: STUFF BLOWING UP, and it would have reached the same audience. Hell, a lot of people probably thought that AIR FORCE ONE was a sequel to CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER, and didn't even realize that PATRIOT GAMES was nominally a sequel (the only continuing player through the series so far is James Earl Jones, who's in every third movie made in Hollywood anyway.) If Affleck were to be cast as Ryan, that would mean they've rethought the whole structure. The mercurial Tom Clancy mostly hates the films anyway, but apparently can't do much about them. He's tried repeatedly to get control of his novels away from Paramount, but he may well have sold the Jack Ryan trademark, for what little it's worth -- I'd not be surprised if he's withheld his subsequent STORIES, but Paramount probably owns the NAME. Nobody's going to buy Affleck as the President of the US at his age, so perhaps they don't even have the rights to the Clancy story, and are just spinning a new espionage thriller around the character's name. (I'm completely shooting in the dark here.) Christopher Lee is an inspired choice for Saruman, and I look forward to his STAR WARS role. Hmm, as a nod to his many teamings with Peter Cushing, perhaps the character should be a relative of Moff Tarkin ... and hmm again, with the technology getting to the level it is, who's to say Lucas won't digitize Peter Cushing so that Tarkin can have a role as well ... [This message has been edited by H Rocco (edited 13 July 2000).]
posted 07-13-2000 03:02 PM PT (US)

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