2021 marks the forty-fifth anniversary of All the President's Men, the award-winning, William Goldman-penned story of the journalists who broke the news about Richard Nixon and the Watergate scandal. These days, political scandals seem more prevalent than ever, so there might be merit to revisiting a time when presidents were held accountable for their actions, both by their balances and by the press.
Because of the true nature of the story, there's not a whole lot of room to deviate hugely in appearance from the original cast. However, there's nothing wrong with a reliable cast of veterans either. Plus, some roles were relegated a bit in the original film and by bringing in powerhouse actors to elevate the roles (considering Woodward and Bernstein are well-known by now), a reimagining would certainly find some merit in that deeper exploration.
Bob Woodward: Brad Pitt
The original Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) is one of the defining biopic-type creations ever put to screen. Since Redford has now retired, a casting director will have to look to a slightly younger generation of venerated character actors.
Enter Brad Pitt. This is a movie star part and Pitt can slip into absolutely any role, as well as carry a film himself. He's often considered a successor in Redford's wholesome, stoic lineage. There's no doubt he would do the role the immense justice it deserves.
Carl Bernstein: Ewan McGregor
Fortunately, All the President's Men is famously a two-hander, so Pitt would not have to shoulder the film all by himself. Another beloved character actor could be brought in as a ringer for Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman).
Plus, there's an added benefit to casting McGregor in anything. He has one of the most angelic singing voices of all-time. Might a double take on All the President's Men possibly lead to a musical adaptation? Why not, right?
Harry Rosenfeld: James Caan
Anyone who steps into the role of Harry Rosenfeld (Jack Warden) would have quite the lofty task. Warden is a legend in the industry, so it would only make sense to have another certified legend take on the always-on-edge editor role.
This one is a no-brainer for James Caan. The star of The Godfather and Elf clearly has the range, but he also has the perfect temperament. Caan is emblematic of exactly the kind of boss who makes people want to work for him because he's demanding.
Deep Throat: Matt Damon
The role of "Deep Throat" (Hal Holbrook, who recently passed away) is not quite a cameo. However, it is a more mysterious, iconic part that could prove to be a lot of fun when inserting one of the world's best surprise appearance actors into it.
Matt Damon has famously turned up in a limited capacity for films like Thor: Ragnarok and Interstellar. He's one of the best guys to get when a director wants a gravitas that never threatens to overshadow the story. Instead, Damon would be right at home in the shadows.
Ben Bradlee: Tom Hanks
Speaking of having fun with some of the casting, a remake of All the President's Men could also create a mini shared "universe" (if one can consider real life to be a universe) by bringing back Tom Hanks as Ben Bradlee (Jason Robards).
Now, Hanks obviously wasn't the journalist in the 1976 film. Instead, he occupied the role in The Post. He's actually one of the major bright spots of the slightly slapdash Steven Spielberg film, so a quick pop-in from Hanks would be most welcome.
Judy Hoback: Carla Gugino
Referencing the opening paragraph of this list, Judy Hoback (Jane Alexander) is a prime example of a character who could receive more due attention in a 2021 film. As one of the primary sources in the film, Hoback is a role that requires magnetism and trustworthiness.
Carla Gugino would be the perfect choice to strike this balance. She has the quality of one being unable to remove their eyes from a performance she gives. But she also has an innate sense of responsibility. Gugino is a reliable performer who could do justice by an expanded rule for Hoback.
Howard Simons: Al Michaels
Howard Simons (Martin Balsam), another editor, is a role that is begging for some outside-the-box casting. This list is filled with top-of-the-line stars, but many of them would likely demand huge paydays. Therefore, Simons would be a chance for the hypothetical filmmaker to step back for inspiration.
This isn't to say that Al Michaels wouldn't be in demand. But his acting fee would certainly be cheaper than Brad Pitt's. Yes, Michaels is most-known for being a sports commentator, but he has the range (and more importantly, the screen presence) to pull off Simons. Plus, he comes with the all-too-valuable familiarity that is begging to be played with in a bout of stunt casting.
Hugh Sloan: Jeffrey Donovan
Jeffrey Donovan knows a thing or two about stunt casting. After all, he starred as Dodd Gerhardt in the second season of Fargo, a show known for such a practice. Yet, it's exactly Fargo that proves Donovan could hang with the rest of this stacked cast.
He fits in well in a 1970s ensemble and has range beyond Burn Notice to become Hugh Sloan (Stephen Collins). As a White House aide/upshot hotshot, Donovan would definitely be able to deftly capture a character who is still waiting for a bigger opportunity.
Martin Dardis: John Goodman
Martin Dardis (Ned Beatty) is not just an investigator who fires off connections with immense confidence. He's also a slightly warm presence who signifies to those around him that he can flip into intensity at a moment's notice.
Obviously, Beatty was perfect in this performance. Someone like John Goodman is the only one who could come close to matching Beatty's energy. The benefit of casting Goodman, though, is that his own acting nature is so specific that he would match Beatty by doing something different, rather than trying to top the screen legend.
Deborah Sloan: Saoirse Ronan
Saoirse Ronan makes everything better. Heed this. Plus, any chance she can have to go for that Oscar, she should take, because she deserves it. If Ronan stepped in as another young political aide, the Deborah Sloan (Meredith Baxter) character could likely be elevated to one with top billing behind it.
After all, different perspectives are always valuable and a new take on the film would have to eschew the focus on Woodward and Bernstein a little bit. Sloan would be an optimal entry point for that and Ronan is just a must-have for any top-of-the-line drama.