Chris Parnell, who voices Cyril Figgis on the long-running animated sitcom Archer, gives his thoughts on Jon Hamm's fan-casting as the secret agent Sterling Archer in a possible live-action film adaptation. Archer follows the narcissistic and clever eponymous main character and parodies espionage while also making commentary on culture, society, and the human condition. The show, which debuted in 2009 and is still running, has received wide critical acclaim and has even racked up four Primetime Emmy Awards during its run. But like many animated shows, there has been a discussion about what a potential live-action Archer movie may look like and its cast.
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant's Grant Hermanns, Parnell discussed the possibility of an Archer movie and whether he thought it would be better to remain in the animated format or adapt a live-action feature film. Parnell, who also revealed that production for Archer season 14 is already underway, said that he didn't expect himself and the rest of the voice cast to necessarily be able to play their respective characters in a live-action format. He also commented on the possibility of casting Jon Hamm in the live-action role of Archer for the prospective movie. Check out Parnell's full quote below:
"I'd love it if it happened, especially if I was involved with it. If it happens, that would be very cool. But, I don't know that there's an assurance that any of us would get to play our actual characters. I think, if anything, it might be more likely to have an animated movie version of the show, but I'm open to whatever. I don't know that you're gonna get too many actors who want to have their voices dubbed in English. [Chuckles] He is a fun guy, he's a good guy. I don't know how he'd feel about that. I can't speak for Jon, but I think he would probably feel like he could bring enough of Jon's style to the live-action version that that wouldn't be necessary, but you can also put a wig on Jon and dapper him up. [Laughs]"
Will An Archer Movie Happen?
The idea of an Archer movie adaptation has been floating around for some time now. Executive producers Matt Thompson and Casey Willis stated back in 2016 that a discussion between the producers and Archer creator and writer Adam Reed about a movie happens once every couple of years. Back then, the producers said that in a perfect world, Hamm would be the actor to play Archer if the film ended up being a live-action project. Reed also supported that Hamm would also be his choice while revealing that a lot of Archer's production and costume design was influenced by the look of Hamm's show Mad Men.
Should An Archer Movie Stay Animated Or Live-Action?
If the movie does get made, the big question is whether the producers would be better off sticking with their tried and true animated format or taking a risk to make it a live-action production. Any plot for the film adaptation of the super spy animated show would also have to work without Archer's mother and spy agency head Mallory Archer. After Mallory voice actor Jessica Walter passed away in 2021, her character was written out of the show during season 13, with the egotistical Sterling having to take the reins of the agency and lead the way.
While live-action films generally rake in more money, the action-packed high jinks of a Sterling Archer story would likely be expensive to bring to life in live-action. H. Jon Benjamin, who voices Sterling on the show, said in 2022 that he was interested in participating in a feature film adaptation, citing the success of the recent Bob's Burgers movie - a series where he also lends his voice to the main character. Benjamin's voice is synonymous with Archer, so it would be tough to envision the character without him. But as Archer's Benjamin himself admits, the voice actor doesn't quite match up with the animated character's looks. If an Archer movie does come to fruition, difficult choices will have to be made regarding its casting and the live-action vs. animated format.