A new movie adaptation of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is on the way from 20th Century Studios, so the question of who should be cast as The League characters themselves is now up for debate. Created by writer Alan Moore and drawn by artist Kevin O'Neill, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a comic-book series that gathers various characters from classic literature and puts them together in one shared universe during the late 19th century, where they form a team to thwart the forces of evil. The comic exists in a series of mini-series volumes that have been released sporadically since 1999, forming an overarching story with the various key players, while working in new ones with each new volume.
The first film adaptation was released in 2003 and was a critical and box office disaster. Directed by Stephen Norrington (Blade) and starring Sean Connery (in his last live-action role), Stuart Townsend, Peta Wilson, Jason Flemyng, Richard Roxburgh, Tony Curran, Shane West, and Naseeruddin Shah, the film took some wild leaps from the original comic and left audiences perplexed. As it was early in the comic book adaptation days, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen didn't have the same level of scrutiny in terms of making a more faithful adaptation and although it's gained somewhat of a cult status over time, is still widely regarded as a poor realization of Moore's original comic.
Now, it's been announced that a new adaptation of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is in the works at 20th Century Studios (under Disney), this time from writer Justin Haythe (Revolutionary Road, A Cure For Wellness, The Lone Ranger). No further details are known about the creative team that will bring the new adaptation to life, but one aspect that will make or break it will be the actors who portray the key characters from the series. While The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen comics have featured a large number of rotating characters throughout the different volumes, there are seven main principal figures in the first volume. It's unclear if the adaptation will lean towards newer or older content, but here is a list of the characters most likely up for casting and who could play them in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen reboot.
Allan Quatermain - Jason Isaacs
Jason Isaacs is best known for his turn as Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter franchise, but he's starred in a vast array of projects throughout his career that's tested his skills as an actor thoroughly. Isaacs has mastered the role of the villain and can play hero, anti-hero, or even just voice them, as he's done for many animated projects. His distinct voice, worn-in features, strong, imposing presence, and flashy charm make Isaacs a perfect fit for Allan Quatermain. The original character of Quatermain was created by H. Rider Haggard and has been featured in a number of film and TV adaptations ever since. An adventurous big-game hunter who lives in Africa, Quatermain serves frequently as the leader of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
Captain Nemo - Dev Patel
Dev Patel made his splash onto the Hollywood scene with Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire, playing a fresh-faced wiz-kid romantic, but he has since grown and challenged himself with a variety of roles that have shown his maturity, skill set, and intensity as an actor. 2016's Lion showed that Patel was ready for more challenging material and his recent turns in The Personal History of David Copperfield and The Green Knight prove that Patel is ready for a meaty role like Captain Nemo. Nemo, aka Prince Dakkar, first appeared in Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, where he plays a vengeful, mysterious scientist and warrior who explores the depths in his custom submarine, The Nautilus. Patel has the presence and charisma to bring Nemo to life in a way that has yet to be seen and would no doubt define the character for a whole new generation.
Dr. Henry Jekyll/Edward Hyde - Jamie Foxx
Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx is no stranger to taking on challenging roles and has proven that he's capable of portraying all manner of characters: good, bad, real, or super-powered (recently as Electro in Spider-Man: No Way Home). From his emotionally-charged turn as Ray Charles in the Ray biopic to his role as a mild-mannered cab driver in Michael Mann's Collateral to his menacingly dark turn in Baby Driver, Foxx has the ability to quite literally be Jekyll and Hyde. Created by Robert Louis Stevenson for his 1886 novella "Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" the character features prominently in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, acting very similarly to Marvel's Hulk in that way. Dr. Henry Jekyll is a doctor who creates a serum that can repress his evil urges, but instead it forces him to transform into the literal embodiment of those urges, becoming Mr. Edward Hyde.
Wilhelmina "Mina" Murray - Lily Collins
Actress Lily Collins has proven herself as a talented actress, taking on many different roles and projects that push her limits. Thus far she's played Snow White in 2012's Mirror Mirror, Clary in the adaptation of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, Fantine in Les Miserables, and the title character in the Emily in Paris series. The actress has shown a penchant for humor, strength, and raw emotion, which would be well served in a challenging role like Wilhelmina "Mina" Murray. Mina is a character from Bram Stoker's Dracula, who becomes the object of the original vampire's desire and is eventually turned into a vampire by him, but later reversed back when he was killed. Mina becomes a leader of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen alongside Quatermain, whom she also has a romantic connection with. Mina is a strong, confident leader in the Victorian Era, bucking the trends of the times. It's a role that would give Collins a whole new direction and challenge her with a demanding, layered character.
Hawley Griffin/Invisible Man - Damian Lewis
The star of a string of award-winning TV and film projects, such as Band of Brothers, Homeland, and Billions, Damian Lewis has the perfect devilish charm to portray the brilliant, conflicted, and doomed character of Hawley Griffin, based on the character from H. G. Wells' 1897 novel "The Invisible Man". Griffin is described as a "psychopathic murderer, rapist, and traitor to mankind" who is eventually drafted into The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen for his unique abilities, but they soon find that he's far more than they bargained for. This type of diabolical role would fit Lewis' acting style perfectly, as he has shown an immense capability to play both sides, particularly for his Emmy-winning turn in Homeland.
M - Charles Dance
Best known for his turn as Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones, Charles Dance is a veteran actor with nearly 50 years of experience in the industry as one of the best character actors in the business. The actor can portray any manner of supporting role, adding gravitas and presence that can't be replicated, thus making him a perfect choice to take on the iconic role of M, the fictional head of the Secret Intelligence Service as featured in Ian Fleming's series of James Bond novels. M is typically portrayed as wise, maneuvering, and to-the-point, but his presence in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen provides a bigger twist that ties all the way back to Sherlock Holmes. Dance has the prestige, wit, persona, and stature to embody M, including when his full plans are finally revealed in the comic.
Fu Manchu (aka The Doctor) - Donnie Yen
Based on the long-running supervillain character created by author Sax Rohmer, Fu Manchu has been featured in an extensive amount of media, from books, radio, TV, and film for well over 90 years. A doctor, scientist, and crime boss, Fu Manchu was known for his diabolical ways, while acting mostly from behind the scenes, which helped define the archetype in fiction ever since. Donnie Yen is a brilliant martial artist and actor who has decades of experience that would make him a strong choice to tackle the infamous role, which by today's standards is earmarked for its racist and xenophobic stereotypes. However, the character's inclusion in the comic (as well as the new adaptation) helps turn those stereotypes on their head and having someone of Yen's immense capabilities and heritage in the role could easily turn the negative aspects into a positive one and reshape the role for future generations, starting with The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.