Guess Who: Casting Main Roles for Thriller Adaptations of Books
- J S
- Feb 15, 2024
- 7 min read
I love to read. Books are a way for me to relax and escape. I love getting drawn into a world of fiction and getting invested in the characters I'm reading (or listening) about.
I also love a good movie and TV show. I love to sit down, relax and get immersed in a world. However, over the past few years the big and small screens have been lacking in quality entertainment. Sure, there have been bright spots here and there, but as a whole, the offerings have been mediocre at best. Remakes of old movies. Spin-off after spin-off. Superheroes, superheroes and more superheroes. It seems like everything I try to watch is basically the same thing I watched the week before.
Boring...
Hopefully this is starting to change though. Recently, there have been some quality movies and shows coming out that are focused on some of the best books out there. From Jack Carr's The Terminal List series to Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan series, there are some really good shows out there for fans of this genre. And, from what I've been gleaning from the internet and the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, we have a lot to look forward to in the near future.
So, in preparation for these upcoming new series (even though there is no timeline for the shows I'm going discuss), I thought I would give my take on who I think would make a good lead.
Before I get started, here's a little graphic to see where we are:
Top row of the graphic is on point. I couldn't have picked better actors to play Reece, Reacher and Ryan. I thought Ryan Gosling did a really good job as The Gray Man too. Not who I would have picked, but I was pleased. Dylan O'Brien as Mitch Rapp is a stretch for me. I think there are plenty of actors out there that could have brought Vince Flynn's vision for Rapp to life better.
Now, let's dive in!
Scot Harvath created by Brad Thor
Brad Thor is the man who really got me into this military/political thriller genre of books. From The Lions of Lucerne to Dead Fall, Brad Thor has kept his fans enthralled in the life of Scot Harvath, one of my favorite former Navy SEALs. Because of this, I've thought a lot about who I would like to see bring Scot Harvath to life.
Option one for Scot Harvath is one of my favorite actors - Mark Wahlberg. I could just leave it there. Mark Wahlberg says it all. But, for argument's sake. Wahlberg has played a wide range of characters throughout his career, including a Navy SEAL in Lone Survivor. And let's face it, there haven't been too many movies with Wahlberg in them that haven't been good.
If you want to go with an up and coming actor who's starting to make a name for himself then I think Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick, Devotion) would make a good Scot Harvath. He has experience in action/military movies. He's got the rugged handsomeness that Thor attributes to Harvath. He could bring a youthful energy to Harvath and would be a good fit if Thor's books were to become a series, especially if the series starts with some of the earlier works.
The good news: There is definitely something in the works. During his pre-release press, Thor hinted at some "big news" that would be coming out about the potential of a film or TV series. This has to mean that the books have been optioned and we will FINALLY be getting to watch Harvath kick butt on screen.
Mitch Rapp created by Vince Flynn
We've gotten Dylan O'Brien as Mitch Rapp in the movie American Assassin. And I must say that I would like to see O'Brien get the chance to reprise his role as the CIA's best weapon. I think the movie got Hollywood-ed and strayed too far from the book (shocking, I know). I think if O'Brien was given the chance to get into the role as Vince Flynn wrote Rapp, then the fans would have got something that more closely resembled what we read.
Another option to play the iconic role could be Prison Break start Wentworth Miller. Some of you may scoff or roll your eyes, but hear me out. Miller is a good-looking guy that can be unassuming, but has that look that says he could have the hard edge that Rapp has. Another thing is got going is the ethnically ambiguous nature of his look. One of the things that makes Rapp so effective is his ability to blend into his surroundings in the Middle East. Miller has Lebanese and Syrian roots.
Hopefully, there are more movies or a TV series in the works and hopefully they will take the success of some of these other shows and make sure to land the right actor for the lead.
John Dempsey from the Tier One series by Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson
As of the writing of this post, I have just started the last book in the series that is current'y out (a new book in the series in scheduled to drop later this year).
Without giving away too much, this book follows former Navy SEAL John Dempsey and his elite blacker than black team as they hunt down America's enemies. Dempsey has the tendency to go rogue on occasion to accomplish a mission.
I think a good candidate for John Dempsey would be David Boreanaz. He has the background from his role on CBS's SEAL Team. He fits the age range to play Dempsey. And he just has that look.
Another good option for John Dempsey would be Jai Courtney. He's had roles in action movies (A Good Day to Die Hard, Suicide Squad, Divergent) and he also made an appearance in The Terminal List. Courtney has the build and the look to play a former Navy SEAL and super secret black ops operator.
The good news is that, no matter who is cast to play John Dempsey, I think we will see this series come to like in the very near future. Andrews and Wilson announced in February 2023 that the series had been optioned for film and TV. I haven't seen any sort of update with concrete details but I would like to think that, with the success of Jack Ryan, The Terminal List and Reacher, this adaptation will be coming to a screen soon.
Keith Redmond from the Sons of Valor series by Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson
This is another series that I highly recommend by Andrews and Wilson. This series follows a group of Tier One Navy SEALs led by by Lt. Commander Keith "Chunk" Redmond. Navy SEALs are the best of the best but, as I understand it, the Tier One SEALs are even a step above "regular" SEALs.
When reading the three books in this series, there was really only one person that came to mind to play Chunk - AJ Buckley. Viewers of SEAL Team on CBS will recognize Buckley as Sonny.
Obviously his work on SEAL Team gives Buckley the experience of playing a Navy SEAL. More than that, Buckley, to me, fits the profile of what Andrews and Wilson had in mind when developing Chunk's character. Chunk is described as a "stout, hardy" frogman. Looking at Buckley, I see stout and hardy. I also see an actor that is one good role from breaking out in a big way.
Chameleon by Remi Adeleke
Chameleon by Remi Adeleke is about a covert operations group called Black Box. While the characters work together, the focal point of the novel is the team's Chameleon agent, Kali Kent.
Adeleke would be the perfect person to play his protagonist. Adeleke is a former Navy SEAL and has experience acting, directing and producing. Casting the author as his main character would make sense, particularly because Kent is loosely based on Adeleke. Also as a former SEAL, we wouldn't have to worry about Kent not looking authentic.
However, another option to play the Chameleon Kali Kent would be Sope Dirisu. Some may not recognize the name, but Dirisu broke onto the scene in his role as Elliot Finch in Gangs of London. Dirisu is a rising star that, in his young career, has shown that he can play roles across multiple genres.
Orphan X series by Gregg Hurwitz
Evan Smoak aka Orphan X aka The Nowhere Man is one of my new favorite characters. Gregg Hurwitz gives us a Jason Bourne-esqu character that uses his skills to help those that can't help themselves. Smoak is described as normal - not handsome, not ugly, not remarkable in any way - which is what makes him so dangerous.
My first offering for The Nowhere Man is Bill Skarsgard. From Pennywise in the It remakes to his antagonist role in John Wick: Chapter 4, Skarsgard has shown the ability to assume a wide range of characters. He is also slated to reprise the role of Eric Draven in a remake of The Crow. Skarsgard has the unassuming look and range of acting skill that I think playing Evan Smoak would require.
Another potential option for Orphan X is Finn Jones. Jones is best known for his roles as Sir Loras Tyrell in Game of Thrones and Danny Rand in Iron Fist. At first glance, Jones may appear to have more good looks than what would be required for Smoak. However, Jones has shown that he can play a wide range of characters and he could bring an edge to The Nowhere Man.
Matthew Redd created by Ryan Steck
Ryan Steck, aka The Real Book Spy, keeps us bibliophiles up-to-date on the latest greatest thrillers that are dropping. He's also an incredibly talented writer himself. In his debut novel, Fields of Fire, Steck introduces us to Marine Raider Matthew Redd. Redd is what I would call a tortured soul, dealing with extreme loss and betrayal while trying to piece together a conspiracy. Redd is also a total badass and a force to be reckoned with.
When I think about who would portray Matthew Redd the best, Tom Hardy jumps to the top of my list. Talk about an actor who can play a character that's a little unstable, but can also be a wrecking ball. Hardy is one of the most underrated actors there is, in my opinion. His career also shows that he can play a wide range of characters - a shrewd Jewish smuggler in Peaky Blinders, Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, Tuck in This Means War (action comedy), and the list goes on. Hardy could bring the grit that is a part of Redd's character.
A second possibility I think would fit is another SEAL Team alum Max Thieriot. As Clay Spenser in SEAL Team, Thieriot showed the ability to get jacked to play an elite operator. He has the acting background to authentically play a highly skilled and highly trained soldier, something that would be required to become Matthew Redd. He also has that "Don't @!&$ with me" attitude that would be needed for this role.
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