Cast Party: Who Should Star In A ‘Metamorpho’ Movie?
Welcome to Cast Party, the feature that imagines a world with even more live action comic book adaptations than we currently have, and comes up with arguably the best casting suggestions you’re ever going to find for the movies and shows we wish could exist. This week, I'm turning to the best DC comic of the SIlver Age, Metamorpho, created by Bob Haney and Ramona Fradon.
Metamorpho is the story of Rex Mason, a globe-trotting adventurer who is transformed into a freakish "element man," able to twist and transform himself on an atomic level, but unable to be fully human anymore. His girlfriend Sapphire loves him but is a little iffy on the whole element man thing, while her father Simon Stagg is a mad scientist with an unfrozen caveman bodyguard and no ethics whatsoever.
Stagg will be the real villain of the movie, but it'll take a while for Rex to realize that, and even longer for Sapphire to believe it, so there will be some more overt villains like Stingaree and the Thunderer along the way. We'll also meet Element Girl, a woman who's been through the same transformation as Rex, which may make her a better match for him than Sapphire these days.
While this set-up obviously has some pathos in it, it's also got plenty of humor and absurdity. That's what makes the comic so great, and it's definitely something we want to keep in the movie. Bright colors, weird transformations, and big fights with plenty of one-liners should be the order of the day. Get Shane Black on it if he's not too busy.
Craig Robinson as Metamorpho
I think Robinson has exactly the charisma and presence that this kind of movie demands. He'll also be great at Rex's self-deprecating sarcasm, and I love the idea of a buffed-up Robinson as pre-transformation Rex Mason, international soldier of fortune.
Ruth Negga as Sapphire Stagg
Negga was my favorite part of Preacher by far, and I kind of just want her to be in everything now. Sapphire's supposed to be the most beautiful woman in every room, and Negga is definitely that, but she also has the wit and timing to hold her own opposite Craig Robinson.
Samuel L. Jackson as Simon Stagg
I try to avoid overusing these actors that are already so overused in projects like this. But Simon Stagg is a character you want to be way over the top, and nobody does over the top better than Jackson. When you absolutely, positively have to chew every piece of scenery in the room, accept no substitutes.
Rhyno as Java
Java is literally a neanderthal. Rhyno won't even need prosthetics for the role. I just hope he has time to spare from his political career.
Noomi Rapace as Element Girl
Rapace is a great actress who appears in a lot of weird projects, so I think she can handle playing Urania Blackwell, a spy who share's Metamorpho's powers. She could play the part in the Sandman series too.
Billy Eichner as the Thunderer
I love the idea of the Thunderer being a little alien who just yells at everyone constantly. I figured this would just be a voice role, so I asked myself who's the best at yelling right now. But Donald Trump doesn't have time to be in a movie, so I went with Eichner.
Vinnie Jones as Stingaree
Stingaree is pretty generic, just someone for Rex to have a physical fight or two with while he's realizing he can't trust Simon Stagg. But Jones will bring some presence, and menace, to the role.