all-star fantasy cast of the everflame movie

ORIGINALLY POSTED 10/31/2014

What if Everflame became a movie? It’s a question I’ve thought about. (I’d be lying if said I hadn’t). Whenever you read a book, you imagine what the characters look like, and sometimes, you imagine a famous actor or actress is playing the role. When you are writing a book, it’s no different. You develop your character, and in your mind’s eye, you know what the characters look like. There are even times when you see a performance that reminds you of a character you have written. So here are some of my ideas of who would make great Everflame characters, and at the end of this blog post, I’ll choose my favorite choice from the fan forums.

Note: I totally agree with the idea that movies of this type should be cast with relative unknowns in the world of acting. It allows the fantasy to become just a little bit more real, and in many cases, it’s necessary in movies that can be otherwise unbelievable. Mark Hamill is Luke Skywalker, and Daniel Radcliffe is Harry Potter. We never had to see them in a role prior to those iconic roles, so it became easier to accept them as those characters. When you see Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu, it’s harder to suspend disbelief. (Sorry Mr. Jackson). Ideally, I would want Evercloud, Densa and Iolana to be cast with unknowns, but for the purpose of this blog post, we’re not going to stick to that ideal. The nature of this blog post is to be fun. So, here we go.

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Iolana – Bryce Dallas Howard
For the role of Iolana I would want a woman of inspiring beauty who could, obviously, be very versatile dramatically. For me, Bryce Dallas Howard checks all of the marks. I liked her work in early M. Night Shyamalan films. I feel she fits well into the fantasy genre.

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Evercloud – Matthew Lewis
“WOW, Neville grew up to be hot,” so said every woman on the internet. No longer is Matthew Lewis the toad-holding, doughy little boy in the Harry Potter movies. Assuming he could lose the accent, I would cast his brand of humble nobility for the role of Evercloud with confidence. You wanted to root for Neville Longbottom. I want the audience to root for Evercloud. If the ladies are lining up at the ticket gates for other reasons, that’s just icing on the cake.

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Densa – Joe Manganiello
The role of Densa, in my mind, should be someone who can hold their own against any good-guy action star. However, I also want someone who could, just as easily, look like a villain. I will also say that the fact that Joe Manganiello is 6’5” helped make my decision. I want whoever plays Densa to seem larger than life on the screen.

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Riverpaw – Craig Robinson
Along with the character of Tomas Floyd, I have always seen Riverpaw as the comic relief of the Everflame Series. So not only do I need a voice that can have the deep tones you would expect from a male bear, but also a voice that has a knack for making you laugh. Craig Robinson has been making me laugh since The Office. I think he’d make a great Riverpaw.

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Eveneye – Idris Elba
In my opinion, Idris Elba has one of the greatest voices in entertainment. I can’t remember seeing Elba in a role that doesn’t somehow convey strength. Is it a compliment to tell someone you think they would make a good bear king?

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Annie – AnnaSofia Robb
I can picture this actress with black, spiky hair and eagle feather earrings, can’t you? After seeing her role in the movie The Way Way Back, I feel confident she could portray a secretive young woman with a bit of a chip on her shoulder.

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Whiteclaw – Michael Ironside
Michael Ironside’s gravelly voice fits perfectly for a character that needs to personify grit and wisdom. When I think of his performance in Starship Troopers, that is what I want for Whiteclaw.

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Winner of the Casting Call Contest
– Eric Lemanski
Goldenheart – Phylicia Rashad
To me, the voice of Phylicia Rashad is the quintessential voice of a loving mother. Yet, anyone who is a fan of The Cosby Show knows that Phylicia Rashad could also fill the authority role. I could certainly see her running a kingdom, should the situation arise. I couldn’t have come up with a more apt voice for the role of Goldenheart. Thanks Eric!