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SpoilerTV - TV Spoilers

Arrow - Season 3 - Ral al Ghul's Casting Description

17 Aug 2014

Share on Reddit
Thanks to SHIELDNCISArrowfan for the heads up.


Source: Reddit
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88 comments:

  1. David Fischer16 August 2014 at 08:55

    Bane from Dark Knight Rises wasn't the least bit threatening. And stop with the lifts from the Nolan films. There are only 3 of those movies, you'd think they'd run out of material to lift or homage.



    Still, this should be good. As long as he in no way resembles Bane.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jaden12316 August 2014 at 09:16

    comparing ra's to bane? seriously?

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  3. prpleight16 August 2014 at 09:36

    Why would you cast a character by describing the character then talking about a character completely different. Then they contradicted themselves. Bane was a big juiced up lunkhead but they don't want a lunk head. I do not envy the agents trying to make sense of this description.


    Ra's A Ghul ---is a really old, cagy villain capable of leaving you uncertain as to whether claims that he is a villain are true. At least that's what made him memorable for me in the comics.

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  4. MurderMondays16 August 2014 at 10:41

    They want someone with that same air of intimidation Nolan's Bane had. He wasn't stomping around everywhere and just punching people. He was quiet and menacing.

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  5. 1derer16 August 2014 at 11:12

    The casting description references Bane in terms of him being terrifying, and not the lunkhead parts. That's why the sentence saying "think of Bane" is followed up by "someone just terrifying" and then "not a lunkhead". It's not contradiction, it's specificity.

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  6. Necro16 August 2014 at 11:21

    Actually, Bane is one of the most intelligent villains in the comics and while that wasn't very deeply explored in the Nolan movies, Bane's lines even in there suggested that he was, in fact, quite formidable even mentally. Then there is also the fact that in the comics other than Batman himself Bane is a perfectly suitable heir to Ra's' empire. Soooo, all in all I don't think that description is misleading at all.

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  7. start_wearing_purple16 August 2014 at 11:49

    Faran Tahir. Cast him!

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  8. *A*16 August 2014 at 12:16

    Who would you cast in the role ?
    My first choice would be Sebastian Roche ... but ... he'll be busy next season on The Originals.
    so

    I'd go with Joe ( John Blackwell -The Secret Circle ) Lando

    or

    Stephen ( Commander Nathaniel Taylor - Terra Nova / Increase Mather - Salem ) Lang

    ReplyDelete
  9. *A*16 August 2014 at 12:18

    Joe Lando

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  10. O D A16 August 2014 at 12:21

    I thought they might have locked in on an actor by now and is keeping it under wraps. I thought we will see Ra's earlier on in the season. It seems like we will see him only by mid season finale.

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  11. *A*16 August 2014 at 12:27

    Jeff Kober

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  12. prpleight16 August 2014 at 12:35

    You're right. I was trying to point out that bringing up Bane made it the description so klunky that they had to add the specificity. :-) And I was, apparently, just as klunky as they were.

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  13. *A*16 August 2014 at 12:44

    Stephen Lang

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  14. prpleight16 August 2014 at 12:46

    Did they revisit Bane? I stopped actually reading my Batmans for a few years because I hit a few boring issues. The comic book version of Bane I read was when he broke Batman's back and we discovered Alfred had some pretty serious medical training (which made loads of sense to me.) The only lasting image I had of the character was his showing up for the fight with Batman covered with muscles super expanded by the drug. It's highly possible that my memory fails, but I seem to recall his coming by the drug not creating it. But it's been years since I read those issues. Geez. That may have been in the 90s.

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  15. prpleight16 August 2014 at 12:47

    He has been one of my favorite actors since China Beach!

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  16. *A*16 August 2014 at 12:55

    Stephen Lang

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  17. Necro16 August 2014 at 14:01

    I don't recall him creating the drug either, but even while he was in prison (pre drug, from his earlier years) he had a genius level intelligence which he used in conjunction with his sheer brutality to control the prison he was in. He was also one of the very few people to deduce Batman's identity - in the matter of months nonetheless. Most movies / animated shows focused on his physical prowess and how he was a threat in melee, but Bane was / is actually one of those villains that quite often had meaningful conversation with Batzie simply because he was his equal, rather than just a brute.

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  18. N2716 August 2014 at 14:05

    I would go with James Saito. He is able to pose a threatening character on the inside but being a charmful leader on the outside. That´s what Ra´s is.

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  19. *A*16 August 2014 at 14:15

    Same with Hiroyuki ( Dogen - :Lost / Satoshi Takeda - Revenge) Sanada.

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  20. *A*16 August 2014 at 14:22

    Since his daughter played by Katrina (Nyssa al Ghul / Nyssa Raatko ) Law is 36 shouldn't his character description be 50 to 60 years old not 40 to 50 ?

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  21. Historical_Materialist16 August 2014 at 14:33

    I enjoy the show but I think this is a mistake. Ra's Al Ghul is an iconic Batman character. Created by Dennis O'Neil and Neil Adams and first shown in Batman #232 (June 1971) "Daughter of the Demon".

    The Demon's Head has only one true foe and it is NOT Green Arrow. It is The Detective: The Batman.

    Its one thing to mention him or the League of Assassins by name: it invokes a specter of strength and fear. Even showing Nissa is fine. But bringing Ra's himself into the Arrow story has a very strong potential to do a disservice to both Ra's and Batman. The only reasonable outcome would be for Team Arrow to be defeated. Otherwise it cheapens Ra's Al Ghul's formidability (is that even a word?) when put up against Batman.

    You wouldn't see Green Arrow going up against and defeating Lex Luthor? So why would anyone think it would be OK for Ra's Al Ghul to go up against Green Arrow?

    Like I said: I enjoy the show but this cheapens the character.

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  22. JustinC8316 August 2014 at 15:23

    No it doesn't. You are being overly dramatic about it. Ra's just appeared in the Birds of Prey comic does that cheapen him too?

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  23. JustinC8316 August 2014 at 15:23

    Just because she is 36 doesn't mean the character is.

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  24. JustinC8316 August 2014 at 15:24

    This castimg description was listed for EPISODE 4.

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  25. JustinC8316 August 2014 at 15:25

    Bang on.

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  26. JustinC8316 August 2014 at 15:29

    Other than a similair tone (which was probably a WB directive) and Ra's this show hasn't lifted anything from Nolan's Batman

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  27. *A*16 August 2014 at 15:40

    True so the least the character would be is 30.

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  28. Graydon16 August 2014 at 15:57

    Well if she has the Lazarus Pits probably older.

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  29. Graydon16 August 2014 at 16:07

    No, no it doesn't. Ra's Al Ghul may be destined to be fight Batman, but this, this doesn't cheapen him at all. You're assuming that Team Arrow will curb stop him, but as shown in the past with every big villain Oliver has never won without casualties. When against Malcolm basically half of the city was demolished, 500 hundred people and his friend died; against Slade almost the entire city burned, thousands died (including his mother and high level officials) and Argus almost destroyed the city. Every time Oliver has faced a villain the loss and pain has only grown stronger, and guess what Slade and Malcolm haven't been reduced as non-threatening because of the damage they caused we (the fans) know that if Slade ever gets out or when Malcolm returns and begins his next plan a lot of people will die and it will crush Oliver. So then imagine what Ra's Al Ghul will do to Starling and Oliver, it will make the others efforts look like those of children demolishing a sand castle, and yes Oliver might beat Ra's (though I doubt it) but to say it cheapens his character by including him based off worse case scenario speculation is ridiculous and hyperbole to the max. The writers of Arrow clearly respect and revere DC comics and its characters they want to do as best as possible to show just how dangerous Ra's is have some faith in them.

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  30. Walkeros16 August 2014 at 16:09

    I wish they'd cast Liam Neeson, he did a great job as Ra's al Ghul in Batman ^^

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  31. Graydon16 August 2014 at 16:11

    They couldn't afford him, nor would he want to. I'd wish they'd cast Pedro Pascal (a little young but he's got the gravitas and presence and ability to do him justice), or Oded Fahir (got the right look and age plus he's already played Ra's in Young Justice)

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  32. Graydon16 August 2014 at 16:17

    Bane discovered Wayne's identity and formulated a(and successfully executed a plan) to beat Batman. Stupid isn't a word I would use to describe him. Hell Ra's Al Ghul wanted him to be his heir because Batman wouldn't.

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  33. Graydon16 August 2014 at 16:18

    This show isn't Nolan'y at all anymore.

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  34. Walkeros16 August 2014 at 16:21

    Yes, that's right. Too bad for us ^^
    I like your two choices, especially Oded Fehr. I knew his name sounded familiar but I couldn't remember where I knew him from : it was from when he appeared in The Mummy and I loved him as a kid :D And it's true he'd be a great choice.

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  35. Graydon16 August 2014 at 16:27

    Even Ra's isn't really a lift, since in Arrow he commands the League of Assassins (not Shadows) and the show is incorporating more of his comic backstory and even his name pronunciation (though only by certain characters).

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  36. Mister J8116 August 2014 at 16:49

    Besides Vertigo and Merlyn, does Green Arrow have any other exclusive villains in his rouge's gallery we haven't seen yet? They seem to rely on Bat-baddies alot.

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  37. Sparky16 August 2014 at 17:26

    Could anybody guess how Arrow will handle JR Ramirez other obligations. According to Deadline he was promoted to series regular for season two of Starz's series Power. I think they start filming in New York City next month, so filming is definitely going to overlap.Hopefully, the 2 productions can work something out.

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  38. Jorge Castro Salinas16 August 2014 at 17:43

    Jason Isaacs, Stephen Lang or Xander Berkeley

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  39. Mister J8116 August 2014 at 17:47

    I suppose he'll just be a recurring character on Arrow then.

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  40. Emma16 August 2014 at 18:00

    Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is still my first choice with Oded Fehr as a second option. Hope they announce soon!

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  41. Mister J8116 August 2014 at 18:02

    Stephen Lang would make an awesome older Bruce Wayne if they ever introduce the character and want to go the Batman Beyond route.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Mister J8116 August 2014 at 18:13

    I'd like him as Bruce Wayne for a Batman Beyond series. Never happen though...

    ReplyDelete
  43. N2716 August 2014 at 18:36

    Right. I just thought of Saito because he has history with Guggenheim and Berlanti on Eli Stone.

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  44. Sparky16 August 2014 at 18:45

    well he was a cast as possible reccuring, i guess the fate of Power wasn't clear then yet. I am just wondering which has priority to him.

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  45. SHIELDNCISArrowfan16 August 2014 at 19:06

    wouldn't be that surprise if the casting is already done.........I think he would show up in flashback for episode 4 which seem to surround Malcolm..........hope we learn who he is next week........

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  46. NiceGuyVan16 August 2014 at 19:12

    They should of just said someone like Liam Neeson.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Alex Forrest16 August 2014 at 20:17

    Silly geese. Instead of putting out a casting call, just cast Oded Fehr as Ra's and call it a day. Trust me on this one.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Alex Forrest16 August 2014 at 20:19

    Where does it say that?

    ReplyDelete
  49. Alex Forrest16 August 2014 at 20:20

    I hope we don't see him too soon, I prefer it when shows wait a while before unveiling the Big Bad of the season. If he's there from the early episodes, it becomes a neverending series of encounters between the hero(ine) and the Big Bad and eventually it becomes unbelievable that neither has killed/defeated the other yet.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Alex Forrest16 August 2014 at 20:25

    While they aren't going with full-on fantasy on Arrow, Ra's is supposedly centuries old and uses the Lazarus Pit to achieve youth and immortality. I don't know how they're going to handle that on the show since they keep priding themselves on their supposed realism... they did vaguely acknowledge the mysticism of Nanda Parbat, though, with Malcolm saying death is merely an illusion in that place.

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  51. O D A16 August 2014 at 20:28

    I have my fingers crossed for this to happen. Please please tptb pretty please...

    ReplyDelete
  52. Alex Forrest16 August 2014 at 20:31

    In addition to not being able to afford him, I think Arrow wouldn't want to cast Neeson as Ra's to avoid giving the impression that it's the same universe as Nolan's movies (at which point people would expect them to share continuity). It's important to them that Arrow stand on its own, which is why they never considered casting Justin Hartley in the lead role - it would've been perceived as a Smallville spin-off in that case.

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  53. O D A16 August 2014 at 20:31

    Does it say episode 4? I don't see it.

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  54. O D A16 August 2014 at 20:32

    Is it confirmed that we will see Ra's in episode 4? I never heard that.

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  55. Alex Forrest16 August 2014 at 20:34

    He has a pretty small rogues gallery from what I gather, and most of them have been used already in some capacity. They've wasted some opportunities for GA villains, like making Shado a "good guy" or only using Constantine Drakon briefly in the pilot. Deathstroke is, I think, more of a GA villain than a Batman one, although he is primarily the Teen Titans' foe in the grand scheme of things.

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  56. O D A16 August 2014 at 20:37

    Personally I want Ra's introduced earlier on in the season at least in the flashbacks . Last season I thought Slade needed more time in present Starling city with chess like moves and keeping Oliver on his toes. That's what I expected in last half of season 2. Instead we got filler episodes and horrible lance sister and Oliver triangle.

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  57. Alex Forrest16 August 2014 at 20:37

    Xander Berkeley is an awesome actor, but he's pushing 60 and "not an action guy" anyway according to Maggie Q who worked with him in Nikita. I think they'll want to get someone who is old enough for the gravitas and power of Ra's, but young enough that he can still do fight scenes.

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  58. Alex Forrest16 August 2014 at 20:41

    Yeah, simply using the same character doesn't count as "lifting" something. Plenty of characters have multiple iterations. Unless Arrow's version of Ra's is exactly the same as Nolan's, they are not copying him.

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  59. SHIELDNCISArrowfan16 August 2014 at 20:44

    someone point out this came from episode 4 description......

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  60. *A*16 August 2014 at 21:00

    What about Joe (Alcide Herveaux ) Manganiello as Ra's al Ghul?

    Joe is only a year older then Katrina ( Nyssa ) Law who plays his daughter but with the whole Lazarus Pit 'thing' it could work.

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  61. Walkeros16 August 2014 at 21:05

    I didn't think of that either, indeed ! I'll blame my love for Liam Neeson :D

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  62. Graydon16 August 2014 at 21:06

    I'm good with him or Pedro Pascal.

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  63. Graydon16 August 2014 at 21:07

    I loved Berkeley on Nikita but he's too old to play a physical character like Ra's and the action it would require.

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  64. Alex Forrest16 August 2014 at 21:09

    Don't worry, you are certainly not alone in that. :)

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  65. Graydon16 August 2014 at 21:09

    Deathstroke is also a Nightwing guy.

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  66. Graydon16 August 2014 at 21:13

    Pff everyone know's Batman & Robin Bane was the truest and best comic book adaption of all time. I mean who can beat brilliant lines like, "Bane!".

    ReplyDelete
  67. JustinC8316 August 2014 at 21:39

    These are the kinds of posts that gives Arrow a bad name.

    Arrow has used 3 Batman villains
    Ra's
    Firefly
    Dollmaker

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  68. Necro16 August 2014 at 21:41

    He looks way too young and he kind of has that "I'll bend you over the couch and do you" look in practically everything he does regardless of the role. Ra's is more of a wise, middle aged fella who is physically capable, but that is not the most obvious trait he has (and let's be honest, Joe, while physically imposing, does not really look like a guy who is about 3 times smarter than Oliver Queen).

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  69. prpleight16 August 2014 at 21:56

    Another excellent suggestion but, for me, he has qualities that would keep him off my list for this part.


    Thanks for the pictures. Very helpful. While I'm familiar with Stephen Lang I wouldn't have known who you were talking about just by his name.

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  70. *A*16 August 2014 at 22:36

    Do you think we will end up seeing the entire al Ghul family this season / seasons to come ?

    [ his father Sensei, children Nyssa, Talia, and Dusan al Ghul, and his grandson Damian Wayne ]

    It could end up being amazing having a major crime family going up against Arrow and his team for seasons to come.

    ReplyDelete
  71. Shooting Thepast16 August 2014 at 22:45

    Accent required? Irish or Arabian?

    ReplyDelete
  72. *A*16 August 2014 at 22:52

    Hopefully Ra's al Ghul will be around for a few season and when it is time for him to final go the 'white ghost', a servant of Ra's will get Talia's son, Damian Wayne, to sacrifice his body in the Australian Lazarus Pit in order to provide Ra's al Ghul with a new body for his displaced soul to inhabit like he tried to do in "Batman Annual: Head of the Demon".

    ReplyDelete
  73. Alexander16 August 2014 at 22:55

    I think Lee Pace (Ronan the accuser in Guardians of the Galaxy, Thanduril in the desolation of smaug) would be perfect as Ra's, but he's probably to big for series as Arrow.

    ReplyDelete
  74. Nicolás Festa16 August 2014 at 22:55

    Ra's isn't a Batman Villain anymore... He's more of a global DC villain now, in the comics.


    Also, we know that the TV Universe can't use Batman or Superman... That's why Arrow is TV's Batman and Flash is TV's Superman.


    I'm pretty confident that we will be seeing Wonder Woman(I would loved her to be played by Alison Brie)and at least one of the three Green Lanterns. With Arrow, Flash, WW, Arsenal, Firestorm, Green Lantern and Oracle we would get a awesome Justice League.


    I always tought doing the Marvel/DC Shared Universe on cinemas was stupid. If you think about, none of the Marvel's movies led into The Avengers... That system would be much better for TV...

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  75. Mister J8117 August 2014 at 00:07

    They used Clock King and Deadshot too, so that's 5. For the record I'm not trying to give Arrow a bad name. I love the show but not too familiar with the villains he fights.

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  76. Mister J8117 August 2014 at 00:11

    Ha! I'd LOVE to have him back on TV!

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  77. Mister J8117 August 2014 at 00:21

    Sounds great, but I think Lantern is a little too expensive effects wise for the CW. Although the Flash effects look pretty good. I'd rather see Lantern on Fox. Bigger net bigger budget. Definitely hope Amazon gets started up again, and yeah Allison would be good as her.

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  78. Lysh17 August 2014 at 05:41

    Katrina Law was born in 85 making her 29, not 36. And Stephen Amell is 33 playing 29. And John Barrowman isn't too much older than Colin Donnell. Ages don't really matter on this show as long as it looks good!

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  79. Lysh17 August 2014 at 05:49

    I know it says open ethnicity, but hopefully he at least looks like he could be Katrina Law's father. And nothing like Liam Neeson.

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  80. Joe E Dangerously17 August 2014 at 06:17

    When they issue these sheets they go out to agencies, producers, and talent. They use common points of reference to convey one aspect of the character. Since it's going to a lot of different people they need a popular reference they can understand. All they're saying is a sense of menace and a villain who seems insurmountable. It just refers to one aspect of the character. These breakdowns are very general and are only there so agents can determine what talent fits the description and submit the names. That's all it is.

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  81. Joe E Dangerously17 August 2014 at 06:19

    Only in terms of being a menacing and formidable villain. It won't be anything like Bane. All they do in these breakdowns is include general references so agents and talent can get a general idea of what qualities the producers and network are looking for so they know which actors to submit for audition. That's all. They're not saying he's going to be anything like Bane. It's just a point of reference for a general quality.

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  82. Joe E Dangerously17 August 2014 at 06:25

    It's not clunky. It's a general point of reference. What we're reading is called a breakdown, which is just a general description of what sort of quality the producers and network are looking for. It's not supposed to be specific. It's supposed to be fairly general so they get a good pool of talent submitted. An agent looks at this and thinks "Who do I represent who has something close to this general quality?" Then they call the talent and if they agree to be submitted they send in the name, resume, and headshot. Most of those actors won't be called in but they want a wide range of stars and fresh faces so they have as many options as possible. The character will evolve with casting. Always does. The scripts are not locked yet, even in production. That happens much closer to shoot date. This is a perfectly serviceable breakdown and is very standard. It's actually a little more comprehensive than they usually are. They usually only list age range, sex, ethnicity (most of the time) and one or two personality traits. They usually don't go into descriptions. There's a lot more than a log line here so it's far from vague. Casting agents know exactly how to interpret this and know exactly what talent has the desired qualities.

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  83. Joe E Dangerously17 August 2014 at 06:31

    I think I'd test Oded Fehr and Alexander Siddig if I could. Siddig is busy with Game Of Thrones, though, unfortunately. Oded Fehr I'm pretty sure is free. Other than that I don't know but I don't really want a white actor. Kind of sick of whitewashing lately. Khan and Tonto were played by white people in recent years. Freaking TONTO! And no, Johnny Depp is not part Native American. That's just something he started saying a few years ago. It's not been substantiated in any way and from what I hear probably isn't true. Even if he did have some NA blood in him, and most Americans have at least a little, he's white. Tonto is not a white character. And Khan is a Sikh Indian. Ricardo Montalbahn's casting is an unfortunate relic of a bygone era. We can do better than that now. Unfortunately we appear to have taken a step back.

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  84. prpleight17 August 2014 at 07:06

    Thanks for the insight into this from the business point of view.


    I watched the audition recordings for a couple of actors on the Dark Angel and Dracula 2000 DVD extras. I realized.... I don't have the eye or however you describe the skill casting directors and agents bring to the table. I understand that for those possessing that skill it isn't klunky. But it is to my ear. :-)

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  85. Jaden12317 August 2014 at 12:35

    Forgot to mention I vote Shaun Toub for Ra's, who's with me?

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  86. Jaden12317 August 2014 at 12:36

    Shaun Toub

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  87. Shannon18 August 2014 at 07:52

    It better be someone good. I don't have a list of choices, not yet. I just hope we're not disappointed.

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  88. Jon18 August 2014 at 08:47

    As it's Source: Reddit I call BS on this one. It sounds nothing like the actual official casting description we got earlier. Mentioning DC comic and comparing to Dark Knight is a sure sign of some fan-made creation.

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