As many people have heard or not heard, Liam Neeson has said in a video interview that he's down to play Ra's Al Ghul on Arrow. It would be a great fan choice since he's a brilliant actor but also the one who portrayed Ra's in Batman Begins. Ever since, many of you fellow SpoilerTV readers have since submitted this piece of extremely awesome Arrow news in ever since, with no response. Since its unconfirmed, Sandi (thanks to the awesomeness of Sandi who helped me out making this poll) and I thought how about you guys have a vote on who you'd like to play Ra's whilst we wait for the unveiling of the true actor playing him on Arrow.
These actors are merely suggestions, feel free to include your own in the comments below.
Liam Neeson of course!
ReplyDeleteLiam Neeson definitely. Spam the Arrow EP's twitter with the video interview immediately.!!!
ReplyDeleteLiam already said he'd do it "in a heartbeat" they'd be fools to pass on him. Unless they already have an actor and direction in mind. I don't think LN would be available for a long arc.
ReplyDeleteLiam Nesson of course but if he can't because of his movie career I know Tom Welling played Superman on Smallville but he be great choice
ReplyDeleteAs awesome as Liam Neeson is, and as great it would be for him to join Arrow after playing the role in the Dark Knight trilogy, I'd rather see someone else play the character. Pedro Pascal would be my first choice.
ReplyDeleteLiam is really expensive I think! They have to watch their budget! Of course Liam would be a huge rating boost but don't know if it would suit the show. That Batman saga was quite darker than this show is.
ReplyDeleteFrom this poll I voted Pascal, but don't know if he is what they are really looking for.
I will let them surprise me, their choices are always solid.
Brian Krause would be an actor I would wish back on my Tv, Mathew Fox would be a great choice as well.
Correct me if I'm wrong ( link ) but huge movie star Liam never said he would be up to playing Ra's on the lowest rated network on TV the CW but said he would be up to playing him again meaning in big budget movies and fans have taken this way out of context ?
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, just because Liam said he'd love to do it doesn't mean that they can afford to pay him what it would cost to get him. Being willing to do it, and being willing to do it for CW level pay are two entirely different things.
ReplyDeleteI agree, hence there's a poll to voice your opinions and not an official post since it's unlikely he'd come on since he's a big movie star.
ReplyDeleteSince in our wildest nerd dreams the changes of Liam Nesson playing Ra's on Arrow are less then 10% ( if even that ) so lets not put all are 'eggs' in one basket and not discuss other more likely choices or creative choices.
ReplyDelete1) http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/liam_neeson_ras_al_ghul_arrow_dc_comics_villain_cw_warner_bros-2014-08
ReplyDelete2) http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=55214
3)http://www.superherohype.com/news/313993-liam-neeson-would-reprise-ras-al-ghul-on-arrow-in-a-heartbeat
Of course he's too expensive for network TV but there are actors who honestly love what they do and love characters they've portrayed. I think if it were only a one or two episode guest spot, he would do it. Seeing as Ra's is allegedly the big villain this season, I don't see Liam doing it since that would mean a long arc. I do appreciate that he would.
ReplyDeleteI think they should bring a non-famous actor to play the role.
ReplyDeleteIt would allow them to not have to "chose between the faves", create their on vision of the man and, maybe, make a strong and unique impression.
It worked very well with the majority of the cast so far, I'd say keep on!
Like Toni said above, he's already said he would do it on Arrow in a heartbeat. Obviously he knows about the show, and thus he would know about how tv works in terms of budgets and so on. I think this would be a great coup by Arrow and it could even lead to other movie actors considering a guest shot or two on Arrow.
ReplyDeleteLook at the new West World tv show. You have Ed Harris and Anthony Hopkins being regular characters on it. TV has been the more creative output for a long time
I can see all these guys as Ra's
ReplyDeleteAs much as I love Liam Neeson and Oded Fehr, still sticking with Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as my first choice.
ReplyDeleteOded or Naveen...really talented and oh so beautiful to look at. (Especially if Oded grows his hair out again.)
ReplyDeletehee hee
Oded or Pedro. They'd both be great.
ReplyDeleteIt's exciting to hear that a star like Liam Neeson would be willing to come on Arrow. If he were to reprise his role, though, that would indicate that Nolan's Batman movies are in the same universe as Arrow. I suppose it's possible for them to share a universe, but it may be limiting to Arrow storylines in the future.
ReplyDeleteIt's a coup for Arrow to get permission to use Ra's Al Ghul, and I would think that they would want to keep him around for as long as possible. Another actor might have more flexibility in his future availability. To be honest, since I first saw Oded Fehr's name mentioned as a possibility/suggestion for the character, I've been having trouble picturing anyone else in the role! Since Liam Neeson has expressed an interest in the show, maybe the EPs can find a different character for him to play in one or two episodes (which would also surely be easier on the budget!).
That wouldn't indicate that at all. It would merely indicate that he's played Ra's twice.
ReplyDeleteI still say Faran Tahir. He could easily play a cultured yet single minded character.
ReplyDeleteI would absolutely LOVE it if Liam came back, but even though he said he's more than willing to come back to the role, he said he hasn't been approached for anything related to Arrow and because DC is keeping their movie and TV franchises separate it doesn't seem like this would happen.
ReplyDeleteSo if not Liam then I would really like Oded Fehr to do it because I absolutely love that actor. The only thing for that would be that Nyssa is obviously Asian and Oded is Israeli. Of course they could swing it so her mother was Asian or something like that but I guess that's the wonderful thing about these sorts of things: in the end it doesn't really matter so ANYONE could play Ra's!! Let the best man win!!
Liam is the obvious choice but not sure if it's a realistic goal. outside of him Oded Fehr and Jason Issacs both have that gravitas to really embody the character to me...
ReplyDeleteI love this choice. I think he'd be great. Also, Katrina Law's Nyssa could easily pass as his daughter,
ReplyDeleteOded Fehr or Faran Tahir for me. This time around I would like a middle eastern ethnic person to play Ra's. If not at least any PoC.
ReplyDeleteI love Liam and he would build up Arrow's respect and popularity in TV community more. But I am afraid half of the budget will be lost on him.
James Saito. Not only because it´s highly unlikely that Neeson would be on Arrow, I was actually disappointed with this reveal in Batman Begins. I was fine with Ken Watanabe being Ra´s al Ghul. For the tv show I would prefer James Saito.
ReplyDeleteTo make Ra´s al Ghul a around character on the show, you need to portray him as a cold blooded villain AND as charming, charismatic, to a certain degree friendly leader. Otherwise you can´t keep the character around without getting into the field of unintentionally funny.
James Saito could bring both. He is able to play a charismatic leading mentor, as seen on Eli Stone, and to be threatening, like he played the Shredder.
On this poll i voted Oded. I like him. Don't get me wrong i love Liam, think he's a great actor, he's already done the part, Benn there, seen it, (and i hated BB tbh) not saying IF he were chosen he'd play it better or worse. But i'd be curious to see someone else take the role in the TV universe. Also i honeslty can't see him on Arrow. He also has a lot of projects coming up, now we don't know how long they plan to have Ra's on the show, and i fear that Liam wouldn't have time and would have to back out due to scheduling conflicts. Sorry that's JMHO.
ReplyDeleteLiam Neeson would be awesome!
ReplyDeleteAgreed!
ReplyDeleteOded Fehr. He has the commanding presence necessary to pull off this role, and his Mediterranean looks/accent are a nice bonus. (I know he has a perfect American accent, but he can probably sound Arabic pretty easily.)
ReplyDeleteI don't understand people so badly wanting Liam Neeson to reprise the role; yes, he was beyond awesome in Batman Begins, but this show exists in its own separate universe. The internet is already flooded with people who insist that Arrow is in the same universe as Nolan's trilogy/Gotham/Batman vs. Superman/whatever despite the DC execs having officially put the kibosh on that idea. If you have the same actor playing the same role in both the Nolanverse and the Arrowverse, we are never going to hear the end of it: why is it called the League of ASSASSINS and not SHADOWS in Arrow? Is Arrow set before or after Talia died in TDKR? Why did Ra's never mention Nyssa or Merlyn in the movies? Etc etc... I know OF has technically played Ra's before as well, but lending your voice to an animated series is different. No one is going to think Arrow and Young Justice exist in the same universe, but you can bet it'll happen with Arrow and the Nolan films if LN plays Ra's here.
He should've finished the sentence, i.e. "I'd play Ra's on Arrow in a heartbeat as long as they paid me [insert number that is probably the entire Arrow budget for half a season]". That's not gonna work.
ReplyDeleteBrian Krause as Ra's, for real? I think Felicity's PJ's were more intimidating than this guy.
ReplyDeleteAnd MG already said Liam Neeson is out of their budget. So like 99% its not happening.
ReplyDeleteI watched him in some other projects and he wasn't always the Angel, he was on Charmed! I didn't thought Joe Lando can play a villain but he surprised me.
ReplyDeleteOr they can't afford him.
ReplyDeletethere is no way Liam Neeson will do it he is way too expensive
ReplyDeleteOf course it's not but it's a nice thought. Mainly because I'm a bigger fan of Liam Neeson than I am of Arrow. That said, not all actors are about money.
ReplyDeleteAll of these are great choices, it's hard to pick one or two. Liam Neeson would be the best because he was very impressive on the Dark Knight. But Oded Fehr is a good choice too, he was my favorite character in the Mummy movies and he's one of the main reasons I watch Covert Affairs. And Pedro Pascal was fantastic on Game of Thrones but I've always imagined Ra's with some kind of beard/moustache so I don't know.
ReplyDeleteThat's a sound argument, I didn't realize there would be so many ramifications to choosing Liam Neeson. It does seem kind of complicated.
ReplyDeleteKen Watanabe is so awesome, I loved him in Inception.
ReplyDeleteEither Liam or Oded
ReplyDeleteken watanabe would be great
ReplyDeleteHow about Julian ( Cole Turner/Belthazor - Charmed ) McMahon, Victor ( Coop - Charmed ) Webster, James ( Spike - BtVS ) Marsters, or Anthony ( Rupert Giles ) Stewart Head ?
ReplyDeleteAlso it will be interesting to see another version of live action Ra's Al Ghul. EPs already said this version of Ra's is going to be very similar to comics. Look at the costume in the promo. Liam Neeson's Ra's never dressed like that.
ReplyDeleteThere are good reasons for Oded Fehr to play him but I want someone who won't quit because of scheduling conflicts. My criteria would someone taller and at least as big as Stephen Amell to make him look like more of a threat.
ReplyDeleteI would have liked Navid Negahban who played Al Ow-Al in S2 ep5 League of Assassins. He looked age appropriate (yes I know about the Lazarus pits), it is always nice to see POC in strong roles, good looking and was great in combat! Someone like that would be a really good choice. Arrow have cast good actors in the various roles, I have faith that they will get someone good for this iconic role.
ReplyDeleteI love both Lian Neeson and Jason Issacs, but NO!
ReplyDeleteNaveen Andrews and Pedro Pascal are ok choices, though i feel they might be a tad too young.
Oded Fehr is an EXCELLENT choice however.
Another excellent candidate IMO would be Alexander Siddig
Oh I looooooove him! Yes, he'd be great for the part!
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Why recycle Nolan's RAG when you can create your own? It would be terribly un-imaginitive.
ReplyDeleteI's like to see Arnold V. aka The Mummy play him. He makes a great bad guy.
ReplyDelete