Liam Hoofe takes a look at potential actors for the highly anticipated Metal Gear Solid movie…
Jordan Vogt-Roberts, director of Kong: Skull Island, confirmed this month that he is committed to making the “truest, most balls to the wall, Metal Gear version” of Metal Gear Solid, the popular game franchise which looks finally set to get a big movie adaptation.
An adaptation of the successful video game series has been on Hollywood’s to-do list for years, and it makes a lot of sense. The game is one of the most cinematic of all time, with a complex narrative spanning decades and strong, detailed characters that really jump off the screen.
One thing that is essential to making the movie work, as with most video game adaptations, is making sure the main character is cast correctly. Solid Snake is one of the most iconic video game heroes of all time, and a miscasting could really do the franchise an injustice. So who should be on Vogt-Roberts’ hit list to play the iconic role? Let’s take a look at eight actors who could fit the bill.
Jon Bernthal
Jon Bernthal is currently gearing up for the release of his solo Netflix series, The Punisher. The actor made his name in The Walking Dead and smaller roles in movies like The Wolf of Wall Street, Sicario, and Fury, but really broke through when he appeared as Frank Castle, better known as The Punisher, in season two of Daredevil.
Not only does he not come with any baggage in terms of typecasting, he is also a brute of a man who is capable of showing emotional range when the situation asks for it. His grizzled, hard-man persona could make him the perfect fit for Snake around the time of MGS 3: Snake Eater.
Christian Bale
Christian Bale is one of the most popular, and accomplished actors working in Hollywood today. Whether it was a younger Snake or the grizzled veteran we see in later games, Bale would no doubt be able to adapt to the role.
He is one of the most committed actors working today and is more than capable of pulling off the complexities and pressure that come with such a role. He also has a huge fan following from his days as Bruce Wayne/Batman in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy, and no doubt that would give him some bonus points with fans of the games.
Viggo Mortensen
Viggo Mortensen, as far as I’m concerned, could do a Rubix cube on screen for two hours and I’d still want to watch him, the guy is that good. While he has remained fairly low-key since his time as Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings, he has still managed to achieve critical success with movies like Eastern Promises, The Road, and more recently, Captain Fantastic.
He also has the perfect look to play an older version of Snake, and for those who aren’t sure as to whether he is up for the more physical aspects of the role, go and watch Eastern Promises, then come back and tell me that.
David Hayter
Okay, let’s get this one over and done with. David Hayter is, in the eyes of many Metal Gear Solid fans, the only version of Solid Snake they will ever accept. The guy portrayed Snake for 12 years, voicing him in the four of the five major releases, and also several spin offs.
While fans would no doubt be satisfied if he were cast, he has no big movie experience and would likely not bring a great deal to the role, aside from his voice. Instead, Vogt-Roberts should consider getting him involved in the screenplay writing side of the project; Hayter worked on the first two X-Men movies and Watchmen, so he has a pretty good track record when it comes to adaptations.
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Originally published September 14, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
