I'm in the middle of reading the second series of The Umbrella Academy, and it's definitely the kind of book that I see being optioned into a movie in the near future. So I thought I'd throw my two cents in on who to cast before that happens. When I first heard about the book, I was very skeptical. While I enjoyed The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance, the James Jean cover and seemingly gothic premise screamed god-awful emo crap. But then I was pleasantly surprised! Gabriel Ba's artwork and the Royal Tenenbaums-meets-Hellboy team with Doom Patrol-esque problems are heaven for me.
SpaceboyJames Van der Beek
I was never a fan of Dawson's Creek, but between Varsity Blues and Rules of Attraction, I'm a huge Van der Beek fan. I wish he was in more stuff, and I think he could do a great job as the cocky, heroic, know-it-all Spaceboy. He's also got a strong enough jaw line to pull off a heavy presence while still sporting the whole mostly gorilla-bodied thing.
Kraken
Josh Harnett
It seems like there's a lot of ways to cast the Kraken, what with him being the sassy rogue and all. But I think that Hartnett has just enough pretty with a little bit of edge mixed in. I love him in everything from 40 Days and 40 Nights to Luck Number Slevin. But I think it's his drug-dealing ways from The Faculty that really seals the deal for me.
RumorJulia Stiles
The Rumor is supposed to ooze feminine wiles, while at the same time being very smart and calculating. Stiles is hot enough to pull it off, but she also seems like she might actually be smart, which is always a plus. I also think she has enough screen presence to shine through even after she gets silenced.
Seance`Michael Showalter
The Seance` seems like he was the kind of kid who was super-nerdy and outcast, but, because of his abilities, would've been strangely cocky. I'm not too sure about Showalter's acting chops, but he is damn funny and has some real sass, which I think is a definite necessity. Also, the Seance` has a very prominent nose, and Showalter's nose would totally fit the bill.
Number FiveRory Culkin (?)
The main reason I didn't cast the child versions of the siblings is because as soon as you find a kid the right age with great acting skills, they're suddenly all grown up (did you know the kid from Love Actually is 19?). Anyways, for Number Five, I would go with someone who had that whole Rory Culkin in Signs thing. Or maybe Elijah Wood in The Good Son.
The Horror
We haven't really learned much about the Horror's personality, but it seems like he might be somewhat somber and brooding (you know that whole demons-live-inside-me thing). So my default go-to guy for that is Guy Pearce. He's awesome in everything he does. And he's so pretty. What could go wrong?
The White ViolinJudy Greer
I think the obvious casting for the White Violin would be Selma Blair, but I wanted to think outside the norm. And Judy Greer has always entertained me, both in dramatic and comedic roles. She's also just odd-looking enough to really embody that whole out-of-place thing, but thin and angular enough to pull off the very stylized look of the Violin.
The MonocleBill Nighy
Really, any thin, pointy, mad-scientist-looking old guy would work, but I love Bill Nighy. I love him in everything he does, but his role as the un-patriarchal dad in Shaun of the Dead really makes him perfect to lead this little clan of odd-balls. I would also pitch David Bowie for the role.
Dr. PogoDominic West
I imagine Dr. Pogo to be British and coy, and even though West plays an American on The Wire, that stellar show made me fall in love with this brooding actor. If a talking chimp has to be my mentor, I totally want him to be McNulty.
Mrs. HargreevesMegan Mullally
Mom is another character who hasn't shown up a whole lot, but I imagine that she is always a super-perfect-50's-housewife with a robot twist. Mullally is mom-looking enough and she's funny and odd, which just kind of goes along with the crew. I think she would bring a little more character to the role than other candidates might.
