So my friends and I were discussing this the other day:

If a live-action film or TV show adaptation of The Witcher were announced, who would be your choice to play the one and only Geralt of Rivia? The best option we were able to come up with was Tom Hardy (although that may just be Fury Road talking).

What do you guys think? Feel free to cast other characters too.

(And yes, I'm aware of the Polish film and TV show. We're discussing a new, presumably English adaptation).

A young Jackie Chan would be pretty cool. I'd also throw my hat to Javier Bardem.

Liam Neeson?

Stephen Lang

Mads Mikkelsen

Vinny Caravella.

I think a younger Sean Bean would've been really well suited to the role. Like 90s or 2000s Sean Bean.

Also Christian Bale could probably do a decent job of Geralt, just grey him up a bit.

Maybe I'm just listing off cast members of Equilibrium, the greatest dystopian B-movie of our time.

Jon Hamm? I guess he doesn't really have the look. My first thought was Liam Neeson though.

Hugh Jackman

Hmmm. I could see Chris Hemsworth as Geralt. He can pull off the long hair, and even with the scars and cat eyes he'd have the attraction a movie or tv series would want. But, he's a big movie actor who may not want to do a tv series, which would be the better format for the slow pacing of the novels. Stephen Amell could pull it off too, I think. He's played the badass hero role well on Arrow.

I think the actor should be in his 30's. It kinda sends home the concept that his hair isn't white because he's old. That and he's gotta look physically able to jump around and roll when fighting.

Daniel Radcliff

You know what? I actually did think Geralt looked like Vinny in that CG trailer with the vampire lady.

Fassbender

@theht: The correct answer.

Butler.

John Cusack

Hugh Jackman

Michal Zerbrowski

Keanu Reeves

Chris Pratt

@bisonhero: A-fucking-men good brother. That movie is one of my top 10 of all time.

Jaime Lannister. Though his movie chops outside of that show have been kinda rough.

Tom Hardy seems to be a bit of a kingmaker lately, most anything he does gets critical acclaim. And to play a witcher, someone short with words and limited emotion but also a monsterous killing machine? That's like every performance he's given. Perfect fit.

@bisonhero: Equilibrium rules hard.

Hemsworth would probably do a pretty solid job.

Tilda Swinton

Mel gibson. Geralt already looks like a worn down patriot and with Vesimir saying "im to old for this shit" every 5min its a perfect fit

Hmmmm, Jake Gyllenhaal would probably be my first choice. His ability to become each character he plays simply uncanny. Chris Evans would probably be my number 2. He's definitely proven himself capable these past few years. Seems like he naturally has that same sort of swagger Geralt has.

Wild card pick would be Ryan Reynolds. I like him, but meeeh, I can't think of anything he's been that I would label great. Mind you, been in a lot of movies I enjoyed, but just nothing that blew my mind. I've heard a ton of good things about Buried, but I have yet to see it for myself. Regardless, I feel like he has the potential to fulfill the role, but it'd be one of those things I'd be cautiously optimistic about.

@theht: In a perfect world this would happen.

I think Gerard Butler or Javier Bardem could pull off a good Geralt.

@theht: Yep Mads would be perfect. His work on Hannibal shows he can play the kind of reserved yet charming character that Geralt is.

Could see Tom Hardy as a pretty good Letho, take away his sick mustache from Bronson and you have a pretty good Letho image.

The dude who played Eddard Stark during the first season of Game of Thrones.

Ok Mads Mikkelsen would be perfect. You win this time, Denmark.

Easy. The Highlander himself, Christopher Lambert.

Jeff taught me that Edward Norton can play any role.

@theht said:

Mads Mikkelsen

Oh my god this is perfect casting

@mannymar: Wished for Christopher Lambert, got James Remar instead.

Edit: Shit. I should've just said, "I don't think so."

Mads Mikkelsen is the only real choice.

Geralt more than likely doesn't die during this hypothetical Witcher film, so Sean Bean's out. Also Sean Bean seems like he might be a little too old and/or stocky for this role.

Liam Neeson

Jaden Smith

Wesley Snipes

George Clooney. Just tell him to never shave and lose some of the charm. Not all of it, just some of it.

Josh Holloway

Marc Maron is my choice for the role, not because he is strong, brave, or dashing; but because he would totally deconstruct the meaning of The Witcher universe. And while he will be totally serious in the role. he will also be tragically funny while doing it.

"....There are also always those burnt, hard kernels at the bottom that don't pop. You know why they don't pop? They don't pop because they have integrity. ~~ Marc Maron

Tim Robbins

Maybe a younger Tim Robbins.

The only answer that is valid right here. Well played.

Mads Mikkelsen (as mentioned above) would be the best choice I think. Someone like Hugh Jackman or Viggo Mortensen could be pretty great in the role also.

Gilbert Gottfried or Tommy Wiseau

@theht said:

Mads Mikkelsen

That would be pretty fucking spot on! Love Mads after Hannibal! That show is AWSOME! Others mentioned Viggo Mortensen who would also be good. I gotta say, I have a newfound respect for the voice actor who plays Geralt. I just played a scene where he gets shit faced with 2 other witchers! He did an AMAZING job! I laughed pretty hard. I went from this guy is dry, and kinda sucks, to this is some A+ shit right here. It helped I had a few drinks. It was just funny to hear him do a great drunk Geralt, which maybe he did in past games as well? Been too long for me to remember. Also FUCK Hugh Jackman. His dramatic roles are actually better then his action roles. Which is to say not good. He looks the part, but I dont feel it when he does a gruff action character.