CAST THIS: Commander Shepard

I had two options of when to write this Cast This column. I could wait until some super official MASS EFFECT movie news came out, or I could do it the week the new game is released. Well, since I’ve spent 10 of the last 24 hours playing it, it’s currently all I’m thinking about and I’m rushing through my work day so I can start playing it again, here we are.

He’s the first human Spectre, the savior of the galaxy and allegedly pretty good in the virtual sack. This week, he’s back for a whole new set of adventures, and he’s the man (or woman) without a real first name. He’s COMMANDER SHEPARD.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. How the hell do you cast a hero of a movie where you can completely customize them in game, changing gender, race and age to whatever suits you? That’s a very valid point, but when this movie adaptation does come, it’ll have to be done, and I have to imagine they’ll try and go with someone that looks like the “default” pictured above.

Out of every video game I’ve ever played, I haven’t seen one that is more deserving of a movie franchise than MASS EFFECT. The universe is mind-bogglingly in-depth, and rivals STAR WARS and STAR TREK in terms of its complexity. Those at Bioware say they are excited about the prospect of a movie, but only one that’s done “right.” To me though, playing through the game mostly feels like an interactive twenty hour movie already.

Our Shepard can really be anything you wan’t, so this casting column is something of a blank slate. If you want to pick someone to look like the guy up there, so be it, or if you think an different actor better suits your vision of Shepard, then go for it. Myself? My Shepard is a burly Asian dude with blue eyes, so I’m going with Daniel Dae Kim.

Last Week: MARY JANE

I thought about doing a THIRD Spider-Man column this week, but I though that was pushing it. Last time we were talking about who Mary Jane would be in the new film, and here’s what we got:

1. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (12%) 2. Emma Stone (11%) 3. Rachel Hurd-Wood (5%)

Man, you guys sure love your Mary Elizabeth Winstead don’t you? I remember when you cast her as both Betty AND Veronica in one of my first Cast This columns. She’s been fine in what I’ve seen her in and is quite hot, but I’m not sure I understand all the rabid enthusiasm surrounding her.

Emma Stone is without a doubt my choice. She’s the sultriest redhead out there if you ask me, and I think she definitely could look high school age in the new film. Hurd-Wood I was less familiar with, but “bombshell” doesn’t really come to mind when I was sifting through her pictures.

Alright, that’s all for now, let’s hear those Shepard ideas!