Now more than ever we are subjected to an endless release of remakes and reboots. Disney for example seems to be laying out the groundwork for their own animation to live-action DCU with films like CINDERELLA, THE JUNGLE BOOK, DUMBO and many more on the way. I can’t say I blame them, unoriginality seems to pay VERY well these days.
Which brings us to the news from last week: actress, producer, and director Elizabeth Banks has been given the offer to helm a reboot of the CHARLIE'S ANGELS franchise. This of course now leads us to question just who will fill the necessary roles.
First, let’s familiarize ourselves with the material. Charlie's Angels was a crime/detective series that ran for five seasons from 1976 to 1981. It followed the adventures of three women working for a private detective agency in Los Angeles, and initially starred Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson, and Jaclyn Smith (pictured left to right) in the leading roles. There were more characters added, but none more popular than these three leading ladies so let’s just focus on them for now.
It was a huge TV hit and would later resurface as a remake with two successful movies starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu. For the record, I was fine with the first CHARLIE'S ANGELS; the cast was solid, it was very colorful and campy, and McG can shoot a flashy action sequence. There was also an insufferable attempt at a 2011 TV show that we don’t need to talk about.
Casting this new movie is not as easy as one might think, not these days anyway. For better and for worse, times have changed. While some might have seen the original TV series and the movies as badass chicks taking out the criminal garbage, others saw it as sexploitation. With that being said, there is something to consider about today’s politically correct society and what’s deemed empowering and what comes off as sexist. Can we have a CHARLIE’S ANGELS movie that shows a lot of skin using suggestive outfits? This viewer says yes and please.
In this scenario however, it’s up to you. What does your casting knowledge tell you? Can you imagine Emma Stone (EASY A) or Shailene Woodley (THE DIVERGENT SERIES) as one of the Angels? How about Olivia Munn who will no-doubt kick ass in X-MEN: APOCALYPSE? Would Jennifer Lawrence be up for another action role? What about Elizabeth Banks’ PITCH PERFECT co-star Anna Kendrick? Then of course there is everyone's favorite cool chick, Emma Stone.
Don’t forget when making your selections that adding diversity to the cast can make for more interesting options. It worked out very well when they added then 32-year-old Lucy Liu to the mix. The TV series had three white women with a lot of hair, maybe that was creative for that period but we can do better than that. I will give you Lupita Nyong'o as an actress that would make a great Angel; talent and beauty are key ingredients here. My personal pick though, Amber Stevens (pictured right below); she had a great presence in 22 JUMP STREET and is incredibly sexy. Another pick, Alexa Vega (pictured left below); she’s no stranger to action movies with a record including SPY KIDS, MACHETE KILLS, and SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR.
Whatever the case may be, I think I speak for all of us when I suggest that if they are going to force Melissa McCarthy in a role, let it be Bosley.
Who would YOU cast for the roles of CHARLIE'S ANGELS? It's Cast This, movie fans. Time to go to work.