Cast This: Solid Snake

If you’ve been following the development hell that is a METAL GEAR SOLID movie, and still happen to have some hair left, you’re tougher than I am. The idea of a feature film based on the popular game has been off and on the table for over a decade with the last item of news being Jay Basu had closed a deal to pen a script for the adaptation. One should note however that this “news” was reported a year ago, so no one really knows at this point what’s happening with this project.

For those unfamiliar with the game and its very convoluted story over a very confusing timeline, the basics are: Metal Gear Solid debuted back in 1998 for the PlayStation while Metal Gear debuted in 1987 for the MSX2 home computer. The game and its subsequent sequels have been met with consistent critical acclaim and have sold over 30 million copies around the world. The game’s protagonist is Solid Snake, a deadly soldier who looks to stop the threat of a renegade Special Forces unit that goes by the name of Foxhound. The group tries to use a nuclear weapons facility as a terrorist threat, and Solid Snake must liberate two hostages, confront the terrorists and then stop then nuclear attack. 

Casting the lead role would be something the film’s developers, hopefully keeping series creator Hideo Kojima involved, will have to decide carefully. The franchise is something that could potentially be worth billions when it’s all said and done, so they may want to cast with fans in mind. When the movie was first talked about in 2006, there was even controversy when the voice of Solid Snake, David Hayter, wasn’t involved in the project. That’s how close the fans are watching.

So who could play the gruff-voiced stealth expert? According to Kojima, Snake is a combination of three dudes well all know and love. Obviously, Snake Plissken, played by Kurt Russell (gotta love that eyepatch), the body of Jean Claude Van-Damme, and the face of Christopher Walken. Kojima knows how to build a man, doesn’t he? That’s quite the hybrid for our chosen protagonist to live up to, but let’s get to work.

I’d like to submit the idea of casting Christian Bale in the role. My thought process is that he obviously has the looks, and if they were looking for older or younger, I’m sure based on his work ethic, he would make it happen somehow. Bonus: the guy has a fan base thanks to those little Batman movies he did, so fans of the game or movies in general might warm up pretty quickly. Another actor who I wouldn’t mind putting on the eyepatch is Hugh Jackman. Again, he has the looks and build for the role and when you look at his career, calling the man versatile would be something of an understatement. Lastly, I would like to see the quiet and always entertaining Viggo Mortensen take the role. I don’t know about you, but when he’s on the screen, I can’t look away and I’m never bored. There’s something about him, it’s as if he’s hiding something and you can’t quite figure it out and you don’t really want to in the fear that he might break your neck. A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE is all the audition he needs for this role. I think the common ground here among my choices is tough and brooding, wouldn’t you say?

Now it’s your turn. Who would you like to see crouch behind corners and hide under boxes on the big screen in what is sure-to-be one of the most coveted roles of the decade (or whenever this thing actually happens)? How about the names Bradley Cooper, Josh Brolin, Idris Elba or Kiefer Sutherland? Or going a little older, Gary Oldman! Another tough actor to portray Snake could land on Russell Crowe I would think.

The long-gestating METAL GEAR SOLID would eventually need its Solid Snake, and that’s where you come in, the Cast This Strikeback folks. Let your voice be heard in the comments and you never know who might be reading it soon enough.

RESULTS FROM CAST THIS: Nathan Summers aka Cable – 1. Mel Gibson 2. Stephen Lang 3. Henry Rollins