Cyberpunk 2077 Movie (Fancasting)

Who should bring the great game to life?

Having recently seen an influx of players due to the netflix anime, it brings me joy thatCyberpunk 2077 is finally getting the flowers it deserves. I loved the game so much that I bought the encyclopaedia (World of Cyberpunk 2077) and now it’s time for me to do what I supposedly do best… a fan casting:

Jackie Wells

Our buff boy and son of Heywood.

Miguel Gomez

Casting for Jackie Welles was difficult as my immediate thought to find someone who is both buff and can act would be to go to the luchadore scene but it feels disrespectful to ask somebody to take off their mask for a movie/TV role. But then I remembered the Jake Gyllenhall film Southpaw and the character of Miguel ‘Magic’ Escobar. Considering a big part of Welles’s origin story is how good he was at boxing. Miguel Gomez (who plays Miguel in the film) has certainly got the perfect build for this role but seeing his few moments in the series SMILF (Single Mother is Looking for Family) he certainly has the acting capability to play the charismatic son of Heywood.

Johnny Silverhand

Was he a villain?

Keanu Reeves

This one is incredibly simple. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Reeves played the role of Johnny Silverhand so perfectly that it feels wrong to give it to anyone else.

Panam Palmer:

A badass woman who steals military vehicles… and our hearts.

Tristin Mays

Now I’ll be honest I found this comparison on reddit but just LOOK at Tristin Mays. She was either the face model for Panam or she has a really good lawsuit ready. Having done some basis research into her work she seems like a very good actress irrespective. She definitely could play Pannam Palmer based on just looks.

Mays herslef even agrees

River Ward:

Charismatic, handsome with great cheekbones. I am describing both River Ward AND Michael B Jordan.

Michael B Jordan

I actually think that River Ward deserves his own TV show because his storyline in the games was so good it should have been it’s own game. A story that even some dedicated detective games can’t match up to (*cough cough* Murdered: Soul Suspect *cough cough*). Jordan has the acting chops to portray the internal struggles and desires of Ward perfectly on this big screen.

Adam Smasher:

Adam Smasher is one of the most iconic characters in Cyberpunk lore. As far as I can tell, he and Wakako are he only two characters to appear in the original game, the video game and the netflix series.

Dave Bautista

A massive scary man full of Cyberware could only be played by the likes of Dave Bautista. Smasher does have a romantic past though with the daughter of the Arasaka empire so if the show or movie wanted to explore his more sensitive side and how he has become so lost in his cyberways, Bautista certainly has the acting diversity to do so.

Evelyn Parker:

Evelyn Parker is a woman who uses the desires of men to get what she wants and further herself in the unforgiving world of Night City.

Anya Taylor-Joy

Now, many people may only know Taylor-Joy from her role as a chess piece in The Queen's Gambit (idk I haven't seen the show) her roles in Last Night in Soho and Peaky Blinders are perfect embodiments of who Evelyn Parker is. It also adds a lot of name value to the show or movie and honestly she’s just one of my favourite actresses currently. Heavily underrated actress.

Judy Alvarez:

A very quick fan favourite, Judy Alavarez is a punk hacker/BD editor who is quickly lovable that an incorrect casting ruin.

Ana De Armas

It’s why I believe that Ana De Armas would be perfect for the role. De Armas is certainly one the best actresses we have today and she would absolutely engross herself in the role perfectly. Her roles in Bond, Knives Out and Blade Runner: 2049 show that she is more than capable of taking on the role.

Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez is another option. I can’t quite put my finger on why but Judy Alvarez kept reminding me of Alex from Wizards of Waverly Place. Most people often forget that Gomez is a great actress who got her start in acting. Thankfully her acting comeback in Only Murders in the Building has help reinforced faith in her actin capabilities.

Rogue:

The greatest fixer in Night City is an interesting casting as we need someone who we can either age up to be an older Rogue or age down to be a young Rogue. I choose ageing up (as it’s less complicated)

Florence Pugh

Florence Pugh has played a lot of roles in her career, but it’s her role as Saraya Knight (aka Paige) in the film Fighting With My Family that really gives her the edge here. A young punk badass who is determined to be successful is exactly who the young rogue is but the older Rogue is a more collected individual. If you have a great actress like Pugh just let her act and lose herself in the role. She is a more than capable individual who you can tell has a lifetime's worth of history behind her eyes. And why recast for that?

Goro Takemura:

Goro Takemurra may not be the most popular character in Cyberpunk 2077 but he is certainly too important not to be cast. So who should play the downfall of the Arasaka family?

Daisuke Tsuji

Daisuke Tsuji rose to prominence recently for his role in the absolutely amazing Ghost of Tsushima. Now I know what you’re thinking, isn’t that just voice casting? No you silly billy they did performance capture so we know that the man can act his heart out. I also think he deserves a shot at live action acting because the man is incredibly talented and honestly made Jinn Sakai the character that he is.

Hanako Arasaka:

Hanako Arasaka is the heiress to the Arasaka family kingdom provided her older brother is dead.

Arden Cho

I believe that Arden Cho is perfect for the role considering her recent role as Ingrid Yun in the netflix show Partner Track shows that she has the acting capability to play a business woman and her role as Kira Yukimura in Teen Wolf shows she is capable of handling larger than life stories.

Viktor Vektor:

The best RipperDoc in all of Nightcity.

Hugo Weaving

If you told me Viktor Vektor WASN’T based on Hugo Weaving I’d call you a liar. A calming and caring but educated presence. Weaving is perfect for the renowned RipperDoc.

Alt Cunningham:

The former lover of Johnny Silverhand and hacker extraordinaire.

Mimi Keane

So I was looking at a different actress for this casting and Mimi Keane’s name popped up in an an article. Alt Cunningham is meant to be beautiful, brainy and badass. Now her character in Netflix’s Sex Education is beautiful and brainy but we don;’t quite get to see her be badass. This would be a great role for her to fill and Alt Cunningham is regularly described as the beautiful lover of Johnny Silverhand andlet’s be real not many can fit that bill with the acting chops to back it up.

Mysty:

A spiritual healer with her head always in the clouds. Who should play Jackie Welles' girlfriend?

Saorise Ronan

Unique voice and head always in the clouds? Does that not just scream every role that Saorise Ronan has ever done? She also has the acting range to play somebody who is grieving but wants to keep her spirituality and a very good american accent. See her roles in How I Live Now and Little Women.

Dexter DeShawn:

The uncrowned king fixer of Night City.

T-Pain

Are you going to sit there and tell he isn’t just T-Pain with a deeper voice? Now can T-Pain act? That doesn’t matter, just give him lessons… Okay this one was a joke… almost

Craig Robinson

An actual casting would be Craig Robinson. Most known for his role as Doug Judy in the sitcom Brooklyn 99, I believe that Robinson could just take his Doug Judy character, make it more serious and successful, and voila. A perfect Dexter DShawn. DeShawn is also incredibly charismatic and it’s safe to say that Craig Robinson is not lacking in the charisma department.

Protagonists:

Now the cool thing about Cyberpunk 2077 is that you can customise your own protagonist to be whoever you would like them to be. Sio when it comes to casting V i think it’s only fair to have a male and female option.

Avan Jogia

For the male option I’m opting to go for Avan Jogia. Rough, handsome and underrated as an actor. I think, just from looks alone, he would be a perfect fit in Night City. The cyberware, the tattoos. It would fit perfectly on him.

Simone Ashley

An option for a female V would be Simone Ashley. I know her current acting CV is only really clean cut roles but she has an immense amount of talent that we have barely scratched the surface with. Just like Jogia, she would be a perfect fit in the world of Cyberpunk and it would be a nice departure and variation on the roles she has already taken.