Live Action Hercules: My Casting Choices

Live. Action. Hercules. YAAASSSS!!!! I have been wanting this for so long! Hercules and the Emperors New Groove are my go to re-watch Disney animated films. The humor and sass are just perfection. I have thought about who would play what character in Hercules once Disney started on its live-action remake kick. Honestly, until I really thought about it today, there was only one person in my mind that NEEDED to be in any version of a remake, and I think everyone can guess who that is. So, here are my thoughts on who I want to be cast:

Phil: Danny DeVito – Ok, so this is the most obvious casting choice since Disney recast James Earl Jones as Mufasa! Just like James Earl Jones, Danny DeVito’s portrayal of Phil is just ICONIC. Plus, the internet will 110% revolt if he isn’t cast to reprise his role.

Zeus: Chris Hemsworth – He’s already Thor, right? So how funny/great would it be if the Russo Brothers were like “hey Chris, wanna hurl some lightning bolts off of Mount Olympus?”

Hades: Jeff Goldblum – No, I’m not just taking the cast of Thor: Ragnarok and transferring them to Greek mythology. Jeff Goldblum would simply be great as Hades. His sass and comedic timing are perfect for this role.

Pain and Panic: Jonah Hill and Josh Gad – They are both funny af and would do great. Plus, I can already hear either of them saying, “if, if is good.”

Hermes: Scott Caan – This is for sure no one else’s first choice, but it is sure as hell mine. Maybe I’m jaded because Danno is my favorite Hawaii Five-0 character.., Regardless this would be a solid casting choice simply for if they keep the line "already gone babe".

Hera: *don’t really care* - Unless they change it up a bit, she doesn’t really have many lines. There is an abundance of actresses who can stand opposite Chis Hemsworth, gasp, and say “my baby!”

The Muses: Jennifer Hudson, Lizzo, Beyonce, Christina Aguilera, and Ariana Grande – I apologize for not specifying which of the five they would each play but these are my overall picks. Also, I know a lot of the internet wants Ariana to play Meg, but I think her voice lends itself more to the Muses, and I like my choice and I’m standing by it.

Megara: Zendaya – Not going to lie, this one was tough for me. Meg was my favorite growing up, and still is to this day. I wanted to make sure who I chose felt right to me. Yes, again, I went with someone in the MCU. But, let’s not forget, Zendaya was also in The Greatest Showman and Euphoria. She is talented, sassy, and a perfect fit for a live action version of Megara. 

Hercules: Zac Efron – We know he can sing and we know how jacked he can get for a movie or two. But really, this is the perfect opportunity for him to redeem his golf course frolic whilst belting out I Can Go the Distance! (side note: I picked Zac before Zendaya. And then, as I wrote out my reasoning for casting her, I realized they were both in the Greatest Showman together.)

Now there are plenty more roles to cast: the other Greek Gods on Olympus, Herc’s parents, the kids in the market, the terrified people of Thebes, etc. As I am not actually a director, casting director, or producer, I won't do a full deep dive of every single character that was in the animated film. With that said, personally, I would cast the gods on Olympus with random celebrity cameos. I would utilize the characterization of the god/goddess the celebs are portraying as a joke about how the actor is perceived in our world. As for Herc’s parents, I don’t know why but Kevin Costner was the first person to pop into my head, so I’ll stick with it. Other than that, I have no clue for everyone else and like I said, i'm not a casting director for the film.✌

P.S. They better keep the most underrated joke of the animated film – “Help! Someone call IX I I!”