"I Will Watch The Entire Series Over Again Because Of What She Brings To It" – 23 Times Incredible Casting Brought A TV Or Film Adaptation To Life

"The passion, the love, the angst – it's just *chefs kiss* perfect."

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It's risky business to adapt something from a book, comic, or game to a TV series or film. If you get it wrong the fans won't forgive you. Sometimes, however, the casting is so spot-on that you've got to give them the credit.

Universal Pictures

Well, in a recent post, people were sharing the TV and film adaptations that had excellent casting, and here are some of the best new submissions:

1. Richard Harris as Dumbledore in Harry Potter

Warner Bros. Pictures

"He's pretty much what I pictured in my head when I read the books, and seeing him on screen cemented that vision."

—vasato

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Watch Richard's scenes here:

youtube.com

2. Ruth Wilson as Mrs Coulter in His Dark Materials

BBC One

"Ruth Wilson embodied this very complicated and complex character to a frightening perfection – she was captivating to watch in this role. I will watch the entire series over again because of what she brings to it." 

—lolo2n3

Watch Mrs Coulter in action:

youtube.com

3. Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides in Dune

Warner Bros. Pictures

"Absolutely perfect casting – he even has the 'questing eyes' the book character has."

—adriennec1

"Dune casting was damn near perfection – pretty much the entire cast. The only exception was Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho, because, much as I love him, I can't see him as anything but Jason Momoa."

—badwolfenstein

Watch Paul using the voice here:

youtube.com

4. David Tennant and Michael Sheen as Crowley and Aziraphael in Good Omens

Amazon Prime Video

"David Tennant and Michael Sheen will forever be Crowley and Aziraphael to me. It doesn’t matter how many Good Omens adaptations they make in the future."

—emcsquared1

Watch some of their best moments here:

youtube.com

5. The entire cast of The Lord of the Rings

New Line Cinema

"An ensemble cast that cast couldn't have been better. On a more specific level: Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, and Cate Blanchett inhabited their characters to such an extent that I can't even imagine anyone else playing them."

—anumberoflemons

Here's the White Wizard scene:

youtube.com

6. Dafne Keen as Lyra in His Dark Materials

BBC One

"I have to mention Dafne Keen, she was exceptional and exactly as I pictured Lyra. McAvoy and Wilson have decades of stage and screen experience, Keen was 14 when she was cast and still holds her own. An incredible talent."

—honestiago

Watch Lyra here:

youtube.com

7. Pedro Pascal as Joel in The Last of Us

HBO

"Obviously we hear more from Joel in the series, and Pedro plays him a bit 'harder' than the game character, but seriously, what Pedro has done with the character is incredible. He's given an already fantastic character even more depth and emotion. Honestly, there's no one better for the role."

–casualgem30

Have a look at Pedro as Joel:

youtube.com

8. Frankie Adams as Bobbie Draper in The Expanse

Syfy, Amazon Prime Video

"When reading the books I thought they'd never be able to cast someone with that look, that physicality and that deep, nuanced intelligence. And then Adams makes the role look like it was written for her."

—honestiago

Here's the best of Bobbie Draper

youtube.com

9. Anya Taylor-Joy as Emma in Emma (2020)

Universal Pictures

"I know there have been countless movie and television adaptions of it, but I’d have to go with Anya as Emma. It’s my favourite Jane Austen book and she is *exactly* how I always pictured Emma!"

—jamied41

Watch Anya in action:

youtube.com

10. Michael Caine as Scrooge in A Muppet Christmas Carol

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

"I know this is going to be a weird one, but I don’t know how, he just disappears into the role and every time I think of Scrooge, I think of Michael Caine."

—jamied41

Heres Ebenezer doing his thing:

youtube.com

11. Woody Harrelson as Haymitch in The Hunger Games

Lionsgate

"Haymitch was the most perfect casting for me. Woody Harrelson emulated the book character so well. But in general, they really nailed it with the casting. Donald Sutherland was chilling as president Snow, JLaw was great as Katniss, and Elizabeth Banks and Stanley Tucci were also excellent. It was the script that was lacking."

—panda_13

"With Games, some casting was better than others (Effie, Gale, Prim, and even Katniss were pretty spot on) but Haymitch was above and beyond. Everything from his look, mannerisms and voice were exactly how I imagined them while reading the book."

—strangerthanitseems

Watch the best of Haymitch here:

youtube.com

12. Sam Reid as Lestat De Lioncourt in Interview With A Vampire (2022)

AMC

"Lestat is obnoxious and flamboyant and so narcissistic in Anne Rice’s books, and Sam did that with such perfection in the show. Tom Cruise was way too serious and Stuart Townsend captured his dramaticism but the script for that movie was not It. Sam Reid is perfection and I cannot wait for his rockstar Lestat."

—beckpair

Check Sam out here:

youtube.com

13. Kit Connor and Joe Locke as Nick and Charlie in Heartstopper

Netflix

"They captured their characters amazingly well and brought them to life from the page. I can’t wait for season two!

—strictlykittensandcakes

Watch their story here:

youtube.com

14. The cast of Pride and Prejudice (1995)

BBC One

"Just about every main and supporting character was PERFECT, especially Mrs Bennett, Lydia Bennett, Mr Collins, and Lady Catherine de Bourgh (I could go on)!"

—etconner

Watch a clip here:

youtube.com

15. The Walking Dead cast

AMC

"Most of the cast are pretty dang spot on."

—justpeachyy420

"They couldn’t have cast a better Michonne. Danai is EXACTLY as I pictured her IRL."

—actoranon

Watch some of the best bits here:

youtube.com

16. Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon

Warner Bros.

"Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade is excellent."

—chemicalgeisha

Watch Humphrey as Sam here:

youtube.com

17. Alexander Skarsgård as Eric Northman in True Blood

HBO

"We cannot leave Alexander off this list."

—aprildgaf83

Here are some of his best moments:

youtube.com

18. Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier as Miss Bennet and Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice (1940)

Loew's Inc.

"Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier will ALWAYS be the real Miss Bennet and Mr Darcy to me. If you are a Pride and Prejudice fan watch this version from 1940. It's so wonderful!"

—jessicahickey

Have a look at them here:

youtube.com

19. The aunts in A Discovery Of Witches

Sky One, Sky Max

"Overall, the casting was all over the place, but I think they absolutely nailed the aunts."

—earlkay

Watch a clip here:

youtube.com

20. Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser in Outlander

Starz

"Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser is spot on perfect and even slightly better than the books' version..."

—jlawston24

Watch Jamie here:

youtube.com

21. Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes in Misery

Columbia Pictures

"Stephen King books are hard to adapt, but Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes was perfect."

—jlawston24

Take a look at Kathy here:

youtube.com

22. Ian McKellan and Michael Fassbender as Magneto in X-Men

20th Century Fox

"I’m creating my account just to say this: Ian McKellan as Magneto, and also Michael Fassbender as Magneto."

—banana_bebop

Here are some of the most badass Magneto moments:

youtube.com

23. Morgan Freeman as Red in The Shawshank Redemption

Columbia Pictures

"Morgan truly became Red, his narration was spot on and the subtlety of his acting really brought through the emotions the character was feeling, and the respect he had for Andy."

–casualgem30

Take a look at Morgan as Red here:

youtube.com

What's your favourite casting in a movie or TV adaptation? Let us know in the comments below!

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