What if Half-Life 2 was a movie?

[Luke Triton]

If there was a Half-Life 1 or 2 movie, who would you have play the characters?

I already know that Morgan Freeman would play Eli Vance, and Hugh Laurie would play Mistah Fweeman, but who would play Alyx, Barney, Breen, and the rest of them? I've been combing movies and IMDB for the right actors, but I just can't find them! I need your help!

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

Since it's looking like it's going to happen with JJ Abrams taking the wings, I'd rather not have a star studded cast for Half-Life. Too many big name actors if casted into the role of the HL2 characters, would most likely play themselves rather than the characters traits and personalities.

But Edward Norton seems like a good choice for Gordon, and he's an underrated actor. But finding an actor for Alyx might be pretty difficult, but what the heck... just put Merle in the role. She's a good actress, is the voice and knows everything we don't know about Alyx.

 

[Vegeta897]

Many threads on this already.

http://www.valvetime.net/threads/half-life-2-movie.177478/

Here's my casting.

 

[Luke Triton]

Holy cow, I wouldn't be able to tell the game characters from the actors if you didn't label them.

 

[Luke Triton]

Since it's looking like it's going to happen with JJ Abrams taking the wings, I'd rather not have a star studded cast for Half-Life. Too many big name actors if casted into the role of the HL2 characters, would most likely play themselves rather than the characters traits and personalities.

But Edward Norton seems like a good choice for Gordon, and he's an underrated actor. But finding an actor for Alyx might be pretty difficult, but what the heck... just put Merle in the role. She's a good actress, is the voice and knows everything we don't know about Alyx.

Edward looks more like a Barney than a Freeman. Just my opinion.

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

I don't see any resemblance to Barney.

 

[Luke Triton]

I'll admit, he does look a good bit like him, but take away the beard, and he looks a bit more like Barney.

And besides, we can't deny Hugh Laurie the role of the Freeman.

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

Isn't Hugh Laurie a bit too old to play Gordon? He's 53 years old and Gordon is 27.

 

[Luke Triton]

You underestimate the power of makeup artists.

 

[Maestro]

You underestimate the power of makeup artists.

I, for one, welcome Ryan Gosling as Gordon Freeman overlord. Either that or Josh Brolin.

 

[bobtheskull]

Sheeee-ittttt Vegeta.... Father Grigori is spot on. Damn fine casting!

 

[Kitfox]

 

[Luke Triton]

First thing I thought of was Grigori. Took me about 30 seconds to realize he's supposed to be Dr. Freeman.

 

[Shem]

Hey he's old enough.

 

[Maestro]

Hey he's old enough.

I think there are better actors for Grigori, though. Although, I have to say from what I've seen Cranston is a fan-****ing-tastic actor who can probably do just about any role.

 

[Shem]

I agree. He can go from Malcolm in the Middle to Breaking Bad without even breaking a sweat! He's a fantastic actor.

 

[Rorschach120]

Ethan Hawke looks very similar to Gordon and is also an amazing actor. He is very good at being both cool at times and under a great amount of tension at other times which is how Gordon would have to be.

I could definitely see Cranston as Barney but he is too old to play Gordon. He would do a good job of adding some depth to Barney's simple security guard personality (not bald though)

I think Morgan Freeman as Eli is a super typecast but it does actually make sense. Bill Cobbs is another good pick for the role too.

I could see Alyx being someone relatively unheard of but extremely beautiful. Otherwise she would just feel like a bad copy of the video game character rather than a new vision of her (which given that it isn't the game.... a new vision is all it is)

 

[Maestro]

Uh, dude, Alyx would probably be Merle Dandridge...you know the actress that played her in the game and on whom the character was modeled.

 

[Chariotdrive]

While we wait for it, what about this guy and what about this web series?
Bernhard Forcher
http://indiegogo.com/half-life/

 

[morgs]

I think Shia Labeouf would make a good Gordon, and he could star alongside Mila Kunis as Alyx.

 

[Shem]

Or the erotic Megan Fox.

 

[Maestro]

I think Shia Labeouf would make a good Gordon, and he could star alongside Mila Kunis as Alyx.

Shoot yourself.

 

[bobtheskull]

Ethan Hawke looks very similar to Gordon and is also an amazing actor. He is very good at being both cool at times and under a great amount of tension at other times which is how Gordon would have to be.

Good call actually. Hadn't thought about him, but he'd fit.

I think Lennie James (he was Morgan in Walking Dead) would be quite good for Eli, if the film was set during HL rather than HL2. Freeman would be good for HL2.

[edit] And the only person I can think of for G-Man, and I have no idea why, would be Bill Nighy. He has that weird, stilted, quirky, creepiness about him.

 

[Maestro]

Good call actually. Hadn't thought about him, but he'd fit.

I think Lennie James (he was Morgan in Walking Dead) would be quite good for Eli, if the film was set during HL rather than HL2. Freeman would be good for HL2.

[edit] And the only person I can think of for G-Man, and I have no idea why, would be Bill Nighy. He has that weird, stilted, quirky, creepiness about him.

Steve Buscemi is also a distinct possibility.

 

[MuToiD_MaN]

Can't help reading the thread title this way

 

[chichakman]

If they were to make any Half-Life movie, I don't think it would involve Gordon. The point of the Freeman is for him to be an impersonal vessel that the player uses to interact with the world. They turn Gordon into themselves in a sense. The moment he is portrayed in the movie with a specific personality and voice players won't be able to "experience" being Gordon in the same way. I would compare it to reading a book like Lord of the Rings. The moment that anyone watches the movie, they will always think of the characters, music, and acting when they read the book. Suddenly any imagination that they could have had when reading the book is replaced with the view point of Peter Jackson and other writers, musicians, and composers. It stops being a personal experience unless you have read the book beforehand. Because if this I hope that Valve would not include Freeman in a half-life movie, it just wouldn't make sense if they still wanted the game to have the same emotional impact, where the player really places himself in the shoes of Freeman, where we start talking to the screen because we are so immersed in the game and in the character of Gordon Freeman, where we sit shocked in our seats as we see Eli killed before out eyes. 'Nuff said.

chich