If this story was a miniseries....
I know the easy question is "Could you see this as a movie?" but I don't think we could. So much happens that a movie could never justify it (like most games). However, if this was a special miniseries spin off it could be an even better show than the AMC show (it already is).
So if you could envision this as a miniseries:
Would you have it stay on AMC or go to a different network?
Who would you cast in the lead roles?
How many episodes could you see it being?
Would you want a good guy, bad guy, survivor, peacemaker, silent or neutral Lee as the main character (however you want to define it)?
Would you make any drastic changes?
Doug or Carley?
Should Telltale be directly involved in the storytelling?
Any big name directors/writers/showrunners you would attach?
Feel free to answer how you want and add any other comments!
So if you could envision this as a miniseries:
Would you have it stay on AMC or go to a different network?
Who would you cast in the lead roles?
How many episodes could you see it being?
Would you want a good guy, bad guy, survivor, peacemaker, silent or neutral Lee as the main character (however you want to define it)?
Would you make any drastic changes?
Doug or Carley?
Should Telltale be directly involved in the storytelling?
Any big name directors/writers/showrunners you would attach?
Feel free to answer how you want and add any other comments!
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
I would like J.J Abrams to be involved but he's more of a Sci Fi guru. Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse (The creators of Lost) would be great as well, they're pretty good with drama tv shows.
As for cast I will have to think about it.
I would love to see Eva Green as Lilly Caul. She'll totally own the role.
Hershel, Glenn and Shawn can be played by the same guys that play them in AMC's The Walking Dead.
I will have to think about the rest of the cast.
As for Carley I would like to see Anne Hathaway. Not that she resembles Carley's in game model that much, but she's an amazing actress and seeing the powerful scene between her character and Eva Green's character in the RV.... mmm that's definitely something I will pay to see
Allison Munn could play Irene. I think I see a resemblance there... or maybe Lizzy Caplan.
John Noble will make an awesome Larry I'm sure of it.
Maybe that guy... Michael Ealy could play Lee. It's really hard for me to choose.
I found Kenny! I think that Jeremy Davies will make a great Kenny. I think there's a pretty good resemblance here... in a way he even looks like the comic book Governor.
So, do you guys like my suggestions?
1) Yeah, it should stay on AMC. As long as they don't mess around with the story aside from minor changes for a show's sake (filling time gaps or maybe fine tuning some dialogue). They would have to intensely cut down the profanity though (I personally don't mind but a lot of other people might)
2) Hm...main cast...why not the whole cast (you dont have to do this, I'm just crazy this way!) This is my idea at the moment based on my research:
Lee- Idris Elba
Clementine- Quvenzhane Wallis
Kenny- Tim McGraw (Kenny looks more like Jeff Foxworthy but he's too old and probably not that good an actor)
Katjaa- Cecile de France (probably the closest Belgian actress we can find for her)
Duck- Jackson Pace
Carley- Jennifer Carpenter
Doug- Rich Sommer
Lilly- Evangeline Lilly
Larry- Ed O'Neill
Mark- Ian Somerhalder
Ben- Dean DeHaan
Chuck- Sam Elliott (I could see him as a hobo and he wouldn't be playing a cowboy again)
Omid- Omid Abtahi
Christa- Erica Tazel
Shawn Green- Stephen Lunsford
Andy St. John- Anson Mount
Danny St. John- Logan Marshall Green
Brenda St. John- Margo Martindale
Irene- Tania Raymonde
Jolene- Parker Posey
Travis- Steven R. McQueen
David- Zach Galifianakis (He looks like him and I can handle a cameo of him)
Glenn and Hershel would be their AMC actors. I think they are some of the best actors in the cast so I'd be happy to see them again (I mean come on, Glenn was perfect casting). Maybe we would get to see Otis again too!
3) I'd say a maximum of ten or a minimum of six episodes would work for the show. It would just depend on how you restructure certain parts of the plot and how you would count it a miniseries.
4) I think I would prefer following a good guy Lee. I don't picture Lee being a bad jerk or selfish and I think it helps the story to have someone attempting to be the moral center. He may not be perfect nor will he make all the right choices, but I would believe that Lee's whole mishap would sting his conscious enough to want to keep his standards. It would fit Kirman's themes concerning how people either preserve or reject our humanity when the world ends. I think it also would make the third episode story more powerful, since it can be a moment where he redefines what he should do to be a good example. Plus, we need an upstanding, smart and strong black character in the lead role. It'd be a great nod to Night of the Living Dead and somewhat an apology for T-Dawg.
5) Drastic changes? Hm...Well maybe think of a better way to conceal the twist with the St. John's. I wouldnt change the twist at all but I want to not feel like we can see it coming a mile away. Maybe make the ending from Episode 3 a bit more interesting too. Help develop Omid and Christa a bit more when they are introduced. And for heaven's sake fix Travis' death. It was ridiculous in my opinion.
6) Carley. No questions asked. I think she contributes more as a character to the plot and themes of the story. Plus I personally think her death is a lot more shocking and natural than Doug's (as noble a sacrifice as he attempted).
7) I think they should be involved at least for the story. Probably should cooperate with some professional tv writers, but they should be there to keep character and plot consistency.
8) Hm...I honestly am not confident the current show runner would do a good job here. Along with being tied to the main show, I think his team could mess/change up events that may end up muting the story's effectiveness. I could be wrong (especially since it would be a smaller cast to give attention to) but that's just me. Give it to someone like Vince Gillian. He's almost done with Breaking Bad and he knows how to do punctuated moments of drama, harsh violence, casting "not pretty" but talented actors and sprinkling bits of comedy to break tension. Hm, ok now I want to see that happen!
the walking dead season 1 WAS a 'mini' series of 6 episodes, compared to other shows that normally have at least 10 to 13 eps for a first run, but because it got good ratings and was well liked it was renewed and expanded.
It's just for fun. I'm not saying it is going to happen. I just like speculating and thinking up ideas. And technically a proper miniseries is a complete story so Season 1 of the AMC show would technically be a "half season" than a miniseries. Kind of like what Breaking Bad is doing for the final season and for its first season. This would be an actual one shot miniseries.
another new group with elements taken from all current mediums
As I said, it is just for fun
Samuel L. Jackson. Calling it now.
Nah, just kidding. Idris Elba looks good for Lee, but they may need to do something to make him look younger. I'm way, way too lazy to actually answer this question in completion.
Probably 15, as each episode of the game is a little over 2 hours each, assuming the episodes were about 45 minutes each.
Honestly, bad guy Lee sounds like it would be more entertaining.
I would probably make Lily not even offer to bring you with her; it was pointless in the game and it would be pointless in the miniseries. I don't think that would be all that drastic, though.
So, bromance or cock-tease. Huh . . . bros before hoes, man.
Wouldn't basing what happened in the miniseries on the games pretty much be exactly that?
None come to mind, unfortunately.
I really like your ideas and cast, with few exceptions. I do not think Evangeline Lilly will do a good Lilly. I've seen her in Lost (my favourite show ever) but I can't portray her as Lilly. Eva Green is still much better imo, especially after I saw her playing Morgan Lefay in Camelot.
Same problem with your Larry. He doesn't strike me as the guy who you would hate. He's Al Bundy! John Noble however was pretty hatable as Denetor in LOTR and evil Walter Bishop in Fringe. Plus I think he has the hardened look Larry has.
Although I like most of your cast, I'm not sure how great actors they all are. Haven't seen/heard at least half of them. Your Lee is great though. He looks quite like him.
And Ian Somerhalder will be great Mark. He did great as the victim in Lost, and now after he's been kicking ass in The Vampire Diaries, I would love to see him as the victim once again.
I would've loved to have thrown Michael Emerson here somewhere, but I just couldn't decide where. Now that I think about it he might do a pretty creepy Danny, or the Clem stalker guy
i think either Evangeline Lilly or Eva Green could do lilly, but i think what you are both missing with larry is the fact that larry can knock people out, although John Noble does a brilliant "crazy dad" in both LOTR and Fringe, he couldn't throw a punch if his life depended on it, its the same with Ed O'Neill.
even though it may not be perfect i think someone like mickey rourke would be a good larry, i can imagine him saying "I've got charm coming out of my ass"
I know what you mean with Noble and O'Neill. I struggled picking someone for that because of that. I could not think of someone off hand who fits the voice, build and demeanor of Larry. He's just such a distinct character. It's the same reason for who I picked with Katjaa, since I know of no actors who got her physique and is Belgian or can fake it.
Noble is a terrific actor but he strikes me as too classically British to play Larry. His voice is too naturally deep, which conflicts with Larry's more comedic higher whiskey/cigarette coated voice. He is not really physically intimidating either. He has a scary face, but he is kind of a small guy. Up against Idris Elba he wouldn't look very tough. He fits roles like Denethor more naturally, where it is influence and power abuse more than strength that works to their advantage.
I chose O'Neill for his attitude. I could see him playing cantankerous and funny like Larry, which the funny is an important detail (I could see him do the charm line just right). His voice is a but deep but it is more balanced to the attitude of Larry. He doesn't have the muscle Larry does though he is a taller older man.
Haha! I only worry if we can understand what Rourke is saying. It might come out as "I hot farm uming outta my sass." he's certainly intimidating but I'm not sure if he is fatherly.
If anyone has a better pick, please let me know!
For Lee.... I'd go with Russel Hornsby from Grimm
For Carley... Bree Turner... also from Grimm
For Larry.. Ron Perlman
I'm not sure on the rest... those are the only ones that jump to mind for me...
I really like your Bree Turner choice. I think she looks just like Carley.
Personally I think Jennifer Carpenter could do a really great Lilly. She can be compassionate and angry as fuck as evidenced on Dexter. For Lee I think Mikhei Phifer would be good choice but I'm not completely sold there yet. I don't know much about child actors/actresses so I just found a girl who somewhat resembles Clem - Gigi Papasavvas no idea if she can even act I just google searched for child actresses lol.
Any other thoughts on this? I'd like to nail down a fan "cast" for sure just for fun.
Hmmmm. I agree.
i think they are all good except the ones in bold, John Noble is great but not big or tough enough for larry and random girl Gigi Papasavvas