MovieChat Forums > Hannibal (2001) Discussion > Hopkins as Hannibal.. but who else could...

Hopkins as Hannibal.. but who else could you imagine as Dr Lecter?

posted 15 years ago by RobertoWatchin
72 replies | jump to latest

moved to here: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000164/board/nest/155021218

Perfect casting of Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal.. but who else could you imagine as Dr Lecter?

It’s almost impossible to disassociate Hannibal with Anthony as he consistently played it perfectly, and this isn’t a preference to, or trying to better.

He needs to be able to play a character who is: highly intelligent - and I mean highly intelligent, an Englishman, erudite, classically trained / educated, perceptive, subtle but with an underlying malice, powerful, graceful, seductive and unnerving, at once charming and then cold. Also, able to convincingly speak an array of languages and have an amazing voice.

Can be from anytime, alive or dead, to give us more scope.

My first thoughts are:

Daniel Day-Lewis - can play anyone
Jeremy Irons
Kevin Spacey - superb in Seven
Ralph Fiennes – played in Red Dragon, but showed callous in Schindler’s List
Brian Cox – of course :)
Christopher Lee
Edward Fox – haven’t seen much of his work but he’s great in Day of the Jackal
John Hurt – unsure if he could be menacing enough?

This is open and all ideas.. can time-shift to appropriate age, doesn’t have to be British or white.. just who you can imagine playing this archetypal role.

[–] SteveResin 14 years ago

Oliver Reed would have been perfect for TSOTL.

--------------------
The memories of a man in his old age are the deeds of a man in his prime

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Abir-Xtreme 14 years ago

well only names comes to mind is Jack Nicholson and mayb AL Pacino

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] gwnightscream 13 years ago

It's difficult to see anyone else as Hannibal because
Anthony Hopkins and Brian Cox were both terrific.
I heard Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, John Lithgow
and more were considered, but I think they chose
wisely with Hopkins and Cox, but Cox should've
had more scenes in "Manhunter."

[–] pgfan92 13 years ago

Favorites already mentioned are Brad Dourif and Rowan Atkinson, I'd like to throw Anthony Stewart Head's name into the hat. I think he would be best out of the cell in Hannibal, possibly even better than Anthony Hopkins at that point, who was much better in the cell.

[–] jacobellefsen 13 years ago

Normally I never comment on these things, but I thought this was an interesting discussion and the name that most readily comes to mind, who could really do this brilliantly is Christoph Waltz.

[–] MitchellSG-1 13 years ago

I read he was considered for "Hannibal" should Hopkins have dropped out, so I think Tim Roth would be fantastic. Picture and listen in your mind if you will, him delivering the line (albeit a little less cockney) "I'm giving very serious thought... to eating your wife" and then giving Pazzi that death stare.

I'd LOVE for them to cast Roth in the upcoming TV series

[–] Dalazen_Junior 13 years ago

I guess there are actors you love to death. I always felt that way about Burt Reynolds, and I do feel hurt when the subject of him making bad pictures or being a bad actor surface. I think he is briliant, and I do feel bad that he picked mostly bad pictures, or when people talk bad about him. I read something that Marlon Brando said about Burt, mean things, and it hurt me at a personal level. Funny, because it was as if he really talked bad about my father or something. I never got over the things he said, and I mean it. There was a time Burt and Clint were equal match, but today Clint Eastwood is considered huge, and not Burt. Something went bad, I don't know what it was. But there is this part of me, who really wanted a time machine to go back to 1981 and give him the advice of protecting himself and choose better his material. In 1981, the good advice would have made a difference.
Anyway, that's my take - I wanted Burt Reynolds in such an important part, in this briliant movie, if only he could give a low-key performance as he did in Starting Over, Alan J Pakula's film, or Deliverance.

[–] hodie 12 years ago

<<Cox should've had more scenes in "Manhun
ter.">>>

Absolutely!

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Lowtax-86 13 years ago

Ian McKellan
Gary Oldman
Jon Voight
Christopher Walken
Willem Defoe

"You're standing on my neck"

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] J_Jelen 13 years ago

The first actor that came in mind was definitely Nicholson. He would have been great too.

...

[–] I Am The Cheese 13 years ago

Taking into account some mentioned, plus a few of my own...

Brian Cox
Kevin Spacey
Gary Oldman
Daniel Day-Lewis
Ian Holm - Now that (whoever it was) mentions it, Ash in Alien was very Lecteresque, and he'd be a good shout
Damian Lewis - Watch him in The Escapist (opposite Brian Cox, ironically enough) as well as Homeland both offer glimpses of what he can do
Javier Bardem - showed he could do dark with Anton Chigurh
Michael Rooker - Whilst the Texas drawl wouldn't fit, his work in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer shouldn't be overlooked
Robert De Nero - He's played Travis Bickle and Rupert Pupkin, two character studies in insanity, so could tackle Lecter
Robert Mitchum - Cape Fear and Night of the Hunter both show he could play some dark characters and bring a lot to the table, and his take on Lecter could be fascinating
Ben Foster - As (somebody) said, he could certainly play a young Lecter very well
Ryan Gosling - Has the acting chops, and has proven he can play a variety of characters with hidden darkness...but at present would have to play a young Lecter
Viggo Mortensen
Michael C Hall - There is a certain Lecterness to Dexter Morgan
Peter Cushing
Christopher Lee
Peter Lorre
Matt Damon - Probably off on a limb, but Tom Ripley, Jason Bourne and The Departed all show he could do something with it
Michael Fassbender
Andy Serkis
Mark Strong
Tony Curtis - The Boston Strangler certain showcased he could play dark
Anthony Perkins
Kiefer Sutherland - Another long shot, but some roles he has shown he has the capacity to play elements of Lecter (The Lost Boys, Dark City, Freeway, 24)
Christian Bale - American Psycho and The Machinist (and, to a certain extent, The Prestige and the Batman films) certainly demonstrate he can do it
Heath Ledger

Now that we have guided missiles, we have misguided men.

Martin Luther King

[–] martymoves 13 years ago

Considering he's reprising a role from a DECADE prior, any inclinations you have as to your pathetic question, would have to be reverted further than the aforementioned date, to even have a comprehensible idea as to who should (insert your idiotic question here)

Furthermore, the actor in question would have to have been recognizable and hold the sttaus that Hopkins had for pretty much, his entire career; not only at the turn of the 90's.

Given what appears to be your severe lack of knowledge, any questions from you, about any film, should be disregarded.

You may continue to shut the *beep* up now.

[–] Geeky Randy 13 years ago

Brian Cox.

Votes: 2061
Reviews: 129 (http://www.imdb.com/user/ur0756238/comments)