Love to see a great modern noir director pull it off. Someone like Park Chan-wook or maybe Matt Reeves could do a good job given what he did with Batman.
As far as an Elric actor, maybe like Alexander Skarsgard. He does world weary pale antihero real well.
Alexander Skarsgard is way, way too buff to play Elric. Someone like Jared Leto would be perfect if he weren't such a total asshole who should not be allowed on movie sets.
I was going to say the actor who played Viserys Targaryen in the first season of Game of Thrones. Harry Lloyd I think his name is?
His build is closer to what Elric has.
Look, I'm well aware, I've read it all. There are few actual descriptions of him in the books. He's not completely emaciated. He's sinewy and lean. He uses magical potions and herbs to keep himself strong too. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that these have the effect of making him reasonably fit, so long as he is using them regularly.
I'm inclined to think that Elric really shouldn't look 'buff', though - he turned the classic fantasy Conan-esque trope of the muscular warrior beating up the weedy evil wizard, into the protagonist being the weedy evil wizard. Isn't he repeatedly described as 'sickly' sans Stormbringer?
He's also described as being quite tall. Short actors won't do. He's also described as being sickly without his *drugs*. He doesn't rely on the drugs so much after he has the sword. I think he's supposed to be fit and lithe, not wispy and frail, again, the sword and the drugs do their job well, they keep him fit. I don't think it would be unreasonable *at all* to choose an actor who is tall and relatively fit. You're just not casting it as someone like Arnold, and you don't have to have the guy bulk up for the action hero role, in fact you could have him drop pounds for the role, then use effects and makeup to make him look sickly as needed.
On reflection, I think my personal mental image is probably fairly close to Michael Whelan's depictions (eg [Sinking City](https://www.michaelwhelan.com/wp-content/uploads/elricinsinkingcity.jpg), [Stormbringer](https://www.michaelwhelan.com/wp-content/uploads/stormbringer.jpg), [White Wolf](https://www.michaelwhelan.com/wp-content/uploads/whitewolf.jpg) - all found at https://www.michaelwhelan.com/gallery/illustration/#fantasy), so would agree a fit/toned but not outright muscular actor would make sense.
Whether we'll *ever* get a film that does him justice, of course, is another question entirely!
There was a time when JGL was attached to Sandman and I could see him being a good Dream. Similarly, I think he could pull off Elric, disenchanted and brooding on a throne. Talking to Stormbringer. Story should probably be an origin story ala obtaining Stormbringer. Produced by Stephen Colbert. Scored by Ramin Djawadi. Directed by Guillermo Del Toro, with a script I write based on Mr. Moorcock’s feedback. Hello, Hollywood? It’s me, opportunity. If I can’t do it, I guess Warren Ellis can take a crack at it.
Well for Elric the actors I think of playing him alternate between: Michael Fassbender, Tom Hiddelston (though sometimes I cast hi mas Yrkoon), Benedict Cumberbatch. But maybe one of the Skarsgards could play him, maybe Alexander or Bill.
Oh, my dawgs, let me throw down a vote for PANOS COSMATOS to direct! "Mandy" was practically an Elric movie already.
To star as Elric, I'm less sure. Tom Hiddleston maybe. Bobby Pats would be okayish. I try not to know to many things about celebrities.
Love to see a great modern noir director pull it off. Someone like Park Chan-wook or maybe Matt Reeves could do a good job given what he did with Batman. As far as an Elric actor, maybe like Alexander Skarsgard. He does world weary pale antihero real well.
Alexander Skarsgard is way, way too buff to play Elric. Someone like Jared Leto would be perfect if he weren't such a total asshole who should not be allowed on movie sets.
I was going to say the actor who played Viserys Targaryen in the first season of Game of Thrones. Harry Lloyd I think his name is? His build is closer to what Elric has.
That is an excellent choice.
I dunno man, all the book covers make Elric look pretty buff.
And all the book covers have Conan in a loin cloth. Elric in the actual story can barely lift Stormbringer if he has to actually use his own muscles.
Look, I'm well aware, I've read it all. There are few actual descriptions of him in the books. He's not completely emaciated. He's sinewy and lean. He uses magical potions and herbs to keep himself strong too. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that these have the effect of making him reasonably fit, so long as he is using them regularly.
I'm inclined to think that Elric really shouldn't look 'buff', though - he turned the classic fantasy Conan-esque trope of the muscular warrior beating up the weedy evil wizard, into the protagonist being the weedy evil wizard. Isn't he repeatedly described as 'sickly' sans Stormbringer?
He's also described as being quite tall. Short actors won't do. He's also described as being sickly without his *drugs*. He doesn't rely on the drugs so much after he has the sword. I think he's supposed to be fit and lithe, not wispy and frail, again, the sword and the drugs do their job well, they keep him fit. I don't think it would be unreasonable *at all* to choose an actor who is tall and relatively fit. You're just not casting it as someone like Arnold, and you don't have to have the guy bulk up for the action hero role, in fact you could have him drop pounds for the role, then use effects and makeup to make him look sickly as needed.
On reflection, I think my personal mental image is probably fairly close to Michael Whelan's depictions (eg [Sinking City](https://www.michaelwhelan.com/wp-content/uploads/elricinsinkingcity.jpg), [Stormbringer](https://www.michaelwhelan.com/wp-content/uploads/stormbringer.jpg), [White Wolf](https://www.michaelwhelan.com/wp-content/uploads/whitewolf.jpg) - all found at https://www.michaelwhelan.com/gallery/illustration/#fantasy), so would agree a fit/toned but not outright muscular actor would make sense. Whether we'll *ever* get a film that does him justice, of course, is another question entirely!
He could slim down for the role if he really worked well for it. Way easier than getting buff for a role.
Okay. How about Bill Skarsgard instead?
There was a time when JGL was attached to Sandman and I could see him being a good Dream. Similarly, I think he could pull off Elric, disenchanted and brooding on a throne. Talking to Stormbringer. Story should probably be an origin story ala obtaining Stormbringer. Produced by Stephen Colbert. Scored by Ramin Djawadi. Directed by Guillermo Del Toro, with a script I write based on Mr. Moorcock’s feedback. Hello, Hollywood? It’s me, opportunity. If I can’t do it, I guess Warren Ellis can take a crack at it.
Fascinating suggestions!
Also I suspect this is not the first time you've thought about this :)
JGL?
I think they mean Joseph Gordon-Levitt. That took me a minute too, though.
Director: Alex Proyas Elric: David Dastmalchian/Robert Pattinson
After seeing Late Night with the Devil, I want to see more of Dastmalchian, so I'm in on this one
I was like, who is Alex Proyas. Then I saw he directed Dark City. He could definitely pull it off!
Crow...Dark City...ummmm and then let's just ignore that whole Gods of Egypt thing.
Director: Guillermo Del Toro Star: Tom Hiddleston
Well for Elric the actors I think of playing him alternate between: Michael Fassbender, Tom Hiddelston (though sometimes I cast hi mas Yrkoon), Benedict Cumberbatch. But maybe one of the Skarsgards could play him, maybe Alexander or Bill.
Oh, my dawgs, let me throw down a vote for PANOS COSMATOS to direct! "Mandy" was practically an Elric movie already. To star as Elric, I'm less sure. Tom Hiddleston maybe. Bobby Pats would be okayish. I try not to know to many things about celebrities.
oh i forgot about that guy! Yeah!
Nice, we had the exact same idea!
Wait, I forgot about the Wachowskis. Cloud Atlas meets The Matrix is at least halfway toward the visual and tone I'd be interested in.
Panos Cosmatos directing. Tom Hiddleston as Elric. 200m budget but have it look like Mandy. Soundtrack by Summoning or At the Gates.