Top 10 Dream Castings For Video Game Characters

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#10: John Marston – Josh Holloway
“Red Dead Redemption” (2010)

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A rugged outlaw demands a rugged actor, and Josh Holloway fits the bill nicely. For the uninitiated: “Red Dead Redemption” was a sandbox game set in the Old West, putting players in the role of ex-criminal John Marston. John's unique blend of simple principles and quiet nobility, even in the face of immoral behaviour, requires a balanced portrayal. Fortunately, Josh Holloway's talent for playing stern yet sympathetic characters would work here, especially considering Holloway played a cowboy in the film “Mi Amigo”.

One part unhinged victim, one part strong-willed hero, this man is entirely fascinating. Michael Sykes, better known by his codename Psycho, has an interesting trajectory as a character: from wise-cracking super soldier in the original “Crysis”, to emotionally-wrecked survivor by “Crysis 3”. That kind of emotional shift fits with Jason Statham well; after all, he portrayed the increasingly unstable Chev Chelios in 2006's “Crank”. Add to that Statham's plethora of action roles, and you have a physically and emotionally capable performer.

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#8: Solid Snake – Kurt Russell
“Metal Gear” series (1998-)

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Solid Snake wouldn't be easy to bring to the silver screen, but we think we have the right choice. Kurt Russell, star of such classics as “The Thing” and “Escape from New York”, has long since mastered a balance between dramatic gravitas and physical capability – both inherent qualities of Snake, an anti-heroic veteran soldier and lead character of the “Metal Gear” games. Given Russell's age, it may be necessary for him to portray an older incarnation of Snake... but there would be something inherently cool about the former Snake Plissken becoming Solid Snake.

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#7: Nathan Drake – Chris Pratt
“Uncharted” series (2007-)

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We’ve seen so much of Chris lately that there’s a serious risk of Over-praturation, but still. Nathan Drake is a subtly interesting character; on the surface a modern variant of pulp adventure heroes, Drake is actually a self-deprecating man driven by a need to prove himself... which gets him into trouble as the “Uncharted” games progress. Thus, for the film adaption, Chris Pratt's patented quirky nature and ability to embody flawed-yet-endearing heroes makes him the optimal choice for portraying Drake. Fun fact, Pratt apparently turned down this role for the upcoming movie adaptation in Real Life, but we can always dream.

As one of the lead characters of developer Irrational Games' “BioShock Infinite”, Elizabeth gets center stage quite often. This young woman, raised in a tower for most of her life, nevertheless comes off as enthusiastic about life and interested in the pursuit of knowledge. Taking into consideration Elizabeth's increasing determination, it seems clear that “Game of Thrones” actress Emilia Clarke would fit the bill nicely. After all, Clarke has a knack for giving fierce performances that highlight her characters' humanity.

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#5: Joel – Matthew McConaughey
“The Last of Us” (2013)

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From native Texan to world-weary traveler, Joel is certainly not an easy man to embody. After all, his role in 2013's “The Last of Us” shifts from smuggling weapons for his own purposes to escorting the young survivor Ellie across the United States... and steadily becoming more emotionally open. Thus, everything points to Matthew McConaughey being an excellent choice for the role – from his utter commitment to playing a part, to his knack for playing anti-heroes. And the natural charm McConaughey would bring cannot be ignored.

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#4: Samus Aran – Charlize Theron
“Metroid” series (1986-)

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The famed bounty hunter more than warrants a talented actress – who better than Charlize Theron? From the start of the “Metroid” series, players were put in the metal boots of Samus Aran, a mysterious space traveler. Bits and pieces of her backstory have been revealed over the years, with the most common thread being that Samus is a lone hunter by choice and a skilled warrior by nature. Mixing physical strength, professional standing, and a hint of mystique, we feel only Miss Theron can properly embody such a long-lived and iconic character.

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#3: Lee Everett – Idris Elba & Clementine - Quvenzhané Wallis
“The Walking Dead” series (2012-)

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The iconic duo from Telltale Games' “The Walking Dead” deserves only the best in acting talent. Lee Everett was just a convict on his way to prison, until the zombie outbreak gave him a reprieve. The former history professor soon finds himself in the company of Clementine, a young girl fending for herself. Lee's soft-spoken nature and Clementine's youthful enthusiasm makes for great entertainment, even better if in the hands of “Pacific Rim” star Idris Elba and child actress Quvenzhané Wallis respectively.

Bear with us on this one. In the world of “Half-Life”, Doctor Freeman is an up-and-coming theoretical physicist recently employed at the Black Mesa Research Facility – which puts him at ground zero for a decades-long alien occupation. Freeman's reputation for surviving the odds knows no bounds, but there's a catch: he doesn't seem to speak. Thus, if a film adaptation is to happen, Freeman will need some degree of personality and possibly a voice... hence Robery Downey Jr., an actor whose talent is taking questionably viable characters and making them endearing.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

Gabriel Belmont - Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
“Castlevania” series (2011-)
Gilbert Godfried - The Birds
“Angry Birds” series (2009-)
Jim Raynor - Jeffrey Dean Morgan
“StarCraft” series (1998-)

Rarely does a casting choice feel so right as this. A member of the heroic Delta Squad, Corporal Dominic Santiago acts as a key player in the back-and-forth conflict of “Gears of War”. Between searching for his lost wife Maria and doing everything he can to protect his friend Marcus Fenix, Dom is the epitome of a noble soldier. And so we feel no actor quite delivers the necessary physique, sympathetic nature, and eternal drive to do good like wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne Johnson. He would certainly “rock” in the role... sorry.

Do you agree with our list? Who do you want to play your favourite video game character? For more wishful Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.