Comic Book Casting: BRIT Live-Action Movie

Every Monday here at iFanboy, we look at comics’ greatest characters and stories and try to imagine what they’d be like in film or television. From the story concept to the people in charge and all the way down to who’d play who, we do it and we call it Comic Book Casting.

When is “old” too old to be a superhero? That’s a question Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore asked in their great 2003 one-off graphic novel Brit. Although it got outshone by their other collaboration The Walking Dead and Kirkman’s other superhero work Invincible (with Cory Walker), Brit was a great piece of cape fiction and the character was later looped into Kirkman’s superhero universe as field leader of the Guardians super-team in Invincible, Guarding the Globe and the currently running Invincible Universe series. Those original Brit stories were dark, funny and over-the-top in all the right ways that beg for a big screen adaptation. And here’s how I’d do it.

The Concept:

Brit has bounced around a lot; between his three one-shot slimline OGNs to his short lived ongoing series and his work in Guarding The Globe and Invincible Universe, there’s a lot there. What I would hone in on for a movie is that first Kirkmnan & Moore graphic novel which sees the aging hero fighting a big, visually impressive villain but also fighting against his government minders. With that as the big surface conflict, you can go into Brit questioning if his superpowers are running out and also the backstage shenanigans his handlers in the U.S. Government are doing to keep him on their side while also working to find his replacement.

Brit has a great cast of characters emanating from the titular hero’s topless bar; from his girlfriend Jessica to his handler Donald, and to his boss Cecil. I think this could be a great superhero story in the vein of Red or older films like Space Cowboys about an older hero showing he’s still got it.

The Director:

This is a tough one. You want top-notch action, but also comedy – but more dry comedy than a Jim Carrey laugh-fest. For this I’d pick Adam McKay of Talladega Nights and Anchorman fame. He recently did some action with the Other Guys, and I think could really play Brit down a unique path – much in the same way Hancock did back in 2008. It’ll be tough to hone that comedy and not play it too much, but I think he could do it with the right man playing Brit.

The Cast:

Brit – Bruce Willis: He’s done comic book movies and had superpowers, but he’s never actually been a tried-and-true superhero; well, until now. I’d love to see Bruce Willis step into the role of Brit, blood-spattered with some signs of age but still going strong.

Jessica – Linda Cardellini: Brit’s wife-to-be is more than just the “stripper with a heart of gold” stereotype, and adds some much needed seasoning to the one-man army that is Brit. Someone like Linda Cardellini could play sexy, smart and funny without seeming fake and would be a great counter for Willis-as-Brit.

Cecil Stedman – Donald Sutherland: He’s the Kirkman superhero universe’s big brother, and doesn’t mince words when going to save the world. I’d love to see Donald Sutherland come in here and add some sinister gravitas and also open the door to future appearances in an Invincible movie.

Donald Ferguson – Chris O’Dowd: Agent Coulson rip-off? Actually, Ferguson came first – and some might say was an unintentional inspiration for the Marvel Cinematic Universe star. That being said, Ferguson is different from Coulson in many respects, and someone like IT Crowd star Chris O’Dowd would be great as the soft side to Brit’s cold exterior.

Rodgers – Eugene Levy: Every superhero story needs an evil genius, and for Brit the closest thing to it is Rodgers – the government scientist who uses Brit as a test subject. Comedy alum Eugene Levy would be great in this role, and could play both dramatic and comedic all in one punch.

Master Mind – Donald Glover: He wasn’t chosen to play Spider-Man, but I for one thing this Community star has “comic book movie” written all over him – but for Brit, as a bad guy. The actor/writer/musician would be great to play the villain Master Mind, with his mind control powers to make people dance – and meld into a visually awesome Voltron made out of living people (that’s nowhere near Human Centipede).