6 Original Casting Ideas For The A-Team

With Joe Carnahan still hard at work kicking the A-Team script into shape, actors are beginning to come out of the woodwork and declare an interest in the film.

Star Trek’s Captain Kirk himself, Chris Pine, says that he’d love to play Murdock .

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The character: Colonel John 'Hannibal' Smith

Who is he? The cigar-chomping, plan-forming leader of the team. Always ready with a quip, yet just as ready to break out the big guns (and not hit any of the bad guys in the TV show).

Easy studio casting idea: Bruce Willis

Who we’d rather see: Gary Oldman .

It's easy to imagine Oldman grinning around a cigar and giving it his best slightly grizzled, twinkly-eyed look when he offers Hannibal’s trademark line: “I love it when a plan comes together!"

Plus, he’s got plenty of experience firing guns and has recent major-franchise form (Dark Knight and Harry Potter).[page-break]

The character: Lieutenant Templeton 'Faceman' Peck

Who is he ? The charmer. Face can wander into any situation and defuse it using natural charm. And if you need something stolen, he’s the man for the job.

Easy studio casting idea: Paul Walker

Who we’d rather see: Gerard Butler.

Plenty of charm, easygoing appeal - and he's alpha enough to convince with the military-training thing.[page-break]

The character: Sergeant Bosco 'BA' Baracus

Who is he? The bruiser of the bunch. Rough, tough and scared of flying (though he won’t admit it)

Also, doesn’t pity fools. And in case you’ve never seen the show, the initials stand for 'Bad Attitude'.

Easy studio casting idea: Michael Clarke Duncan

Who we’d rather see: Djimon Hounsou

Hounsou has proved he can play a variety of parts, both heroes and villains.

And he’s got the imposing size that BA needs. We just wonder whether he’d be up for the Mohawk...[page-break]

The character: Captain H.M. 'Howling Mad' Murdock

Who is he? Certifiable nutcase, always creating crazy characters. But he's also an ace pilot.

Easy studio casting idea: Jim Carrey

Who we’d rather se e: Robert Downey Jr

Chances are he’d never go for it these days, what with his Iron Man superstar status, but Tropic Thunder proved RDJ is a terrific comic actor who's happy to go the extra mile for a role.

And, like Thunder , The A-Team would be an ensemble piece, so he'd have carte blanche to steal the show...[page-break]

The character: Colonel Roderick Decker

Who is he? The A-Team’s perpetual second-season nemesis.

While he’s only in a handful of episodes, he represents the ever-present military threat hunting the team down.

Easy studio casting idea: Kiefer Sutherland

Who we’d rather see: Ron Perlman

The Decker character has got to be a man you can see matching wits with Hannibal, yet also convince as a no-nonsense military type.

Perlman hasn’t been a proper villain for a while and we miss that scowl as he chases down his quarry.

Plus, Hellboy’s exposure has got to count for something. We'd love to see him break the culty image and go mainstream. [page-break]

The character: Reporter Amy Amanda Allen

Who is he? The one civilian who rode with the team the longest (despite being abruptly dropped in the second season), Allen gives the team some much needed (smart, capable) girl power.

Easy studio casting idea: Emmy Rossum

Who we’d rather see: Rashida Jones

I Love You, Man’s female lead would add both sex and smarts to the role.

Jones has proved herself on the US version of The Office and deserves a shot at a big movie.

Just - anyone but Zooey Frickin' Deschanel...

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