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So randomly watching you tube videos when I started thinking about who I would cast as the primarchs in hypothetical Horus Heresy Cinematic Universe. I don’t have a complete list or anything but wondered what other’s thoughts might be?

For me the ones I have in mind are (some might not be super good fits but are based on images I’ve seen):
Khan - Jason Mamoa (similar to Karl Drogo)
Gulliman - Henry Cavill (or possibly the emperor himself)
Vulkan - Djimon Hounsou
The Lion - Chris Hemsworth
Russ - Karl Urban (possibly based on the ferocity of some of his roles)
Sanguinius - Ryan Gosling
Dorn - Stephen Lang
Horus - Mark Strong

Alpharius - Rowan Atkinson

 Boniface wrote:
So randomly watching you tube videos when I started thinking about who I would cast as the primarchs in hypothetical Horus Heresy Cinematic Universe. I don’t have a complete list or anything but wondered what other’s thoughts might be?

For me the ones I have in mind are (some might not be super good fits but are based on images I’ve seen):
Khan - Jason Mamoa (similar to Karl Drogo)
Gulliman - Henry Cavill (or possibly the emperor himself)
Vulkan - Djimon Hounsou
The Lion - Chris Hemsworth
Russ - Karl Urban (possibly based on the ferocity of some of his roles)
Sanguinius - Ryan Gosling
Dorn - Stephen Lang
Horus - Mark Strong

The great Primarch Dorn and his Sons approve!

Pretty good choices...though the oddity and interesting thing will be how much each one will be distorted to look Primarch-Scale.

 Boniface wrote:
So randomly watching you tube videos when I started thinking about who I would cast as the primarchs in hypothetical Horus Heresy Cinematic Universe. I don’t have a complete list or anything but wondered what other’s thoughts might be?

For me the ones I have in mind are (some might not be super good fits but are based on images I’ve seen):
Khan - Jason Mamoa (similar to Karl Drogo)
Gulliman - Henry Cavill (or possibly the emperor himself)
Vulkan - Djimon Hounsou
The Lion - Chris Hemsworth
Russ - Karl Urban (possibly based on the ferocity of some of his roles)
Sanguinius - Ryan Gosling
Dorn - Stephen Lang
Horus - Mark Strong

Like it....I used most of yours and had a play around:

Angron - Tom Hardy
Alpharius - Peter Dinklage
Corax - Keanu Reeves
Dorn - Stephen Lang
Ferrus Mannus - Vin Diesel
Fulgrim - Paul Bettany
Gulliman - Henry Cavill
Khan - Tadanobu Asano
Kurze - Edward Norton
Horus - Dwayne Johnson
Lorgar - Ben Affleck
Russ - Karl Urban
Sanguinius - Chris Evans
The Lion - Chris Hemsworth
Vulkan - Djimon Hounsou

I don't know a whole heap about it but aren't the primaches supposed to be 8-foot tall genetic super humans? Not sure Ryan Gosling and Ed Norton really fits the bill there nor some of the others. I guess CGI can work wonders, but you have to start with some kind of base to make it believable. I would have thought it would be a Chris Hemsworth type character even for that one.

Even the normal space marines are all built like Lebron James on steroids.

PieInTheSky wrote:


I don't know a whole heap about it but aren't the primaches supposed to be 8-foot tall genetic super humans? Not sure Ryan Gosling and Ed Norton really fits the bill there nor some of the others. I guess CGI can work wonders, but you have to start with some kind of base to make it believable. I would have thought it would be a Chris Hemsworth type character even for that one.

Even the normal space marines are all built like Lebron James on steroids.

Ever watched the hobbit or Lord of the Rings, guess what, the actors playing the hobbits aren't really that size.

Honestly, I think a lot of these fan castings use too many big name actors who I don't think are practical.

Mark Strong as Horus is probably the only consistent one for me, but a lot of the others, such as Angron, Kurze, Mortarion, Corax, etc would probably be best done by more classically trained actors and likely smaller names. I simply don't see people like Ryan Gosling, for example, ever fitting what I see in a Primarch (not in physicality, but in presence and power).

I could see Russell Crowe as Guilliman

If this ever became reality they would be much better off casting younger, lesser known names.

I like most of them except Sanguinius. Thats a hard no for me.

I'd want him to be played by Owen Wilson, just to hear him say "wow" every time he's whacked by Horus.

 bullyboy wrote:
I like most of them except Sanguinius. Thats a hard no for me.

I'd want him to be played by Owen Wilson, just to hear him say "wow" every time he's whacked by Horus.

Owen Wilson. That is both brilliant and hilarious.
I imagine a lot of the casting could/should be younger/unknown actors. The only problem is making a thread with unknown names.
I love the idea of Dwayne Johnson as Horus, if anyone can insight a heresy against the emperor, the Rock can.

Idris Elba as Vulkan
Cate Blanchett as Sanguinius
Ken Watanabe as Malcador

Yeah you’ve gotta look at smaller names for a lot of the cast in reality, though if doing a ‘dream cast list’ then I suppose go wild.

Yeah their heights and sizes wouldn’t be an issue in the world of technology we live in, but even simpler yeah could just go with Jackson’s style of camera trickery which works amazingly.

I’d have to sit and look at various shows as that’s always a good pull for cast. David Harbour type level or below perhaps.
Then the main players could be the biggest.

(Having said that, in the dream cast of who could you see playing a role well. There are some great shouts here).

I would probably be more interested in watching their upbringing, so younger actors an version of the Primarch for most of the time.
And I think Hemsworth have too much empathy for the Lion.

Vulcan: Terry Crews! Come on, it's obvious

 Rolsheen wrote:
Idris Elba as Vulkan
Cate Blanchett as Sanguinius
Ken Watanabe as Malcador

I'll see your Cate Blachett as Sanguinius, and raise you Tilda Swinton.

All 21 - Rob Schneider

I would get smaller names or we do full CGI with voice actors. Do people really want to see the Rock and Thor doing quips?

Well we all know Keanu Reeves is actually immortal so is the Emperor

And being a player himself Henry Cavill could be Valdor

Then have all of the primarchs as less well known actors.

A pair of big names to get the wider interest with show casing new talent,

Aash wrote:
I could see Russell Crowe as Guilliman

20 years ago Russell Crowe. With enough makeup Crowe could probabably pull off Dorn, and he’s not far off the artwork anyway.

And I’d put Hemsworth in as Sanguinius, Thor to Sang isn’t that much of a pretty blonde jump.

But really I don’t trust CGI’ing the actors into the size. Better to just full on CGI the character and the actors would just be all voice actors, in which case, I’d get Dale Dye for Dorn. Mako would have made an awesome Khan, to the point I’d even ask a sound guy if he could chop up the Conan narration to get us what we needed, knowing it was futile. Earle Hymen would have been an outstanding Primarch voice. Peter Cullen can easily pull off Guilliman. Big blue Boy Scout is his bread and butter. Carl Lumbly and Dennis Haysbert both have the voice for it. Really just check out cartoons - Justice League animated, etc - and Transformers movies. Hamill might be a decent choice for Lorgar if he can play it straight without going over the top.

 Sgt_Smudge wrote:
Honestly, I think a lot of these fan castings use too many big name actors who I don't think are practical.

Mark Strong as Horus is probably the only consistent one for me, but a lot of the others, such as Angron, Kurze, Mortarion, Corax, etc would probably be best done by more classically trained actors and likely smaller names. I simply don't see people like Ryan Gosling, for example, ever fitting what I see in a Primarch (not in physicality, but in presence and power).

I think after showing his scope across many films, I am fully down for Angron by Tom Hardy.

I like Chris Hemsworth as The Lion appearance wise, but that is a seriously hard role to play, you're effectively playing an incredibly high functioning narcisst who is heavily leaned into the spectrum. In fact, writing and directing the role would be a nightmare I imagine also if you intend to really develop the nuance of the character, he's very much like Stannis, he has serious layers that can get lost without enough time to discover them all and carefully peel each one back at the correct moment.

If you want to go on looks, Jared leto for Sanguinius (good actor as well)

Christian Bale as Rogal Dorn could work, though he could probably do most of the Primarch, he may make a good emperor also.

Taron Egerton could absolutely do a job as one of the Primarchs as well.

StarHunter25 wrote:
All 21 - Rob Schneider

I was going to say "All of them - The Rock", but I like this even better

I like Chris Hemsworth as The Lion appearance wise, but that is a seriously hard role to play, you're effectively playing an incredibly high functioning narcisst who is heavily leaned into the spectrum. In fact, writing and directing the role would be a nightmare I imagine also if you intend to really develop the nuance of the character, he's very much like Stannis, he has serious layers that can get lost without enough time to discover them all and carefully peel each one back at the correct moment.

Have you seen American Psycho? You almost need Hemsworth's appearance, but with the performance Christian Bale gave in that movie.

Tycho wrote:

I like Chris Hemsworth as The Lion appearance wise, but that is a seriously hard role to play, you're effectively playing an incredibly high functioning narcisst who is heavily leaned into the spectrum. In fact, writing and directing the role would be a nightmare I imagine also if you intend to really develop the nuance of the character, he's very much like Stannis, he has serious layers that can get lost without enough time to discover them all and carefully peel each one back at the correct moment.

Have you seen American Psycho? You almost need Hemsworth's appearance, but with the performance Christian Bale gave in that movie.

Spot on, couldn't agree more.

Horus = Danny Devito.

Danny devito as all of them because a horus heresy movie should never be made.

For Guilliman I'd always want Mark Strong.

These fan castings are never anything but fantasy because you don't get this many big names in a film (unless it's like a Tarantino ensemble or something).

It would be about as realistic as throwing the names of dead actors in.

The only way this would happen is if they used small names - the Witcher has basically one big name and then a bunch of nobodies. Game of Thrones did the same (getting bigger names as it got bigger).



In my opinion though, were it not for his age now, I think that Vladimir Kulich would be an absolutely perfect Leman Russ. His character in 13th warrior was amazing (this pic is from Vikings though).

 Huron black heart wrote:

PieInTheSky wrote:


I don't know a whole heap about it but aren't the primaches supposed to be 8-foot tall genetic super humans? Not sure Ryan Gosling and Ed Norton really fits the bill there nor some of the others. I guess CGI can work wonders, but you have to start with some kind of base to make it believable. I would have thought it would be a Chris Hemsworth type character even for that one.

Even the normal space marines are all built like Lebron James on steroids.

Ever watched the hobbit or Lord of the Rings, guess what, the actors playing the hobbits aren't really that size.

I guess that's maybe what I meant by, "CGI can work wonders"? Hmmmmm. What do you think?

If you're going to use Ryan Gosling or Ed Norton to represent a bull-necked mountain of muscle super marine, you may as well just make the entire character in CGI.

Yeah, I generally need these guys to give me BIGNESS vibes I don't really get from Norton or Bale. Although I've toyed with the idea of Daniel Craig for RBoutes.

Fulgrim is the major exception to the BIGNESS rule, to my mind, but the flipside is it has to be someone who is both convincingly a fighter and so weird-sexy it's disconcerting. Aidan Turner maybe? Lee Pace?

Wes Chatham from The Expanse works for Ferrus Manus for me. Maybe too obvious, but Vinnie Jones for Angron?

I'd go with Mike Colter from Luke Cage for Vulkan though, he's convincingly tough as nails but he has a quite thoughtful, reserved vibe a lot of the time I tend to imagine for Vulkan.