Line #12 Main/AscendedFancast


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6	Fancasting, or the practice of fans choosing an actor who could play a role that hasn't yet been adapted into a visual medium based on their appearance and/or previous filmography, is often seen as a pipe dream. After all, even if it ''does'' get adapted to the screen, there's little to no chance the A-lister of your dreams might be interested in the project, be available for it, ''and'' actually be cast for it. However, there is the rare occasion that the casting directors actually manage to get a popular fancast for a role.
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8	Sometimes, this is because the creators of the adaptation already had the actor in mind from the beginning, and it just so happened that the fanbase thought the same thing. Other times, they have one ear to the fandom hivemind. And in some cases, an actor might learn of the fancast and campaign for the role themselves, especially if they're JustForFun/OneOfUs.
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10	Regardless of the reason, the fan reaction will invariably be SugarWiki/AndTheFandomRejoiced.
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12	A sister trope of AscendedFanon. This is more common in the LiveActionAdaptation than in the AnimatedAdaptation (unless it utilizes InkSuitActor or the fancast was for their voice). Contrast DarkhorseCasting, when an unknown actor is cast for a major part. Compare and contrast HypotheticalCasting, which is when a ''creator'' visualizes a character through an existing performer regardless of whether or not they'll ever be cast, or whether or not the fans agree. When a creator of a work gets their choice, that's CreatorChosenCasting.
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15	!!Examples:
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17	[[foldercontrol]]
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19	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
20	* Creator/OscarIsaac was a popular fan choice for the role of [[Franchise/TheAddamsFamily Gomez Addams]], especially after rocking a similar look in ''Film/SuckerPunch''. He eventually got to voice the character in animation in ''WesternAnimation/TheAddamsFamily2019''.
21	* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanAndHarleyQuinn'': Creator/MelissaRauch was one of the popular fan casting for ComicBook/HarleyQuinn before she voiced the character in the film.
22	* Creator/StephanieBeatriz was a popular fan casting for the role of ComicBook/{{Batwoman}} in the [[Series/Batwoman2019 TV series]] following Creator/RubyRose's departure after season one before she finally voiced the superheroine in ''WesternAnimation/CatwomanHunted''.
23	* ''Franchise/{{Trolls}}'': The Creator/McElroyBrothers once made a one-off podcast stating they'd like to star in a hypothetical ''Trolls'' sequel film, which immediately became popular around people. They ended up playing some minor characters in ''WesternAnimation/TrollsWorldTour'', [[AdvertisedExtra even getting a few posters dedicated just to those characters]].
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26	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
27	* Creator/EmmaWatson was a very popular fancast for Belle in a hypothetical live-action remake of ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'' due to having already played a BadassBookworm and BrainyBrunette in her role as [[Film/HarryPotter Hermione Granger]]. She eventually played Belle in ''Film/{{Beauty and the Beast\|2017}}''.
28	* Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse:
29	** ''Film/{{Justice\|League 2017}} [[Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague League]]'': Creator/JoeManganiello as ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}} came true because [[https://screenrant.com/joe-manganiello-deathstroke-dceu-fan-art/ one of the producers]] saw fanart of the popular fancast.
30	** Creator/MaryElizabethWinstead was a popular fan cast as Huntress long before she played the role in ''Film/BirdsOfPrey2020''.
31	** Ever since ''Film/ManOfSteel'', there was a popular fan theory that Calvin Swanwick (Creator/HarryLennix) is actually ComicBook/MartianManhunter in disguise. Creator/ZackSnyder liked the idea enough to incorporate it in [[Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague his version]] of ''Justice League''.
32	** Creator/XoloMariduena was the most popular fancast for ComicBook/BlueBeetle before he was cast in his solo film.
33	* Ever since ''Series/RemingtonSteele'', Creator/PierceBrosnan was a popular candidate to play Film/JamesBond (and producer Creator/AlbertRBroccoli wanted him as soon as the mid-'80s actually). Then ''Film/GoldenEye'' happened.
34	* ''Film/HarryPotter'': In this 2006 FanVid [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3L8an9LUCE about Barty Crouch, Jr.]], Bellatrix Lestrange is represented by footage of Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter from ''Series/{{Merlin\|1998}}''. Carter would go on to play Bellatrix in the [[Film/HarryPotter actual films]].
35	* After ''Film/{{It\|2017}}'' ended before a TimeSkip, it became apparent that {{Timeshifted Actor}}s would be needed to play the adult versions of the Losers.
36	** Creator/JessicaChastain was a very common fancast for the role of Adult Bev (something Creator/SophiaLillis, who played the character, [[HypotheticalCasting agreed with]]), and even [[https://screenrant.com/it-movie-sequel-jessica-chastain/ expressed interest in the role herself]]. Director Creator/AndresMuschietti said he'd be down to cast her for ''Film/ItChapterTwo'', and he eventually did.
37	** Creator/FinnWolfhard's {{Hypothetical Cast\|ing}} for his adult self was Creator/BillHader, who ended up getting the role. Fans agreed with this choice, noting the similarities between Richie's characterization in the novel and roles Hader had played in the past. Muschietti agreed with this casting as well.
38	* ''Film/{{Joker\|2019}}'': Creator/JoaquinPhoenix was one of the most popular fan casting for the titular character ever since his EvilIsHammy performance in ''Film/{{Gladiator}}''.
39	* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
40	** Creator/BenedictCumberbatch was the people's choice for the titular role of ''Film/{{Doctor Strange\|2016}}'', since he had previously played stoic, troubled geniuses in well-known adaptations (''Series/{{Sherlock}}'', ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness''). The director also agreed, saying Cumberbatch was who they had envisioned for the character.
41	** ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'':
42	*** [[spoiler:Creator/JohnKrasinski as [[ComicBook/FantasticFour Reed Richards]]]] has been a popular fancast for a long period of time, and the movie made it official, albeit [[spoiler: as a version from another universe]].
43	*** A fairly popular fancast for [[spoiler:Clea]] was [[spoiler:Creator/CharlizeTheron]], who does indeed make an appearance in TheStinger.
44	* The resemblance between Creator/JonathanPryce and [[UsefulNotes/NotablePopes Pope Francis]] has long been noted and plenty of jokes or suggestions that he should play him arose, also fuelled by his role in ''Series/GameOfThrones''. It eventually happened with ''Film/TheTwoPopes''.
45	* Creator/TomHardy is frequently brought up in ComicBook/{{Venom}} fan castings before being officially cast in ''Film/SonysSpiderManUniverse'' starting with ''Film/{{Venom\|2018}}'' in 2018.
46	* The ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'':
47	** When the series was announced, fans and comic creators agreed that they wanted to see Creator/PatrickStewart as Professor Xavier ahead of ''Film/XMen1'', citing his physical resemblance to the character as well as his acting gravitas and his career in sci-fi. After he got the role, the producers often said he was always the first choice.
48	** A poll done by Wizard magazine suggested that Creator/AlanCumming be cast as Nightcrawler. He would indeed be cast as Nightcrawler in ''Film/X2XMenUnited''.
49	* In 2001, Wizard Magazine ran a "Casting Call" which suggested Creator/RayPark for the role of Snake Eyes if a live-action ''Franchise/GIJoe'' movie was ever made. He would play Snake Eyes in ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra'' and ''Film/GIJoeRetaliation''.
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52	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
53	* ''Series/{{Arrowverse}}'':
54	** ''Series/{{The Flash\|2014}}'': The fan-favorite to play the role of Jay Garrick was Creator/JohnWesleyShipp, who played [[Series/TheFlash1990 the previous]] live-action ''Flash''. He was cast as TheHero's father instead. [[spoiler:He eventually appears as said character, though, with the explanation that the Earth 3 version of Barry's father took his mother's maiden name "Garrick".]]
55	** ''Series/{{Batwoman\|2019}}'': Creator/BridgetRegan was a well-loved choice for the role of [[Characters/BatmanPoisonIvy Poison Ivy]], since she had played a duplicitous spy/assassin in ''Series/AgentCarter'' and a seductive, sapphic, redheaded mob boss in ''Series/JaneTheVirgin'' in succession. So the fancasters were very happy when she got cast for the role ahead of the show's third season.
56	* ''Series/AvatarTheLastAirbender2024'': Creator/PaulSunHyungLee was a popular fancast for Iroh for a live action reboot of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', before Netflix finally made one and actually cast him as Iroh.
57	* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Creator/AlexanderSiddig and Creator/IndiraVarma were frequent fancasts for Doran Martell and Ellaria Sand, and satisfied fans' expectations when they were cast in the roles in Seasons 5 and 4.
58	* ''Series/{{Glee}}'': Creator/IdinaMenzel's resemblance to Creator/LeaMichele (Rachel) did not go unnoticed by fans, who frequently fancasted her in the role of Rachel's biological mother[[note]]she has two gay fathers[[/note]] over the course of the first season. Then, in the first season's back half, Menzel appeared as Shelby, the rival show choir director, who was soon revealed to be Rachel's mother.
59	* ''Series/{{Gotham}}'': Creator/AlexanderSiddig is a very popular Ra's Al-Ghul fan cast before the show cast him in the role in Seasons 3 and 4.
60	* ''Series/ShadowAndBone'': Creator/BenBarnes was an extremely popular fancasting choice for the Darkling among book fans for ''years'' before the show was developed. He even [[https://www.polygon.com/tv/22387419/ben-barnes-shadow-and-bone-casting-darkling-kirigan-tumblr showed the casting director a Tumblr post about it]] to prove that he was right for the part. The original author, Creator/LeighBardugo, actually [[https://lbardugo.tumblr.com/post/57669879859/supernaturalzombie-shadow-and-bone-dream reblogged a post]] in 2013 with Barnes as the Darkling.
61	* ''Franchise/StarWars'': Creator/RosarioDawson has [[https://collider.com/the-mandalorian-rosario-dawson-ahsoka-tano-casting-explained/ stated]] that being a popular fancast for the role of [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars Ahsoka Tano]] helped her get the role in ''Series/TheMandalorian''.
62	* Creator/BrentonThwaites is fairly popular ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} fan cast long before ''Series/Titans2018''.
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65	[[folder:Western Animation]]
66	* During ''Series/{{Community}}'', Creator/DonaldGlover was a very popular choice among fans for the role of Peter Parker / Spider-Man and even actively campaigned for it ahead of ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderManSeries''. While this campaign was unsuccessful, a ''Community'' scene in which he wears black Spider-Man pajamas inspired the design of the ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan'', Miles Morales. Though he had already aged out of playing the role in live-action, Glover got the chance to voice Miles in ''[[WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan2012 Ultimate Spider-Man]]'' and played Aaron Davis, who is traditionally Miles's uncle (and even calls Miles in a DeletedScene), in ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming''.
67	* In 2001, a fan poll in Wizard Magazine suggested that Creator/KellyHu be cast as Cheshire in a hypothetical live-action ''Titans movie''. While she never played Cheshire in live action, she did end up voicing her in ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010''
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Context Main / AscendedFancast