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Ascended Fancast

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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.

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 One of Us.

Regardless of the reason, the fan reaction will invariably be And the Fandom Rejoiced.

A sister trope of Ascended Fanon. This is more common in the Live-Action Adaptation than in the Animated Adaptation (unless it utilizes Ink-Suit Actor or the fancast was for their voice). Contrast Darkhorse Casting, when an unknown actor is cast for a major part. Compare and contrast Hypothetical Casting, 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 Creator-Chosen Casting.


Examples:

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    Films — Animation 

    Films — Live-Action 

    Live-Action TV 

    Western Animation 
  • During Community, Donald Glover was a very popular choice among fans for the role of Peter Parker / Spider-Man and even actively campaigned for it ahead of The Amazing Spider-Man Series. While this campaign was unsuccessful, a Community scene in which he wears black Spider-Man pajamas inspired the design of the Ultimate Spider-Man, Miles Morales. Though he had already aged out of playing the role in live-action, Glover got the chance to voice Miles in Ultimate Spider-Man and played Aaron Davis, who is traditionally Miles's uncle (and even calls Miles in a Deleted Scene), in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
  • In 2001, a fan poll in Wizard Magazine suggested that Kelly Hu 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 Young Justice (2010)

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