I'm going to have to look up some of these actors as I'm not a big movie person but Sean Bean would make a great Tom!

By the way, have you read Atonement? That starts tomorrow on the big screen. I LOVED that book as well and read it twice only not many people liked the book in my bookclub (at the time) , they said it was to much to read and not enough time etc. Boy, did they miss out!!

i think rupert grint is too old to play a young jack, i am thinking of young jack as the boy Tom's family encountered in the forest the first time they met Ellen. I think Forrest Landis would be great for this role. As for a young Jonathan, Jacob Smith would be good. As an older Jonathan, Paul Bettany. I also think Heath Ledger should be in this movie, but i do not know who he could be...i would LOVE to see this book on film.

Viggo Mortensen would also make a good Tom, and I see Ellen as sort of a Julia Roberts. John Malkovich is a natural for Waleran Bigod, and how about Renee Zellweger as Agnes?

Paul Bettany is a great choice, except I always think of Tom as being quite heavy/muscular.... Yes, to Heath, though...even, perhaps as William???

Viggo would make a great anything....(I shouldn't be lusting after him, though..he is my cousin). Renee as Agnes? Hmm...I always have the impression as Agnes as an older, coarser, heavier type..but, hey..if Renee can be Bridget, why not Agnes!!!

Definitely not Angelina Jolie in anything, she'd ruin it. I think unknowns would be the best option.

It's funny, but I couldn't help envisioning Ellen as Angelina Jolie. Sometimes, when you associate a face with a character in a book, it just sticks, no matter what. I also saw Waleran Bigod being played by the villain from Ladyhawke (John Wood). Of course, he'd be too old to play that role now, but his face and mannerisms are perfect. I don't think Alan Rickman is quite skinny and spider-like enough to do that role justice. What about Guy Pearce? David Morse would be a really good idea for Tom, though. As would Viggo Mortensen. But I could never see Kevin McKidd as William. For starters, he's too old (William starts out as a 19- or 20-year-old). But he's just too likable. Even when he was going off on homicidal rages in Rome, you still sympathized with him (or at least I did). I just don't see him as a mass murderer/serial rapist. I think Josh Brolin, on the other hand, could play someone that heartless and evil. He'd also be better at playing someone who went from 20 years old to 50-something. Prior Philip should be played by someone slighter in stature than either Viggo or Sean Bean. What about Ewen MacGregor? Or Kenneth Branagh? But Jack ends up being the real hero of the story--I think he's more of a Heath Ledger than a Weasley twin. (You can always dye his hair.) I think Aliena would be the toughest part to cast, and though I like Keira Knightly, she's not as, uh, full-figured as Follett describes her. And I'm thinking you have to work Max Pirkis and Cirain Hinds from Rome into the cast somewhere. Pirkis would be a good Jonathan. Hinds could play Bishop Henry.

However, it's probably all academic as it would be quite a challenge to take Follett's 973-page book and turn it into a decent, or even coherent, movie. Still, it's fun to be an imaginary casting director.

I kept imagining Joaquin Phoenix as William (similar to his role in Gladiator).

Still working on my list. Just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas Dr. W

Your vision of the book is far, far different from mine as seen through the actors you have chosen to play the charactor's. i must add how interesting for me to see a completely different view...thx! finally. i must confess that if one or two of them starred in the movie, I would have to avoid seeing it..........! After having read the lord of the rings trilogy when I was quite young, I was thrilled that the movie was cast so near my own imagination. anyway, thxs for the visual interpretation!

I would cast Ray Stevenson (HBO Rome's Pullo) as Tom Builder. He would be excellent.

I would cast Ray Stevenson (HBO Rome's Pullo) as Tom Builder. He would be excellent.

Still working on the supporting actors but for the main ones, here goes:

Tom- Russell Crowe
Philip - Ioan Gruffudd
Jack- Hugh Dancy
Aliena- Jennifer Garner
William- Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Ellen - Hillary Swank
Walleran - Joseph Fiennes
King Stephen-Joaquin Phoenix
William's Father - Brendan Gleeson

Williams Mother- Kathy Bates

I have to agree that Jonathan Rhys Meyers would make a perfect William. Joseph Fiennes or Alan Rickman would make a great Bigod as well and I have to put my vote in for Viggo for any role sutiable to him. I graduated from the same university he did (although he graduted in 1980 and I very recently) and he was one of the speakers at my graduation so my infatuation with him is pretty strong. lol. They really should make this movie.

I love your cast! I think Kiera Knightly (though beautiful) is a little too scrawny to play the voluptuous Aliena. Maybe she could be young Jack? Ha