If you look through the fanfic section of this site, there are a ton of period-specific fancasts, mostly done by members Ager (who did an X-Men trilogy made in the late 70's) and MaddMonkk, whose entries included a Batman/Superman film made in the 1940's, an Avengers film made in 1963, a Defenders film made in 1970, an X-Men TV show made in 1978,and films based on The New Teen Titans and the John Byrne Fantastic Four run--both made in the 80's, of course. I was thoroughly impressed with these, and when I commented on one of them, MaddMonkk challenged me to try one of my own...after I also suggested different actors for his Avengers cast. So, here I ask the question
I selected 1968 specifically because it would include a lot of actors who were starting out, some of whom with experience in the sci-fi and horror genres (with some comedy thrown in). As for who could helm such a production--well, the producer would be the man who made Batman and the Green Hornet household names:
William Dozier
For the special effects, I chose protege of the legendary Willis O'Brien, and the father of Dynamation, the equally legendary:
Ray Harryhausen
For the director....well, this one is up to you guys in the comments! (Same with the writer of the script, partnered with Roy Thomas and Jack Kirby.) I seriously couldn't decide on one. So please, in addition to your comments on this fancast, please submit a director suggestion, but remember--it has to be one who was around in the 60's, AND capable of handling a film like this. And now, what you've all been waiting for--the cast for a '68 take on the (non-Emma Peel) Avengers!
We begin with Earth's Mightiest Heroes themselves, who in this film appear as an already-established team. The character pics I've embedded here are an attempt on my part to mostly use the art of the Avengers artist at the time, "Big" John Buscema.
Warren Beatty as Captain America/Steve Rogers
I got the idea to use Beatty from MaddMonkk using him as Nighthawk in his Defenders 1970 fancast--where he stated he originally wanted to use Beatty for Cap in his Avengers 1963 fancast. I honestly think that Beatty could do justice to the Star-Spangled Avenger.
Rhodes Reason as Iron Man/Tony Stark
Rhodes Reason, like his brother Rex Reason, is no stranger to science fiction films (he's even been in a few Japanese monster movies); just slap a mustache on him and you've got a Don Heck-drawn Tony Stark in the flesh.
Chuck Connors as Thor/Donald Blake
This idea I've borrowed from MaddMonkk (who was inspired by another user on the site). I think both are right--Connors has the right height and acting ability to play the god of thunder.
Anthony Perkins as Bruce Banner and *Richard Kiel* as the Hulk
Another idea partially "lovingly ripped-off" from MaddMonkk is Perkins as Bruce Banner, which I thought was genius. As for the Hulk, where he went with Rock Hudson (who I thought was too handsome--and expensive), *and now thanks to brokentoejoe* I went with future Jaws Richard Kiel (compared to my previous pick, Steve Reeves). With a little makeup, he would be a phenomenal physical presence as the Hulk.
Robert Wagner as Henry Pym
Yet another MaddMonkk idea (there's one more, which I'll stop at), he's right about Wagner being a good Pym. And with Harryhausen's dynamation, he can do both Giant-Man (or Goliath, if you're so inclined) and Ant-Man!
Diane Baker as the Wasp/Janet Van Dyne
Now this was an idea that hit me the first time I saw the Alfred Hitchcock classic "Marnie" (1964), which was a month or so ago. Baker, with that hairdo, looks like the spitting image of a Buscema-drawn Wasp--and she's got the acting ability to play her. I think she and Wagner would have good chemistry together.
Yvonne Monlaur as the Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff and Sal Mineo as Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff
Monlaur, a French actress, I'm sure could pull off the Eastern European accent for Wanda; same with Mineo for Quicksilver. Monlaur has experience with fantasy films, as I've seen her in Hammer Films' "The Brides of Dracula"(1960); Mineo is a very capable actor, who can play hotheads as well (look at 1955's "Rebel Without a Cause"--he got nominated for best supporting actor!); plus, he's of European descent (Sicilian ancestry).
James Franciscus as Hawkeye/Clint Barton
Franciscus I picked as he was A) a very capable actor, with some experience in the sci-fi genre, and B) less expensive than MaddMonk's pick, the King of Rock N' Roll, Elvis Presely. Franciscus, in fact, has been in a Ray
Harryhausen film--"The Valley of Gwangi", which was made in 1969, a year after my proposed release date!
Terrence Cooper as the Vision
I've seen Cooper in only one thing (need to look up his filmography)--the 1967 "Casino Royale". But I feel with his face and his theater training, he would make a very good Vision. (I almost went with Leonard Nimoy for this one.)
Sidney Poitier as the Black Panther/T'Challa
This was the final idea I "borrowed" from MaddMonkk, and let me tell you, after seeing "In the Heat of the Night" (1967) for the first time last week, Monkk was right on the money--Poitier would have the right acting ability and gravitas to bring to the stoic king of Wakanda.
Ursula Andress as the Black Widow/Natalia Romanova
Picking Andress (who I know is Swiss) was inspired by...you guessed it, her role as Honey Ryder in the very first James Bond film "Dr. No" (1963). I think she would be a great freshly-defected Widow, and bring a nice contrast to the go-go Wasp and quiet Scarlet Witch.
Joining our band of heroes are a few of their supporting characters:
Peter Cushing as Edwin Jarvis
Cushing, to me, has that air of dignity about him that he brings to his roles. Perfect for the faithful butler of the Avengers. Ironically, both he and Yvonne Monlaur were in "The Brides of Dracula"--he was Professor Van Helsing.
Bobby Sherman as Rick Jones
Sherman was a TV star at this time before hitting the Top 40, when he was a costar on "Here Come The Brides". I just thought, teen idol+teen sidekick=bingo! I think he would've made a good Rick Jones.
Kirk Douglas as Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Douglas was, according to Monkk, one of his initial choices before settling on Robert Stack. I decided to pick up the KD ball and roll with it. I think Douglas, with his experience in many war films, would make a great Fury.
Barbara Bouchet as Sharon Carter, Agent 13 of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Bouchet played Moneypenny in the '67 "Casino Royale" (which Terence Cooper was also in), so she would be a good choice for Cap's love and one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s best and brightest.
And finally, the villains of this picture:
Peter Sellers as Loki
Sellers is one heck of a comedic chameleon of an actor--"Dr. Strangelove" was the primary reason for me casting him as the god of mischief. In this film, he poses as the lieutenant of another of the main villains of the film, to use him and the third one for his own purposes. Speaking of the guy he follows...(Also, coincidentally, he was in the '67 "Casino Royale" with Bouchet and Cooper.)
James Mason as Count Nefaria
For picking Mason, I was inspired by his role in "North By Northwest" (1959) and his portrayal of Captain Nemo in the 1954 adaptation of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea". Mason is a very, very qualified actor, and I'm sure he could play Count Nefaria in his sleep.
Ted Cassidy as the voice of Ultron
Cassidy was voicing another Marvel character at the time, Galactus in the 1967 Hanna-Barbera Fantastic Four cartoon. That, and the way he voiced Brainiac and Black Manta on Challenge of the Super Friends made me think he would be the best actor for Ultron.
And that is my '68-flavored take on the Avengers! For taking the time to look at this fancast--ladies and gentlemen, the sounds of Quincy Jones:
allowfullscreen>