Casting The Live-Action Rick And Morty
A live-action Rick and Morty movie may not actually be in the works, but there have certainly been a lot of conversations on what that reality might look like should it come to pass. Viewers of the animated hit got a bit of a sample of what a live-action film could be when Christopher Lloyd and Jaeden Martell appeared in a few shorts aired before the fifth season of the show began.
Fans of Rick and Morty (which you can stream right now on Hulu) can at least have hope that all the hype being raised might inspire someone in Hollywood to take action (hint, hint). Regardless of the reality that there are no current plans in the works for a live-action movie, the imagination is still free to run wild. Here are six actors we’d love to see play the dynamic duo, should a live-action ever be greenlit.
Christopher Lloyd as Rick
Christopher Lloyd played the part of Rick in the previously released Rick and Morty shorts meant to advertise for the fifth season of the show, and he was brilliant. Fans have already seen how well Lloyd can play a scientist from his role as Dr. Emmett Brown in Back to the Future.
There’s, arguably, no better actor to fill the slot. Lloyd’s unruly hair and unique voice are perfect for playing Morty’s drunken grandpa. He even has the appropriate bags under his eyes to play the role.
They wouldn’t even have to put a wig or much makeup on him. It’s like Rick Sanchez was modeled after Christoper Lloyd.
Peter Capaldi as Rick
Peter Capaldi comes to mind for the role of Rick because of his time served as Doctor Who on the long-running sci-fi series. Rick is often compared to the role of the sci-fi antihero that is Doctor Who, and Capaldi certainly has the right physical features to become the character.
The subtle self-loathing he displayed in his role as Doctor Who would pair well with the trainwreck that is Rick Sanchez in Rick and Morty. He has the right ability to use his tone and inflection to create urgency in his speech, but he would have to hide his accent to hit the character spot on.
Willem Dafoe as Rick
Willem Dafoe plays an excellent villain, as seen in Sam Raimi’s 2002 superhero film Spider-Man. Dafoe played the supervillain, Green Goblin, and he brought a frightful passion to the role.
His ability to use his unique look to convey how viewers should feel about his character would mesh well with the zany outbursts of the titular character in Rick and Morty. Willem Dafoe’s performance as Ryuk in the live-action Death Note also presents a solid display of his ability to balance pure silliness with a seriously menacing aura.
Jaeden Martell as Morty
Again, the makers of the Rick and Morty live-action shorts got it right. Jaeden Martell is perfect for the role of Morty, right down to the squeak in his uncertain tones.
Best known for his role as young Bill Denbrough in the 2017 version of Stephen King’s It, Martell knows what it’s like to play a character that doesn’t have the most confidence. He knows how to play the anxious and stammering sort of character Morty portrays at times, and his physical aesthetic is excellent for the role.
August Maturo as Morty
August Maturo first made waves among audiences when he played Auggie in the Disney series Girl Meets World. After playing his “G-rated” role on Disney, August went on to star in several horror films such as The Nun and Slapface.
Maturo’s ability to play diverse roles suggests he may find it stimulating to play a nerdy 14-year-old boy with a drunken scientific genius of a grandfather. He knows how to move from light-hearted content into something much darker, which is a common occurrence in Rick and Morty.
Noah Jupe as Morty
Noah Jupe is a young yet seasoned actor who knows how to play a character in tense situations. As Rick is always injecting Morty into the strangest and most dangerous situations, Noah’s ability to play a young kid in a shady situation has already been seen.
Known for his roles in A Quiet Place and Honey Boy, Jupe has shown that he can handle the darker and more mature subject matter that would certainly come to light in a live-action Rick and Morty movie. He also has the right body type and hair to play Morty. His small frame is perfect, though he is a bit older than 14-year-old Morty.
