CASTING GRADES (SEASON 35)

 

Jeff Stockton here with this season's edition of Casting Grades. In this segment I will dissect the casting of several films from the season - namely adaptations featuring characters that exist in other formats (or reality). Here we go....

THUNDERCATS

TV to Film Post: https://hmsfilms.blogspot.com/2026/01/tv-to-film-thundercats.html

JACK REYNOR as LION-O

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

GRANT FEELY as YOUNG LION-O

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

YAHYA ABDUL-MATEEN II as TYGRA

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

DAVE BAUTISTA as PANTHRO

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

COLE HAUSER as JAGA

LOOKS THE PART? NO

ACTS THE PART? NO

GRADE: C-

EIZA GONZALEZ as CHEETARA

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? NO

GRADE: C

BROOKLYNN PRINCE as WILYKIT

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

WINSLOW FEGLEY as WILYKAT

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? NO

GRADE: C

BILL SKARSGARD as MUMM-RA

LOOKS THE PART? NO

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B-

JEFFREY DEAN MORGAN as CLAUDUS

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: C+

ADAM BRODY as SLYTHE

LOOKS THE PART? NO

ACTS THE PART? NO

GRADE: D+

RUPERT FRIEND as JACKALMAN

LOOKS THE PART? NO

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: C

KEVIN DURAND as MONKIAN

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B-

OVERAL CASTING GRADE: C+

THUS DREAMED ZARATHUSTRA

FACT TO FILM POST: https://hmsfilms.blogspot.com/2026/01/fact-to-film-thus-dreamed-zarathustra.html

FRANZ ROGOWSKI as FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: A-

CHRISTOPH WALTZ as RICHARD WAGNER

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

LIV LISA FRIES as ELISABETH FORSTER-NIETZSCHE

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

ALINA LEVSHIN as LOU SALOME

LOOKS THE PART? NO

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: C+

AUGUST DIEHL as CARL LUDWIG NIETZSCHE

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

OVERALL CASTING GRADE: B

THE PUNISHER: PURGATORY

COMIC TO FILM POST: https://hmsfilms.blogspot.com/2026/01/comic-to-film-punisher-purgatory.html

MEL GIBSON as FRANK CASTLE / PUNISHER

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: A

SHEA WHIGHAM as MARTIN SOAP

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

CARLA GUGINO as JOAN

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

JONATHAN TUCKER as FINN COOLEY / JIGSAW

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

JENNIFER CARPENTER as MOLLY VON RICHTHOFEN

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

DWIGHT YOAKAM as LINUS

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

TORY KITTLES as BARRACUDA

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

JAMES URBANIAK as BEN URICH

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: A-

MIRA SORVINO as MARIA CASTLE

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

OVERALL CASTING GRADE: A-

THE TICK

TV TO FILM: https://hmsfilms.blogspot.com/2026/02/tv-to-film-tick.html

ROB RIGGLE as THE TICK

LOOKS THE PART? N/A

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: A

MICHAEL CERA as ARTHUR

LOOKS THE PART? N/A

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

VANESSA HUDGENS as AMERICAN MAID

LOOKS THE PART? N/A

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

JIMMY TATRO as DIE FLEDERMAUS

LOOKS THE PART? N/A

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

NEIL PATRICK HARRIS as CHAIRFACE CHIPPENDALE

LOOKS THE PART? N/A

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: A-

ALISON PILL as DOT

LOOKS THE PART? N/A

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

DAVID ALAN GRIER as MAYOR BLANK

LOOKS THE PART? N/A

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

JOHNNY KNOXVILLE as THE CAPED WONDER

LOOKS THE PART? N/A

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B-

OVERALL CASTING GRADE: B+

BLOOD AND GLORY

FACT TO FILM POST: https://hmsfilms.blogspot.com/2026/02/fact-to-film-blood-and-glory.html

DAVE BAUTISTA as DARIUS

LOOKS THE PART? NO

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

COSMO JARVIS as ALEXANDER

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

JAMIE CAMPELL BOWER as HEPHAESTION

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

SAM SPRUELL as PARMENION

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

SAID TAGHMAOUI as BESSUS

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

PAZ VEGA as STATEIRA

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

AIYSHA HART as BARSINE

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

MILO GIBSON as CLEITUS

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B-

LAURIE DAVIDSON as PTOLEMY

LOOKS THE PART? NO

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B-

FARES FARES as MAZAEUS

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

RICHARD COYLE as ANTIGONUS

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

ALEXANDER SIDDIG as ARTABAZUS

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

OVERALL CASTING GRADE: B

GHOST RECON

GAME TO FILM POST: https://hmsfilms.blogspot.com/2026/03/game-to-film-ghost-recon.html

JON HAMM AS SCOTT MITCHELL

LOOKS THE PART? NO

ACTS THE PART? NO

GRADE: C

TENOCH HUERTA AS JOE RAMIREZ

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? NO

GRADE: C

NATALIE MORALES AS ALICIA DIAZ

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? NO

GRADE: C

CASEY AFFLECK AS DAVID FOSTER

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? NO

GRADE: C+

DANIEL DAE KIM AS PAIK

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

WESLEY SNIPES AS WILLIAM JACOBS

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

OVERALL CASTING GRADE: C

RUBICON LIES

FACT TO FILM POST: https://hmsfilms.blogspot.com/2026/03/fact-to-film-rubicon-lies.html

JAMES NORTON AS ROBERT F. KENNEDY

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

DAVID CORENSWET AS JOHN F. KENNEDY

LOOKS THE PART? NO

ACTS THE PART? NO

GRADE: D-

BRENDAN GLEESON AS J. EDGAR HOOVER

LOOKS THE PART? NO

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B-

BOBBY CANNAVALE AS CARLOS MARCELLO

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

DAVID KRUMHOLTZ AS JACK RUBY

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

JOHN LITHGOW AS JOSEPH KENNEDY

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: A-

OVERALL CASTING GRADE: C+

MAN-THING

COMIC TO FILM POST: https://hmsfilms.blogspot.com/2026/03/comic-to-film-man-thing.html

ALLISON WILLIAMS AS ELLEN BRANDT

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

MAX MINGHELLA AS TED SALLIS / MAN-THING

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

LIL REL HOWERY AS GEORGE TARLETON

LOOKS THE PART? NO

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: C+

JASMIN SAVOY BROWN AS MIRIAM

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

DARYL MCCORMACK AS JOSEPH TIMMS

LOOKS THE PART? NO

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B-

NICK KROLL AS PAUL ALLEN

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

OVERALL CASTING GRADE: B

BATMAN: DUALITY

COMIC TO FILM POST: https://hmsfilms.blogspot.com/2026/04/comic-to-film-batman-duality.html

JAKE GYLLENHAAL AS BRUCE WAYNE / BATMAN

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: A-

CHRIS ROCK AS HARVEY DENT / TWO-FACE

LOOKS THE PART? NO

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

AL PACINO AS LOU MARONI

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

JESSICA ALBA AS RENEE MONTOYA

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

LILI SIMMONS AS KATHY KANE / BATWOMAN

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B

ORLANDO JONES AS LUCIUS FOX

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

MELISSA LEO AS MAYOR MARION GRANGE

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

HAMISH LINKLATER AS LINCOLN MARCH

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

BARRY SLOANE AS WILLIAM COBB / TALON

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B-

MICHAEL RISPOLI AS CARMINE FALCONE

LOOKS THE PART? NO

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: C+

ADELE EXARCHOPOULOS AS TALIA AL GHUL

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B+

DOUGLAS BOOTH AS JASON TODD

LOOKS THE PART? YES

ACTS THE PART? YES

GRADE: B-

OVERAL CASTING GRADE: B+