Nothing gets a conversation and/or debate going faster than an alternate casting. Everyone has their own opinion about what actor should play which role and, more importantly, nobody can ever agree with anyone else’s picks. If it’s even slightly different than what you pictured in your head, you will immediately disregard it and ridicule the person who suggested it. The aim of the FanCast is to inspire conversation, create debate and provide ammo for the bloodthirsty nerds who can’t ever be wrong.
One of the earliest movie-going experiences I remember is seeing The Flintstones (1994) in the theater. I was eagerly awaiting The Jetsons movie but was disappointed that we never got it. Although it is easy to understand why it was never made. The technology of the 1990’s was nowhere near up to snuff of that which was featured in the show. It seems like a live-action movie could be made today, although I highly doubt that it will ever happen.
Here are my choices for The Jetson‘s in the 1990’s
Gary Cole | George Jetson
What you might have seen him in: Office Space, Midnight Caller, The Brady Bunch Movie
Why he’d be perfect for the role: Gary Cole has the ability to play both the niche nice guy as well as the arrogate prick. With George Jetson, he will have to play the former. I’ve always seen Cole as the “villain” of sorts in most of his work but it wasn’t until I revisited The Brady Bunch Movie a couple of years ago that I realized (that it was him) but also just how much range this guy truly has. I can see him playing the family man who goes to a dead end job just to support a family, all you have to do is just reverse his character in Office Space!
Shelley Long | Jane Jetson
What you might have seen her in: The Money Pit, Night Shift, The Brady Bunch Movie
Why she’d be perfect for the role: Again, this pick comes from The Brady Bunch Movie and its sequel. I personally haven’t seen her in too much over the years, but the chemistry that she had with Gary Cole in The Brady Bunch movies makes me want to see these two back together again. She didn’t have much of a career following these two movies but she was able to pull off being the house wife so well that something tells me that she would have absolutely no trouble at being able to do it a third time as Jane Jetson.
Haley Joel Osment | Elroy Jetson
What you might have seen him in: Forest Gump, The Sixth Sense, Pay it Forward
Why he’d be perfect for the role: Maybe he would’ve been a little too young at the time, I don’t know. I’m not sure how old Elroy is supposed to be in the show. Osment was able to get more exposer in The Sixth Sense and A.I. at the turn of the century but I think that he would be just barely the right age to play him sometime in the later 1990’s. He already proved that he had a good head on his shoulders at a young age. So I don’t have much difficultly seeing him being able to pull off being the intelligent brain child that Elroy is in the tv show.
Alicia Silverstone | Judy Jetson
What you might have seen her in: Clueless, Batman and Robin, Blast From the Past
Why she’d be perfect for the role: Alicia Silverstone was the total “it” girl back in the 1990’s. That is until Batman and Robin totally tanked her career. But if there were anybody who would be able to pull off being the rebellious teenage girl known as Judy Jetson, it would be her. Even though Judy is very much a product of the swingin’ sixties, they could’ve been able to update her for whatever trends were going on in the 1990’s. Even if she just played Cher Horowitz all over again, I’m sure nobody would’ve had a problem with that.
Danny DiVito | Mr. Spacely Sprockets
What you might have seen him in: Batman Returns, Twins, Junior, Matilda
Why he’d be perfect for the role: This was probably the easiest casting choices out of all of them. Danny DiVito is so much the spitting image of Mister Spacely, — it is uncanny! He’s already got the bald head, just grow a mustache and he is good to go. Like I said, easy. Right?! Even though he is an extremely sweet man in real life he has definitely proven that he has the chops to be the hardheaded boss, as well. Plus it’s not so difficult to imagine him screaming “JET-SOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!” over some video intercom either.
Rosie O’Donnell | Rosie the Robot
What you might have seen her in: The Flintstones, Now and Then, A League of Their Own
Why she’d be perfect for the role: This might seem like an odd choice these days but for anybody who was around for the 1990’s knows just how popular Rosie O’Donnell was back then. Why? I have absolutely no idea. I was young at the time I just remember her being everywhere. She was in a slough of hit movies in the 1990’s and she also had her own day time talk show. Heck, she even played Betty Rubble in The Flintstones (1994). So, there is no doubt in my mind that they would’ve asked her to come back to voice Rosie the Robot.
Don Messick | Astro the Dog
What you might have seen him in: Wacky Races, The Flintstones, The Yogi Bear Show
Why he’d be perfect for the role: Why would he be perfect? Well, I think that would be obvious! He is the original voice of Astro in the cartoons from the 60’s and 80’s, of course! Not that Astro has much of a vocabulary but I’m sure he’d get a few lines. I’m not sure if they would go with a real dog or CGI in the 90’s but I can see it going either way. Wikipedia says that he retired sometime around the 90’s. So even if he would’ve returned to voice Astro in this or not, I think Frank Welker (who voiced Scooby-Doo) would be a solid second choice.
These are the actors I would cast if I was making a live-action The Jetsons in the 1990’s. Who would you FanCast?