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.
Despite Zatanna being apart of the Justice League and Justice League Dark, she is more of a fan-favorite rather than a character who has any type of large fan-base similar to that of Batman or Superman. Even though she has been fleshed out in her own right throughout the decades, Zatanna seems to play more of a supporting role in other characters stories rather than having anything that defines her as a character on her own. Although unintentional, she is destined to live in her father’s shadow for the end of time. Anyways, one creator who has an undying love for Zatanna is that of Paul Dini. (Who isn’t as widely regarded as Bruce Timm when it comes to the creation of Batman: The Animated Series, but someone who had just as important). Paul Dini has writtten many of the Zatanna’s stories that can be found in the wild. What he see’s in her is for him alone. However, he wrote an incredibly short-lived Zatanna series back in 2010-2011, (just before the line-wide New 52 took over), and this movie pitch is based off of that comic run.
This is who I would cast in a new Zatanna movie.
Zatanna
Hailee Steinfeld | Zatanna Zatara
I had originally chosen Anna Taylor-Joy as Zatanna when pitching the character for James Gunn‘s new Justice League movie. However, even though I do still like that pick, after all this time I would instead chose to cast Hailee Steinfeld instead. I liked her in True Grit (2010), but it was really Pitch Perfect 2 (2015) that really made me notice her. Of course she played Kate Bishop in Hawkeye (2022), and as far as I’m concerned she completely stole the show. Mostly because it was dynamite casting that nobody would be able to pull of. She is one of those actresses who just oozes charisma and you can’t help but pay attention to her whenever she is on screen. She also has one of those mystifying looks to her which makes me believe that she would make a believable Zatanna.
Antagonists:
The Ventriloquist
Hannah Waddingham | Peyton Riley
Peyton Riley was a character who first appeared in Detective Comics #827 (2007). She was created by Paul Dini in an attempt to shake up Batman’s antagonists. She replaced Arnold Wesker as the Ventriloquist and the became the new “voice” of Scarface. I haven’t seen Ted Lasso, so I’m not completely familiar with Hannah Waddingham but from everything that I have seen about her, she seems like an incredibly talented and enthusiastic person. She always has a smile on her face and there is something about her aesthetic that makes me appreciated her even more. She has recently stated that she would be willing to join the MCU … as a villain. Regardless, I think that she would be able to pull off the “crazy” of Peyton Riley as well as her soft and gentle side that she insists on repressing.
Scarface
Joe Pesci | Scarface
I didn’t really plan this casting, but Joe Pesci feels like the only person who would be able to pull this off. Yes, it has everything to do with the fat that he played a lot of gangster roles in his youth. What’s another one? But, just to clarify: it wouldn’t really be him as a puppet, but rather he would be the voice of the puppet … and the puppet would have his likeness, and that is exactly where this casting begins and ends. But it would also be funny! I can’t blame the guy for wanting to retire but he left a giant hole in cinema that nobody has been able to fill, and even though I don’t particularity feel he would be interested in doing a comic book movie, this has just enough of a gangster feel that it would be familiar enough for both him and the audience to accept him in this type of role.
Supporting:
Zatara
Liam Neeson | Giovanni “John” Zatara
This might be a little cliche but Liam Neeson is the first person who came to mind. Maybe he is a bit too old now but I don’t care enough to think of somebody else, so I’m going with it. I actually don’t know too much about Zatara. Considering he was created during the Golden Age of Comics, I can’t imagine that there is anything worth reading from any of his stories published from that point in time. He seems to be able to do the exact same stuff that Zatanna can. He’s a magician, she’s a magician. It seems like this is a type of family business in my opinion. So, maybe the casting doesn’t matter so much.
Who Would You FanCast in a new Zatanna Movie?