“Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” has dazzled the world with its Belle Époque-inspired artistic direction. As we await the film, we have engaged in the game of ideal casting. Exit Hollywood: to embody Gustave, Lune, or Maëlle, here is the 100% French cast that is deemed perfect for success and international recognition.
“Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” has been a small video game miracle. Can it transform into a cinematic masterpiece? That is certainly the hope. However, we are still far from seeing the adventures of Gustave, Maëlle, Lune, Verso, Sciel, and Monoko on the big screen – indeed, the adaptation project is still in its early stages.
In the meantime, everyone has an opinion on the casting. Actor Glen Powell, known for “Top Gun: Maverick,” envisions himself joining the adventure. Charlie Cox, on the other hand, does not see himself in the cast, but suggests that Robert Pattinson would be perfect for Gustave.
And why not an all-French cast? After all, “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” is primarily a game rich in French culture references and developed by Sandfall Interactive, a studio in Montpellier. Thus, we challenged ourselves by imagining our dream cast for the film adaptation.
For this selection, we carefully considered physical resemblance to closely match the characters from the game. We also thought about having “bankable” names to support the film’s international career. Hence, names like Louis Garrel, Isabelle Huppert, Cécile de France, or Pom Klementieff were suggested.
One obvious limitation of this exercise is that, apart from specific cases, the voices from the game will not match those in the film.
What Cast for “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” in Cinema?
Gustave: Louis Garrel
Maëlle / Alicia: Roxane Bret
Lune: Pom Klementieff
Verso: Gregory Fitoussi
Sciel: Cécile de France
Renoir: Féodor Atkine
Sophie: Noémie Merlant
Cléa: Marine Vacth
Aline / la peintresse: Isabelle Huppert
And Monoko, Esquie or François, what about them?
For these characters that are not truly human, we leave room for interpretation, knowing that the actors will disappear behind the CGI images after filming, leaving only their motion-capture performance on screen. Just like how Andy Serkis embodied Gollum in “Lord of the Rings.”
That said, involving the voice actors who voiced Monoko, Esquie, or François in the French version of the game would be a great way to connect the film adaptation with the video game.
