Which Hollywood actors would star in a film about the Golden Knights?
The Vegas Golden Knights' inaugural season has become one of the best stories in professional sports, and it's still being written. With the club continuing its dream campaign by qualifying for the conference final, it's no longer a matter of if Hollywood is going to make a movie about this team's historic first season, but when.
Aside from the whole "expansion team having success" theme, there's no shortage of potential subplots that make this feel-good story Hollywood worthy.
Whether it's Vegas resident Deryk Engelland - who's having a career year - delivering a compelling speech at the team's home opener following the tragic Vegas shootings, William Karlsson going from six goals last season to 43 this one, or the three Florida Panthers castoffs having amazing campaigns - including Gerard Gallant getting let go in the worst way possible. Take your pick.
So, without further ado, here is an ideal star-studded cast for the eventual Hollywood film on the Vegas Golden Knights:
Adrien Brody as Marc-Andre Fleury
In a season that has not been short on excellent storylines, Fleury's might be the best of them all. So why not have a guy like Brody play him. He does, after all, know a thing or two about winning trophies.
Not to mention, the uncanny physical resemblance. Which, at the very least, would help keep makeup and costume costs down.
Chevy Chase as Bill Foley
Knights owner Foley is the man who made all of this possible. Though the bulk of his scenes would be prior to the start of the regular season, he still needs to be featured. Chase is not only a pretty close lookalike, but he could easily portray an over-the-top, wealthy executive.
Danny DeVito as Gary Bettman
If you're too young to remember DeVito from his famous role as the Penguin in 1992's "Batman Returns," let's just say it's the perfectly sinister precursor to the equally sinister league commissioner.
DeVito might need a bit of help from the makeup department to cover up his trademark bald spot to fit the Bettman look appropriately, but his salty demeanor and limited frame fit the billing nicely.
Kiefer Sutherland as Gerard Gallant
Last year, Gallant was prematurely fired from the Panthers. Now, he's on the verge of winning the Jack Adams Trophy as the coach of the year. He'd be the star of this film, so who better to portray him than one of the most distinguished Canadian actors in the business?
Nicolas Cage as George McPhee
Cage hasn't been in a good flick for almost a decade, but luckily for ol' Nicky boy, this concept is foolproof. McPhee's role in the film might be limited due to his position in the franchise, but capping Cage's screen time could be the perfect way to integrate his quirky "skills" into this story.
Tom Hardy as Deryk Engelland
Hardy is a perfect fit to play Vegas' tough, rugged leader. The Golden Knights don't have a captain, but if they were miraculously able to win the Stanley Cup, you can bet Engelland would be the first player to lift the trophy.
Engelland also rocks a pretty robust beard, so Hardy checks that box nicely, and we all know he can take on a physically-tasking role if need be.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jonathan Marchessault
In addition to the right look and build to play the diminutive Marchessault, Gordon-Levitt has proven to be a master of dialects and accents, a must to properly portray the Quebec native.
Marchessault operates mostly under the radar, so Gordon-Levitt's screen time and lines might be limited. Regardless, he'd be the perfect fit to play one of the Golden Knights' top forwards.
Chris Hemsworth as William Karlsson
Not only is Hemsworth capable of pulling off Karlsson's luscious blonde flow, but playing Vegas' 43-goal phenom would require some sort of heroic presence, which the Australian actor has in spades.
Ben Affleck as James Neal
Neal might have recently earned the moniker "The Real Deal," but Affleck has been a leading man for decades. So he has the acting chops to play a character like Neal, who would be featured prominently throughout the film as one of the biggest reasons the Knights find themselves in the hunt for a Cup.
Some solid makeup work would need to be done here, as Affleck has 15 years on Neal and is beginning to rock the salt-and-pepper dad look on the regular. But we still think he could pull it off with relative ease.
Jay Baruchel as Reilly Smith
Having a hockey movie without Baruchel would just seem wrong. While he may not be a perfect lookalike to Smith, he would undoubtedly bring humor to the locker room, even if it's in a small part.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
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