Fan Casting The In-Development Warriors Remake

A remake of the cult classic movie The Warriors has been in development for years. The late, great action director Tony Scott was attached to the project for years, though the latest update was back in 2016 when the Russo brothers were adapting the classic movie into a TV series. But since then, there has been no word on the development of the remake.

Now would be the perfect time to remake The Warriors. The movie is about thousands of gang members in New York, and the titular gang is mostly in their teen years, but in the 1979 movie, they all look close to 30. Given the enormous amount of young talent in Hollywood right now, a remake could feature a cast of younger actors who more believably represent that age.

10 Vermin – Harry Styles

Vermin is easily the funniest character in The Warriors. He doesn’t mind making fun of himself to make people laugh, and his self-deprecating humor is similar to British comedy and even Harry Styles’ very own sarcastic sense of humor.

The pop star transitioned to Hollywood with the Christopher Nolan-directed War movie Dunkirk, and though he performed well in the film, he hasn’t starred in anything since, though there’s stuff on the horizon. As Styles might not have the ability to lead a movie this short into his film career, a role like Vermin would be the next rung of the ladder in many cases.

9 Masai – Lakeith Stanfield

The Riffs are one of the most likable gangs, and that’s mostly thanks to the leadership. Masai takes over as the warlord of the Gramercy Riffs after Cyrus is killed, and similarly to Cyrus, he seems like an authoritative figure and a strong leader. Lakeith Stanfield is a sought-after actor at the minute and he has been cast in a variety of different roles, but he has never been cast as a leader.

Actors are often typecast, which is when they are thrown into roles that fit the bill of other roles they have played in the past, but that doesn’t mean they can’t play other types of characters. Though Stanfield hasn’t played figures of leadership in the past, that’s part of why it could be so exciting.

8 The DJ – Janelle Monáe

The DJ is a fascinating role in the movie, as she is seemingly the host of a radio station that only the gangs of New York have access to. Only her mouth speaking into the microphone is visible, but her voice is instantly intoxicating.

The remake simply needs to cast an actress with a soothing voice, and not only is Janelle Monáe’s voice soothing but it sounds a lot like the DJ’s too. And with the DJ’s unique vernacular of referring to the gangs as her “babies” and the members as “bloopers,” Monáe could have so much fun with the role. Plus, she’s proven to be a talented actor all the way around as well.

7 Cleon – Daniel Kaluuya

Cleon didn’t last long in The Warriors, as he was quickly taken down in the aftermath of Cyrus’ murder. However, the character did have a lot of screen time up to that point, and he was a brooding force, as he takes out a ton of Rogues before inevitably getting wasted by the Riffs.

Daniel Kaluuya could pull off the role considering how he’s just as stoic as Cleon. And a lot like Cleon, the characters the actor plays are often strategic, well-mannered, and intelligent, whether it’s Reggie in Sicario or Chris in Get Out. The remake could even expand the role and give Kaluuya more screen time. After all, Cleon’s fate in The Warriors is still up in the air, as he might not have actually been killed.

6 Rembrandt – Finn Wolfhard

Though video game adaptations of movies don’t generally serve the source material well, Rembrandt had a much bigger and more detailed role in the Rockstar game fans forgot about. Not only is he the youngest, but he’s the gang’s designated graffiti artist and a writer too, which wasn’t mentioned much in the movie.

Finn Wolfhard could make the baby of the group more three-dimensional, especially with a great screenplay that lifts Rembrandt’s storylines from the game. It isn’t just because Wolfhard looks young or has the same build but because he plays characters with the same snarly but soft around the edges attitude.

5 Cyrus – Jonathan Majors

Cyrus is only in one scene, but it’s the most pivotal in the movie. It is a masterclass in acting, as it’s a full five-minute, uninterrupted speech that imitates the prowess and confidence that the likes of Malcolm X spoke with. Despite just being one scene, the role can’t be filled with anyone other than a room-commanding classically trained actor.

Jonathan Majors attended the Yale School of drama, and it shows in all of his roles. He can project his voice just as Cyrus can, and given that he spoke almost entirely uninterrupted for 11 straight minutes in the Loki finale, a five-minute monologue is nothing to him. And as he plays Kang in Loki, he already looks the part. Strangely enough, He Who Remains and Cyrus have very similar-looking gowns.

4 Luther – Ezra Miller

At the end of the movie, Luther explains that the reason he killed Cyrus was simply that he likes doing things like that, showing that he’s essentially the Joker of The Warriors. The character loves chaos but is cowardly and psychotic. He’s also a terrible fighter and the best actor of Luther’s age who could combine all those characteristics and abilities is Ezra Miller.

Like Luther, Miller has constant frenetic energy. His characters can’t stand still and are always jotting around. Oddly enough, Ezra Miller has the exact same distinct bone structure as David Patrick Kelly too. It’s also so easy to imagine Miller reenacting the iconic scene where Luther clangs three bottles together and chants, “Warriors, come out to play-ay!”

3 Mercy – Zendaya

The character of Mercy would have to be drastically rewritten if the remake ever does go into pre-production, as the Warriors are constantly slut-shaming her and calling her names like “mattress actress.” But one of Mercy’s best character traits is that she gives it back as good as she gets it. She’s quick to emasculate the Warriors whenever they’re bullying her.

Zendaya could play on the character’s best traits, as she even plays a PG, more family-friendly version of the character in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Her character of MJ is always putting the boys in their place, just like Mercy in The Warriors. The actor could give Mercy’s role added depth, given how she’s diving into more dramatic roles in shows and movies like Euphoria and Malcolm and Marie.

2 Ajax – Barry Keoghan

Ajax is one of the most disgusting characters in movie history, as he’s homophobic, misogynistic, and despite half of his friends being Black, racist too. Barry Keoghan has played antagonists multiple teams, and it’s his bread and butter, as his breakthrough role was as Wayne in the Irish crime drama Love/Hate.

The best acting doesn’t always come down to how well actors can memorize lines, but how well they can suggest certain things with a simple look, and Keoghan is the best young actor who can do that. Keoghan will be playing Druig, a supposed villain, in the upcoming MCU movie Eternals, and he looks just as smug in the trailer as Ajax does in The Warriors, to the point where it’s uncanny.

1 Swan – Timothée Chalamet

The Warriors might have an ensemble cast, but the real leader of the movie is Swan, who took over the role of warlord after the gang lost Cleon. Swan and Cleon are like night and day, as they have completely different methods of leadership. Swan is quieter and more reserved, but he’s still able to command everyone’s attention when he has something to say.

There are few actors more reserved than Timothée Chalamet and some of his greatest scenes are ones where the character usually goes unspoken. However, Swan is a distinctly different character from who Chalamet has played before, as the Warriors warlord is brooding and always prepared for a fight, so that actor taking on the role would be exciting to see. And as Swan and Ajax are constantly locking horns, Keoghan and Chalamet, two movie stars in the making, could bounce off each other in two roles they can throw everything into.