Recasting The Characters Of The Princess Bride (If It Was Made Today)

The Princess Bride has remained one of the most beloved cult classics of all time, as popular now as it ever was on its release in 1987. It’s mixture of comedy, action, and romance has proven timeless, and there’s something for everyone to enjoy in its tale of the dashing Dread Pirate Roberts and his gang of misfits rescuing the kidnapped Princess Buttercup from the evil Prince Humperdinck.

The ensemble cast of colorful characters has reunited several times over the years to commemorate the film, and the thought of rebooting or remaking it has never come up. Many fans feel to do so would be sacrilegious, but what if The Princess Bride were made today? What current stars would occupy its iconic roles?

10 Grandson: Archie Yates

Synonymous with spunk and innocence, Fred Savage made a name for himself at a young age by starring in The Princess Bride and The Wonder Years. His role as the grandson in The Princess Bride may not have been large, but it punctuated the fairytale with a necessary critique.

Taika Waititi’s popular Jojo Rabbit featured a lot of big names, but newcomer Archie Yates managed to steal the film with his adorable and innocent performance. His earnestness and hopefulness would lend itself well to the character, who has to learn to use his imagination beyond the realm of television and electronics – and stop interrupting!

9 Grandpa: Mandy Patinkin

It only makes sense that the legend behind Inigo Montoya, Mandy Patinkin himself, should portray the grandpa and narrator of the story. No doubt he would contribute a performance that paid homage to the late great Peter Falk as well as his former swashbuckling swordsman.

Patinkin’s sonorous voice would be ideal for providing the voice-over as the film unfolds from the pages of his book, and no doubt he’d provide amusing asides and anecdotes that would entertain nostalgic fans.

8 Miracle Max & Valerie

The incomparable Billy Crystal and Carol Kane made Miracle Max and Valerie memorable characters in the original fairytale, and even now, though they may not even resemble the aged figures they portrayed, are perfectly appropriate to portray them once again.

Seeing the two comedians return to two of their most beloved roles would be entertaining for old fans of the fantasy film, and take nothing away from the experience for new fans. Sometimes oldies are still goodies.

7 Count Rugen: Michael Shannon

Michael Shannon has made a name for himself playing violent sociopaths as well as oddball outsiders, and his long list of films includes both blockbusters and independent art-house contributions. He’s been twice-nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor playing both a heroic sheriff in Nocturnal Animals and a dictatorial G-man in The Shape of Water.

Like Christopher Guest who chewed the scenery as the original Count Rugen, Shannon’s abilities as a character actor would allow him to easily vacillate between terrifying and charming, as well as deploy his secret weapon – his deadly deadpan humor.

6 Prince Humperdinck: Henry Cavill

Henry Cavill, with his square jaw and dark curls, is often associated with heroic roles like Superman in like Man of Steel and Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher, but in films like Mission Impossible: Fallout he’s shown his more malevolent side, making him a perfect candidate for the twisted play on Prince Charming, Prince Humperdinck.

Cavill hasn’t participated in many comedy projects, except for the recent clever and entertaining Enola Holmes, in which he plays the World’s Greatest Detective Sherlock Holmes. Following in Chris Sarandon’s footsteps, Cavill could provide just the right amount of nobility, charm, and menace necessary as the film’s primary villain.

5 Fezzik: Rory McCann

Scottish actor Rory McCann shot to fame portraying Sandor Clegane AKA The Hound on Game of Thrones, where his portrayal of a lumbering swordsman with a foul temper and an occasional compassionate streak earned him legions of devoted fans.

Fezzik was a special character because of Andre the Giant’s earnest appeal, and McCann could do his performance justice by combining his acerbic asides as The Hound with the physicality of his role in Hot Fuzz. 

4 Vizzini: Kate Micucci

There’s only one Wallace Shawn, and his memorable portrayal of the nefarious assassin Vizzini in The Princess Bride is one of the highlights of a film otherwise filled with iconic and eccentric characters. If there could possibly be anyone that could antagonize Westley in as jeering a fashion, it would be Kate Micucci.

Known for playing the quirky character Lucy Raj dates on The Big Bang Theory, as well as starring in Garfunkel and Oats, Micucci has made a career out of playing unpredictable and zany characters. She has the facial expressions and the improvisational chops to make the character her own.

3 Inigo Montoya: Pedro Pascal

As if his turn as Oberyn in Game of Thrones didn’t further cement into the public’s collective consciousness that Pedro Pascal was born to play the greatest swordsman who ever lived, his burgeoning popularity in The Mandalorian should change a few minds.

Like Montoya, the Mandalorian has led a tragic life, fueled by revenge against those who killed his parents. There is no doubt that when Pascal purrs, “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” a new generation will begin quoting the greatest line from the film.

2 Westley/Dread Pirate Roberts: Henry Golding

Like Cary Elwes was when he first played Westley, Henry Golding is a recently imported talent from Britain, having only made a handful of films so far. He’s already proven to be a charming and debonair leading man, but with the unique ability to be both immensely likable and subtly menacing.

While some fans might think a blonde-haired actor like Ryan Gosling or Dan Stevens would be needed to perform the part, Golding has already demonstrated that between the effervescence of Crazy Rich Asians and the brutality of The Gentlemen, he has the duality to play both roles that go beyond hair color. Plus, just like Cary, he can “speak with a British accent.”

1 Princess Buttercup: Zendaya

Recently the receiver of the Emmy for Best Lead Actress In A Drama, Zendaya has proven that at just 24 years old she already has a promising career ahead of her. Euphoria is a thematically heavy series, so she might appreciate being able to do some lighter fare, like in her Disney Channel Days.

The concept that Princess Buttercup needs to encapsulate the “fair maiden” archetype of fairytales is arbitrary, and casting someone like Brie Larson based on appearance alone would only alienate the abilities of women of color.

About The Author

Kayleena Pierce-Bohen
(1343 Articles Published)

Kayleena has been raised on Star Wars and Indiana Jones from the crib. A film buff, she has a Western collection of 250+ titles and counting that she’s particularly proud of. When she isn’t writing for ScreenRant, CBR, or The Gamer, she’s working on her fiction novel, lifting weights, going to synthwave concerts, or cosplaying. With degrees in anthropology and archaeology, she plans to continue pretending to be Lara Croft as long as she can.

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