I needed  a short break from reading political news and stressing about the state of our Republic, so I am re-reading various Terry Pratchett books. It was either Pratchett or Pride and Prejudice, and I don’t even have the emotional bandwidth for that.

And so, as I (and so many of you) do, I started casting the movie version of Night Watch. Like this:

Present Day Ankh-Morpark:

Sam Vimes: Robert Downey, Jr. (although Tom Hanks would do as well)
Sybil Vimes: Emma Thompson (yes, I know the physical description doesn’t match that as set out in The Fifth Elephant)
Captain Carrot: Chris Hemsworth (yes, I know he doesn’t have red hair, but I think he would do a good job of projecting Carrot’s combination of intelligent and innocence)
Lord Vetinari: The obvious — too obvious — choice would be Ralph Fiennes. (Actually, the obvious choice would be the late Alan Rickman.) I think instead maybe Matthew McFadden?
Corporal Cheery Littlebottom: Okay, I got nothing.
Sergeant Fred Colon: Kevin Bacon (because every movie should have Kevin Bacon)
Corporal Nobby Nobbs: Jack Black (with suitable makeup)
Corporal Detritus: Brad Garrett
Carcer: Matthew McConaughey

Time-shifted Ankh-Morpark:

Rosie Palm: Emily  Blunt
Sandra the Real Seamstress: Felicity Jones
Doctor Lawn: Irrfan Khan
Captain Tilden: John Cleese
Sergeant Knock: Sam Rockwell
Young Sam Vimes: (I’m having trouble with this one… Daniel Radcliffe?)
Ned Coates: Jessie Eisenberg
Lu-Tze: George Takei
Captain Swing:  Tom Hiddleston
Reg Shoe: Jonah Hill
Madame Roberta Mersole: Helen Mirren
Young Vetinari: I’m having trouble with this one as well, although I like Benedict Cumberbatch (but he’s really too old)

I know I am leaving out a lot of (secondary characters), but these were the ones I could think of. I’m pretty happy with this — any suggestions for changes?

How would you cast this movie?