Before I launch into question C, just a couple of links. Apart from the WordPress blogs that are taking part in the challenge, you can read more fan responses over on Blogspot on White Rose Writings. On tumblr, Ilaria/Eugeal has answered question A with an awesome photo set of her Guy collection, Abiwim has also indicated that she is answering. And then there is Twitter, where I have also seen a few answers (just can’t find the tweets right now, sorry.)
C – Name a book that you think RA should star in a film in
Oh, there are as many books that I would like to see RA in a film adaptation in, as there are books full stop. To be quite honest, I tend to visualise almost all male protagonists – at least when they are described to be TDH – as RA. Silly, really. But ok, I would really only like to see him in a film adaptation of a books that I really liked and that is also worth filming.
However – I am completely blocked – I just can’t think of any book right off the top of my head now. Even though I came up with this question. I must have had something in mind, I just don’t know what it was. The books I have recently read are not really suitable – the Nic Costa series of thrillers by David Hewson. (Nic is Italian and a good bit younger than RA, so I don’t really think RA would be ideal…) I am currently reading a book by one of my favourite authors, though, who has only recently also been associated with RA due to a forthcoming audio book. I am talking of Ken Follett, hence and for want of a better idea, I am suggesting one of his old books which I greatly enjoyed. It’s called “The Eye of the Needle” and is set in 1940. The Needle is the name of a German spy who is active in Britain. He is a killer and an effective spy, uncovering the Allies’ plans for the invasion of France (D-Day). Before he is able to transmit the secrets to Berlin, he is chased through Britain – and there is a very surprising ending to the book. I am not suggesting that RA really looks convincingly German (mind you, what is a “typical German look”, anyway???) – but the character was really fascinating, and I would like to see RA in a period piece that has a lot of pace yet isn’t necessarily only action-driven.
Well, ok, or maybe I am just suggesting that, because the cover of the novel reminds me of the latest, gorgeous photo shoot. (Yes, I am posting the pics here again. Any excuse, ladies…)
Tenuous connections… Maybe I’ll have to update this post at a later time – once I remember which books I had in mind.
PS: The Eye of the Needle was actually made into a film in the early 1980s – and the protagonist looks nothing like I imagined him. Including the trailer here – mainly because it is hilarious how old-fashioned it seems…
What about you? Can you think of anything, any character from a much-loved book that you would like to see him take on?
Guylty Pleasure 
Huh, Donald Sutherlanf ist ein echt schräger Typ 😬 Habe mir gerade Die Nadel auf den Kindle gepackt 😊
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Ja, so ganz der Hottie isser ja nicht gerade… obeohl die stechend blauen Augen im Trailer ja dann prima zu einem deutschen Spion passen. Das Buch ist aber sehr spannend – ich jedenfalls mag solche “Jungsbücher” ausgesprochen gerne.
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I’d love to see Richard Armitage take on the role of the Count in A Gentleman in Moscow. It’s a witty novel as well as a social commentary and I think RA has the ability to do a good Russian accent without making it a caricature.
And speaking of Follett I’m trying not to be envious that only UK/Europe is getting The Man from St Petersburg narrated by RA!
Enjoy your holidays!!
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I haven’t heard of the book but I am all for your suggestion because I wouldn’t mind hearing that Russian accent again!
Yeah, those territory exclusions are really strange.
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Ich habe gestern erfahren, dass die BBC “His Dark Materials” von Philip Pullman als Serie verfilmen wird. James McAvoy wird Lord Asriel spielen und ich hätte zu gerne auch RA unter den breites bekannten Namen entdeckt. Hatte er nicht mal geäußert, dass er die Bücher sehr mag??
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Oh, weiß ich nicht, ob er das mal empfohlen hatte. Ich finde es nur wieder mal ärgerlich zu hören, dass er bei einer neuen BBC Verfilmung nicht dabei ist. McAvoy finde ich zwar auch gut, aber RA müsste sich mal dringend wieder auf die UK Bildschirme beamen!
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Gaaanz dringend!
An was liegt das, dass er da “mal wieder” nicht dabei ist? Ist das ein Management-Fehler oder hat er kein Interesse, weil er seine Zukunft eher in Amerika sieht? Die BBC verwirklicht so gute Projekte und er ist nirgendwo zu entdecken…
Übrigens, ich wünsche dir eine schöne (und friedliche) Zeit in Spanien. 🙂
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Ich frage mich dad auch immer wieder. Irgendwie habe ich das Gefühl, dass er immer noch USA knacken will. Und vielleicht ist dieser Wunsch wieder erstarkt, nachdem O8 ihn jetzt in USA theoretisch einem breiteren Publikum auf den Schirm bringt. Ich find’s schade – und die falsche Strategie, aber ich bin auch nicht ganz objektiv.
Und danke – wunderschön hier, und im Gegensatz zu letztem Jahr fantastisches Essen hier.
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This one is easy. He would be a perfect Lucas Davenport in any of the Prey novels by John Sandford. Lucas (gotta love the name) is tall, handsome has dark hair and piercing blue eyes. He is a very tough cop who has a fabulous wardrobe and lots of money legitamaely earned.
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Sounds as if the character was made to be played by RA! Especially if it has the potential for a multi episode piece!
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Oh yes!
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I don’t have a book, but I’m LOLing on “I must have had something in mind, I just don’t know what it was.”
That describes my life on so many days. Maybe this is what draws us to each other? “I just don’t know what it was, and until I remember…I’ll look at photos of Mr. Armitage.”
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Hahaha, yep, I have a lot on my mind, predominantly unknowingly. Although 50% is probably RA , anyway.
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Wick, the devious Rachel’s caregiver, friend and lover, with tons of guilt feelings a mysterious past and a questionabile future. The book is Borne, by Jeff VanderMeer, distopic sci-fi.
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Never heard of it but that sounds like lots of meat and right up RA’s street, plus a different genre to boot!
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The Spy Who Came In From The Cold by John Le Carre
Another spy but it’s set during Cold War 1960s
Another
Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky playing 1 of brothers with Hugh Jackman
A biography called Weary by Sue Ebury about an Australian WWII hero dr/army officer who kept soldiers alive on Burma Railway. He doesn’t need to learn an Aussie accent. Because in 1930s the well educated spoke with a posh English accent
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Totally on for the Dostoevsky suggestion. A fantastic classic to get his teeth in. I like the pairing with HJ, too!
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The LeCarre would be good bec he’s always mentioning LeCarre as prep for BS and for Spooks.
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Wow that would be great Richard and Hugh together in a movie. They are only 2 years apart in real life and that would be an awesome pairing w a terrific story😀
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Also as Lord Asriel in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials Series. Agreeing with Elanor
The Odessa Files by Frederick Forsyth.
Holy Island by LJ Ross. I’ve always wanted him to play a British cop & it’s a really interesting book
I like police procedurals & there’s a series by Peter Turnbull that starts with a book called Deep & Crisp & Even. It’s set in Glasgow & follows the search for a serial killer. There’s probably 2 or 3 parts for him in them
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The Dark Materials suggestion – have to check that out if there are already two of you suggesting it. I also like the Glasgow suggestion – although I don’t want to hear him butcher a Glaswegian accent.
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Da Lord Asriel mit James McAvoy bereits (gut) besetzt ist, würde ich RA eher als John Parry sehen. Eine eher tragische Rolle. Er wäre der Vater von William, neben Lyra der jugendliche Hauptdarsteller aus dem zweiten Buch, wäre unter unglücklichen Umständen abhanden gekommen, ein Schamane geworden, hätte ein überaus unglückliches Liebesleben, würde nach großen Mühen von seinem Sohn gefunden und stürbe einen traurigen Tod… – du siehst, eine Rolle wie gemacht für Richard Armitage. 😉
Hach, die Hoffnung stirbt zuletzt.
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Klingt gut! Tragik ist ja was für RA, das kann er so gut! Und bricht seinen Fans das Herz.
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Haha! Has he ever done an Irish one? Was Ricky Irish ?
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No, Ricky was Northern English. (The show was set in Northern England; they only filmed in Ireland.) Do you mean an Irish character/accent or a film? He’s never put on an Irish accent, and the only vaguely Irish connection I can think of is John Mulligan in ‘Moving On’ – Irish name (but no other references to the character being Irish). Well, and then there was ‘Pilgrimage’ – Irish film, filmed in Ireland, but he played a Norman knight. Yeah, I’ve been lobbying forever that he’s got typical Irish looks (dark hair, blue eyes)…
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I meant if he had played an Irish character and yes omg does he have Irish looks!! I am trying to find the George Gently episode here in the States-Amazon has it but it is attached to this Acorn TV which I asked my brother about and he said its another streaming service-like Netflix?
What would be a great Irish character that you think he would be interested in playing? This Beverly Cleary project– was he just interested in producing it or also starring in it?
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If you only want the RA scenes, there is this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e_qMjY2fHA
Bridget Cleary – for some reason I have it in my head that he was also going to play a role in it, but I am not sure whether that was just conjecture or whether he said something about that. It’s a rather dark story about murder and fairly beliefs, so not that high on my wish list when it comes to roles for him to play… Just completely hypothetically, when it comes to Irish themes that he could play, I would cast him as Lord Edward Fitzgerald, an 18th century Anglo-Irish aristocrat and early rebel. He’s got the look for the character, and he could hang on to his English accent for that *hehe*
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The Eizabeth Chadwick novels, The Scarlet Lion and The Greatest Knight, chronicling the life of William Marshal. Twelfth century – big sword, chain mail, a fierce and loyal fighter with a chivalrous attitude to the ladies, what’s not to like?
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Convincingly argued, Jenny! As a Guy girl, you had me at “Knight”!
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The Butcher’s Boy – Thomas Perry.
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Have to check that one out!
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The Waringham novels by Rebecca Gablé: love them, and they would last for some time! 😉 About English history till about Henry VIII., but don´t know if he´d be interested in this, just my wish!
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Well this is a no brainer for me because I’ve been touting Richard Armitage for Matthew Clairmont ever since I first read Prof. Deborah Harkness’ A Discovery of Witches and the follow-up books in the All Souls Trilogy. I’ve shared videos and even spoken with Harkness herself. She saw him in The Crucible. I think she would’ve been pleased if he’d been cast. After two All Souls conventions, with the 3rd happening next week in Philadelphia (yes, I’ll be there), she knows that the majority of the attendees were rooting for Richard. But alas, Richard’s in Berlin Station and Sky One cast Matthew Goode as Clairmont. Don’t get me wrong. I like Goode but he is not my Clairmont. And, yes, I’ve told Harkness that in person too. At least there is now an American distributor so this TV show will be available Stateside, and I’m looking to give Goode the benefit of the doubt.
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Saw your tweet from the con. I read the trilogy (on the back of RA being touted for the role of Matthew) but never really got into it that much. (Mainly because I am not into vampires and supernatural stories.) However, having read the books, I now am very curious to see the show. You tweeted that you were treated to the first episode. Without giving anything away, was it well-made and are you looking forward to the whole show?
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