Fantastic Casting: The Dark Tower

Late last week the news broke that Stephen King's Dark Tower books were going to be brought to the big and small screens (as a trio of theatrical films and an interconnecting television series).  Naturally, this revelation ignited a burning question: what actors would be chosen for the lead roles?  Fans have been posting their dream casts all over the Internet; here are the stars I would line up if I were at the helm...

Roland: Viggo Mortensen is a no-brainer to play the rugged, Eastwood-esque gunslinger.  Mortensen has done epic fantasy (The Lord of the Rings); he's done the western (Appaloosa); now he can tackle both genres at once.   Alternate choice: Guy Pearce.

Jake: This will be the toughest casting task for producers, to find an actor both talented enough and young enough so that he won't outgrow the role of the 11-year-old Jake before all the movies/episodes are filmed.  The part will likely go to an as-yet unknown, but I'll toss out a name anyway: Mortensen's co-star in The Road, Kodi-Smit McPhee (which would be apropos, since The Road has definite Gunslinger overtones [i.e. man and child trek across a dangerous, post-apocalyptic landscape]).

Eddie: Ah, if only Adrien Brody were younger.  He would have been perfect for the part of the ex-junkie New Yorker.  But I'll go with the versatile and incredibly underrated Casey Affleck here.  Second choice: Matt Bomer, of TV's White Collar.

Susannah: King himself has stated that he always envisioned Angela Bassett in this role, but alas she's a little too long in the tooth at this stage of her career.  I think Jada Pinkett-Smith has the moxie to make an excellent Susannah, though.  Alternately: Thandie Newton.

The Man in Black: Walter O'Dim is not your standard wizened wizard, as seen at the end of The Gunslinger when he pulls back his hood (King actually describes him as black-haired and handsome).  Johnny Depp no doubt would have a field day playing this dark and slyly humerous character.  Jackie Earle Haley comes to mind here as well (well, except for the "handsome" part).

Oy: Andy Serkis (just kidding!--although if he can embody Gollum, he'd probably have no problems as a Billy-Bumbler).