Karl Urban has already shown up in multiple universes. He’s been in The Lord of the Rings, Dredd, the MCU, Star Trek, The Boys, Doom, the Bourne franchise and he’s even set to appear as the lead in the upcoming Mortal Kombat II. But that’s not enough for the 53-year-old New Zealand actor. In a recent interview with Square Mile, he revealed that he’d like to star as John Marston in a live-action Red Dead Redemption movie, too.
For someone who didn’t grow up playing video games, he’s sure played a lot of them on screen. In fact, when gaming consoles first arrived in his hometown in 1994, Urban was unemployed in Sydney, unable to afford them and barely staying afloat. He wasn’t a gamer until years later.
But now that he’s all caught up, he wants in on everything. During a recent chat, when asked about video game adaptations and which ones he’d like to tackle next, he didn’t hesitate. “Red Dead Redemption is one of my favourites,” he said. “Red Dead was certainly one of the games that spoke to me.”
And, of course, he wants to play the lead in the Western game-inspired film too. “I mean, come on, John Marston! I’d love to play that character,” Urban revealed.
Hollywood has been toying with the idea of a live-action Red Dead Redemption for quite some time now. When the first game was released in 2010, it quickly became one of Rockstar Games’ best games ever. And the sequel, Red Dead Redemption 2, raised the bar even higher. Along the way, Arthur Morgan became a beloved character in gaming (and pop culture as a whole).
And Urban will have to get in line. There’s a long list of actors who are burning to play these characters. In fact, Henry Cavill and Jeffrey Dean Morgan are other favorites who have voiced their interest in the character. And fan castings have included names like Jensen Ackles, Tom Hardy, and Josh Brolin.
“I’ve actually started playing Red Dead Redemption 2… and I’m really enjoying it. And so, something like that I think would be fun to turn into a movie,” Henry Cavill once quipped. After his comments, the internet created posters, mock trailers and images. But nothing ever came of it.
So for now, Urban’s John Marston exists in that same space as Cavill’s Arthur Morgan. Somewhere between wishful thinking and fan obsession.
But if a Red Dead Redemption film ever got the green light, don’t be surprised if Urban saddled up – even if it’s not as Marston.
RELATED: 10 Actors Perfect For Roles In A Live-Action Red Dead Redemption Movie
