Those who have read Melissa Scott’s praised-to-the-skies Water Horse have undoubtedly sussed out that its remarkable (and untrodden) fantasy epic attributes would make it a rousing movie that would put Game of Thrones and The Last Kingdom in the shade.

The Water Horse Hollywood pitch might be ‘Elric meets the Fisher King in pre-Smaug Erebor’ – and the mythic, atmospheric work is worthy of the attention and flair of Peter Jackson or Guillermo del Toro. To celebrate the story’s wild (though fully deserved) success, below is my dream cast for Finders. And who knows? Perhaps this may yet come to pass; and if it does, it will be interesting to compare the real-world outcome with my woolgathering.

Water Horse Dream Cast (click on the panel to embiggen)

Esclin Aubrinos: Raz Degan
(here shown young and untouched by hardship but, like Esclin, he has aged like a fine blade)
Kelleiden Smith: Hiroyuki Sanada
Alcis Mirielos: Salma Hayek
Talan Esclinos: Lina el Arabi
Traher Alcisas: Timothée Chalamet
Reys en Nevenel: Jai Courtney
Sunleff en Engeiles: Gustav Lindh
Viven Harper: Lucy Liu
Leicinna Elloras: Sophie Okonedo
Rota Speaker: Lubna Azabal
Brelin Donderos: Faran Tahir

Note: My second choice for Kelleiden Smith was Oded Fehr, who was wonderful as Ardeth Bey in The Mummy and as Admiral Vance in Discovery. Both Sanada and Fehr effortlessly go from forbidding to playful and do quiet strength very, very well.

Other Dream Castings

Finders, by Melissa Scott

Drakon, by A. M. Tuomala