First off, I'll admit right off the bat that my knowledge of X-Men does not extend beyond the feature films and the animated series back in the 90's. Therefore, my knowledge of characters that have yet to appear in the films is solely based on their appearance in the cartoon. It is with these things in mind that I present to you what I considered a baffling piece of news:
Beast will be played by Kelsey Grammer.
C'mon. I know a great deal of you out there are just itching to vent about this. I'd love to hear some comments. Give me a "professional opinion" about this piece of casting.
Article comments
1 - Natalie Davis
Kelsey Grammer?
As BEAST?
Hmmm. Well, he is an ACTor... Hmm.
2 - Brenda
I'm a bit unsure of it, but I will say this. Grammer's ability to portray heightened intelligence is indisputable. The problem I'm having is he's played an insufferable member of the intelligentsia for so long, I'm scared they'll make one of my favorite X-Men an effete snob instead of the gentle, brilliant giant he has been portrayed as elsewhere. But the characterizations on the others have been solid, so I may not have that much to worry about.
I'm also not sure he's quite young enough for it. And man, if they work his suit up to character specs, he's going to lose five pounds of water weight every filming day. It'll make the Batman suit in the Clooney disaster look like Spandex.
3 - Brent McKee
Under the costume he could be just about anyone. Indeed is there any indication that he'll be anything more than the voice of The Beast in much the same was that James Earl Jones played Darth Vader except it was David Prowse in the suit? I'm just putting it up as a possibility.
4 - Keefer
Could be that Beast will be CGI with Grammer as the voiceover. Maybe... I thought I had heard a rumor of Beast being totally CGI like Hulk.
5 - Greg Smyth
Certainly, in terms of voice, Grammer's the perfect choice. Given that Beast is very wordy getting someone *physically* right for the part would've killed it dead. Fine for someone like Juggernaught but CGI or dubbing can take care of the physical side of Beast and the movie'll be better for it...
6 - Lono
the contract includes all the blow he can do. Remember, he ran from the police and was wanted for a few days before he turned himself in after a monster coke binge.
I bet dude still has it in him to be a beast.
7 - gonzo marx
oh my stars and garters..
for those familiar with it..that IS a Quote from the Beast back in the day
perhaps they are planning on showing the transformation of the human looking mutant Beast into the hirsute creature most of you would know
this was a story done long before the team most think of as X-Men..Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Storm weren't even invented when the change occured in "Amazing Adventures"
i am basing this on pure speculation stemming form a human looking Hank McCoy (the Beast's real name) being on television in X-Men 2, but i have no real info
i do think Mr. Grammer's voice and erudition will aid in portraying Mr. McCoy's sesquipedalian tendencies
nuff said?
Excelsior!
8 - TheFilmProphet
I agree,
Kelsey is certainly intellectual enough for the role although I'm not sure if they will have the proper script and dialogue that can reflect his talents.
Also, contrary to everyone else's favoring of CGI for the character of Beast in X3, I would actually prefer animatronics. It could be done in the same vein as Mighty Joe Young only more realistic because of technological advancements in the film industry. The CGI should be looked upon as a last result not the first thus they should view all of their other options firstly.