Highlights
- Red Dead Redemption 2's compelling storyline and lovable characters make it a prime candidate for a TV adaptation fans would love.
- The question of who could play the iconic character Arthur Morgan in a live-action adaptation has fans buzzing with excitement.
- Potential actors like Travis Fimmel, Roger Clark, and Hugh Jackman are all strong contenders to bring Arthur Morgan to life on screen.
After the huge success of HBO's The Last Of Us (2023) series, the gaming world seems to be poised for more adaptations, with rumors flying among fans about which game could be next up to bat. The Red Dead Redemption 2 game is no doubt a perfect suitor for a TV adaptation, with compelling storylines, lovable characters, and a giant collection of lore supplying enough content for a season or two.
Red Dead Redemption 2: 5 Times Arthur Did The Wrong Thing
Arthur Morgan isn't a perfect character, but these mistakes he has committed make Red Dead Redemption 2 a true tragedy.
Red Dead Redemption 2's story would be the likely choice for an adaptation since it is Rockstar's most recent and most successful game from the Red Dead series. This poses the question: who could play the main character of Red Dead Redemption 2, Arthur Morgan?
Updated on February 21, 2024, by Henry Whiting: If Rockstar one day decides to create a movie or TV show based on the hit cowboy game Red Dead Redemption 2, fans of the Red Dead games will be very interested in seeing who would be cast to play the main character, Arthur Morgan. This would be no simple or easy feat, with many live-action adaptations being under immense scrutiny due to fanbases having strong loyalty to and expectations for their favorite characters. Josh Brolin is someone who could fit the bill, whilst Jensen Ackles is an option if the producers opt for a younger, more clean-cut version of Arthur.
11 Travis Frimmel
Rugged And Rough With A Humorous Side
Relevant Previous Roles:
- Ragnar Lothbrok - Vikings
- Anduin Lothar - Warcraft
- Anderson - That Dirty Black Bag
Fresh off outstanding performances of Ragnar Lothbrok in the series Vikings, Travis Frimmel is one of the more outside shouts for the role of Arthur Morgan. The rugged lovableness that he portrayed beautifully in his role as Ragnar suits Arthur massively, alongside the strong blue eyes and tough facial shape, making him a decent contender for the role. In fact, the character of Ragnar has many similarities with Arthur Morgan, with quirky wisdom, cheeky humor, and the balance of a gritty badass and a lovable uncle packaged all into one character.
Travis Frimmel has played in cowboy-style movies, such as That Dirty Black Bag (2022) and Dreamland (2019), so a role as Arthur Morgan might come quite naturally to him. Additionally, Travis does well with characters who have a sprinkle of humor to them, such as Ragnar Lothbrok in Vikings (2013-2020) and Anduin Lothar in Warcraft (2016), which again fits the personality of Arthur Morgan.
10 Roger Clark
Voice Actor Who Knows Arthur Better Than Most
Relevant Previous Roles:
- Arthur Morgan (Voice Actor) - Red Dead Redemption 2
- Captain Weir - The Wild West
- Cpl. Miller - The Fallen
The man who plays the voice of Arthur Morgan in the game, Roger Clark, would be a choice that fans of the Red Dead series would love. Voice actors seem to be overlooked often for live-action roles of their characters. However, with Arthur Morgan having such an iconic voice, having Roger Clark play him in a live-action wouldn't upset many.
Red Dead Redemption 2: 17 Things Arthur Morgan Can Do That John Marston Can't
Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2 is an upgrade over John Marston from the original. Here are a few things Morgan can do that Marston can't.
Although he is a voice actor, Roger Clark has played many roles in films and TV, such as in The Wild West (2007) and The Fallen (2022), so he has enough experience in front of a camera to do well as a live-action Arthur Morgan. Moreover, he has lived and breathed Arthur's story through the game, so he will be able to connect with the character more than anyone else.
9 Hugh Jackman
A Big Name With A Wealth Of Experience
Relevant Previous Roles:
- Logan (Wolverine) - Logan
- P.T. Barnum - The Greatest Showman
- Keller Dover - Prisoners
The Wolverine (2013) star, Hugh Jackman is no stranger to rough and ready roles, which perfectly describes Arthur Morgan. Hugh Jackman has the charisma and tough-man lovableness that exudes out of Arthur Morgan, making him quite an ideal pick for this role. His looks are not too far off from Arthur Morgan's looks, with an ideal body shape, height, and age, although Jackman's facial features are maybe not quite the same as Arthur's.
Hugh Jackman is a big name who will attract eyes outside just the gaming community, similar to Pedro Pascal's influence on The Last Of Us (2023), with many people watching the adaptation of the hit game even though they knew nothing about the game itself prior. This is an element that the bigger production companies will most likely lean towards, as they will need to have big names to counteract the probably large budget.
8 Bradley Cooper
A Great Actor Who Can Be Trusted To Deliver
Relevant Previous Roles:
- Chris Kyle - American Sniper
- Phil - The Hangover
- Henry Girard - War Dogs
Bradley Cooper is another actor who ticks the big-name box while also being someone who is used to roles that are more rugged and rough around the edges. With Cooper getting older, he is the right age now for an Arthur Morgan role, with his ability to deliver hard-hitting action along with heart-string-pulling emotion.
12 Times Arthur Morgan Was The True Villain Of Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 features its fair share of morally questionable characters, but none more so than Arthur Morgan himself.
He has played roles in the past that deal with splits in morality, with his performance as Chris Kyle in American Sniper (2014) being a perfect example. Arthur Morgan swings back and forth from being a ruthless outlaw to being a gentle soul, so Bradley Cooper's experience of playing these types of split personalities would work well.
7 Brad Pitt
An Iconic Name With Lots Of Experience In Cowboy Movies
Relevant Previous Roles:
- Lt. Aldo Raine - Inglourious Basterds
- Don Collier - Fury
- Jesse James - The Assassination Of Jesse James
A legendary actor for a legendary character, Brad Pitt is a choice that not many people would have a problem with. Aging like fine wine, Brad Pitt can deliver the gentle, tough man look that is required for the role of Arthur Morgan. Brad Pitt has the look for a western cowboy role, with his strong features and rough but clean appearance.
Additionally, Brad Pitt will bring many more eyes to the Red Dead franchise; with him being such a big name in the film industry, it would open many different doors not only for more Red Dead Redemption adaptations but gaming adaptations as a whole, just like Pedro Pascal did with The Last Of Us (2023). Brad Pitt also has experience playing cowboy roles, such as in The Assassination Of Jesse James (2007) and Legends Of The Fall (1994), making him a great candidate for the role of Arthur Morgan.
6 Tom Hardy
Would Perfect The Rugged Humor Of Arthur
Relevant Previous Roles:
- Alfie Solomons - Peaky Blinders
- John Fitzgerald - The Revenant
- Forrest Bondurant - Lawless
After his great performance as Alfie Solomons in Peaky Blinders (2013-2022), Tom Hardy is someone who has the ability to play someone with wit and humor while also maintaining the ruthlessness and ruggedness needed for an outlaw cowboy. This makes him more than capable of playing the role of Arthur Morgan, especially after seeing how Tom Hardy portrayed the gentleness of Alfie Solomons, which has similarities to Arthur Morgan.
Red Dead Redemption 2: 20 Powerful Quotes By Arthur Morgan
As the protagonist of Red Dead Redemption 2, Arthur has made some powerful statements that resonate with players.
Tom Hardy may struggle with the accent of Arthur Morgan, with him mostly playing characters who have English accents, usually of the London Cockney variation. For example, in his role playing both the famous Kray twins from the movie Legend (2015), his role as Alfie Solomons in Peaky Blinders (2013-2022), and his role as Charles Bronson in Bronson (2008). Despite this, his skill in playing these rough characters fits perfectly with the role of Arthur Morgan.
5 Christian Bale
An Extremely Versatile Actor Who Can Transform Into Characters
Relevant Previous Roles:
- Cpt. Joseph J. Blocker - Hostiles
- Batman - The Dark Knight
- Ken Miles - Le Mans '66
Another legendary actor who thrives in roles where the morality of the character shifts and changes, Christian Bale is an actor who could play Arthur Morgan. Bale has the ability to make interesting characters even more interesting, just like he did with Patrick Bateman in American Psycho (2000) and Bruce Wayne or Batman in The Dark Knight (2008), which would be amazing if he could have the same effect on Arthur Morgan.
In some ways, Christian Bale has the same look and feel as Arthur Morgan, with a gentle but rough image that could work tremendously. Bale has experience with westerns, featuring in the cowboy-style drama Hostiles (2017), so it will not be his first rodeo as a gun-slinging man of the Wild West. On top of all that, Christian Bale has the fame and prowess that would bolster the Red Dead reach to new audiences who aren't familiar with the game.
4 Joel Edgerton
A Gritty Actor Who Strikes A Similar Resemblance To Arthur
Relevant Previous Roles:
- Owen Lars - Obi-Wan Kenobi (TV)
- Dan Frost - Jane Got A Gun
- Ramses - Exodus: Gods and Kings
When it comes to looking like the character, Joel Edgerton hits the nail on the head. His piercing blue eyes mixed with his rugged facial hair and facial structure are pretty close to that of Arthur Morgan; with his vast experience with gritty roles, Joel Edgerton could be a solid option. Edgerton has played in movies such as The Stranger (2022) and Zero Dark Thirty (2012), which are just two examples of the darker and grittier theme that is a major part of the Red Dead Redemption 2 story, especially Arthur and the gang's ultimate demise near the end of the game.
Looking at his resume, which features big-name productions such as Star Wars with the Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) TV series, a period piece in The Great Gatsby (2013), and political dramas like Boy Erased (2018), Joel Edgerton has shown his wealth of adaptability and ability to play a multitude of different roles, which will be needed in what will be his first cowboy movie in a long time. This also helps with understanding the character of Arthur Morgan, who is someone who changes their views and reflects on their actions throughout the story, so having a versatile actor is vital for a successful live-action Arthur Morgan.
3 Josh Holloway
Great At Portraying Characters Who Have It Rough
Relevant Previous Roles:
- Roarke - Yellowstone
- James "Sawyer" Ford - Lost
- Will Bowman - Colony
Josh Holloway has had great success with exploring diverse and deep characters, who, in particular, have lots of emotional and situational trauma on their hands. Take Sawyer from Lost, for example. That character experienced plenty of distress but was also similar to Arthur through its anti-hero feel, with Sawyer probably being Holloway's work that most closely resembles what performance he could deliver as Arthur Morgan.
Additionally, in his role as Will Bowman in the sci-fi series Colony, Holloway has a notably similar appearance to Arthur, donning a medium-to-long hairdo and a rugged beard. He does mix up his hair in that show, which is good to see, as Arthur's hair is changeable in the game, so he could have many different styles on display in a Red Dead Redemption 2 adaptation. If only Holloway had a cowboy hat and a revolver like Will Bowman, then he would almost pass as an Arthur Morgan cosplayer.
2 Josh Brolin
Blunt And Rugged Humor That Screams Arthur Morgan
Relevant Previous Roles:
- Agent K - Men In Black 3
- Royal Abbot - Outer Range
- Thanos - Avengers: Endgame
A veteran of blunt and dry humor for mostly serious characters, Josh Brolin is more than capable of playing a character like Arthur Morgan. Players of Red Dead Redemption 2 will be very aware of Arthur's dry humor, which makes him somehow wholesome, despite the fact that he is a ruthless killer for a highly wanted gang of outlaws.
Josh Brolin has vast experience with roles like this, with Agent K from Men In Black 3 being a standout performance that could be seen as similar in style to Arthur Morgan. Additionally, Brolin has essentially voice acted in his role as Thanos, so fans can expect him to understand more about turning an animated/motion capture character into an IRL character. The only element that could deny Brolin a part as Arthur Morgan is his age, as he seems a few years older than Arthur.
1 Jensen Ackles
Ready For A Deep Cowboy Role
Relevant Previous Roles:
- Soldier Boy - The Boys
- Dean Winchester - Supernatural
- Eric Brady - Days Of Our Lives
After showing his acting versatility with his great performance as Soldier Boy in The Boys, Jensen Ackles has emerged as an interesting option for a potential role as Arthur Morgan. His ability to act with humor alongside his clean but rugged appearance works nicely when thinking of elements that would make for a good portrayal of Arthur Morgan.
Jensen Ackles doesn't have a wealth of cowboy-based movie experience, so there's not too much that fans can draw from. However, it feels like Ackles could have a big role coming for him, especially after The Boys got so much attention. He certainly has the look and status for a cowboy movie, now that he is much more grown-up-looking and experienced in the world of action.
