What If: Martin Scorsese Directed an Adaption of Red Dead Redemption 2?
Written by Cameron Geiser
Martin Scorsese has always returned to the sub-genre of groups of men waging wars of, and against, crime. From the inside of a boxing ring in Raging Bull to the decades of violence depicted in The Irishman, I think he’s earned a vacation from the cities of urban decay, maybe it’s time to travel west and consequently back in time as well. The master of depicting toxic masculinity as a cautionary tale could mine the old west for similar tales of strife amongst men, almost always for the acquisition of money, and therefore power. The video game giant that is Rockstar Studios crafted a Western video game in 2018 that gave us perhaps the best story in the genre in decades, at least since Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven. When I was initially writing this What if? it was only focused broadly on what Scorsese could do within the genre. However, I kept returning over and over again to story elements, or character beats and archetypes, that were all over the sprawling video game’s well written story. So, ultimately, I decided to merge the two.
Why Scorsese?
Martin Scorsese hasn’t tackled this genre yet, and this kind of tale seems perfectly tailored for his skillset as a Director. The story of a gang of cowboys nearing the tail end of an era, losing their purpose, their place in the world, and having to reflect on how they’ve lived their lives and what to do amongst the encroaching industrialization of the world- well, it just seems ripe for someone like Scorsese who intimately knows characters like this. Even better yet, an older Scorsese has depicted these types of characters in similar situations, most recently with The Irishman, but also with Goodfellas and Gangs of New York as well.
The Plot
While being labeled a sequel, Red Dead Redemption 2 is actually a prequel to the first Red Dead Redemption that came before it eight years prior. So, for the sake of labeling the film, personally, I’d just go with the singular title and treat it as its own story, not the background origins of John Marston, the character that the first game is centered on. I’d keep the main overall thread of a gang slowly disintegrating as they’re hounded by the Government’s Pinkerton agents while simultaneously racking up more enemies as Dutch leads his family of misfits down a dark path. The story belongs to Arthur Morgan though. His character evolution from an everyman brute with a good heart (even if he has to hurt people sometimes), to a humbled hero that eventually turns against Dutch in the end is vital and harrowing if executed correctly. With a variety of Western locale tropes and genre story beats to pick and choose from, the game’s main story is lush with fulfilling storytelling opportunities. Scorsese would ultimately have his say in what stays and which fatty parts get trimmed off, but you can’t deny the treasure trove of performance opportunities waiting to be utilized.
The Cast
Below I’ve picked an ensemble cast that best fits the majority of the characters in the Van der Linde Gang. Though the two most important roles belong to Arthur Morgan and Dutch Van der Linde, with John Marston not far behind. I don’t have quite as much to say about each selection after the initial three, mostly because it’s a huge ensemble cast. However, I have strained to choose actors that physically embody the look of each role as well as each person’s abilities as an actor as exemplified by previous roles they’ve had in the past. I’ve listed one to two television show characters or movie roles that assisted me in ultimately choosing them for the role.
Dutch Van der Linde- Daniel Day Lewis (or Jeffrey Dean Morgan)
I highly doubt this to be a possibility at this point, but hey, we’re in What if? territory so I’m gonna dream-cast this puppy into oblivion. I can think of no better person to portray Dutch than Daniel Day Lewis. Not only has he worked with Scorsese before to excellent results, but he’s got the look, and the acting range, to bring the ever talkative gang leader to life. The two roles that inform this decision the most are that of charismatic and psychotic Bill “The Butcher” from Gangs of New York and the brooding oil tycoon Daniel Plainview from There Will be Blood. Although, just for the sake of practicality, my number two choice would be Jeffrey Dean Morgan. He’s got the look, the panache, and he could easily kill the role of the charismatic leader of the Van der Linde Gang. This choice is mostly based on his role as The Comedian in The Watchmen.
Arthur Morgan- Brad Pitt
Arthur Morgan can tend to be the strong silent type at times, but he’s got boatloads of complex and ever changing thought processes if you’ve ever taken the time in the game to read his journal writings, or peered at his impressive artistic talent. Brad Pitt’s had a fantastic career over the decades, and his recent role as Cliff Booth in Quentin Tarantino’s Once upon a Time… in Hollywood heavily informs this choice, though to be fair his roles in The Curious case of Benjamin Button, Fury, and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford all lend their hand in this decision. For Arthur Morgan, we need an actor that can be rough and tough when it’s needed, sure, but we also need someone who embodies a palpable sense of curiosity and kindness at his core as well. Brad Pitt can do all of the Blockbuster requirements for such a role, but he is also handily capable of making Arthur Morgan a morally complex and layered individual.
John Marston- Robert Pattinson
I believe in Robert Pattinson’s ability to take a young John Marston and make the role his own, with respect to the character. In Red Dead Redemption 2 Marston’s still unsure of himself and what he wants out of life. He’s flighty, cocksure at times, and the tiniest bit heroic once he needs to be. Pattinson’s roles in The Lighthouse, Good Time, and Tenet have all informed this decision.
Pattinson’s got the physicality for Marston, and with some great prosthetics and some effort put into that infamous raspy voice of Marston’s, I think he’d be excellent in the role.
Hosea Matthews- Jeremy Irons (The Man Who Knew Infinity, Batman V Superman Dawn of Justice)
Leopold Strauss- Toby Jones (Captain America: The First Avenger & The Winter Soldier, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)
Bill Williamson- David Harbour (Stranger Things, Black Widow)
Charles Smith- D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (Reservation Dogs)
Josiah Trelawney- Justin Theroux (Mute, American Psycho, & Mulholland Dr.)
Lenny Summers- John Boyega (Detroit, Attack The Block)
Micah Bell- Barry Pepper (The Green Mile, Saving Private Ryan)
Sadie Adler- Vanessa Kirby (Mission Impossible 6 Fallout, Pieces of a Woman)
Reverend Swanson- Simon Pegg (A Fantastic Fear of Everything, Shaun of the Dead)
Mr. Pearson- Nick Offerman (The Founder, Parks and Rec)
Susan Grimshaw- Carrie-Anne Moss (Jessica Jones)
Uncle- John C. Reilly (Kong Skull Island, Gangs of New York)
Sean Macguire- Macaulay Culkin (Honestly, from recent podcasts like his own in Bunny Ears, and YouTube cameos, such as in episodes of Best of The Worst with RedLetterMedia, I just think he’d be perfect for the role)
Cameron Geiser is an avid consumer of films and books about filmmakers. He'll watch any film at least once, and can usually be spotted at the annual Traverse City Film Festival in Northern Michigan. He also writes about film over at www.spacecortezwrites.com.