NuBlakes 7: Cast and story speculation

[Candlelight]

***Please bear in mind the new Blake's 7 is going to be a reimagining with a whole new cast and the reset button will be applied to a certain degree, so for all you continuists this isn't the thread for you.

What do you think will be in the new Blake's 7, and who should be cast in the lead roles?

That main guy from Spooks (early seasons) could play a good Blake. Not sure who could play Avon. David Tennant would actually make a good Travis. He can do a pretty good baddie if he tries.

For the specials, I think part one would be the first three episodes of the original series condensed into one, and maybe even skip the whole Cygnus Alpha story (IE Vila and Gan make it aboard the Liberator along with the other three). The other special could revolve around their first mission against the Federation, maybe introducing Cally along the way.

Any thoughts?

 

[Marc]

Well I guess it would depend on their acting ability on screen but what about a starting point with the cast from the new audio? Colin Salmon as Avon for example.

Can we open this up a bit - what about how the Liberator would look?

Would Travis start out with his prosthetics or would they come later as resulting from his run ins with Blake.

 

[WillsBabe]

I've thought a few times who I'd cast as Blake in a remake (or whatever we want to call it). I haven't come across anyone who sticks in my mind as being Blake. For Travis, I think Kevin Durand would be excellent. He struck me as being a good candidate for Travis when I was watching the last season of Lost. James Puefroy would fit my bill as Avon. I think he has a real edge to him and and an attractiveness that would fit Avon.

I did have an actress in mind for Several a while ago, but she can't have impressed me that much, because now I can't recall who she was!

Regarding Travis, the memory is getting older but are his prosthetics and injuries a result of some ambush or something by Blake's group, before the series started? I'm not sure if we should see him getting injured by Blake or not, but I think it would make him a more sympathetic character if we did. Do we want him to be a sympathetic character? There isn't much in B7 to make Travis and Servalan sympathetic, perhaps a reimagining might make them more so. The more I think about it, the more I think about it the more i think it would be a good idea.

The whole show could start with upstanding soldier Travis and his men doing their duty and trying to stop Blake and his rebel friends. Travis is terribly injured. Blake gets away. Travis is subject to terribly painful procedures to fit him with the prosthetics. Oh, poor soldier.... Our sympathies are with him. Then we find about about the massacre on ... the name of the planet I can't recall. All those unarmed civilians gunned down.... Yes, let's play with the audience's emotions.

Alternatively, we could have Travis get more and more cyborg as the series progresses as a result of Blake's attacks and his victories. Travis becoming increasingly less human is a direct result of Blake's progress against the Federation. They are both becoming more dehumanised as the show progresses... which is what kind of happens anyway.

 

[Neroon]

What exactly is the latest word on new "Blake's 7" material? The last I had heard, and yeah it was hearsay, the revival was in doubt.

 

[DWF]

What exactly is the latest word on new "Blake's 7" material? The last I had heard, and yeah it was hearsay, the revival was in doubt.

The last I had heard was that only two scripts were sold so far and the show might still be a year away, but I haven't seen anything recently about the show. It's my guess there might a funding problem, but that's only a guess though.

 

[Captaindemotion]

I could see James Purefoy as Blake more than as Avon. I think Chris Eccleston might make a good Avon, but the Dr Who connection would almost certainly rule him out of the running.

As regards the look of the Liberator, I think the exterior should be relatively faithful to the original design. Something like the way the Enterprise has been reimagined for the new movie. The inside would have to be revamped, obviously. The way that the TARDIS has been updated for the new Dr Who seems the obvious template.

 

[auntiehill]

Martin Freeman would make a good Vila.
Ivan Kaye might be good for Gan.
Kevin Durand would make a good Travis; as WillsBabe pointed out, he's already proven to be a great bad-ass baddie on LOST.


The problem is, I honest to GOD can not think of Avon as anyone but Paul Darrow. I love Colin Salmon, but think he may be too polished; there was something very raw about Avon, even though he was also very calculating and sophisticated. Although, Colin certainly has the powerful presence that Avon would require.

Blake should be someone very "earthy" and very much an every-man type. But he also has to have some heroic qualities to make him a believable leader. Gary Bakewell has the face for it, but I'm not sure about the voice.

Of course, I don't actually believe this is really going to see the light of day. It would be nice, but.....I'm not going to count on it.

Hell, I'd be happy if they'd just release B7 on dvd here in the States.

 

[Meredith]

John Simm could make a great Villa Restal.

 

[Candlelight]

What exactly is the latest word on new "Blake's 7" material? The last I had heard, and yeah it was hearsay, the revival was in doubt.

They are producing two episodes, or a two-pronged pilot if you will. Based on how they go, the show will be released as a six-episode season. WHEN the two episodes get made or shown is anyones guess at this stage.

 

[WillsBabe]

Martin Freeman would make a good Vila.

Excellent suggestion!

Kevin Durand would make a good Travis; as WillsBabe pointed out, he's already proven to be a great bad-ass baddie on LOST.

And the rest of him isn't bad, either...

Blake should be someone very "earthy" and very much an every-man type.

You, know I've been looking for an adjective for Blake for ages.

 

[Chaos Descending]

I'd like to echo the sentiment that James Purefoy would make a great Kerr Avon. And since we're on the subject of "Rome" actors, I think Ciaran Hinds would make a great Roj Blake as well! Oleg Gan could be played by Robbie Coltrane.

 

[Candlelight]

Martin Freeman would make a good Vila.

Excellent suggestion!

I second that. He could do it very convincingly.

Or if you wanted a laugh, Ricky Gervais.

 

[Starkers]

Of course Martin Freeman already has played Vila

Gonna give this some thought and come up with my casting...as has been already said though, who the hell could do Avon better than Paul Darrow???

 

[Marc]

Of course Martin Freeman already has played Vila

Gonna give this some thought and come up with my casting...as has been already said though, who the hell could do Avon better than Paul Darrow???

Depends if he feels up to give he's now into his mid - late 60s (born in 41 iirc). Yes I know actors like Robert Vaughn, David McCallum and Dean Stockwell are still doing lots of work into their 70s but not everyone is upto that.

And even if he does would it work with Avon benig much older than the rest of the crew?

 

[auntiehill]

I'd like to echo the sentiment that James Purefoy would make a great Kerr Avon. And since we're on the subject of "Rome" actors, I think Ciaran Hinds would make a great Roj Blake as well! Oleg Gan could be played by Robbie Coltrane.

Robbie is too old, and not that mobile. Ciaran Hinds, however, is an excellent suggestion. Yes, he's getting older, but he has the great combination of the "everyman" face with the voice of a great leader. He's one hell of an actor.

He taught one of my Shakespeare classes way back in the dark ages, right after Cook, Thief, Wive and Her Lover came out. He impressed the hell out of me, even back then.

 

[Candlelight]

Of course Martin Freeman already has played Vila

Gonna give this some thought and come up with my casting...as has been already said though, who the hell could do Avon better than Paul Darrow???

Depends if he feels up to give he's now into his mid - late 60s (born in 41 iirc). Yes I know actors like Robert Vaughn, David McCallum and Dean Stockwell are still doing lots of work into their 70s but not everyone is upto that.

Paul Darrow appeared in Die Another Day, although granted that was five (?) years ago.

 

[Marc]

Of course Martin Freeman already has played Vila

Gonna give this some thought and come up with my casting...as has been already said though, who the hell could do Avon better than Paul Darrow???

Depends if he feels up to give he's now into his mid - late 60s (born in 41 iirc). Yes I know actors like Robert Vaughn, David McCallum and Dean Stockwell are still doing lots of work into their 70s but not everyone is upto that.

Paul Darrow appeared in Die Another Day, although granted that was five (?) years ago.

Yeah as the doctor who examined Bond in a blink and you miss him moment (seen the film a couple of times and still can't really pick out's Darrow).

According to his IMDB entry he hasn't exacly don'e much in the way of screen work in recent years.

 

[DWF]

I can see Noel Clarke as Vila and John Simms as Avon.