411 on Books, Authors & Publishing

—Dan Romanello

Ted Sarandos, Netflix Co-CEO responsible for content operations, greets me warmly in the executive jet lounge at Tampa International airport. “Are you ready for the trip to California? We start casting tomorrow.”

I smile broadly as I glance out the window and see the Netflix Gulfstream G550 sitting on the tarmac, stairwell down, gleaming in the afternoon sun.

Okay, that hasn’t happened yet. However, authors and readers alike dream of their favorite books being made into movies, streaming series, or television shows (is that still a thing?). So let’s have some fun with it!

First, here are some examples of the authors I enjoy and the actors who portrayed their characters on film. One of my favorites, John MacDonald who wrote extensive Florida-based fiction, had several novels adapted into movies. TRAVIS MCGEE, named after one of his main characters and starring Sam Elliot in the lead role, was based upon his book, THE EMPTY COPPER SEA. And who could forget the classic 1962 movie CAPE FEAR, based on his novel, THE EXECUTIONERS, starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum. Later editions of epic films often pale in comparison to the originals, but that was not the case in the 1991 remake of the same title, featuring Robert DeNiro and Nick Nolte.

Another excellent movie adaption was the Jack Reacher films based upon the character in the Lee Child novels. Despite the difference in height between the fictional character and the actor, Tom Cruise was excellent in the leading role in both JACK REACHER and the sequel, JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK. Mr. Cruise did not return for a third movie, but the character lives on in the streaming series REACHER, starring Alan Ritchson. Which actor do you prefer?

Finally, Titus Welliver played the conflicted Harry Bosch in BOSCH, a streaming series based on the novels written by Michael Connelly.

What about books and their characters you would like to see adapted into films that were never made? A few that come to my mind include the lovable psychopathic vigilante Serge Storm in the series written by Tim Dorsey, the Stone Barrington character from the recently departed Stuart Woods (he will be missed), and the dandy private eye, Archy McNally, featured in the books by Lawrence Saunders and Vincent Lardo.

In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a huge fan of mystery thrillers set in the eccentrically diverse state of Florida I call home.

Now onto the task at hand. Here is the dream cast list I would recommend for my novel, PAPERBOY.

Dylan Tomassi (as an adult) – Chris Pratt

Alex Malloy (as an adult) – Leonardo DiCaprio

Esther Lott – Sally Field

Cheryl Tomassi – Catherine Zeta-Jones

Penal Stanhill – Shantel VanSanten

Governor Rocco Philips – Rob Lowe

Fred Philips – Woody Harrelson

Which actors would you choose after reading PAPERBOY?

I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments.

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