wait..I had something for this.

June 6, 2016 12:15 PM

Archer Producers want Jon Hamm to play Sterling Archer in a live action movie. In case you were wondering here is what the Archer models and voice actors actually look like.
posted by Just this guy, y'know (66 comments total)

I'm totally in favor of this if they overdub H. Jon Benjamin's voice over Jon Hamm's voice.
posted by mcstayinskool at 12:17 PM on June 6, 2016 [84 favorites]

Oh, Lana is just going to have a field day with this.
posted by Malory Archer at 12:20 PM on June 6, 2016 [23 favorites]

I'm totally in favor of this if they overdub Jon Hamm's voice over Bob Belcher's voice.
posted by Rob Rockets at 12:20 PM on June 6, 2016 [9 favorites]

Amber and Lucky are lovely people that I used to know when I lived in Atlanta (what up, Dad's Garage!) and it always shocks me when I remember what a great thing this has been for their careers.
posted by Kitteh at 12:23 PM on June 6, 2016 [10 favorites]

indeed, six / one half dozen.
posted by mcstayinskool at 12:23 PM on June 6, 2016 [3 favorites]

Missing the DangerZone tag.
posted by rocket88 at 12:24 PM on June 6, 2016 [9 favorites]

I wasn't aware that the Archer characters were derived from actual human models. Is that typical practice for animation? And if so, is it also done when the animation style is more overtly "cartoonish" than the semi-realistic depictions that Archer features?
posted by layceepee at 12:24 PM on June 6, 2016 [1 favorite]

I'm into this except Archer is supposed to be about a decade younger than Jon Hamm.
posted by zutalors! at 12:26 PM on June 6, 2016 [3 favorites]

H. Jon Benjamin as Sterling Archer
posted by boo_radley at 12:28 PM on June 6, 2016 [15 favorites]

Is that typical practice for animation?

Not currently, but IIRC it used to be and the way Archer is animated (see also: Sealab 2021) is conscious throwback to a time when limited animation and rotoscoping were a lot more prevalent.
posted by griphus at 12:31 PM on June 6, 2016 [1 favorite]

I'm totally in favor of this if they overdub Jon Hamm's voice with a can of mixed vegetables.

posted by jeremias at 12:33 PM on June 6, 2016 [11 favorites]

That's so Hollywood to replace the hot guy who's already doing the role with Jon Hamm.

Blecch.
posted by sonascope at 12:35 PM on June 6, 2016 [2 favorites]

Rotoscoping was used to great effect in A Scanner Darkly.
posted by mccarty.tim at 12:38 PM on June 6, 2016 [3 favorites]

To be clear, though, A Scanner Darkly used some really tedious frame by frame painting over actual footage, while this is probably more a case of basing facial expressions off of human models.

Apparently, Keenu's patchy beard was a real nightmare with the effect, since a perfectly good trace of one frame coupled with another frame's trace could unintentionally look like the beard was warping/moving. There's probably a parallel in video codec design.
posted by mccarty.tim at 12:43 PM on June 6, 2016 [2 favorites]

yeah just to be clear, Archer is from what I am aware traditionally animated (whatever that means in 2016) and meant to look like 60s/70s limited animation/rotoscoping; they're def not shooting a live-action episode of Archer and tracing over it
posted by griphus at 12:46 PM on June 6, 2016 [2 favorites]

Archer without the voice cast is completely pointless, tho.
posted by protocoach at 12:47 PM on June 6, 2016 [17 favorites]

That's so Hollywood to replace the hot guy who's already doing the role with Jon Hamm.

Howzabout if Jon Benjamin's voice were dubbed over Kyle Kinane's acting. Better? Or just more surreal?
posted by psoas at 12:52 PM on June 6, 2016

All the characters basically look like their voice actors except for Archer/H John Benjamin overdubbing his voice for Jon Hamm's and having H. John have a part would be pretty fun to watch. He could play Archer's long-lost sibling and they can have identical voices. Voice twins.
posted by BooneTheCowboyToy at 12:52 PM on June 6, 2016

That's not remotely true.
posted by psoas at 12:52 PM on June 6, 2016

I love Jon Hamm but he's 45. Sterling is what...mid 30s.
posted by Ber at 12:53 PM on June 6, 2016 [1 favorite]

The prospect of a live-film adaptation of a beloved animated series, dream casting or no, gives me a sinking feeling.
posted by The Nutmeg of Consolation at 12:54 PM on June 6, 2016 [4 favorites]

Why not just do an animated movie? An for the love of Krieger, go for a R rating.
posted by Ber at 12:54 PM on June 6, 2016 [27 favorites]

Christian Slater to play Slater!
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 12:56 PM on June 6, 2016 [7 favorites]

I will never get tired of remembering that Ray's model is Krieger's voice.
posted by Etrigan at 12:58 PM on June 6, 2016 [5 favorites]

The prospect of a live-film adaptation of a beloved animated series, dream casting or no, gives me a sinking feeling.

It's more than that. It's DANGER ZONE.
posted by mochapickle at 12:59 PM on June 6, 2016 [6 favorites]

In case you were wondering where you'd seen him before, Lucky Yates (model for Gillette, voice of Krieger) appeared in a LOT of episodes of Good Eats with Alton Brown.
posted by ensign_ricky at 1:04 PM on June 6, 2016 [9 favorites]

oh shit
posted by griphus at 1:06 PM on June 6, 2016 [2 favorites]

I love Jon Hamm but he's 45. Sterling is what...mid 30s.

Well, what year was he born?

/huh...good question.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 1:13 PM on June 6, 2016 [6 favorites]

> In case you were wondering where you'd seen him before, Lucky Yates (model for Gillette, voice of Krieger) appeared in a LOT of episodes of Good Eats with Alton Brown.

Although the only one I can find readily is Urban Preservation...
posted by Kyol at 1:20 PM on June 6, 2016

At the Archer Live show they start off with an actor dressed up as Sterling (tactical turtleneck and all) who mimes as J. Jon Benjamin reads dialog from off-stage. The effect is...not convincing but strangely hilarious.

Also the entire cast drank like fish throughout the performance.
posted by Eddie Mars at 1:24 PM on June 6, 2016 [3 favorites]

Forget Jon Hamm- I want to know who's going to play Pam Poovey.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 1:29 PM on June 6, 2016 [8 favorites]

Allison Tolman did a really good job as Edie and also for fuck's sake why is she not getting more work
posted by griphus at 1:30 PM on June 6, 2016 [1 favorite]

"Yes. My name's John Hamm."

"H. A. M. M."

"Yes. With two Ms."

"Yes. M, as in 'Mancy'"

"Okay. Fine. I'll Hold."
posted by schmod at 1:31 PM on June 6, 2016 [9 favorites]

He should definitely be played by H. Jon Benjamin and have nobody notice the discrepancy, a la Archersaurus.
posted by BungaDunga at 1:50 PM on June 6, 2016 [3 favorites]

At the Archer Live show

The who what now?
posted by dersins at 2:02 PM on June 6, 2016 [3 favorites]

Allison Tolman did a really good job as Edie and also for fuck's sake why is she not getting more work

She's in a show about a talking dog. I don't get it. She's amazing.
posted by mochapickle at 2:20 PM on June 6, 2016 [2 favorites]

I think that Archer should be played by this guy from Jurassic Park.
posted by AdamCSnider at 2:32 PM on June 6, 2016 [3 favorites]

The proof of concept of this casting is Sterling Archer Draper Pryce
posted by The Whelk at 2:45 PM on June 6, 2016 [9 favorites]

It's too on-the-nose! Plus, Jon Hamm has already got a glorious career playing exclusively against type De Niro-style.
posted by comealongpole at 2:51 PM on June 6, 2016

According to something I read the other day, they use After Effects, rather than Flash. Which is, either more or less confusingly, called Animate these days.
posted by Grangousier at 3:55 PM on June 6, 2016

Forget Jon Hamm- I want to know who's going to play Pam Poovey.

Probably Amy Schumer, or Melissa McCarthy in a blonde wig.
posted by fuse theorem at 4:18 PM on June 6, 2016

At the Archer Live show...

Also the entire cast drank like fish throughout the performance.


When the show came to Chicago, it had just come from New York, where Jessica Walter joined the rest of the cast for the only shows because she didn't tour with Archer Live because she's Jessica Walter.

According to a spot on imitation by Aisha Tyler, she said during or after the Archer Live performance:

"If I have to hear another drunk young person on this stage say 'fuck' one more time..."
posted by MCMikeNamara at 4:33 PM on June 6, 2016 [10 favorites]

When the show came to Chicago, it had just come from New York, where Jessica Walter joined the rest of the cast for the only shows because she didn't tour with Archer Live because she's Jessica Walter.

She's in her mid '70s. Traveling sucks when you're not past age 65. When you're past age 65 it just makes you want to die.
posted by Talez at 4:38 PM on June 6, 2016 [3 favorites]

I had no idea Judy Greer was Cheryl!?!?
posted by MoxieProxy at 4:47 PM on June 6, 2016

John Hamm has the comedic chops, and he definitely looks the part, but without the Benjamin's voice it just won't be the same.

However, they can just hire Aisha Tyler. Maybe with some hand prosthetics.
posted by beowulf573 at 5:21 PM on June 6, 2016 [7 favorites]

And I really need to catch up on this season now.
posted by beowulf573 at 5:23 PM on June 6, 2016

I read a comment concerning the actor/voice problem where someone wrote that not only should Benjamin do Hamm's Archer voice, but that Benjamin should be cast as a villain with Hamm providing his voice. That could be very funny.
posted by mr. digits at 5:38 PM on June 6, 2016 [13 favorites]

Shouldn't they be casting Jon Hamm as the loser villain?
posted by indubitable at 5:43 PM on June 6, 2016 [3 favorites]

Forget Jon Hamm- I want to know who's going to play Pam Poovey.

Probably Amy Schumer, or Melissa McCarthy in a blonde wig.

Donna Lynn Champlin is so damn good in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. I'd love to see her do the Fight Club awesomeness of Pam from HR.
posted by mcstayinskool at 5:43 PM on June 6, 2016 [3 favorites]

I feel sorry for H. Jon being the only one with almost no resemblance to the cartoon. (Though the guy doing Gillette's voice is #2 on the "eh, not really" scale.)
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:05 PM on June 6, 2016

Forget Jon Hamm- I want to know who's going to play Pam Poovey.
Probably Amy Schumer, or Melissa McCarthy in a blonde wig.

Rebel Wilson for Pam Poovey 2016.

Sploosh.
posted by TWTBoy at 6:06 PM on June 6, 2016 [10 favorites]

An actress playing Pam would have to consent to having that tattoo on their back. For real.
posted by Ber at 7:01 PM on June 6, 2016 [2 favorites]

Maybe we can get H Jon Benjamin to do the soundtrack....
posted by schmod at 7:25 PM on June 6, 2016 [5 favorites]

Me for Pam. ME. I HAVE MY OWN DOLPHIN PUPPET.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 8:28 PM on June 6, 2016 [14 favorites]

All the voice actors should keep their roles. No need to recast. Even Sterling even though he's the only one who doesn't look the part. I dunno somehow him looking the exact opposite of his persona and yet swaggering around anyway is funny in and of itself.
posted by bleep at 9:32 PM on June 6, 2016 [4 favorites]

Forget Jon Hamm- I want to know who's going to play Pam Poovey.

Probably Amy Schumer, or Melissa McCarthy in a blonde wig.

Does Beth Ditto want to get into acting?
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 10:23 PM on June 6, 2016 [2 favorites]

An actress playing Pam would have to consent to having that tattoo on their back. For real.

We'll do it in Post....
posted by mikelieman at 11:25 PM on June 6, 2016

I thought Jon Hamm was just going to do car commercials until he got tired of having money.
posted by tobascodagama at 6:02 AM on June 7, 2016

The prospect of a live-film adaptation of a beloved animated series, dream casting or no, gives me a sinking feeling.

Phrasing.
posted by Aya Hirano on the Astral Plane at 7:07 AM on June 7, 2016 [1 favorite]

When the show came to Chicago, it had just come from New York, where Jessica Walter joined the rest of the cast for the only shows because she didn't tour with Archer Live because she's Jessica Walter.

She's in her mid '70s. Traveling sucks when you're not past age 65. When you're past age 65 it just makes you want to die.

Absolutely! In fact, I want to make absolutely clear about what I meant by "because she's Jessica Walter"' if Jessica Walter said "I'm not getting out of bed to do any sort of work unless I am carried there from start to finish", I'd say "okay!"

Because she's Jessica Walter."
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:37 AM on June 7, 2016 [3 favorites]

if Jessica Walter said "I'm not getting out of bed to do any sort of work unless I am carried there from start to finish", I'd say "okay!"

I volunteer for litter-bearer...
posted by mikelieman at 10:03 AM on June 7, 2016 [2 favorites]

I don't think it's a problem that Jon Hamm is too old (Aisha Tyler is older than the character she plays, but you can't cast anyone else for the role). Just have the plot be the ISIS team getting back together for one last mission 10 years after their organization was disbanded. Archer has spent the intervening years drinking, having sex, drinking, shooting things, drinking, working in advertising, watching Burt Reynolds movies, drinking, and drinking. Lana has been raising their daughter. Krieger has been raising an army of Krieger clones. Cheryl is secretary for ISIS (the other one) and isn't aware that much has changed. etc.

You do, however, need H Jon Benjamin's voice. I don't see any way around that.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 10:21 AM on June 7, 2016 [1 favorite]

Easy, the live action movie is a set in the previous season and follows the older set up and plot lines.

Also I should help write it.
posted by The Whelk at 10:55 AM on June 7, 2016 [1 favorite]

No! Archer has always been Dylan McDermott!
posted by vitabellosi at 12:56 PM on June 7, 2016

Variety reports Archer renewed for three more seasons.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:49 AM on June 22, 2016 [2 favorites]

For anyone who didn't read the last Fanfare episode post - I recently watched all of season 7, and I'm totally shipping Cyril and Malory for season eight. Not that I mind if it doesn't happen, but they were so much like the Mom and Dad of the agency even through all the bickering. If they continue on in LA, they're even more like Gloria Swanson and William Holden in Sunset Boulevard Veronica Deane and were. Cyril even helped her rewrite her awful screenplay! (Cyril would probably even enjoy wearing the bike Unicode and emptying the ashtrays.)
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:56 AM on June 22, 2016