The ideal cast for a live-action Metroid movie

Old Bird – Lance Reddick

Most casual Metroid fans probably never heard of Old Bird, as he’s only officially appeared in a minor capacity in Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission, but he was prominently featured in the official Metroid manga. Old Bird is a member of the alien race known as the “Chozo,” which are essentially cosmic anthropomorphic birds that are responsible for the creation of the Metroid race, Samus’ Power Suit, and Mother Brain. Old Bird is greatly important to Samus’ backstory, as he was Samus’ foster father, taking her in after Ridley caused the death of her parents.

Lance Reddick is perhaps best known for his role as Cedric Daniels in the HBO crime drama The Wire, but he’s also got plenty of experience voicing many iconic video game characters today. He’s the voice of Destiny’s Commander Zavala, as well as the character Sylens in Horizon: Zero Dawn, so he’s certainly no stranger to science fiction in video games.

Portraying an old and wise alien bird may sound ridiculous on paper, but casting a well-respected serious actor like Reddick adds instant credibility to the part. Sir Anthony Hopkins could also fit into this role, but Reddick brings a much needed “warmth” to this character, as Hopkins would likely be more “detached.” As with some of the other characters on this list, Old Bird would only be seen in flashback sequences, but Old Bird’s role as Samus’ adoptive father crucially explains how Samus begins her journey as the greatest bounty hunter in the galaxy.