It’s The Wrong “Avengers” Movie! [VIDEOS]

A week from today, the big-budget [$220,000,000] movie based on The Avengers comic books opens. Filled with the kind of computer-generated special effects that make some people wobbily with excitement, it kicks off the "summer movie" season. But I think they made the wrong movie!

The Avengers that should be on the big screen? John Steed and Emma Peel, British secret agents extrordinaire, and the lead characters in the 60's cult-TV series The Avengers  [yeah, I know the 1998 big screen version bombed. But really? Ralph Fiennes as Steed? Uma Thurman  as Mrs. Peel? Besides, it left movie screens so quickly that almost no one even remembers it, so there'd be no "stink" attached to a new production].

A quick introduction, for those too young to remember; The series focused on British secret agent John Steed [played by vetran British actor Patrick Macnee], who worked with several female partners during the show's nine-year run in England. The best-known of his colleagues, at leasst in the US [where the show ran for three years] was Emma Peel, played by Diana Rigg. The series was played for laughs, with Steed stepping back in the fight scenes to be saved by the martial-arts trained Peel.

Here's the show's opening and cliosing credits:
[routemaster19/YouTube]

The Avengers was very popular in its early years, but died a quick death in the US wnen it was scheduled against the then top-rated show on TV, Rowan And Martin's Laugh-In. It rain another year or two in England. The show's nine-year run on British TV made it the longest running espionage-themed TV series until 24 .

How fondly was it remembered? In the 1980's, The Pretenders paid tribute to the show in the video for "Don't Get Me Wrong":
[player6440/YouTube]

So if the casting scuttled the 90's movie, who should be in the new verrsion? How about Russell Brand as Steed [he was suave enough to play Arthur a couple of years back]? And for Mrs Peel? How 'bout "Harry Potter" co-star Emma Watson [who knows; she may have been named to honor Emma Peel...]?  Just a thought...

You interested in a lighht-hearted adventure movie? Give us your casting suggestions, here or on our Facebook page.