Lists: Make Our Day - Five Picks for the Inevitable Dirty Harry Reboot








Harry Callahan belongs to Clint Eastwood. He always will. However, he bailed on the character before a sixth movie could be made about the grumpy cop with a big gun. With Eastwood being 87 years old, it's unimaginable that he'll ever make a return to the character. And with the last film in the series hitting in 1988's The Dead Pool, there's no doubt that Dirty Harry will eventually be turned into a revitalized franchise. Who would we pick? Well, here's 5 actors that could take on the role. 






1. Kevin Bacon - Bacon has played police time and time again. He's played both the good cop and the bad cop. His resume is lined with various roles from small indies to huge blockbuster franchise films. His penchant for vital performances and his undoubted talent for creating flawed characters would serve the purpose of recreating Harry Callahan for a new generation of fans. However, his decades spent as a level 'A' Hollywood actor would prime him for taking on a popular series like this as his namesake alone could carry the reboot. I've thought for years that Bacon would be a perfect pick for this role. 






2. Michael Shannon - Shannon is versatility defined. From his part in Take Shelter to his own take on Zod, Shannon is the actor's actor. Shannon is often relegated to the sidelines as a support actor. However, the last couple years have seen him attacking lead parts in films like Midnight Special and Man of Steel. Shannon has the grit and the brass balls to try and play Harry Callahan. He's fearless in his casting choices and usually tries to be dynamic in what movies he picks. What better way to continue doing that than by giving us a Dirty Harry for a new generation?






3. Scott Eastwood - Who better than Eastwood's son to take over the role of Dirty Harry? Eastwood has the look, the voice, and the physical stature to take on the character. Considering he's only had a couple lead roles and hasn't fully cracked the upper echelon of 'go to' actors, he'd be a prime pick for a reboot. Eastwood has proven himself as a solid action player with movies like Suicide Squad and numerous Western pieces. This idea would probably never happen but would be a cool way to continue the legacy by keeping the character in the family bloodline. 






4. Ryan Gosling - Gosling is cool. He's collected. The ladies love him. But so do the dudes. Gosling switches focus with every new movie he does. Moving from the comedy of The Nice Guys to the musical highlights of La La Land over to the Blade Runner sequel. Gosling has proven he can do it all. He's never been one for franchise movies, but the Dirty Harry series is different. They all feature one character but each story is a separate arc. Picking up something like this, Gosling is still young enough to carry the series while showing the growth of the character over numerous entries in an ongoing saga. 






5. Timothy Olyphant - Olyphant. That's all. He carried a gun over five years on Justified and helped redefine the Western as a modern television series. Olyphant also played a key role in Deadwood. Playing Dirty Harry would be a smooth move that would help launch him into new territory as an actor. He has the look, the swagger, and the cold delivery down pat. He's a talented actor with an epic resume loaded with awesome roles. Somehow, he's never been a super popular pick for major features. This could change all that. Olyphant would be a unique but satisfying change that could carry 5-6 motion pictures as Callahan. 

-CG

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