After the huge success of HBO’sThe Last Of Us (2023)series, the gaming world seems to be poised for more adaptations, with rumors flying among fans about which game could be next up to bat. TheRed Dead Redemption 2game is no doubt a perfect suitor for a TV adaptation, with compelling storylines, lovable characters, and a giant collection of lore supplying enough content for a season or two.
Red Dead Redemption 2’s story would be the likely choice for an adaptation since it is Rockstar’smost recent andmost successful gamefrom theRed Deadseries. This poses the question: who could play the main character ofRed Dead Redemption 2, Arthur Morgan?
Updated July 19, 2025, by Hamza Haq:Arthur Morgan is one of the most beloved characters in all of gaming, more than managing to match John Marston as the primary protagonist of the series. Naturally, a possible live-action movie based on the RDR universe is always a fun topic to imagine, even though it might never come about. Fancasting actors who could possibly nail down the look and feel of Arthur down is not very hard; there are plenty of white, middle-aged actors in Hollywood, but ones that would do him justice? Now, that takes some brainpower. Two additional actors have been added to the list, giving readers even more possibilities to discuss.
Rugged And Rough With A Humorous Side
Relevant Previous Roles:
Fresh off outstanding performances of Ragnar Lothbrok in the seriesVikings,Travis Frimmel is one of the more outside shouts for the role of Arthur Morgan. The rugged lovableness that he portrayed beautifully inhis role as Ragnarsuits Arthur massively, alongside the strong blue eyes and tough facial shape, making him a decent contender for the role. In fact, the character of Ragnar has many similarities with Arthur Morgan, with quirky wisdom, cheeky humor, and the balance of a gritty badass and a lovable uncle packaged all into one character.
Travis Frimmel has played in cowboy-style movies, such asThat Dirty Black Bag(2022)andDreamland(2019), so a role as Arthur Morgan might come quite naturally to him. Additionally, Travis does well with characters who have a sprinkle of humor to them, such as Ragnar Lothbrok inVikings(2013-2020)and Anduin Lothar inWarcraft(2016), which again fits the personality of Arthur Morgan.
Can Trusted To Nail The Slice Of Life Segments
David Harbour is one of the very few actors who could pull off a slightly aged Arthur Morgan, who has mellowed out a bit over the years. Portraying a weathered yet still dangerous Arthur is well within his capabilities. Harbour also has the ability to pull off Arthur’s annoyed gruffness tinged with love and understanding, as evidenced by his role as Sheriff Jim Hopper inStranger Things.
David Harbour is also no stranger to getting physical in his roles, considering his stints as Hellboy inHellboy (2019), a murderous Santa inViolent Night (2022), and many more. It’s easy to imagine Harbour as Arthur and even easier to imagine the hype this casting would generate if it does end up being confirmed.
A Big Name With A Wealth Of Experience
TheWolverine(2013)star, Hugh Jackman is no stranger torough and ready roles, which perfectly describes Arthur Morgan. Hugh Jackman has the charisma and tough-man lovableness that exudes out of Arthur Morgan, making him quite an ideal pick for this role. His looks are not too far off from Arthur Morgan’s looks, with an ideal body shape, height, and age, although Jackman’s facial features are maybe not quite the same as Arthur’s.
Hugh Jackman is a big name who will attract eyes outside just the gaming community, similar to Pedro Pascal’s influence onThe Last Of Us(2023), with many people watching the adaptation of the hit game even though they knew nothing about the game itself prior. This is an element that the bigger production companies will most likely lean towards, as they will need to have big names to counteract the probably large budget.
A Great Actor Who Can Be Trusted To Deliver
Bradley Cooper is another actor who ticks the big-name box while also being someone who is used to roles that are more rugged and rough around the edges. With Cooper getting older, he is the right age now for an Arthur Morgan role, with his ability to deliver hard-hitting action along with heart-string-pulling emotion.
He has played roles in the past that deal withsplits in morality, with his performance as Chris Kyle inAmerican Sniper(2014)being a perfect example. Arthur Morgan swings back and forth from being a ruthless outlaw to being a gentle soul, so Bradley Cooper’s experience of playing these types of split personalities would work well.
An Iconic Name With Lots Of Experience In Cowboy Movies
A legendary actor for a legendary character, Brad Pitt is a choice that not many people would have a problem with. Aging like fine wine, Brad Pitt can deliver the gentle, tough man look that is required for the role of Arthur Morgan. Brad Pitt has the look for awestern cowboy role, with his strong features and rough but clean appearance.
Additionally, Brad Pitt will bring many more eyes to theRed Deadfranchise; with him being such a big name in the film industry, it would open many different doors not only for moreRed Dead Redemptionadaptations but gaming adaptations as a whole, just like Pedro Pascal did withThe Last Of Us(2023). Brad Pitt also has experience playing cowboy roles, such as inThe Assassination Of Jesse James(2007) andLegends Of The Fall(1994),making him a great candidate for the role of Arthur Morgan.
Has The Perfect Look And Temperament To Play Arthur Morgan
Perhaps the most challenging aspect of playing Arthur Morgan is balancing his violent tendencies with his softer ones—a trait that defines the character. Charlie Hunnam’s portrayal of Jax Teller inSons of Anarchyproves he can strike that balance without much effort, making him an ideal candidate for the role.
Hunnam’s physical build is another advantage. It would require minimal adjustments to match Arthur’s look and his natural appearance—just add a hat and a trimmed beard—and he could deliver an almost picture-perfect version of Arthur straight from the game. His ability to convincingly portray both violence and emotional depth makes him one of the top contenders in fans' minds.
Can Pull Off the Rugged Look With Only Minor Adjustments
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau only needs to dye his hair a certain shade of brown, let his beard grow to a thick stubble to hide his too-chiseled jaw, and put on a cowboy hat to step into the shoes of Arthur Morgan without issue.
Of course, he might have to do some accent training and some mannerism changes to really get into the character and get his conspicuous southern drawl down pat, but it’s doable for an actor with his skill. He already has the salt-and-pepper look perfected to a tee and just needs to work on his vocals for this role.
Would Perfect The Rugged Humor Of Arthur
After his great performance as Alfie Solomons inPeaky Blinders(2013-2022),Tom Hardy issomeone who has the ability to play someone with wit and humor while also maintaining the ruthlessness and ruggedness needed for an outlaw cowboy. This makes him more than capable of playing the role of Arthur Morgan, especially after seeing how Tom Hardy portrayed the gentleness of Alfie Solomons, which has similarities to Arthur Morgan.
Tom Hardy may struggle with the accent of Arthur Morgan, with him mostly playing characters who have English accents, usually of the London Cockney variation. For example, in his role playing boththe famous Kray twinsfrom the movieLegend(2015),his role as Alfie Solomons inPeaky Blinders(2013-2022),and his role as Charles Bronson inBronson(2008).Despite this, his skill in playing these rough characters fits perfectly with the role of Arthur Morgan.
An Extremely Versatile Actor Who Can Transform Into Characters
Another legendary actor who thrives in roles where the morality of the character shifts and changes, Christian Bale is an actor who could play Arthur Morgan. Bale has the ability to makeinteresting characters even more interesting, just like he did with Patrick Bateman inAmerican Psycho(2000)and Bruce Wayne or Batman inThe Dark Knight(2008), which would be amazing if he could have the same effect on Arthur Morgan.
In some ways, Christian Bale has the same look and feel as Arthur Morgan, with a gentle but rough image that could work tremendously. Bale has experience with westerns, featuring in the cowboy-style dramaHostiles(2017),so it will not be his first rodeo as a gun-slinging man of the Wild West. On top of all that, Christian Bale has the fame and prowess that would bolster theRed Deadreach to new audiences who aren’t familiar with the game.
A Gritty Actor Who Strikes A Similar Resemblance To Arthur
When it comes to looking like the character, Joel Edgerton hits the nail on the head. His piercing blue eyes mixed with his rugged facial hair and facial structure are pretty close to that of Arthur Morgan; with his vast experience with gritty roles, Joel Edgerton could be a solid option. Edgerton has played in movies such asThe Stranger(2022)andZero Dark Thirty(2012), which are just two examples of the darker and grittier theme that is a major part of theRed Dead Redemption 2story, especially Arthur and the gang’s ultimate demise near the end of the game.
Looking at his resume, which features big-name productionssuch asStar Warswith theObi-Wan Kenobi(2022) TV series, a period piece inThe Great Gatsby(2013),and political dramas likeBoy Erased(2018),Joel Edgerton has shown his wealth of adaptability and ability to play a multitude of different roles, which will be needed in what will be his first cowboy movie in a long time. This also helps with understanding the character of Arthur Morgan, who is someone who changes their views and reflects on their actions throughout the story, so having a versatile actor is vital for a successful live-action Arthur Morgan.
