It occurs to me that the Baroque Cycle would make a great HBO series. Someone on an email list suggested Angelina Jolie as Eliza, but I think that Diane Kruger would be a better choice. I'd go with Christopher Lloyd as Isaac, and Johnny Depp as Jack Shaftoe.

Any other suggestions? Who would play Daniel?

Lloyd would be good as the adult Isaac, but is too old to play the young Isaac.

I can't stand either Depp or Jolie, but Depp would be good as Jack. But who looks enough like him to be Bob? And, knowing the reason for Jack's nickname would be a source of humor for Depp-dislikers like me.

For Eliza, you'd need someone younger, say, Kristin Kreuk or someone like her.

For Daniel, perhaps Toby Maguire?

I would love to see the whole London Fire scene done on film. Especially the part where the king blows up the Waterhouse residence...

I'm almost done with Quicksilver, and I haven't bothered trying to think about casting the characters because there's just so much going on. I'll try to consider it some more.

Just because you dislike Depp, you still have to condsider him for the parts because of his talent. Unlike several others, he actually has some.

I'm stumped as far as Daniel is concerned.

Johnny Depp would be miscast as Jack Shaftoe, IMHO. It should be somebody with a greater physical presence, and at the same time more stoic and laconic than I can imagine Depp ever being.

How about Viggo Mortensen instead?

Vincent Perez would also be a possibility.

I also don't know about Diane Kruger. She's a bit of an ice queen, and I neever have heard her speaking English.

How about Mia Kirshner?

And no matter who is cast, I have a heard time imagining her with her hand up Shaftoe's behind.

Roger Comstock: Sean Astin, both as young and middle aged version; I can see him as an obsequious youngster, and a self-assured middle aged fellow, with a gut and the gout

Eleanor of Saxe-Eisenach: Kirsten Dunst, Katie Holmes or Natalie Portman

Edouard de Gex: F. Murray Abraham

James II of England: John Malkovich

John Churchill: Not sure yet; some young, lean action film actor

I couldn't do a link to IMDB, because your filter says that db .com is questionable content.

(I had to put in the blank too fool the filter, of course).