Dungeon Crawler Carl: 3 Actors Perfect for the Lead In Peacock’s Adaptation, And They All Have Sci-Fi Experience

Everyone who has ever read or is currently reading Dungeon Crawler Carl has a mental image of who they think Carl looks like. Yes, we have the official cover art and graphic novel to give us some help, but a lot of fans have cast some pretty specific actors into their theater of the mind while reading. Matt Dinniman’s hit book series follows the titular Carl, a Coast Guard veteran who survived the destruction of the Earth only to be forced into a deadly intergalactic RPG style dungeon with his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut. The books mix sci-fi, LitRPG, survival horror, and dark comedy as Carl and Donut fight their way through absurd dungeon floors for the galaxy’s entertainment. From the moment fans found out there was going to be a TV series adaptation they have been filling the internet with their fancasts. Some have been interesting, while others have missed the mark entirely. Picking the biggest actor who looks good in boxer shorts isn’t necessarily going to work. Carl has to be funny without being a comedian, physically imposing without being a superhero, and earnest when dealing with some truly messed-up scenarios. The actor also needs to be prepared to be trapped in a dungeon that could last ten seasons or more.

Peacock has already ordered Dungeon Crawler Carl straight to series with Seth MacFarlane producing. The first casting announcement came at Comic-Con, where it was revealed audiobook narrator Jeff Hays would continue voicing Princess Donut, The Queen Anne Chonk for the show. Now, all eyes are on Carl. The role is a perfect opportunity for a mid-level or unknown actor to break into the cultural zeitgeist in a way not seen since Daniel Radcliffe got a lightning scar on his head. The search for Carl is on, and like the rest of the internet, we have some ideas about who could play the dungeon’s most dangerous crawler.

Here are three actors who could pull it off.

3. Talon Warburton

The most unlikely candidate on this list, Talon Warburton has made an impression on fans of the series not necessarily for his acting work, but for who his father is. The voice actor works steadily in video games and animation, including Invincible and God of War Ragnarök. He’s familiar with using his voice to sell heightened situations. He naturally has the size and voice to fit the role because he and Carl share a daddy. Talon is the son of the master of monotone Patrick Warburton. Jeff Hays admitted his voice for Carl was based on an impression of the elder Warburton. So, when it came time for Carl’s father to make an appearance in The Eye of the Bedlam Bride, it was only natural Patrick Warburton was cast. Talon Warburton isn’t yet a household name, but the connection to the book series and not bringing any baggage from another franchise might make him the natural pick here too.

2. Ethan Peck

Ethan Peck already knows what can happen when you step into a role with a highly protective fan base. When Star Trek Discovery added Spock in its second season, the actor got a crash course in how obsessive Trekkers could be. Peck found a way to make the Vulcan science officer his own while meeting pre-existing expectations. With the follow-up series Strange New Worlds coming to an end, Mr. Spock needs a job. A lot of the humor in Dungeon Crawler Carl comes from Carl responding to progressively insane situations without trying to be funny. And it’s not hard to imagine him uttering, “God Damnit Donut!”

Peck can play reserved without coming off stiff. Years of Star Trek have given him plenty of experience speaking Treknobabble and making elaborate sci-fi concepts feel grounded. Multiple episodes have also showcased his ability to carry the dramatic weight when the dungeon stops being funny. He has the expected tall, dark, and handsome looks for the role, but he might have to hit the gym to fill Carl’s leather jacket. The character needs to look like he could do some damage before the AI starts handing out stat buffs. Peck could easily solve this problem. He just needs to pound some protein, pump some iron, and put a little more mass on his, well… pecs.

1. Pablo Schreiber

For Halo fans, if there was any justice in the universe, we would not know what this man looked like. Unfortunately we do, but the good news is he resembles what a lot of people imagine Carl to look and sound like. Based on physicality alone, Pablo Schreiber is the easiest actor on this list to picture as Carl. At 6-foot-5, he already has the physical presence. His time as Master Chief on Halo proved he can carry a large-scale science-fiction series surrounded by visual effects, stunt work, and, as we’ve already demonstrated, a very opinionated fan base. While some readers are calling for his older brother Liev to take the role, he’s aged out. Pablo Schreiber is also older than Carl, who is written as being 27. However, readers have long noted that the character reads older with his aging music references and love of classic westerns. Schreiber would be believable as a weathered Coast Guardsman annoyed with the world.

Carl is huge, but he still needs to feel like a normal person. Oddly, the evidence that he would be perfect for the part was the exact complaint many Halo fans had about his Master Chief: we could see his humanity. Schreiber has the range to handle Carl’s anger, exhaustion, deadpan humor, and darker emotional material. Halo may not have become the long-running adaptation Microsoft and Paramount were hoping for, but Schreiber proved he could shoulder one. Now we want to see him shoulder a talking cat.

Whoever Seth MacFarlane and company eventually sign will be inheriting more than a popular book character. If Dungeon Crawler Carl connects with viewers the way its readers expect, Carl could become one of television’s defining roles for the next decade. Whoever Peacock casts, make sure they have pretty feet or the AI will make them regret it.

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