““Best not to speculate, really.”

—Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch

Fine, we won’t speculate, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t going do a little fan casting after hearing the news that Amazon will be adapting Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett‘s beloved and hilarious novel Good Omens, which follows an angel and demon trying to prevent a young boy–who just so happens to be the antichrist–from bringing about the end of the world.

The news of the series, which is slated for 2018, isn’t totally surprising, since Pratchett left a note encouraging his co-writer to pursue a long attempted adaptation (a letter which Gaiman was only allowed to read after Pratchett passed away in 2015). But this announcement is even more exciting than we might have hoped for, since Gaiman himself will both write the entire series and work as its showrunner.

Image: Respect Films

Sounds like a lot of work. He might need some help. Which is why we’ve gone ahead and given him a bevy of casting ideas for the most important roles from the book.

(NOTE: Obviously there are some slight spoilers ahead for those of you that are unfamiliar with the book, but we can’t recommend it enough, so get to reading.)

ANGELS & DEMONS

Since these are arguably the two most important roles, we’re throwing out a bunch of options.

Crowley: The serpent who encouraged Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit of Eden and is Hell’s representative on earth, is devilish in all the best ways: smart, cunning, resourceful, and able to manipulate people into doing wrong without them knowing they are. He just so happens to be wholly likable in spite of his nefarious role in the affairs of mankind (who he kind of likes anyway).

Image: Workman Publishing

The most obvious actor for the part is Tom Hiddleston, who is perfect for this role in every way. The only issue is we know he’s perfect because the part is similar to Loki. Jude Law, a better comedic actor than many realize, would also make a charming Crowley, and we Law can play in that gray area between good and evil. We also think Anthony Mackie could steal the show in the part, but would also be thrilled if Nikolaj Coster-Waldau from Game of Thrones got the nod, especially since the part calls for some vulnerability.

But yet we can’t get stop picturing Tom Hiddleston in this role, so he gets the nod.

Image: Marvel

Aziraphale: Crawley’s opposite and Heaven’s earthly representative, it’s said of the angel that “many people, meeting Aziraphale for the first time, formed three impressions: that he was English, that he was intelligent, and that he was gayer than a treeful of monkeys on nitrous oxide.” Well he is smart, that part is true, and while up to the task of working against (and more often with) Crawley, he is an angel that is totally capable, even if he might not appear that way when you look at him.

Image: Workman Publishing

Martin Freeman has to read for this part, doesn’t he? Well, he should, because he’d make for an excellent bookish angel who can’t help but make us laugh. Dev Patel would also make for a great counterpart to Crawley. Christoph Waltz certainly would make us laugh, which is the same reason we can also see Simon Pegg in the part, though that would be a very different direction than the others.

But we’re going with a name you might not have thought of, someone that can play calm while still being hilarious, someone used to being in unusual situations, an actor who can keep his head while everything falls down around him, and who can excel as half of an unlikely pair, and that’s The Odd Couple‘s Thomas Lennon of The State fame.

Image: CBS

THE THEM

Fan casting kids is extremely hard, and it would be super easy to just say, “all of the kids from Stranger Things,” but that would instantly undercut the show. The Them, with their leader, the unaware of his powers antichrist Adam Young, lie at the heart of the entire story. It would be best to avoid just seeing another group of kids we already know from an entirely different show.

Adam Young: Thomas Barbusca from Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp and currently starring on Fox’s The Mick, might not match up physically with the role as we imagine it, but he has the acting chops and presence to pull it off. Adam is the unquestioned leader and the story runs entirely through his experiences, so this part needs to go to a young actor that can be trusted with it, and that’s Barbusca. (Though hurry up and start filming, because a growth spurt in the next 12 months would have us looking elsewhere.)

Image: Netflix

Pepper: The only female in the Them, Pepper is fearless and brave, and we think the charming Skai Jackson of Disney Channel fame would be great in the role.

Image: Disney Channel

Wensleydale: For the most thoughtful and serious member of the gang we’re casting young Owen Vaccaro of Daddy’s Home. He wouldn’t even need wardrobe.

Image: Paramount Pictures

Brian: Please let this be Hudson Yang of Fresh Off the Boat. Brian is accidentally the funniest member of the Them, and Yang does that just by existing.

Image: ABC

FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse personify the literal end of the world, so they need to be total bad asses that are both intimidating and completely captivating.

War: The beautiful and powerful War is described as a redhead, so Natalie Dormer immediately comes to mind, and she’d be great. But we’re okay if it doesn’t go to a redhead, because Brooklyn Nine-Nine‘s Stephanie Beatriz would also kill in this part. However, the nod here goes to Meghan Markle from Suits. Someone not quite as well-known to viewers, but who would instantly grab them and make them willing to go off to die in war, is the ideal actress for this role.

Oh, wait, she’s dating Prince Harry. She might be slightly known then. Still!

Image: USA Network

Famine: The thin, super evil inventor of fast food burgers needs to really love how diabolical he is, so outside of CGI’ing Peter Cushing again we think the underrated Leon Robinson and his persona would make for a perfect Famine.

Image: NBC

Pollution: The youngest of the four (having replaced Pestilence who retired because of antibiotics), we want someone who looks young yet is completely comfortable at the end of the world. Which makes it a good thing Steven Yeun is available.

Image: AMC

Death: Presence, gravitas, and able to instill fear with just a look. We have two options here, both so perfect we don’t think we can decide. Either Peter Serafinowicz or Idris Elba would be absolutely ideal for the part. We leave this to Neil Gaiman to make the final call on this one.

Image: BBC

Image: Marvel

HUMANS & WITCHES

The rest of the crew is a strange lot, with witches, witch hunters, and a schlubby dad who doesn’t know his son just so happens to be the antichrist.

Agnes Nutter: The world’s most accurate–and most ignored–prophet ever is misunderstood, gruff, and doesn’t care. That’s why Harry Potter and Game of Thrones‘ Natalia Tena has the perfect pedigree to play Agnes.

Image: HBO

Anathema Device: As for her last living descendant, Jessica Jones’s Krysten Ritter would be wonderful as the tough, brilliant, practical Anathema.

Image: Netflix

Newton Pulsifer: The nerdy, unsure of himself, unlikely witch hunter Newton Pulsifer lacks confidence, but someone worth rooting for. Give us Richard Ayoade or we riot.

Image: Channel 4

Shadwell: The very rough-around-the-edges, antisocial Shadwell is far more bark than bite, even if he doesn’t know it, but in spite of all that he’s still lovable, like a big dog that would never actually harm you. Since we try to find a reason to put the delightful Eddie Marsan in everything, this is a great spot for him to have some fun with the part.

Image: Universal Pictures

Mr. Young: The most normal character in the entire book is totally clueless to what is going on at all times, but is trying to be a good guy. Unfortunately he just can’t pull off intimidating enough to really seem like a disciplinarian. Calling Mr. Chris O’Dowd please and thank you.

Image: Universal Pictures

So there are our suggestions, and we hope they are all considered for the show because we truly think they’d all be great. But hoping is all we’ll do, because really, as lovers of Good Omens, we know it’s best not to speculate.

Tell us what we got right and what we got wrong. Give us your Good Omens fantasy cast (even for smaller parts we left out) in the comments below.

Featured Image: Workman Publishing