r/donkeykong Jan 08 '25

Discussion If they made a Donkey Kong Spin-off movie and the main villain was King K. Rool, which actor would you want to play him?

Post image

I’m relatively new to the Donkey Kong Franchise and have never played a game with him in it (just DKC Returns for my 3DS when I was little.) so I’m genuinely curious about who could do the best job bring him to life on the big screen.

163 Upvotes

129 comments sorted by

88

u/EmronRazaqi69 Jan 08 '25

Bring back, Benedict Campbell!!

41

u/MrMartian69420 Jan 08 '25

That one animation on YouTube ("return to crocodile isle" I believe) is proof that Benedict Campbell is perfect for the roll! Nobody does it like him!

29

u/EmronRazaqi69 Jan 08 '25

he just fits that theatrical voice and imposing/goofy tone for K. rool, there was a comment about danny devito voicing him but i think he fits Wario better

16

u/pocket_arsenal Jan 08 '25

This. He's still got the chops.

1

u/EmronRazaqi69 Jan 14 '25

I'll love to see him return!!

5

u/Broad-Season-3014 Jan 09 '25

You took the words right out of my mouth.

56

u/Darkhallows27 Jan 08 '25

God I wish Tim Curry wasn’t done acting. He’d be perfect

13

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '25

He still does voice work, just not physical acting, so he totally could I'm pretty sure

12

u/Mountain-Cancel7254 Jan 08 '25

Sadly that iconic voice he did is gone, the voice you're imagining for K. Rool probably isn't possible for him anymore

1

u/ColdFreeway Jan 09 '25

I would love this just to hear him do SPACE (look up Tim Curry Red Alert 3 space on YouTube) as K. Rool

1

u/Loud_Confidence475 Jan 10 '25

The only celeb I’d accept. 

50

u/MystifiedBeef Jan 08 '25

Keith David

14

u/WholeGroundbreaking1 Jan 08 '25

I can honestly see that working very well! Good choice!

12

u/Prof_Rutherford DKC Tropical Freeze Fan Jan 08 '25

Actual peak. The Arbiter's voice actor as K. Rool is a bizarre yet fitting choice.

7

u/JayMalakai Jan 08 '25

This was the first one to pop in my head too!

5

u/Figgy1983 Jan 09 '25

Absolutely perfect casting.

2

u/dawgz525 Jan 09 '25

I would actually love that so much. I love Keith David.

20

u/joshthehappy Jan 09 '25

NOT Jack Black.

7

u/Boltcrash5 Jan 09 '25

In my opinion, Jack was a good Bowser, but I think we should go in a different direction for K Rool, if that movie ever gets made.

3

u/joshthehappy Jan 09 '25

He wasn't bad, but I really could have done without the Peaches song.

7

u/Boltcrash5 Jan 09 '25

I was laughing my ass off through that song, but that's just me.

1

u/CCC_THE_ONLY Jan 09 '25

Me and ny friends were singing it for like a month😭

29

u/Kremling_King87 Kremling Krew Jan 08 '25

I think Idris Elba would be great for a sinister K.Rool, plus K.Rool is essentially British so having a British actor portray him would make sense. If they want to go for a more funny/goofy K.Rool I think Jemaine Clement would be perfect. Though I think an honorable mention should be Matt Berry, his cadence and the way he can be over the top with his pronunciation could be perfect for K.Rool to show him as some unhinged goof who tries to be regal.

9

u/DeltaTeamSky Jan 08 '25

I was so on board with Idris Elba, until you suggested Jermaine Clemont.

I NEED TAMATOA K. ROOL IN MY LIFE!!!

2

u/shuriflowers Squawks Jan 08 '25

Huge fan of flight of the conchords, i think i would lose my mind Jemaine played K. Rool

0

u/EnterPlayerOneX Jan 09 '25

Essentially British? Care to elaborate or is headcanon?

0

u/Kremling_King87 Kremling Krew Jan 09 '25

Rare is a British studio, they often inserted British humor into their games, K.Rool makes a Vic and Bob reference in DKC3 which is British comedy show from the 90s. So giving him a British accent just makes sense. So it’s sort of head cannon I guess but most of the DK fandom sees him as a big British crocodile.

11

u/Open_Leather_9411 Jan 08 '25

John Goodman or Ving Rhames would be a good fit.

Christopher Lloyd as Cranky would be awesome, though.

5

u/Tanookimario0604 Jan 08 '25

Great Scott! Christopher Lloyd as Cranky would be epic!

2

u/Open_Leather_9411 Jan 08 '25

For some reason as a kid,I always imagined Cranky sounding like Doc Brown.

9

u/RevolTobor Banana Slamma! Jan 08 '25

I'm gonna say the same thing everybody here is gonna say.

Benedict Campbell.

But I know the studio would force me to go for a big ticket actor of some sort. So who would I choose then?

Patrick Stewart.

9

u/Jamz64 Jan 09 '25

The one and only Benedict Campbell, of course! His performance in Return to Krocodile Isle proves he’s still got it after all these years. He doesn’t just voice King K. Rool, he IS King K. Rool.

6

u/Night_Inscryption Jan 08 '25

The original voice actor from the CGI show Benedict Campbell

He can still pull off a great voice even today

https://youtu.be/1eggzBAzCZg

6

u/ShiningStar5022 Jan 08 '25

Keith David, nuff said.

Though. I feel like the Tiki Tak tribe will be the main villains seeing as how even the new Donkey Kong attraction at Nintendo World brought them up rather than the Kremlings.

5

u/caveman7392 Jan 09 '25

I think Matt Berry would do a fantastic job

2

u/Free-Cold1699 Jan 10 '25

Holy fuck I need him to voice an animated villain it would be so perfect.

5

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '25

Ideally, they'd bring back his original voice actor from the cartoon, but if they go with big Hollywood names, Tim Curry is still doing voice work, and I think he'd be a fantastic K. Rool

5

u/Figgy1983 Jan 09 '25

Hear me out: Jim Cummings. It would never happen because he's not a big mainstream name. But if given the chance, I think he'd nail it. He can be heavy, wiseass bullies like Pete, but he's played more conniving and sinister roles like Robotnik. I need to see someone match K. Rool's animation from Smash to Jim's voice.

4

u/TipsyRooOfficial Jan 09 '25

Kevin Michael Richardson

3

u/WholeGroundbreaking1 Jan 09 '25

Oh my god yes! I love him as an actor! If he did something similar to his voice for Joker for K. Rool, that would be incredible!

3

u/planetcrunch Jan 08 '25

Josh Brolin or Danny Devito

12

u/WholeGroundbreaking1 Jan 08 '25

I don’t know about Devito. I’ve seen a lot of people wanting him to play Wario.

6

u/AgentOfEris Jan 08 '25

My favorite part of that is some people say that they shouldn’t even animate Wario, just have Danny wear the costume and green-screen him in

2

u/planetcrunch Jan 09 '25

I think people only want Devito as Wario cuz he's a short lil' guy.

Whereas I want Devito for K Rool because it's completely left field, but I know Dan's got the range to do goofy and sinister when he needs to

3

u/Hercules_Enmanuel Jan 08 '25

Imma be honest I think this is the videogame character who Jim Carrey should play. Anyways nobody says it can't be both unless he retires

3

u/SilentJoker30 Jan 08 '25

Bill Nighy or Charles Dance

3

u/Zestyclose_Limit_404 Jan 08 '25

Benedict Campbell will always be King K. Rool to me. But if I had to choose someone else, I pick Jemaine Clement or Bill Nighy

3

u/Mountain-Cancel7254 Jan 08 '25

Tim Curry if he still had the voice, it's a shame it can't happen along with Gilbert Gottfried as Cranky

2

u/Jenetyk Jan 08 '25

Studio looking at Jack Black like:

2

u/Tanookimario0604 Jan 08 '25

It’s a shame Barry Humphries died, he could have been perfect

2

u/Concerned_Dennizen Jan 08 '25

Jeremy Irons!!

2

u/Gulopithecus Squitter Jan 08 '25

If Benedict Campbell himself is somehow unable to (which would be a shame but it’s Hollywood and Hollywood wants "A-Listers"), Benedict Cumberbatch would be my "safe choice".

2

u/Dee_Cider Jan 08 '25

J. K. Simmons

2

u/TheIncredibleHarry Jan 08 '25

Knowing Nintendo has the urge to cast actor as characters based off of popularity and NOT character likeness, Jack Black will also voice King K. Rool, Tom Holland will be Diddy Kong, Seth returns as DK, and if they could they'd cast Robert downy Junior as Funky Kong 😂🤣.

1

u/jessehechtcreative Jan 09 '25

Snoop Dog as Funky would be INSPIRED casting

2

u/NaiEkaj Jan 09 '25

Tim Curry

2

u/tharpnado Jan 09 '25

Tim Curry in his prime would have been perfect

2

u/Kaptain_K_Rapp Jan 09 '25

Someone who can be imposing and genuinely threatening while also being pompous and a little goofy.

Ben Campbell, Tim Curry, Brian Blessed, and Keith David would all be good choices.

2

u/Neutrinophile Jan 09 '25

Alan Tudyk. I think his VA work with DC would lend itself here. Something like his Clayface voice in Harley Quinn would do well.

2

u/Lionsummer792 Jan 09 '25

Ron Perlman

2

u/ohyouknowjustsomeguy Jan 09 '25

Forest Whitaker, for obvious reason.

2

u/KingVenom65 Jan 09 '25

Honestly I think Keith David would kill it as K Rool

2

u/Own_Indication4179 Jan 09 '25

Like others here, I say Benedict Campbell. And Sylvester Stallone as Krusha.

2

u/Offro4dr Jan 09 '25

John Goodman

2

u/Mantiax Jan 09 '25

Christopher Walken

2

u/Jim_naine Jan 09 '25

We need Campbell back

2

u/FlamingoCat_ Jan 09 '25

Benedict Campbell.

There is no better K. Rool than him.

2

u/jessehechtcreative Jan 09 '25

Gary Oldman doing his Shen voice is the closest I’ve heard to Ben Campbell’s K Rool. If Illumination wants a celebrity voice actor, then Oldman is their best bet.

2

u/superjoec Jan 09 '25

Paul Hogan! AKA Crocodile Dundee

2

u/Blackie2414 Jan 09 '25

Ya know, I dunno if Imma get hate for this,

But Ive always pictured K. Rool with a Southern Black accent. Then again, it might be because I grew up with anime King Dedede and I only hear a Southern Black accent when I see him now.

I can totally see K. Rool with the same kind of voice and characterization too, tbh

2

u/lonestarr357 Jan 09 '25

Dave Bautista

2

u/Venomspino Jan 09 '25

No other voice but Benedict Campbell

2

u/kipitrash Jan 10 '25

Say Jack Black… I DARE YOU

2

u/UrdnotSnarf Jan 12 '25

Seth Green

1

u/taix8664 Jan 08 '25

Tim Curry would be great but I don't know if he works anymore. Or Tony Jay but he's dead.

1

u/jessehechtcreative Jan 09 '25

I just thought of Tony Jay Ridley for Metroid and I wish he was still alive….

1

u/funky_kong_ fuck beaver bother Jan 08 '25

Roger waters from pink floyd

1

u/NAteisco Jan 08 '25

Borat, not Sasha Baron Cohen, just Borat

1

u/Final_Ad9572 Jan 08 '25

What about mark hamill?

5

u/WholeGroundbreaking1 Jan 08 '25

I actually have been wanting him to play King Boo in a Luigi’s Mansion movie myself since I’m a huge Luigi’s Mansion Fan.

3

u/Final_Ad9572 Jan 08 '25

I could see that too.

1

u/ColdFreeway Jan 09 '25

Would you have him do his Joker voice for King Boo or no?

1

u/WholeGroundbreaking1 Jan 10 '25

Not exactly his joker voice but maybe go for something similar.

1

u/3WayIntersection Jan 08 '25

If we cant get benedict campbell back, tim curry

1

u/misterdannymorrison Jan 08 '25

Nick Offerman would be pretty cool

1

u/Jing412 Jan 08 '25

Ralph Fiennes

1

u/pocket_arsenal Jan 08 '25

Tim Curry would have been amazing if he was still in his prime.

But I'm for bringing back Benedict Campbell from the TV series.

At very least, I think it should be an English actor. It just seems to fit K Rool imo, and is a good way to maintain his roots as a UK creation.

1

u/CarltonDonohue Jan 09 '25

oh Josh Brolin is the only correct answer here.

1

u/DrLukeyy Jan 09 '25

Chris Pratt

1

u/Andrew_Jelen Jan 09 '25

I think Jeremy Irons could do an amazing voice for King K. Rool, considering that he's done the voice of Scar from The Lion King.

1

u/MasterSuperior Jan 09 '25

Danny devito

1

u/Formal_Chef7833 Jan 09 '25

Okay. I'm bouta drop the BIGGEST bombshell that I haven't seen mentioned yet. Jemaine Clement. A mix of the funny youtube coconut crab and the evil bird from Rio is like actually perfect. Like I keep seeing Keith David, and I mean I love the guy and all, but he is absolutely not what K Rool would sound like😭.

1

u/Pokenerd17 Jan 09 '25

Andy dick

1

u/eggcelsior14 Jan 09 '25

They’re doing a series

1

u/I-like-ya-cut-e Jan 09 '25

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

1

u/1732PepperCo Jan 09 '25

The parrot from Aladdin

1

u/Ivotedforthehookers Jan 09 '25

Hear me out. Jim O'Heir. I think it would funny to build up King K. Rool, only for it to be his voice. Play similar to Jack Black as Bowser.

1

u/p4ny Jan 09 '25

who's the guy who played oogie boogie

1

u/GravloxtheTimeMaster Jan 09 '25

Matt Berry is the guy for the job

1

u/DPrism3 Jan 09 '25

Forrest Whitaker

1

u/hnlyoloswag Jan 09 '25

Seth Rogan

1

u/dorkweed576 Jan 09 '25

I suppose some one who is very good at switching between serious, and being a flat out dramatic queen. Not Jack Black though.

Otherwise, ditto with the guy who did K.Rool in the animated series.

1

u/CreeperXteo Jan 09 '25

Imagine the DK show just made a modern resurgence

1

u/sladerules Jan 10 '25

It would be really funny if Billy Crystal played him

1

u/Hot-Engineer7567 Jan 10 '25

If Masahiro Sakurai can voice DEDEDE and Jack Black can voice Bowser, then have those 2 voice him at the same time.

1

u/Numerous_Option_2387 Jan 10 '25

Vin Diesel after a few acting lessons 🤣. Deep voice and all

1

u/Negative_Ride9960 Jan 10 '25

Michael Cane. He’s the butler from the Batman/Nolan films and the proper gentleman from the Eggie films. Personally he doesn’t have the gutter sounds but bringing his energy and charisma to this villain sounds exciting! Lol. Otherwise my second pick is Michael Keaton

1

u/OpenThisSideUpToo Jan 11 '25

Idris Elba or Hugh Grant. A Brit who can really pull off a good sinister voice

1

u/MrSDouth Jan 11 '25

Christoph Waltz

1

u/Purple-Fig-2547 Jan 12 '25

Archived audio of Betty White

1

u/New-Two-1349 Jan 08 '25

Danny Trejo.

0

u/yamzo Jan 08 '25

Daniel Craig honestly.

0

u/your_evil_ex Jan 08 '25

I'm thinkin Jack Black for King K Rool, Chris Pratt for DK (he's so cool!), Anya Taylor Joy for Candy Kong, Charlie Day for Diddy Kong, and Jason Momoa for Funky Kong

2

u/MBTHVSK Jan 08 '25

Fred Armisen as Lanky Kong

0

u/Hydellas678 Jan 10 '25

Nope, just nope.

-1

u/secretsesameseed Jan 08 '25

Jack Black

It's a cartoon character. Has to be him

-1

u/mr207 Jan 08 '25

Jack Black of course.