Craig Packer's "Lions in the Balance"

Craig Packer is professor of ecology, evolution, and behavior and director of the Lion Research Center at the University of Minnesota. He lives in Minneapolis, MN.

Here he dreamcasts an adaptation of his new book, Lions in the Balance: Man-Eaters, Manes, and Men with Guns:

Craig Packer, lion researcher and naïve optimist – either Daniel Day-Lewis or Clive Owen

Susan James, Packer’s wife and collaborator – either Allison Janney or Charlize Theron

Ingela Jansson, Swedish researcher who works with Maasai and lions – Noomi Rapace

Daniel Rosengren, Swedish researcher who was hacked by a machete - Alexander Skarsgård

Emmanuel Severre, the murderous Director of Wildlife – Don Cheadle

Gerard Pasanisi, the French Godfather of the hunting industry – Gerard Depardieu

Erasmus Tarimo, Severre’s reform-minded successor – Denzel Washington

The duplicitous Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources – Angela Basset

Dennis Ikanda, Packer’s student who betrays him, forcing his eventual exile – Andre Royo

Bernard Kissui, Packer’s student who rises up from humble beginnings – Larry Gilliard, Jr

Sara Bambera, animal-rights activist – Franka Potente

Luke Sidewalker, the undercover investigator - either Clive Owen or Daniel Day-Lewis

Joanna, the undercover investigative journalist – Amy Adams

Manic Mike, homicidal hunting operator – Matthew McConaughey

Steve Chancellor, American multimillionaire and lion hunter – Anthony Hopkins

Chancellor’s wife – Amy Schumer

Chancellor’s museum – The Smithsonian

Benson Kibonde, the eloquently honest wildlife officer – Forest Whitaker

Prof Maghembe, Severre’s partner while a government minister – Wendell Pierce

Sidewalker’s Source A – Sonya Sohn

Sidewalker’s Source B – Wood Harris

John Jackson, American hunting industry lawyer & John McCain look-alike – Steve Buscemi

Eric Pasanisi, son of the French Godfather – Pierce Brosnan

Sheni Lalji, Asian business tycoon, Tanzanian politician and hunting kingpin – Anil Kapoor

David Barron, American entrepreneur and Republican aide – Dennis Quaid

Learn more about Lions in the Balance at the University of Chicago website.

--Marshal Zeringue