Tyler Hayes's "The Imaginary Corpse"

Tyler Hayes is a science fiction and fantasy writer from Northern California. He writes stories he hopes will show people that not only are they not alone, but we might just make things better.

Here Hayes dreamcasts an adaptation of his debut novel, The Imaginary Corpse:

Given the mixed-media nature of the world(s) of The Imaginary Corpse, I picture it being, at least in part, an animated film, so I go into any dream-casting thinking about voice more than look. Even if some one of the more photorealistic Friends are played by live actors, prostheses and other special effects wouldn't look out of place in the film.

When I think of Tippy's voice, I think of Joseph Gordon-Levitt. A softened, kinder version of the cadences he used in Brick or Looper (well, with way fewer impressions of Bruce Willis) would really capture the spirit of our triceratops detective.

For Spindleman, I hear Matthew Mercer. The children he voices on Critical Role are regularly both heartwarming and heart-rending, and he would lend Spindleman the appropriate pathos.

For Chip Dixon, I'd go with Shameik Moore, Miles Morales himself. He can invest the character with the right feeling of optimism and that little twist of snark.

It'd be hard to convince me Miss Mighty should be anyone but Stephanie Beatriz. Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Rosa Diaz is nearly there already; give her a little of the Brie Larson-acted/Kelly Sue DeConnick-written version of Carol Danvers and you're basically at the finish line.

For Big Business, I hear Clancy Brown, with all that genial Lex Luthor menace.

And finally, for the Man in the Coat, I want Ron Perlman. I hear the Man's few lines dripping with a cocktail of pseudo-nicety and toxic masculinity that I can hear in his portrayals of Slade on Teen Titans or Clay in Sons of Anarchy (okay, maybe Clay isn't all that dignified…).

To direct, if they're willing to make the jump from TV to movies, I'd love to get Kat Morris and Liz Artinian, the directorial pair for most of my favorite episodes of Steven Universe. They know how to write something that's kind with a deep stripe of fear, and they've proven they can handle stories about trauma and mental health with aplomb.

Visit Tyler Hayes's website.

--Marshal Zeringue