1: DENZEL WASHINGTON IN A BEN STILLER DIRECTED COMEDY (WRITTEN BY JOHN FRANCIS DALEY & JONATHAN GOLDSTEIN)

Denzel is Denzel in every movie he has ever been in, and he’s still better than 98% of all actors in the history of acting. These are facts, and I stand by that statement. I guarantee it (and hope you hear that in the way it’s intended). However, one thing I’ve never seen Denzel do on screen is be as funny as he was in his interview with Jamie Foxx (if you don’t know, go find it). In my mind, the only way he would do an all-out comedy is if he’s put in the hands of someone he trusts and respects, and Ben Stiller has more than shown that he knows how to comedically take care of Hollywood royalty (see Tropic Thunder). Add in the consistently smart and fun writing duo of Daley & Goldstein, fresh off audience favorites Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and Game Night, and Denzel will show off how surprisingly funny he can be (because The Preacher’s Wife was not enough).

2: TARAJI P. HENSON IN A DEV PATEL DIRECTED ACTION THRILLER

This may seem like a weird pair, but both actors have recently been the poster child of Hollywood keeping people (of color, in particular) in one lane. From almost losing funding to enduring physical injuries, it’s well documented the lengths Patel had to go to in order to get Monkey Man made. Meanwhile, Henson has been very vocal recently about not getting paid her worth when she brings in both box office dollars and TV ratings. In Proud Mary, she showed that she has the attitude and charisma to carry an action film if given a serviceable script. We’ve also seen her in Smokin’ Aces, but she hasn’t been given a fair shot to LEAD a competent action staple. Patel proved with his directorial debut that he can create a compelling story, and with directing experience now under his belt, Henson’s fierceness can be his muse while he proves how badass she can be as a lead action star.

3: ANNA KENDRICK AS A VILLAIN IN A QUENTIN TARANTINO FILM

Okay, so there are a lot of actors that could fill the role of  “unlikely Tarantino villain,” but once I heard Anna Kendrick’s name, I couldn’t shake it. She is capable of all the QT quirks (awkward, yet likable, yet crazy, yet endearing), but only tends to be cast as the every-woman juxtaposed to the much more interesting character. I want her to step into the madness that constantly hides behind those ever-expressive eyes. Have you noticed that? Her eyes are strikingly emotive. They carry a lot of fervor that her sarcastic smile tries to hold back. Let Tarantino unhinge her, and I swear we’d get a monster of a movie villain.

4: QUINTA BRUNSON IN A STEVEN SPIELBERG DIRECTED BIOPIC (WRITTEN BY AARON SORKIN)

Quinta Brunson has risen from social media content creator to Emmy-winning writer, producer, and comedic actress over the past ten years. She has proven she can do it all in the realm of comedy. If you’ve watched the most recent season of Abbott Elementary, you also can see glimpses of dramatic chops amongst her nerdy-black-girl-next-door persona. Put her in a fast-paced, autobiographical drama a la Catch Me If You Can or The Post, and let Spielberg utilize her can-do, get-it-done attitude like only he knows how. I’m being pretty specific here, but I can’t get the picture of Brunson fast-walking around a newsroom, legal office, or hospital emergency room out of my head, and there’s no two filmmakers who capture those settings more energetically than Spielberg, the godfather of the modern blockbuster, and Aaron Sorkin, the master of double-time dialogue.

5: DANIEL RADCLIFFE IN A JOHN WOO DIRECTED ACTION FILM

I’ll admit right now that I have not seen Guns Akimbo (yes, I know I should, and hopefully, by the time you’re reading this, I’ve remedied that), but from what I’ve been told, Radcliffe is put in a lot of action situations that his character would rather not be in. What I’m looking for is trained-to-kill Daniel Radcliffe. Put-him-in-a-dangerous-situation-and-watch-him-mow-through-people-efficiently Daniel Radcliffe. Get-bloodied-but-bounce-back-after-a-couple-injuries Daniel Radcliffe. Have John Woo add some doves, some bullet time, and just enough seriousness to make it all believable, and now you’ve added lethal assassin to the list of things you never thought you’d see Harry Potter become (sorry, I needed at least one reference).

6: PAUL RUDD IN A DAVID FINCHER DIRECTED THRILLER

Paul Rudd is an actor who can appear in anything and I will watch it. He also may be another example of an actor playing himself no matter the role, but it doesn’t matter because he’s so damn personable that it’s so damn enjoyable. Get all that nicety the fuck out of here, though. I want David Fincher telling Rudd to do the take again for the 157th time to make sure he gets it exactly right. It’s really easy to make Ben Affleck unlikable (sorry), but it’s a feat to do that for Rudd. I want to see the Fincher-intensity on Rudd’s un-punchable face.

7: JOHN CENA IN A JUSTINE TRIET DIRECTED COURTROOM DRAMA

Yes, I know she just did a courtroom drama, but after Anatomy of a Fall, I wouldn’t mind Triet running back another two-hour, top-notch, dialogue-heavy, roller-coaster triumph of talking and arguing with John Cena leading the charge. He is one of the best wrestler-turned-actors working today because of his quick wit, great comedic timing, and ability to successfully use words and intonation in conjunction with his physical prowess, but we’ve only seen two versions of that persona so far: super silly goofball or ultra serious military man. Give Cena a shot as a legit litigator, and Triet’s dialogue and direction could unlock a brilliant balance between the two.

8: JACK BLACK IN A ROBERT EGGERS DIRECTED HORROR FILM

On the surface, this pairing may seem like the most contradictory on the list, but when you look a bit closer, Black and Eggers have some strong similarities. They both have an ever-present Rock ‘N’ Roll aura around them, and their passionate energies are always dialed to 100. Black would go all out, Eggers would go all out, the horror would be epic, and maybe our collective faces would melt off. And it would be worth it if we could get the ultimate unadulterated horror version of Jack Black on screen.

9: LUPITA NYONG’O IN A GRETA GERWIG DIRECTED ROMANTIC COMEDY

We know that Lupita Nyong’o is a badass because we’ve seen her be a badass in multiple forms: Wakandan badass, Oscar-winning badass, doppelganger badass, voice-acting badass. Just take a look at her well-sculpted arms; you know she’s coming on screen to bring the heat. Can we get a role from her with none of that? I want to see her fully embrace her feminine qualities, daintily walking through life with care-free ease, and falling in love in the most heartwarming way possible. Greta Gerwig is more than adept at showcasing femininity without compromising integrity, and she would beautifully capture a strong, black woman just existing. That is a version of Lupita I would love to see.