You Won't Believe Who Psych: The Movie Originally Wanted for Zachary Levi's Role

The addition ofChuck alum Zachary Levi to the cast of Psych: The Movie has been one of the most exciting elements of the forthcoming USA revival. And while Levi was not on-hand for Friday's San Diego Comic-Con panel, his upcoming turn as the Thin White Duke was still a hot topic this weekend.

TV Guide spoke with James Roday and executive producer Chris Henze about how Levi came to be a part of the series' reunion movie, and both admitted that it was a casting collaboration that was years in the making. However, there was another singer-actor who producers apparently in mind for the villainous role.

"David Bowie was first on the list and Zac Levi was second," Henze revealed. "And so, because we lost David, Zac was our man."

It's hard to tell whether Henze was joking about casting Bowie as Psych: The Movie's villain, but given the show's track record when it comes to guest casting, we totally buy it. Plus, the character's name and styling is clearly taken from Bowie's Thin White Duke persona in the '70s.

However, even though Levi might not have been the No. 1 pick to play the movie's villain, the Psych producers have been trying to find a role for him for years.

"We've supported each other and each other's fan bases for a long time, so there was always a thought that we would have Zac on the show and we could never work it out because he was always in production when we were in production," said Henze. "So, this was the perfect opportunity. Immediately when we started coming up with the characters and Steve [Franks] and James [Roday] were developing what the villains were like, we were like we've got one that's perfect for Zac. We reached out to Zac, and god bless him, he was just like, 'I'm there, tell me where.' It was fun."

The Psych team had previously tried to recruit Levi for the Season 7 musical episode because "he has this buttery tenor that brings tears, frankly," noted Roday. But looking back, the star believes that the role of Thin White Duke in Psych: The Movie is an even better fit for Levi's skill set.

"For me, personally, I think it was better. I think this is a better role for Zach. I think he had way more fun with it and really made it his own," Roday said.

Psych: The Movie will air on USA this December.