Who should/could be a Bond actor?

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  • 00Heaven00Heaven Home
    Posts: 575
    At this point I honestly just want them to strip it down and nail the script first. Write a big stand out villain and let Bond figure it out like he always does. The actor? I don't think it's anyone we've spoke about or are expecting and I don't necessarily think it should be. It would just come with bloat.

    This comes with its risks but if everything else around the actor is great then all he has to do is do his part and have the charisma to back it up.
  • 00Heaven wrote: »
    At this point I honestly just want them to strip it down and nail the script first. Write a big stand out villain and let Bond figure it out like he always does. The actor? I don't think it's anyone we've spoke about or are expecting and I don't necessarily think it should be. It would just come with bloat.

    This comes with its risks but if everything else around the actor is great then all he has to do is do his part and have the charisma to back it up.


    By stating you dont think its anyone we've spoke about I think you are missing that we are hardcore Bond fans. We follow every little nugget and detail about Bond. The general audience (also the majority of the audience) doesn't care much less follow these kinda things. Guys like Aidan Turner, Tom Cullen, Sam Clafin etc.....the general audience couldn't even tell you there name. They might remember something like oh thats that guy from Poldark. I think the actor will be someone relatively unknown to the general audience but because we are hardocore bond fans I think its a good chance we will have brought him up at some point.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,413
    talos7 wrote: »
    Yes, all very traditional candidates, but sometimes the wheel doesn’t need reinventing and the obvious is the right choice. Bond has been deconstructed enough. I’m ready for an agent in his prime who is sent on missions and has fun along the way.

    I don’t see why you couldn’t do a standard Bond on a mission film (probably the best direction to go on post Craig, I agree) with a more unconventional choice though. I’d like someone who can bring something a bit different to it personally. Craig has been Bond for so long that I think it needs reinventing.

    Yes I would guess they will look to distance it from Craig a little: he's been Bond for so long and so successfully that I can imagine they'll want to put a little distance between him and their new Bond. That's partly why I couldn't see Tom Hardy being the next: he's just a bit too similar. I also think he'd be unlikely to take it for the same reason.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,216

    I don’t see why you couldn’t do a standard Bond on a mission film (probably the best direction to go on post Craig, I agree) with a more unconventional choice though. I’d like someone who can bring something a bit different to it personally. Craig has been Bond for so long that I think it needs reinventing.

    No doubt it could be done with an unconventional pick; that's just not my preference. I want someone cut from the Connery, Dalton cloth . Now that doesn't mean someone who exactly physically resembles them , just some from the classic mold.


  • Posts: 6,709
    talos7 wrote: »

    I don’t see why you couldn’t do a standard Bond on a mission film (probably the best direction to go on post Craig, I agree) with a more unconventional choice though. I’d like someone who can bring something a bit different to it personally. Craig has been Bond for so long that I think it needs reinventing.

    No doubt it could be done with an unconventional pick; that's just not my preference. I want someone cut from the Connery, Dalton cloth . Now that doesn't mean someone who exactly physically resembles them , just some from the classic mold.


    +1
  • Posts: 1,630
    Seve wrote: »
    This guy looks promising?

    349e2167d3f840bc27b21a10d65d9ead.jpg


    He might be going through something there...perhaps a fine madness ? He might even think he's seeing little people. He'll be back in top form, though, another time, another place. When he's in top form, he's solid as a Rock, just an extraordinary gentleman, and just cause he could get entrapped now and then, doesn't mean he's not just untouchable most of the time.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Seve wrote: »
    This guy looks promising?

    349e2167d3f840bc27b21a10d65d9ead.jpg


    Magnus Carlsen for Bond? Can t see it.
  • Posts: 6,709
    Just a quick opinion, valid or not:

    Many people seem to have grown with Craig in the role, or have him as their main reference in what the production of these films is concerned, and seem to think that the producers made an outside the box and unsuspected choice and that's their modus operandi, when in fact they made their choice because Daniel Craig had and has something very special and unique about him that distinguished him from everybody else. That's a lightning in a bottle right there.

    People seem to think they'll make a fringe choice again because that's their new modus operandi, but I don't think that it is. I think Craig was something very special indeed and unreplicable for it. Until 1987 (having chosen Brosnan by then, one way or another), they've always made sure bets with Bond, particularly looks wise. They now have one other marker to chose from: being a good actor, a good thespian, better than pre-87. But that doesn't mean they'll choose outside of the box, looks wise, IMO.

    So, who do we have, know or almost unknown who is a good actor, has appeal and presence, and has canonical looks? That's what I want to know, because I think that that's where they're going.

    So far, we have had few candidates that check all of those boxes. Apparently it's that hard to be classically good looking with some ruthless and masculinity appeal, and be a good actor at the same time.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,216
    Excellent….
  • The difference is Cubby cast the first four Bonds, Barbara is in charge now. She cast Craig, and she’s on record as saying Bond can be any colour, so I don’t think she’s as bothered about “canonical” looks as people on here are.

    I’m not going to try and predict it myself, because I really think it could be anyone. That’s what’s so exciting for me. Jack O’Connell would still be my first choice, but after we were talking about him a few days back, I googled to try and find out if John Boyega would be up for it, and I found this

    https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/james-bond-john-boyega-steve-mcqueen-b1723677.html?amp

    Wouldn’t say no to that combo. Steve Mcqueen does seem like the sort of director they’ve been going for lately.
  • edited October 2021 Posts: 6,709
    May I ask, just out of curiosity, @thelivingroyale, when and where has Barbara Broccoli stated that "Bond can be any colour", as you put it. I know she's said Bond is a male character, addressing the gender question, but I thought she never addressed the race question. Just curious, of course, do you happen to know?
  • DenbighDenbigh UK
    Posts: 5,970
    Univex wrote: »
    May I ask, just out of curiosity, @thelivingroyale, when and where has Barbara Broccoli stated that "Bond can be any colour", as you put it. I know she's said Bond is a male character, addressing the gender question, but I thought she never addressed the race question. Just curious, of course, do you happen to know?
    Sorry to jump in, but it was actually in the same article she said Bond would always be a man, her words according to the articles, said ""James Bond can be of any colour, but he is male."
  • Posts: 6,709
    Denbigh wrote: »
    Univex wrote: »
    May I ask, just out of curiosity, @thelivingroyale, when and where has Barbara Broccoli stated that "Bond can be any colour", as you put it. I know she's said Bond is a male character, addressing the gender question, but I thought she never addressed the race question. Just curious, of course, do you happen to know?
    Sorry to jump in, but it was actually in the same article she said Bond would always be a man, her words according to the articles, said ""James Bond can be of any colour, but he is male."

    Thank you, @Denbigh. Had no idea she had addressed the race issue already. For me, it's just another step away from the literary character. That's all.
  • DenbighDenbigh UK
    edited October 2021 Posts: 5,970
    No worries @Univex. Overall, I just really trust EON with whoever they get. I know they won't try and get an actor, they'll go and get the actor.
  • I know it’ll never happen, but a nice way of keeping everyone happy would be that often wished for period TV series adaptation of the novels. That way no matter who they cast, purists have that to enjoy.

    What do we think the likelihood is of Amazon demanding some sort of TV spinoff? I’m sure they’ll want to milk the brand for all its worth, and they’re bigger than MGM, but at the same time, the films don’t get made without EON, so surely it’s up to them at the end of the day?
  • DenbighDenbigh UK
    edited October 2021 Posts: 5,970
    I know it’ll never happen, but a nice way of keeping everyone happy would be that often wished for period TV series adaptation of the novels. That way no matter who they cast, purists have that to enjoy.

    What do we think the likelihood is of Amazon demanding some sort of TV spinoff? I’m sure they’ll want to milk the brand for all its worth, and they’re bigger than MGM, but at the same time, the films don’t get made without EON, so surely it’s up to them at the end of the day?
    Honestly @thelivingroyale, I just can't see it working personally, even just a spin-off alone. A period adaptation of the novels would be an extremely risky venture due to branding, budgeting, and unfortunately being incredibly dated in some of their views and characters that the adaptations would just become semi-adaptations like the movies are. Also, it's also risky because I'm not sure mainstream audiences would get into as much.

    As for a spin-off show in general, it's a hard one because James Bond is a completely different franchise to anything else. It's not Marvel, DC, or Harry Potter, where the worlds are so distinct that you could explore many different aspects to them, James Bond is a franchise about the world of James Bond, so with a spin-off, you could only have separate James Bond adaptations which seems a bit pointless given the main films, or create a new character who would really have to just do the same things as James Bond, because if you don't, it would be a stranger to its own franchise. Again, the iconography and the world is so specific to James Bond himself, I just can't see it working.

    I would just ask Amazon to put all their interest into making the best movies they can alongside EON, who know what they're doing.
  • Denbigh wrote: »
    Univex wrote: »
    May I ask, just out of curiosity, @thelivingroyale, when and where has Barbara Broccoli stated that "Bond can be any colour", as you put it. I know she's said Bond is a male character, addressing the gender question, but I thought she never addressed the race question. Just curious, of course, do you happen to know?
    Sorry to jump in, but it was actually in the same article she said Bond would always be a man, her words according to the articles, said ""James Bond can be of any colour, but he is male."

    God willing she was just being diplomatic.
  • Denbigh wrote: »
    I know it’ll never happen, but a nice way of keeping everyone happy would be that often wished for period TV series adaptation of the novels. That way no matter who they cast, purists have that to enjoy.

    What do we think the likelihood is of Amazon demanding some sort of TV spinoff? I’m sure they’ll want to milk the brand for all its worth, and they’re bigger than MGM, but at the same time, the films don’t get made without EON, so surely it’s up to them at the end of the day?
    Honestly @thelivingroyale, I just can't see it working personally, even just a spin-off alone. A period adaptation of the novels would be an extremely risky venture due to branding, budgeting, and unfortunately being incredibly dated in some of their views and characters that the adaptations would just become semi-adaptations like the movies are. Also, it's also risky because I'm not sure mainstream audiences would get into as much.

    As for a spin-off show in general, it's a hard one because James Bond is a completely different franchise to anything else. It's not Marvel, DC, or Harry Potter, where the worlds are so distinct that you could explore many different aspects to them, James Bond is a franchise about the world of James Bond, so with a spin-off, you could only have separate James Bond adaptations which seems a bit pointless given the main films, or create a new character who would really have to just do the same things as James Bond, because if you don't, it would be a stranger to its own franchise. Again, the iconography and the world is so specific to James Bond himself, I just can't see it working.

    I would just ask Amazon to put all their interest into making the best movies they can alongside EON, who know what they're doing.

    Yeah true, it is a bit of a fanboy’s dream really isn’t it, there probably isn’t the appetite. And I’m fine with just a film every few years to be fair. Bond is one of the few franchises left that still feels like a real event, and I guess with spinoffs you run the risk of diluting that.

    I think the same is true of the release schedule too. I’d like them out slightly more regularly, but I think if they tried to go back to the old schedule, then the wider audience would tire of it fast. Bond has survived this increasingly competitive and superhero focused blockbuster landscape by feeling like a rare treat, imo. I doubt the films would do as well as they do in the UK if they started making one every two years again.
  • edited October 2021 Posts: 6,709
    (...) purists have that to enjoy.

    Again with this "purists" thing [-X @thelivingroyale. Please don't. It's like you want "us" who simply want to keep it close to the original literary material to feel like conservative hegemonic squares. And I assure you, I'm nothing like that. One of the things that is appealing for me in the Bond canon is having something of the past translated in the present. That, for me, is what Bond is all about. There's nothing "pure" to it, you made it sound as if I'm an arian neo nazi a-hole because I defend the idea of Bond as a caucasian male close to what the author has written. Cast new brilliant roles of other genders and races around that, and I'll be one happy fan, as the democratic liberal humanist I am.
  • Posts: 15,124
    Univex wrote: »
    Denbigh wrote: »
    An actor who I think is a good character actor and has the looks for Bond, and I've mentioned him before, is Sam Claflin. People should really check out his work, he has quite the work, and I think could pull off many aspects of the character; from comedic to the more dark and gritty.

    samc3.jpg
    DmcGBlzXcAAZZHD.jpg
    DSC-5105-v1.jpg
    636632846335694377-THE-CORRUPTED-FIRST-LOOK---SAM-CLAFLIN.jpg?width=3200&height=1808&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp
    9114447

    I like Claflin. I think he had a hair transplant recently. Good for him, I'd say. Looks even better now.

    Evfyj98WYAYqASG.jpg

    On that last pic yes. On the other ones... not so much.
  • Posts: 6,709
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Univex wrote: »
    Denbigh wrote: »
    An actor who I think is a good character actor and has the looks for Bond, and I've mentioned him before, is Sam Claflin. People should really check out his work, he has quite the work, and I think could pull off many aspects of the character; from comedic to the more dark and gritty.

    samc3.jpg
    DmcGBlzXcAAZZHD.jpg
    DSC-5105-v1.jpg
    636632846335694377-THE-CORRUPTED-FIRST-LOOK---SAM-CLAFLIN.jpg?width=3200&height=1808&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp
    9114447

    I like Claflin. I think he had a hair transplant recently. Good for him, I'd say. Looks even better now.

    Evfyj98WYAYqASG.jpg

    On that last pic yes. On the other ones... not so much.

    Can't figure out if he really has "new" hair or not. In some pics he looks downright bald. In others, like that. He would have to build up the physique a bit, too. Not too much, tough, but a bit.
  • Posts: 15,124
    Univex wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Univex wrote: »
    Denbigh wrote: »
    An actor who I think is a good character actor and has the looks for Bond, and I've mentioned him before, is Sam Claflin. People should really check out his work, he has quite the work, and I think could pull off many aspects of the character; from comedic to the more dark and gritty.

    samc3.jpg
    DmcGBlzXcAAZZHD.jpg
    DSC-5105-v1.jpg
    636632846335694377-THE-CORRUPTED-FIRST-LOOK---SAM-CLAFLIN.jpg?width=3200&height=1808&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp
    9114447

    I like Claflin. I think he had a hair transplant recently. Good for him, I'd say. Looks even better now.

    Evfyj98WYAYqASG.jpg

    On that last pic yes. On the other ones... not so much.

    Can't figure out if he really has "new" hair or not. In some pics he looks downright bald. In others, like that. He would have to build up the physique a bit, too. Not too much, tough, but a bit.

    Sometimes he looks a tad too pretty. But I think he might pull it off.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited October 2021 Posts: 16,413
    The difference is Cubby cast the first four Bonds, Barbara is in charge now. She cast Craig, and she’s on record as saying Bond can be any colour, so I don’t think she’s as bothered about “canonical” looks as people on here are.

    I’m not going to try and predict it myself, because I really think it could be anyone. That’s what’s so exciting for me. Jack O’Connell would still be my first choice, but after we were talking about him a few days back, I googled to try and find out if John Boyega would be up for it, and I found this

    https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/james-bond-john-boyega-steve-mcqueen-b1723677.html?amp

    Wouldn’t say no to that combo. Steve Mcqueen does seem like the sort of director they’ve been going for lately.

    I can't imagine McQueen doing something like that, but I find it quite interesting that Boyega would say he's up for it; I got the feeling he was over all that franchise stuff.
    Denbigh wrote: »
    I know it’ll never happen, but a nice way of keeping everyone happy would be that often wished for period TV series adaptation of the novels. That way no matter who they cast, purists have that to enjoy.

    What do we think the likelihood is of Amazon demanding some sort of TV spinoff? I’m sure they’ll want to milk the brand for all its worth, and they’re bigger than MGM, but at the same time, the films don’t get made without EON, so surely it’s up to them at the end of the day?
    Honestly @thelivingroyale, I just can't see it working personally, even just a spin-off alone. A period adaptation of the novels would be an extremely risky venture due to branding, budgeting, and unfortunately being incredibly dated in some of their views and characters that the adaptations would just become semi-adaptations like the movies are. Also, it's also risky because I'm not sure mainstream audiences would get into as much.

    As for a spin-off show in general, it's a hard one because James Bond is a completely different franchise to anything else. It's not Marvel, DC, or Harry Potter, where the worlds are so distinct that you could explore many different aspects to them, James Bond is a franchise about the world of James Bond, so with a spin-off, you could only have separate James Bond adaptations which seems a bit pointless given the main films, or create a new character who would really have to just do the same things as James Bond, because if you don't, it would be a stranger to its own franchise. Again, the iconography and the world is so specific to James Bond himself, I just can't see it working.

    I think it is very hard to see working, but I can imagine something like a series about the villains maybe working. You can't do it about Bond or any other similar MI6 agent.

    Maybe you could do a Young Bond, actually. A bit tougher and grittier than stuff like Alex Rider: actually have him going through hell at Fettes, the Royal Navy etc. Oh, and at Skyfall!
    I know it's a bit obvious maybe but I can kind of see it working.
    Denbigh wrote: »
    I know it’ll never happen, but a nice way of keeping everyone happy would be that often wished for period TV series adaptation of the novels. That way no matter who they cast, purists have that to enjoy.

    What do we think the likelihood is of Amazon demanding some sort of TV spinoff? I’m sure they’ll want to milk the brand for all its worth, and they’re bigger than MGM, but at the same time, the films don’t get made without EON, so surely it’s up to them at the end of the day?
    Honestly @thelivingroyale, I just can't see it working personally, even just a spin-off alone. A period adaptation of the novels would be an extremely risky venture due to branding, budgeting, and unfortunately being incredibly dated in some of their views and characters that the adaptations would just become semi-adaptations like the movies are. Also, it's also risky because I'm not sure mainstream audiences would get into as much.

    As for a spin-off show in general, it's a hard one because James Bond is a completely different franchise to anything else. It's not Marvel, DC, or Harry Potter, where the worlds are so distinct that you could explore many different aspects to them, James Bond is a franchise about the world of James Bond, so with a spin-off, you could only have separate James Bond adaptations which seems a bit pointless given the main films, or create a new character who would really have to just do the same things as James Bond, because if you don't, it would be a stranger to its own franchise. Again, the iconography and the world is so specific to James Bond himself, I just can't see it working.

    I would just ask Amazon to put all their interest into making the best movies they can alongside EON, who know what they're doing.

    Yeah true, it is a bit of a fanboy’s dream really isn’t it, there probably isn’t the appetite. And I’m fine with just a film every few years to be fair. Bond is one of the few franchises left that still feels like a real event, and I guess with spinoffs you run the risk of diluting that.

    True, and yet we do hear quite often that Bond's audience skews a bit older, and I can imagine that might be a slight worry to some i.e. will its popularity fade. Obviously it's lasted this long and stayed on top, but that's also possible, so they may well try and think of some things to attract a younger audience. And I can well imagine a TV series of some form being one thing they'd look at as those do appeal. The new video game is another as well.
    I know it’ll never happen, but a nice way of keeping everyone happy would be that often wished for period TV series adaptation of the novels. That way no matter who they cast, purists have that to enjoy.

    Maybe, I just can't imagine that being anything but a bit of a disappointment. Even if they somehow cast someone better than Sean Connery for a TV show, they're unlikely to get a Diana Rigg or a John Barry or a Ken Adam, and most of those early films are close enough to the books. Yes, we'd get a more faithful Moonraker with a very long game of bridge, but generally they've all already been adapted to the screen already, and really well. I think those purists are better off just reading the books.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    edited October 2021 Posts: 8,216
    I’m a full time Firefighter but for 34 years my side gig is that of a stylist/barber; if that last picture is recent it looks like Claflin has had quality hair replacement/ transplant. The hairline is naturalistically irregular but has a look of intent. It’s really good work. More power to him.
  • Posts: 6,709
    talos7 wrote: »
    I’m a full time Firefighter but for 34 years my side gig is that of a stylist/barber; if that last picture is recent it looks like Claflin has had quality hair replacement/ transplant. The hairline is naturalistically irregular but has a look of intent. It’s really good work. More power to him.

    Yeah, that was my impression, good to have confirmation by someone who can really tell ;) And yes, you're absolutely right, my friend, more power to him. It would be the first actor since Connery to have to fix his hair in one way or another :)
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited October 2021 Posts: 16,413
    Here's a genuine question, considering the Changing Faces open letter to the Bond producers on the subject of disfigurement in movies (and I think it's hard to argue with their point), how would we feel about the next Bond displaying his facial scar? I guess it makes the makeup person's job a little harder(!) but it might be a nice move and would bring in an element from the books.
  • Posts: 6,709
    mtm wrote: »
    Here's a genuine question, considering the Changing Faces open letter to the Bond producers on the subject of disfigurement in movies (and I think it's hard to argue with their point), how would we feel about the next Bond displaying his facial scar? I guess it makes the makeup person's job a little harder(!) but it might be a nice move and would bring in an element from the books.

    Would love that.
  • JeremyBondonJeremyBondon Seeking out odd jobs with Oddjob @Tangier
    Posts: 1,318
    Univex wrote: »
    mtm wrote: »
    Here's a genuine question, considering the Changing Faces open letter to the Bond producers on the subject of disfigurement in movies (and I think it's hard to argue with their point), how would we feel about the next Bond displaying his facial scar? I guess it makes the makeup person's job a little harder(!) but it might be a nice move and would bring in an element from the books.

    Would love that.

    The closer to Fleming his work, the DNA of Bond, the better. I'm all for the scar.
  • edited October 2021 Posts: 2,165
    @mtm I would say just avoid the issue all together by not having them. IMO the facial scarring Safin has is purely aesthetic and doesnt serve any character development or aid in any motivation. Safin (afaicr) never mentions them. Swann does in a fairly throwaway line.

    Compared to say, the facial disfigurement Silva has, and the narrative reasons given and the use of it in driving his character’s motivation, make that more impactful than what we had with Safin.
  • Posts: 6,709
    Mallory wrote: »
    @mtm I would say just avoid the issue all together by not having them. IMO the facial scarring Safin has is purely aesthetic and doesnt serve any character development or aid in any motivation. Safin (afaicr) never mentions them. Swann does in a fairly throwaway line.

    Compared to say, the facial disfigurement Silva has, and the narrative reasons given and the use of it in driving his character’s motivation, make that more impactful than what we had with Safin.

    Then, why not write the scar in a prologue? ;) Make it a thing.
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