SPECTRE: So who's going to play Ernst?

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  • DrShatterhandDrShatterhand Garden of Death, near Belfast
    edited January 2015 Posts: 805
    I just don't buy ANYONE else as Blofeld other than Waltz. Why go to the trouble of casting probably the most perfect actor for the part on the planet, only to have him be just the 'set-up' guy?

    On top of this, EON is now a magpie for stuff from other movies. So for Franz Oberhauser read John Harrison, or, knowing their Dark Knight obsession, Miranda Tate or, come to think of it, John Blake.

    And Scott is already known to the public as Sherlock's arch-nemesis, even EON wouldn't be lazy enough to make him Bond's too.
  • Posts: 15,106
    Murdock wrote: »
    Scott isn't anything like Fleming's Blofeld.

    Le Chiffre from the film wasn't like Le Chiffre from the novel. The cinematic Le Chiffre was slim, fit, had high cheekbones, a bleeding eye and a Hitler-esque haircut. Completely different from the almost farmboyish, unnuanced fat appearance from the novel.

    Re-interpreting character's from the Fleming universe is an art that Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson master perfectly nowadays.

    Le Chiffre in the film, like many characters adaptations of Fleming, used "short cuts" to make him stand out, while in the novel it is more elaborate. While Silva was no Fleming character, he was modeled after them (Drax among others) and he was made as an accumulation of small oddities. This is how I think they will go for Blofeld.

    Now there are a number of reasons why I doubt Andrew Scott is Blofeld: when you have Waltz in your cast, you do not give the role of the main villain to an actor like Scott, Scott looks nothing like Blofeld and is not in the right age range, while Waltz does look like OHMSS Blofeld and has the right age (by the way, Mikkelsen was about the same age as the novel's Le Chiffre). And it is easier for Blofeld to pass as Mr Obenhauser, a non British living in Europe, than it is to pass as someone from Whitehall. And the name Denbigh is rather lame. Maybe if it means "small fort", which is fairly close to Blofeld's name, then you have one piece of evidence to support your thesis, but it works also for Oberhauser, meaning "upper house" (which I found after a bit of Google Search: http://genealogy.familyeducation.com/surname-origin/oberhausen )
  • Waltz is perfect for the part. Maybe a little too perfect in fact.

    Personally I'd love the producers and Mendes to have had the balls to make Blofeld a woman.

    Tilda Swinton would have been perfect in the role.

    tilda_swinton_03.jpg
  • Posts: 15,106
    I wonder why people keep thinking Blofeld should be a woman. Was he a woman in the novels? Ok, there was Nena Blofeld with the continuation novels, but this is not canonical and beside, it is gimmicky at best.
  • edited January 2015 Posts: 11,119
    I just don't buy ANYONE else as Blofeld other than Waltz. Why go to the trouble of casting probably the most perfect actor for the part on the planet, only to have him be just the 'set-up' guy?

    On top of this, EON is now a magpie for stuff from other movies. So for Franz Oberhauser read John Harrison, or, knowing their Dark Knight obsession, Miranda Tate or, come to think of it, John Blake.

    And Scott is already known to the public as Sherlock's arch-nemesis, even EON wouldn't be lazy enough to make him Bond's too.

    Just re-read my previous post. As Silva, played by Javier Bardem, was a one-time character who got killed off, why can't Waltz not play a magnificent leading Bond villain who doesn't happen to be Blofeld either?

    Also, you forget one important thing here. Blofeld was NOT truly the leading villain in FRWL and TB. Yes, he had a cameo, but both Klebb/Kronsteen and Largo were the prime villains in their movies, wouldn't you agree?

    To say that casting Andrew Scott as Blofeld is "lazy casting" is rather an exaggeration if I may say so. In the end we know how important the screenplay is. If the screenplay ingeniously re-introduce Blofeld, then why can't Scott play him?

    And in all honesty.....I prefer an ingenious and slow/nuanced re-introduction of the character Blofeld that will take all of us by surprise. Also when you look to future Bond films; Bond 25 and Bond 26 (assuming that from now on SPECTRE will re-appear constantly). I personally find it lame when Waltz during the 2nd half of the movie says: "Hello James. I missed you. But my name is not Franz Oberhauser anymore, I renamed myself.......Ernst Stavro Blofeld!" or "You fool Mr Bond. I'm Ernst Stavro Blofeld, not your Franzy!"

    It HAS to be more ingenious than that. That's why I think EON is going to marvel all of us....is going to take us by surprise.
  • Posts: 15,106
    You need to go where the evidence leads you to, not lead the evidence. Waltz can be a one/off villain and may not be Blofeld, I agree with you, but from what we know it is more likely that: 1)he will be the main villain in SPECTRE and 2)that he will be Blofeld if Blofeld is in the movie.

    Christoph Waltz fits Blofeld far more than Andrew Scott: he has the right appearance, the right age, he also has closer ethnic background (Blofeld is Eastern European with some Germanic blood). He is also an actor with far more credential. It is highly unlikely that they cast a "lightweight" to play Blofeld if they have an actor with the credential of Waltz. We also know Andrew Scott plays a British government official of some sort, a very unlikely cover up for Blofeld, given his background. We also know from interviews that whether Denbigh is a villain or a good guy depends on how you look at him. Not exactly an indication of a villain, certainly not a villain like Blofeld. Also, the rumors about the return of Blofeld point to Waltz, not Scott. A rumor is a rumor is a rumor and thus unreliable, by itself it would not hold, if not for the evidence we have regarding Waltz casting.

    Bottom line, Andrew Scott as Blofeld would make little sense according to what we know and would be disappointing.
  • edited January 2015 Posts: 11,119
    That's all a matter of opinion ;-). We only know that in the past Bond films characters like "Le Chiffre" (not fat but slim), "James Bond" (not dark-haired and tall, but blond), "Q" (not old but young) and "Moneypenny" & "Leiter" (not white but black) were completely shaken and stirred by the Bond producers. Completely re-invented so to say. So if Waltz is Blofeld then by God let him be re-introduced carefully, in a similar "surprising" fashion and not so straight-in-your-face like you are saying.
  • edited January 2015 Posts: 15,106
    Who should play Blofeld is a matter of opinion. Who will play Blofeld, knowing SPECTRE will probably feature him somehow, is now more a matter of evidence. And I don't see how what I wrote means his reintroduction would be be straight-in-your-face. I do not know how he will be introduced, although it seems to be as an ally first.

    Scott as Blofeld would probably make his fans happy, and I am sure he has a decent deal of fans, but would disappoint many moviegoers who know Waltz and love him as a villain. Again, you would put a lightweight above an actor with far more credential.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    That's all a matter of opinion ;-). We only know that in the past Bond films characters like "Le Chiffre" (not fat but slim), "James Bond" (not dark-haired and tall, but blond), "Q" (not old but young) and "Moneypenny" & "Leiter" (not white but black) were completely shaken and stirred by the Bond producers. Completely re-invented so to say. So if Waltz is Blofeld then by God let him be re-introduced carefully, in a similar "surprising" fashion and not so straight-in-your-face like you are saying.

    Le Chiffre's weight was not his defining feature. When I read CR in preparation for CR 2006. Only two things stuck out to me. His all black tuxedo. (Check) and his inhaler use. (Check) In this day in age. You don't see many fat people in movies like this. (Especially in lead roles unless it's a bad comedy.)


    Q on the other hand is a completely NEW character and NOT a re imagined Major Boothroyd. (But in this day and age, It's the young nerdy types who are building the gadgets and technology of today.)

    Moneypenny was given an action oriented background but still serves the same purpose by the end of Skyfall. Felix wasn't reinvented at all. Just recast. He's still Felix Leiter of the CIA. Nothing more nothing less.

    And considering what little Info we have on Dinbigh, It's safe to assume he won't be Blofeld considering him and Blofeld have nothing alike. And if he is Blofeld then it would be stupid considering Blofeld wasn't a government offical and is nothing like his literary counterpart. (once again not using any of his literary history and wasting his character.) If your going to call a character Blofeld and not have him resemble his book version, then what's the point? It's like "re imagining" Auric Goldfinger by not having him obsess with gold but Diamonds instead.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Maybe Blofeld had plastic surgery, and Daniel Craig is Blofeld?
  • Posts: 15,106
    Murdock wrote: »
    That's all a matter of opinion ;-). We only know that in the past Bond films characters like "Le Chiffre" (not fat but slim), "James Bond" (not dark-haired and tall, but blond), "Q" (not old but young) and "Moneypenny" & "Leiter" (not white but black) were completely shaken and stirred by the Bond producers. Completely re-invented so to say. So if Waltz is Blofeld then by God let him be re-introduced carefully, in a similar "surprising" fashion and not so straight-in-your-face like you are saying.

    Le Chiffre's weight was not his defining feature. When I read CR in preparation for CR 2006. Only two things stuck out to me. His all black tuxedo. (Check) and his inhaler use. (Check) In this day in age. You don't see many fat people in movies like this. (Especially in lead roles unless it's a bad comedy.)


    Q on the other hand is a completely NEW character and NOT a re imagined Major Boothroyd. (But in this day and age, It's the young nerdy types who are building the gadgets and technology of today.)

    Moneypenny was given an action oriented background but still serves the same purpose by the end of Skyfall. Felix wasn't reinvented at all. Just recast. He's still Felix Leiter of the CIA. Nothing more nothing less.

    And considering what little Info we have on Dinbigh, It's safe to assume he won't be Blofeld considering him and Blofeld have nothing alike. And if he is Blofeld then it would be stupid considering Blofeld wasn't a government offical and is nothing like his literary counterpart. (once again not using any of his literary history and wasting his character.) If your going to call a character Blofeld and not have him resemble his book version, then what's the point? It's like "re imagining" Auric Goldfinger by not having him obsess with gold but Diamonds instead.

    And I will add to this that Denbigh was cast as of late in the process, from the info we have. If he was Blofeld, even for a small role, would they leave it at the last minute, given the subsequent importance of the character?
  • Posts: 11,119
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Murdock wrote: »
    That's all a matter of opinion ;-). We only know that in the past Bond films characters like "Le Chiffre" (not fat but slim), "James Bond" (not dark-haired and tall, but blond), "Q" (not old but young) and "Moneypenny" & "Leiter" (not white but black) were completely shaken and stirred by the Bond producers. Completely re-invented so to say. So if Waltz is Blofeld then by God let him be re-introduced carefully, in a similar "surprising" fashion and not so straight-in-your-face like you are saying.

    Le Chiffre's weight was not his defining feature. When I read CR in preparation for CR 2006. Only two things stuck out to me. His all black tuxedo. (Check) and his inhaler use. (Check) In this day in age. You don't see many fat people in movies like this. (Especially in lead roles unless it's a bad comedy.)


    Q on the other hand is a completely NEW character and NOT a re imagined Major Boothroyd. (But in this day and age, It's the young nerdy types who are building the gadgets and technology of today.)

    Moneypenny was given an action oriented background but still serves the same purpose by the end of Skyfall. Felix wasn't reinvented at all. Just recast. He's still Felix Leiter of the CIA. Nothing more nothing less.

    And considering what little Info we have on Dinbigh, It's safe to assume he won't be Blofeld considering him and Blofeld have nothing alike. And if he is Blofeld then it would be stupid considering Blofeld wasn't a government offical and is nothing like his literary counterpart. (once again not using any of his literary history and wasting his character.) If your going to call a character Blofeld and not have him resemble his book version, then what's the point? It's like "re imagining" Auric Goldfinger by not having him obsess with gold but Diamonds instead.

    And I will add to this that Denbigh was cast as of late in the process, from the info we have. If he was Blofeld, even for a small role, would they leave it at the last minute, given the subsequent importance of the character?

    I thought there was quite a struggle going on for this role, as Chiwetel Ejifor was originally going to play Denbigh no?
  • Posts: 267
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Murdock wrote: »
    That's all a matter of opinion ;-). We only know that in the past Bond films characters like "Le Chiffre" (not fat but slim), "James Bond" (not dark-haired and tall, but blond), "Q" (not old but young) and "Moneypenny" & "Leiter" (not white but black) were completely shaken and stirred by the Bond producers. Completely re-invented so to say. So if Waltz is Blofeld then by God let him be re-introduced carefully, in a similar "surprising" fashion and not so straight-in-your-face like you are saying.

    Le Chiffre's weight was not his defining feature. When I read CR in preparation for CR 2006. Only two things stuck out to me. His all black tuxedo. (Check) and his inhaler use. (Check) In this day in age. You don't see many fat people in movies like this. (Especially in lead roles unless it's a bad comedy.)


    Q on the other hand is a completely NEW character and NOT a re imagined Major Boothroyd. (But in this day and age, It's the young nerdy types who are building the gadgets and technology of today.)

    Moneypenny was given an action oriented background but still serves the same purpose by the end of Skyfall. Felix wasn't reinvented at all. Just recast. He's still Felix Leiter of the CIA. Nothing more nothing less.

    And considering what little Info we have on Dinbigh, It's safe to assume he won't be Blofeld considering him and Blofeld have nothing alike. And if he is Blofeld then it would be stupid considering Blofeld wasn't a government offical and is nothing like his literary counterpart. (once again not using any of his literary history and wasting his character.) If your going to call a character Blofeld and not have him resemble his book version, then what's the point? It's like "re imagining" Auric Goldfinger by not having him obsess with gold but Diamonds instead.

    And I will add to this that Denbigh was cast as of late in the process, from the info we have. If he was Blofeld, even for a small role, would they leave it at the last minute, given the subsequent importance of the character?

    I also very much doubt they would cast someone who is famous for his role as Moriaty to play Blofeld.
  • Posts: 15,106
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Murdock wrote: »
    That's all a matter of opinion ;-). We only know that in the past Bond films characters like "Le Chiffre" (not fat but slim), "James Bond" (not dark-haired and tall, but blond), "Q" (not old but young) and "Moneypenny" & "Leiter" (not white but black) were completely shaken and stirred by the Bond producers. Completely re-invented so to say. So if Waltz is Blofeld then by God let him be re-introduced carefully, in a similar "surprising" fashion and not so straight-in-your-face like you are saying.

    Le Chiffre's weight was not his defining feature. When I read CR in preparation for CR 2006. Only two things stuck out to me. His all black tuxedo. (Check) and his inhaler use. (Check) In this day in age. You don't see many fat people in movies like this. (Especially in lead roles unless it's a bad comedy.)


    Q on the other hand is a completely NEW character and NOT a re imagined Major Boothroyd. (But in this day and age, It's the young nerdy types who are building the gadgets and technology of today.)

    Moneypenny was given an action oriented background but still serves the same purpose by the end of Skyfall. Felix wasn't reinvented at all. Just recast. He's still Felix Leiter of the CIA. Nothing more nothing less.

    And considering what little Info we have on Dinbigh, It's safe to assume he won't be Blofeld considering him and Blofeld have nothing alike. And if he is Blofeld then it would be stupid considering Blofeld wasn't a government offical and is nothing like his literary counterpart. (once again not using any of his literary history and wasting his character.) If your going to call a character Blofeld and not have him resemble his book version, then what's the point? It's like "re imagining" Auric Goldfinger by not having him obsess with gold but Diamonds instead.

    And I will add to this that Denbigh was cast as of late in the process, from the info we have. If he was Blofeld, even for a small role, would they leave it at the last minute, given the subsequent importance of the character?

    I thought there was quite a struggle going on for this role, as Chiwetel Ejifor was originally going to play Denbigh no?

    Another reason why I doubt Denbigh is Blofeld in disguise: Ejiofor is also nothing like Blofeld. And he could easily be replaced by someone cheaper, which makes me think the role of Denbigh is relatively minor, and his casting less important.

    And Murdock pointed out something else I had not thought of: the last Fleming villain featured in a Bond movie was Le Chiffre. They made an effort to include features of the novel: the completely black suit and the inhaler. Again, this makes me think it is far more likely that Waltz is Blofeld, as he looks like the Blofeld of OHMSS.
  • Posts: 1,548
    There is no way Scott is Blofeld. Doesn't fit the character's traits. But I'm equally coming round to the theory that CW isn't Blofeld either however great he may be in the role. I think that all will be revealed at the films climax leading into Bond 24.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    I agree with both you @LeChiffre & you @AdaShelby.

    I'd prefer if Waltz is not Blofeld (I'd prefer him as either a red-herring or a No. 2 type character at SPECTRE), and the same for Scott. I hope it's someone else. Let's see.
  • Posts: 267
    bondjames wrote: »
    I agree with both you @LeChiffre & you @AdaShelby.

    I'd prefer if Waltz is not Blofeld (I'd prefer him as either a red-herring or a No. 2 type character at SPECTRE), and the same for Scott. I hope it's someone else. Let's see.

    Surely, with a title like Spectre, the producers and writers would expect everyone to believe whoever they cast as their villain to be Blofeld so why wouldn't they have him as a red herring.
  • Posts: 15,106
    AdaShelby wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    I agree with both you @LeChiffre & you @AdaShelby.

    I'd prefer if Waltz is not Blofeld (I'd prefer him as either a red-herring or a No. 2 type character at SPECTRE), and the same for Scott. I hope it's someone else. Let's see.

    Surely, with a title like Spectre, the producers and writers would expect everyone to believe whoever they cast as their villain to be Blofeld so why wouldn't they have him as a red herring.

    It is not impossible, but then they would need to have one hell of a casting decision up their sleeve, for SPECTRE or Bond 25. I personally advocate Simon Russel Beale if it is the case (not nearly as known as Waltz, but a veteran actor who is friend with Mendes and somewhat fits the Blofeld from TB), but I doubt it will be the case. My bet is still on Waltz as Blofeld.
  • I think the film will elude to a Blofeld and what Bond will see is many people have held the rope and there is not really a Blofeld. However, it will be like attack of The Clones when the other characters didn't realise The Chancellor is really the Emperor. I think we will see at the end who Blofeld is and go WOW as Bond doesn't realise and shout bring on Bond 25. Which I hope is something like Forever Is Not Enough
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    Oh no. Not a Blofeld Codename theory. :))
  • Posts: 15,106
    scouse007 wrote: »
    I think the film will elude to a Blofeld and what Bond will see is many people have held the rope and there is not really a Blofeld. However, it will be like attack of The Clones when the other characters didn't realise The Chancellor is really the Emperor. I think we will see at the end who Blofeld is and go WOW as Bond doesn't realise and shout bring on Bond 25. Which I hope is something like Forever Is Not Enough

    Nope. Blofeld is not, should not be a codename.
  • Ludovico wrote: »
    AdaShelby wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    I agree with both you @LeChiffre & you @AdaShelby.

    I'd prefer if Waltz is not Blofeld (I'd prefer him as either a red-herring or a No. 2 type character at SPECTRE), and the same for Scott. I hope it's someone else. Let's see.

    Surely, with a title like Spectre, the producers and writers would expect everyone to believe whoever they cast as their villain to be Blofeld so why wouldn't they have him as a red herring.

    It is not impossible, but then they would need to have one hell of a casting decision up their sleeve, for SPECTRE or Bond 25. I personally advocate Simon Russel Beale if it is the case (not nearly as known as Waltz, but a veteran actor who is friend with Mendes and somewhat fits the Blofeld from TB), but I doubt it will be the case. My bet is still on Waltz as Blofeld.

    This image makes me see Beale as Blofeld

    NTLive_KL_DigitalA5Landscap.jpg
  • ShardlakeShardlake Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 4,043
    Maybe not as Blofeld but as future Spectre operative, Lars Mikklesen.

    Mads big brother did such a sterling job in Sherlock, one of the biggest disappointments of the last series was them killing him off after the build up to his reveal.

    I imagine it would be the first time brothers would have played villains in the Bond series. I'm not saying make him Le Chiffre brother just a high up no. in Spectre, he has the menace to be a sterling villain.
  • Posts: 15,106
    Ludovico wrote: »
    AdaShelby wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    I agree with both you @LeChiffre & you @AdaShelby.

    I'd prefer if Waltz is not Blofeld (I'd prefer him as either a red-herring or a No. 2 type character at SPECTRE), and the same for Scott. I hope it's someone else. Let's see.

    Surely, with a title like Spectre, the producers and writers would expect everyone to believe whoever they cast as their villain to be Blofeld so why wouldn't they have him as a red herring.

    It is not impossible, but then they would need to have one hell of a casting decision up their sleeve, for SPECTRE or Bond 25. I personally advocate Simon Russel Beale if it is the case (not nearly as known as Waltz, but a veteran actor who is friend with Mendes and somewhat fits the Blofeld from TB), but I doubt it will be the case. My bet is still on Waltz as Blofeld.

    This image makes me see Beale as Blofeld

    NTLive_KL_DigitalA5Landscap.jpg

    From King Lear I believe, directed by... Sam Mendes. He struck me as Blofeld potential, especially in the early scenes, when Lear is still all powerful.
  • skropper13skropper13 United States
    Posts: 117
    I feel that EON would not have named the film spectre with the intent of reintroducing the main villain and all that comes with spectre so blandly and straight forward. And if they did it would be a serious let down. I hope that waltz is not blofeld but I hope they have another actor to claim that role at the end of the film and then craigs last film will be dealing with him that would make far more sense to me but that's just my opinion. Hopefully they have some good twists planned
  • Posts: 15,106
    skropper13 wrote: »
    I feel that EON would not have named the film spectre with the intent of reintroducing the main villain and all that comes with spectre so blandly and straight forward. And if they did it would be a serious let down. I hope that waltz is not blofeld but I hope they have another actor to claim that role at the end of the film and then craigs last film will be dealing with him that would make far more sense to me but that's just my opinion. Hopefully they have some good twists planned

    The thing is, how do you completely hide spoilers in movies now? And one has to look at the evidence: it does point to Waltz. Not out of any reasonable doubt, but he is the most likely candidate.
  • skropper13skropper13 United States
    Posts: 117
    It's difficult but I have faith in Mendes that he wouldn't be so bland about the approach to blofeld... Waltz is amazing and that would still be cool but everyone is expecting that that's why it would be slightly disappointing... But hey I don't dislike any bond movie :) and I'm sure this won't be any different
  • For me, Walz is the perfect Blofeld and they shouldn't change their idea if he was hired to be him.
  • Alan Rickman?
    runs for cover
  • Posts: 250
    I assume someone's already suggested the perfect choice:

    marc-forster-2.jpg
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