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The What if EON casts an older actor for the next Bond? (late forties, early 50's)

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  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Back in 1984, I suspected that Moore came back for a seventh just so he would not be beaten by Connery numberwise.
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    Posts: 3,157
    thedove wrote: »
    Brolin was also cast in Castle as Castle's father. There was a nod to Casino Royale in the first episode of his appearance if memory serves.

    I suppose Cubby could have been bluffing with Brolin just like Moore was bluffing about not returning to play Bond.

    Yep, it is said that Castle's father gifted him with a copy of Casino Royale when he was young
    because the former is a spy
  • BT3366BT3366
    Posts: 1,921
    Or perhaps they were waiting for Brosnan to finish with Remington Steele? Not sure what Dalton was doing at that time, The Doctor and the Devils came out in '85 I think.
  • pachazopachazo Make Your Choice
    Posts: 7,314
    Hard to imagine Brolin being a fantastic Bond, but who knows? Cubby's famous line about being able to make a successful Bond film with a chimp in the tux would've really been tested there. Neil might've turned out okay, it's hard to say.

    I think EON was riding an all time high after beating NSNA at the box office and didn't want to break up the band, so to speak. Roger must not have made any comments about quitting like he did after the previous films. Cubby was determined to ride the Moore train until it derailed. In hindsight, OP was the perfect time for Moore to ride off into the sunset, but they wanted to have a nightcap. Perhaps it proved to be one drink too many.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    pachazo wrote: »
    Hard to imagine Brolin being a fantastic Bond, but who knows? Cubby's famous line about being able to make a successful Bond film with a chimp in the tux would've really been tested there.

    Haha, so harsh, but true.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,192
    pachazo wrote: »
    Hard to imagine Brolin being a fantastic Bond, but who knows? Cubby's famous line about being able to make a successful Bond film with a chimp in the tux would've really been tested there. Neil might've turned out okay, it's hard to say.

    I think EON was riding an all time high after beating NSNA at the box office and didn't want to break up the band, so to speak. Roger must not have made any comments about quitting like he did after the previous films. Cubby was determined to ride the Moore train until it derailed. In hindsight, OP was the perfect time for Moore to ride off into the sunset, but they wanted to have a nightcap. Perhaps it proved to be one drink too many.

    I don’t think Moore ever seriously considered quitting during the 80s films, only that he expected to not come back due to having fulfilled his contract. He probably figured Cubby would hire a newer cheaper actor than pay up on a free agent. It’s only after AVTAK that the big paycheck wasn’t going to sway him back anymore
  • ToTheRightToTheRight
    Posts: 16,182
    I don't think I'd really want anyone other than Roger in VIEW, even Tim.
    I remember in the cinema thinking it was most certainly his last outing and I was okay with that. Sometime in '86 one of the tabloids had a blurb on Roger insinuating he was probably going to be back and for a moment I thought it could be a possibility.
    What I find interesting is how contenders like Brolin were all but forgotten as Bond potentials by the time TLD was gearing up.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    One thing about the OP score is that Barry was asked to use The James Bond Theme a lot, to stress to the audience that this was the real Bond, as opposed to NSNA which was legally barred from using it.

    If Brolin was cast, I wonder if it would be played on a loop throughout the film?
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited August 2019 Posts: 18,298
    Thunderfinger wrote: »
    Back in 1984, I suspected that Moore came back for a seventh just so he would not be beaten by Connery numberwise.

    That's one of the main reasons I've heard too and it makes sense. Moore ended up doing the most: seven official Bond films whereas Connery's seventh was unofficial. Moore getting to do AVTAK was also no doubt a reward from Cubby for winning the 'Battle of the Bonds' with the previous film, OP.
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,449
    Thunderfinger wrote: »
    One thing about the OP score is that Barry was asked to use The James Bond Theme a lot, to stress to the audience that this was the real Bond, as opposed to NSNA which was legally barred from using it.

    If Brolin was cast, I wonder if it would be played on a loop throughout the film?

    Either that or the taps tune as it might be DOA with Brolin against Connery. I can't see audiences flocking to see Brolin. Mind you there might have been a curiosity factor to see what he could do as Bond. Based on the screen tests it looks like the plan was to not have him do an accent. How would the UK like an American James Bond?
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,449
    Okay Mi6 lets go out there with this next What if scenario. Back around the time of Die Another Day and the announcement that EON had finally secured the rights to CR. Quentin Tarantino mused about directing a version of CR starring "his Bond" Pierce Brosnan. What if EON took Quentin up on his offer and let him make the movie with Pierce.

    What would it look like? Would it fit within the series or do you think it would stand out as a one-off? How do you think CR plays with Pierce as Bond? How would Quentin cast the other main roles within the film? Would we see Travolta? Jackson? Russell?

    What say you Mi6? What if Quentin Tarantino had directed his version of Casino Royale starring Pierce Brosnan?
  • FoxRoxFoxRox
    Posts: 12,489
    One of my least favorite alternate history scenarios for Bond. Tarantino’s style would NOT mesh well with the series.
  • TopGearJB007TopGearJB007
    edited August 2019 Posts: 624
    I love me a QT film, but there's no way this would have ever happened. BB and MGW would never give QT as much freedom as he'd want. Also, I don't think his tongue in cheek style would fit Bond. But for the sake of argument let's say he had Carte Blanche:

    Setting: 1950's
    Style: Very close to the book, lots of dialogue
    Details: At least one Vesper foot scene, lots of smoking, graphic torture scene, the poker scene would have been awesome (a la the bar scene in IG)

    Cast
    Pierce Brosnan as James Bond
    Uma Thurman as Vesper Lynd (who actually might not be too bad of a choice!)
    Christoph Waltz as LeChiffre
    Bruce Dern as M
    Samuel L. Jackson as Felix Leiter
    Harvey Keitel as Mathis
    Michael Madsen as Damian Falco ;)

    Honestly, I kinda want to see this movie now. :))
  • ToTheRightToTheRight
    Posts: 16,182
    I believe Tarentino said he wouldn't have structured it like a traditional Bond film. So no gunbarrel, no PTS, no Binder style title sequence and so forth. Basically a Tarentino film that happens to be an adaptation of CR. I do like his loyalty to Pierce, though.
    But if I want a Bond film without the traditional bell and whistles I can always pop in NSNA.
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,449
    FoxRox wrote: »
    One of my least favorite alternate history scenarios for Bond. Tarantino’s style would NOT mesh well with the series.

    It would certainly be a departure for the series and I admit I would be curious to have seen it pulled off!
    TopGearJB007 wrote: »

    Setting: 1950's
    Style: Very close to the book, lots of dialogue
    Details: At least one Vesper foot scene, lots of smoking, graphic torture scene, the poker scene would have been awesome (a la the bar scene in IG)

    Cast
    Pierce Brosnan as James Bond
    Uma Thurman as Vesper Lynd (who actually might not be too bad of a choice!)
    Christoph Waltz as LeChiffre
    Bruce Dern as M
    Samuel L. Jackson as Felix Leiter
    Harvey Keitel as Mathis
    Michael Madsen as Damian Falco ;)

    Honestly, I kinda want to see this movie now. :))

    Damn I would love to see that cast pull it off! I would pay to see that film. The dialogue would be quite good I think. I also would love to see his take on the torture scene between Bond and LeChiffre.
  • jobojobo
    Posts: 7,507
    I have no doubt it would have been an absolutely awesome film! But I suspect Tarantino would take quite some liberties with Fleming´s original plot. I don´t think the somewhat downbeat ending of the novel would fit well with Tarantino´s style. As he happily rewrites history I suspect he would do the same with Fleming´s plot.

    I am very happy Eon aquired the rights to the story and did a proper adaptation. But I am also a bit gutted Tarantino could not do his version of it...
  • BT3366BT3366
    Posts: 1,921
    Not the most conventional pairing of director and material, but an exciting one to think of. It would've no doubt been more interesting than any of the four Brosnan films we got.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    edited August 2019 Posts: 8,192
    When it was becoming clear Tarantino was not going to win the rights to CR in the tug of war with EON, he conceded that he’d be willing to work under EON’s established formula, so we would have gotten a gun barrel, Bond theme and so on.

    The thing that ultimately put him off was EON letting go of Brosnan. He’d have been willing to make CR under EON, but only with Brosnan and no one else.
  • pachazopachazo Make Your Choice
    Posts: 7,314
    It didn't happen for a reason and the answer is because EON and Tarantino are simply not compatible. You can't restrict a director like QT but, on the flip side, his style is not right for Bond.

    That being said, I would be incredibly fascinated to see a CR starring Brosnan. It would have been his chance to truly shine with some really meaty dialogue. And it's Tarantino so the film would have some insane moments.

    Ultimately, I'm very happy with the version we got. Craig gives a masterful performance. Had CR started Brosnan instead and stole his thunder, I'm not sure we'd have ever seen Danny boy in the role at all.
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,449
    I think you are on to something @pachazo as I am sure it might have been Brosnan's finest hour as double-o-7. I think it would have been well done and executed. Quentin is a rebel and likes mucking things up. However something tells me he would have been able to still incorporate all those little moments that Bond fans live for.

    The violence would most likely been ratcheted up and quite like anything we had seen before. Mind you the staircase fight in CR was more bloody then most Bond fights anyway.

    I'm guessing if you were using Pierce you would lose the "this is first mission". You'd lose "how Bond became Bond". But to be honest I was never a fan of that anyway. Music plays a big part in a Bond film. Any thoughts on the touches that Quentin might make in the way of soundtrack?
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,192
    Might have picked Morricone to score?
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,449
    Oh wow! Now that might be an interesting soundtrack.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,783
    Tarantino's CR with Brosnan is the big what-if for me; I would have loved to have seen it. So much so that if I had a choice between the Craig era and that one film, I'd gone with the Tarantino film. No doubt.

    I know many thinks Tarantino and Bond are incompatible – and I totally understand that argument, but I think he would have restricted himself somewhat in order to do a film that is very much a Bond film. Even more so if the film would have been an EON production.

    We would no doubt have got a film with fantastic dialogue and some really great character portrayals as a result of it. The score could have been something different too – although I don't think Tarantino would have approached this the same way as with many of his films. It would most likely have been an original score. Morricone perhaps?

    On a side note: I really hope Tarantino does a spy film before he retires. It's the one genre he hasn't done that I hope he explores.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,192
    Well he kinda dabbled into the spy genre with INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. It’s the film that not only made me think he would have been capable of pulling it off but it also made Fassbender a favorite Bond contender back in 2009.

    Spy films today could learn a lot from building tension the way Tarantino did with two scenes: Hans Landa’s introduction at the dairy farm and later the tavern scene. It’s literally just people talking in rooms, but it holds a lot more excitement for me than any action sequence laced with explosions. If Tarantino brought that quality to his version of CR, I wish we had gotten that, and I say that as a fan of the 2006 film.
  • RichardTheBruceRichardTheBruce I'm motivated by my Duty.
    Posts: 13,850
    I remember pretty frequent comments at the time observing that Tarantino wasn't a part of the Directors Guild of America and therefore he couldn't work with Sony or MGM. A non-starter.
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,449
    I must admit when I first had read this idea of Quentin's I thought it was off the board crazy. But slowly with some of the responses on here I am finding myself wishing it happened. I really think it would have been Pierce's finest hour as Bond and might have given the series some new ideas and thoughts.

    I love the dairy scene you refer to @MakeshiftPython the tension is amped up considerably. Great to see restraint and old fashioned story telling. Now action films seem to be more about a wild stunt or explosion.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,192
    It certainly would have made a nice little back to basics installment for Brosnan the way FYEO was for Moore. Ultimately I’m happy with how things turned out, but I do wish Brosnan had a better send off than DAD.
  • jobojobo
    edited August 2019 Posts: 7,507
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    Tarantino's CR with Brosnan is the big what-if for me; I would have loved to have seen it. So much so that if I had a choice between the Craig era and that one film, I'd gone with the Tarantino film. No doubt.

    I know many thinks Tarantino and Bond are incompatible – and I totally understand that argument, but I think he would have restricted himself somewhat in order to do a film that is very much a Bond film. Even more so if the film would have been an EON production.

    We would no doubt have got a film with fantastic dialogue and some really great character portrayals as a result of it. The score could have been something different too – although I don't think Tarantino would have approached this the same way as with many of his films. It would most likely have been an original score. Morricone perhaps?

    On a side note: I really hope Tarantino does a spy film before he retires. It's the one genre he hasn't done that I hope he explores.


    I agree. The idea of a Tarantino spy film makes my mouth water as we speak! =P~

    Someone needs to make sure he doesn't retire soon though! In these days of Marvel, big studio productions, remakes and money grabs, he is one of the last classic film makers. We would need him in the decades to come!
  • SaintMarkSaintMark
    Posts: 7,653
    QT wants to do a Star Trek movie which happens probably most likely.

    Having seen OUTIH I was as before underwhelmed by QT, he has his moments of treasure but manages to drag a movie in way to much viewing time, we had that shit already with Mendes who has no redeeming qualities he brought to the 007 franchise.
  • jobojobo
    Posts: 7,507
    SaintMark wrote: »
    QT wants to do a Star Trek movie which happens probably most likely.

    Having seen OUTIH I was as before underwhelmed by QT, he has his moments of treasure but manages to drag a movie in way to much viewing time, we had that shit already with Mendes who has no redeeming qualities he brought to the 007 franchise.

    Yeah, yeah. I know you get bored without an action scene every five minutes...
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