Why Do People Think Blofeld is Coming Back?

thelivingroyale

Creasy47 wrote:

It still boils down to the ultimate question: why do people want Blofeld to return? Why don't they want a new super villain to head Quantum, if it ever does make its return?

It's like I said, he's a good character with lots of unexplored potential.

SirHenryLeeChaChing wrote:

we jump into rebooting old villains that only the hardcore fans care about. QUANTUM is the organization more familiar to the general public, and as much as some would like to pretend that no one cared enough about QOS and that the idea is broke, the public does remember and would want a logical conclusion before moving on.

In terms of organisations yeah, Quantum is probably more familiar than SPECTRE, but more familiar than Blofeld?

If you went up to people on the street and asked them to name a Bond villain I think most people would say either Goldfinger, Jaws or Blofeld. I don't think anybody would say Mr White or Dominic Greene.

I'd say "only the hardcore fans care" applies more to Quantum than anything else. This site is pretty much the only place where I've heard anyone say they should be bought back. I don't see any evidence of people outside of the hardcore fanbase giving a toss about Quantum. Did anybody who wasn't on a James Bond fansite complain about Quantum not even being mentioned in Skyfall?

I wouldn't mind their return (although I think QOS works as a decent enough conclusion to their story), but I don't think EON will bring Quantum back. They have a good thing going right now after the success of SF and I don't think their next move will be bringing back the villains of a film that most people didn't really like very much.

Dragonpol

I think that the Quantum arc must be finished now in the next Craig Bond films. Whether or not Blofeld will return is something of a side-issue for me. I think he's a character that is better left alone in the past, unless he can be portrayed in a manner faithful with the original Bond novels from the hand of Ian Fleming, where he was a very different character than the one we saw in the Bond films, where he was sadly more often than not miscast and the continuity of the novels was badly screwed up.

echo

0013 wrote:

Perhaps one should look in the long term (even after Craig's tenure) and there are lots of possibilities there. Reboots in other frachises are having their great villains returning (Batman, Star Trek) so I don't believe it's that far-fetched.
Now, regarding my personal wishes, I'm not looking forward in the short term. It's more fun to have new adversaries.

One of the inspired moves of the Bond series throughout its 50-year history is that, unlike other franchises, they don't recycle their villains.

Soundofthesinners

echo wrote:

0013 wrote:

Perhaps one should look in the long term (even after Craig's tenure) and there are lots of possibilities there. Reboots in other frachises are having their great villains returning (Batman, Star Trek) so I don't believe it's that far-fetched.
Now, regarding my personal wishes, I'm not looking forward in the short term. It's more fun to have new adversaries.

One of the inspired moves of the Bond series throughout its 50-year history is that, unlike other franchises, they don't recycle their villains.

Well, with the exception of SPECTRE and Blofeld early on. But in all seriousness, I do agree that Blofeld shouldn't be brought back. It might just be that I'm 19 and Austin Powers has inevitably affected my view of Bond, but an old-fashioned Blofeld would seem way too much like Dr. Evil, and a Blofeld that didn't seem like Dr. Evil...just wouldn't be Blofeld.

Leave him in the past, and let the glorious early years and the performances by Dawson, Pohlmann, Pleasance, Savalas, and not Gray live on.

thelivingroyale

Soundofthesinners wrote:

and a Blofeld that didn't seem like Dr. Evil...just wouldn't be Blofeld.

So even if they used the books as inspiration, it wouldn't be Blofeld unless he was like Dr Evil?

Soundofthesinners wrote:

let the glorious early years and the performances by Dawson, Pohlmann, Pleasance, Savalas, and not Gray live on.

This did make me laugh :)

Soundofthesinners

thelivingroyale wrote:

Soundofthesinners wrote:

and a Blofeld that didn't seem like Dr. Evil...just wouldn't be Blofeld.

So even if they used the books as inspiration, it wouldn't be Blofeld unless he was like Dr Evil?

If they did it based on the books it would still be Blofeld, of course. It just wouldn't feel like Blofeld to me, since I'm so used to both the original cinema take and the Austin Powers version. Maybe a novel-based Blofeld could work, it would just take some getting used to.

Baltimore_007

Samuel001 wrote:

I wasn't going to do this and hate me if you must but as we already have so many threads on Blofeld should we just continue this in one of these?

http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/1760/so-whos-going-to-play-ernst-in-bond-24-and-bond-25

http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/4410/is-benedict-cumberbatch-being-considered-to-play-blofeld

http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/1488/bond-23-the-return-of-blofeld

http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/1505/is-blofeld-back-in-bond-23s-two-weeks-rehearsal-time

http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/545/michael-sheen-has-fun-with-blofeld-rumours-in-tv-sketch

http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/4597/why-blofeld-is-the-best-villain-for-a-modern-bond-film-and-should-be-in-bond-24

http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/4107/if-blofeld-were-to-return-to-the-modern-bond-films...who-would-play-him-well

http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/1528/what-if...........-mr-white-turns-out-to-be-blofeld

Or perhaps some of these above just need a damn good merging? I'll let someone with more sense than me decide. Whatever is decided, this character is one hot topic!

I can't look beyond that @Samuel but some people just can't help themselves. Not disimilar from some having the need to create a damn Bond 24 thread every thirty minutes when there's already ample room that can accomodate

It's only going over old ground when I /we say that there's really no place for Blofeld in 21st century James Bond. Re-boot or no re-boot the character is outdated and archaic, and would just appear wholly inappropriate being resurrected for a first "proper" appearance in over forty years. I sincerely hope this 'idea' or whatever it resembles, never sees the light of day, and to be truthful, getting tired of having this debate now, so that's all I really got to say on this issue

Ludovico

thelivingroyale wrote:

Creasy47 wrote:

It still boils down to the ultimate question: why do people want Blofeld to return? Why don't they want a new super villain to head Quantum, if it ever does make its return?

It's like I said, he's a good character with lots of unexplored potential.

SirHenryLeeChaChing wrote:

we jump into rebooting old villains that only the hardcore fans care about. QUANTUM is the organization more familiar to the general public, and as much as some would like to pretend that no one cared enough about QOS and that the idea is broke, the public does remember and would want a logical conclusion before moving on.

In terms of organisations yeah, Quantum is probably more familiar than SPECTRE, but more familiar than Blofeld?

If you went up to people on the street and asked them to name a Bond villain I think most people would say either Goldfinger, Jaws or Blofeld. I don't think anybody would say Mr White or Dominic Greene.

I'd say "only the hardcore fans care" applies more to Quantum than anything else. This site is pretty much the only place where I've heard anyone say they should be bought back. I don't see any evidence of people outside of the hardcore fanbase giving a toss about Quantum. Did anybody who wasn't on a James Bond fansite complain about Quantum not even being mentioned in Skyfall?

I wouldn't mind their return (although I think QOS works as a decent enough conclusion to their story), but I don't think EON will bring Quantum back. They have a good thing going right now after the success of SF and I don't think their next move will be bringing back the villains of a film that most people didn't really like very much.

I think people would answer: "Goldifnger, I can't remember his name but that guy with the metal teeth and that guy with the cat and the scar". I think only Goldfinger would be named. And I am not sure they wouldn't confuse him with another one: "Yes sure, I know Goldfinger, the guy with the bald head, scar and cat."

LeChiffre

I would love ESB to return but fear it won't happen. I have no problem whatsoever of seeing previous characters (outside of Q, M , Moneypenny) being re-interpreted. No reason why Ernst can't be introduced as the head of Quantum.

Thunderfinger

Dragonpol wrote:

I think that the Quantum arc must be finished now in the next Craig Bond films. Whether or not Blofeld will return is something of a side-issue for me. I think he's a character that is better left alone in the past, unless he can be portrayed in a manner faithful with the original Bond novels from the hand of Ian Fleming, where he was a very different character than the one we saw in the Bond films, where he was sadly more often than not miscast and the continuity of the novels was badly screwed up.

My thoughts exactly. Save him for the next actor, and make a trilogy loosely based on the Fleming trilogy perhaps. With the right screenwriter, the right director and the right actors, it would be interesting to see IMO.

Dragonpol

Thunderfinger wrote:

Dragonpol wrote:

I think that the Quantum arc must be finished now in the next Craig Bond films. Whether or not Blofeld will return is something of a side-issue for me. I think he's a character that is better left alone in the past, unless he can be portrayed in a manner faithful with the original Bond novels from the hand of Ian Fleming, where he was a very different character than the one we saw in the Bond films, where he was sadly more often than not miscast and the continuity of the novels was badly screwed up.

My thoughts exactly. Save him for the next actor, and make a trilogy loosely based on the Fleming trilogy perhaps. With the right screenwriter, the right director and the right actors, it would be interesting to see IMO.

I very much agree.

Ludovico

Since the Vesper arc "belongs" to the Craig era, so to speak (that does not mean she won't be speaken of in the future), I think introducing Blofeld with the new Bond after Craig may be the best idea for the character and the franchise, ti give a certain impactover the tenure. Fleming's novels had such arcs: SMERSH was te enemy at first, then with détente came SPECTRE.

Dragonpol

Ludovico wrote:

Since the Vesper arc "belongs" to the Craig era, so to speak (that does not mean she won't be speaken of in the future), I think introducing Blofeld with the new Bond after Craig may be the best idea for the character and the franchise, ti give a certain impactover the tenure. Fleming's novels had such arcs: SMERSH was te enemy at first, then with détente came SPECTRE.

Yes, if it has to be done at all, I think it is best to leave it to a new actor as James Bond, not the current one who has enough on his plate with the narrative arc concerning the Quantum organisation. It makes much more sense this way, at least to me.

myworldisenough

As Craig's Bond is a re-boot I like to think of Quantum as being the origins of Blofeld and Spectre. I would like Quantum to reappear in the next Bond film with a young Blofeld as a rising star within Quantum who uses the organisation for his own ends and ultimately betrays them to seize the power and their wealth for himself, destroying Quantum and forming the more deadly and sinister Spectre in its place with him as the undisputed leader, No. 1.

JBFan626

I don't think Blofeld was every properly incarnated in the earlier films. Anthony Dawson was by far the best interpretation, and the mystery of him was set-up brilliantly. Pleasance was a little too crazed, Savalas was a little too casual and indifferent, Grey was all wit but no menace. So based on that, I think there is a ripe opportunity to do Blofeld justice.

But I don't think the time is right just yet to bring him back. Keep the original ideas churning. I think once the series gets the reboot again (a new Bond), then maybe the time will be right to set up a Blofeld saga.

Dragonpol

JBFan626 wrote:

I don't think Blofeld was every properly incarnated in the earlier films. Anthony Dawson was by far the best interpretation, and the mystery of him was set-up brilliantly. Pleasance was a little too crazed, Savalas was a little too casual and indifferent, Grey was all wit but no menace. So based on that, I think there is a ripe opportunity to do Blofeld justice.

But I don't think the time is right just yet to bring him back. Keep the original ideas churning. I think once the series gets the reboot again (a new Bond), then maybe the time will be right to set up a Blofeld saga.

My thoughts exactly. Leave this for the next Bond if it has to be done at all. I'm all for the original approach; the new Blofeld would have to be vastly different from the old to succeed at all.