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That would be a very confusing scenario for all involved, and I have trouble even painting a picture of such an occurence. I did say (I would) no more talk on this, but it seems an issue that won't go away. I can only hope commonsense prevails and this 'idea' simply doesn't go ahead. Been trying to find the right words on this and it appears it's a debate that arouses a certain level of friction with divided parties, but will always be against this (nonsense) belief that Blofeld should figure again in the James Bond universe after 40 redundant years. I don't care if it's all about the reboot aspect of things. It would still seem wholly inappropriate. Just a name I can't recognize in Bond from a 21st century perspective
Blofeld didn't even had that great role in the 60's film more than he had the iconic cat and was bald. Something that could've been forgotten by the genereal audience if it weren't for Austin Powers.
SPECTRE has been done..........
Of course Blofeld is a Joker/Moriarty--he is a recurring villain who has given Bond some of his greatest challenges. Why are people in denial about this?
No--Blofeld was used excellently in FRWL, TB, and OHMSS. Those are the essence of Blofeld. It's a pity some people can only focus on YOLT or DAF--two of the less well-written Bond films.
The commonly-used arguments in this thread sound rather weak to my ears.
"Blofeld has been done." Half well and half badly. And the film series never resolved the conflict between Bond and Blofeld in the way the books did. The character still has a great deal of potential, both as a behind-the-scenes mastermind who figures in the background and as a direct threat to Bond.
"This will ruin the series." Oh ye of little faith! These folks seem to think we're going to get a straight-up rehash of Donald Pleasance stroking a white cat.
"Blofeld belongs to the past." Sure, and Bond is a relic of the cold war! Spectre is a villain for today--a terrorist organization run like international corporation. Two modern boogeymen in one.
"Let's see something original." Sure! How about a villain who collects postage stamps? Since the same people who say this had no problem with a bland Spectre knock-off like Quantum, I assume they don't want something original, just something slightly reheated. If Bond is going to fight a globe-spanning terrorist organization, it will need a ruthless leader, so why not bring back one of the classic Bond villains, the only recurring one? Reworking Blofeld would requires imagination and ingenuity too--which many people on this thread don't seem to have much of, since they assume we're going to get a Donald Pleasance redux. But if the filmmakers could rethink an old standby like Moneypenny, let alone Bond, anything is possible. I think seeing a classic character revitalized is a more satisfying accomplishment than making up a new one for novelty. The core of Blofeld, as described in Fleming's Thunderball remains as potent as ever: a rootless independent operator who sets up a creme-de-la-creme of terrorist networks, comprised of cells of the world's best terrorists, and uses his organization to plays states and crime organizations against each other, on occasion subcontracting services to the very countries Spectre will later stab in the back. In light of private mercenary armies like Blackwater, Spectre actually sounds plausible. That's why I have to shake my head at people who can't see this.
Maybe McClory's rights only covered the film side of things, meaning they could use Blofeld in the computer games?
And 007 Legends doesn't count as evidence that Blofelds return would be a bad thing.
That was my first thought too, about getting the rights back. Why pay for something if you're not going to use it? Blofeld returning at this point wouldn't surprise me and personally I'd be extremely excited for it.
Also agree on Quantum, I've been saying the same thing for a while now. The only people who want Quantum back are fanboys/girls like us (although personally I wouldn't give a toss if they were never mentioned again). The producers won't want to harken back to QOS, especially after the massive success of SF. I think they could return but the chance of that happening is very slim.
*I'm not counting organisations with no recurring characters such as SMERSH and the Spangled Mob. I suppose you could count Mr White but he was hardly in CR.
Blofeld could be anyone in an upcoming film instead. Why bring him back as the leader of Quantum (or a quazi-SPECRTRE) it will just be shoehorned in and confusing.
Yet another case of 'I'm right, you're wrong. What I say is truth and I'm not going to listen to whatever anyone else has to say'.
Although I disagree with you two about Quantum, I agree about MGm and Danjaq's intentions. Regardless of whether or not it is a good idea to bring Blofeld back, they seem to be at least considering this seriously.
To be fair I'd say both sides are guilty of this, people who don't want Blofeld back have been doing the same.
"It will be a big mistake if EON brings back Blofeld and Spectre. End of story."
@thelivingroyale, I don't want Blofeld back - it won't be the end of the world if he does, return, though - but not once have I come across as that. Just want to let it be known I'm not part of that "majority" or whatever that you're describing.
You're absolutely right of course but I'm sure whoever wrote that comment didn't also try to insinuate that anyone who disagreed with it "lacked imagination".
But those were all one off characters created for specific films. Bringing back the likes of Goldfinger and Trevelayn would mean you'd have to essentially remake GF and GE.
Blofeld was a recurring villain, not tied down to one story, and there have been lots of different versions of the character.
I'm fine if people want Blofeld back. I'm just tired of these egotistical threads passing opinions that Blofeld will be back like it's fact when it's not. Will he be back? Maybe. I'm all for accepting opinions but I've said it over and over again. It just seems like fan service to me.
I think Blofeld was a much more interesting character than anyone introduced in Quantum so far, they already have good material to work with in the books, and his return would drum up some interest for the film because he's an iconic villain.
But what is the specific reason to bring back Blofeld? Why just him? Sure, he was menacing and he is iconic but i don't see the use of him in the contemporary movies.
Now this is possibly interesting. Rachel Weisz was mentioned previously - and would certainly generate some publicity - but I think someone like Tilda Swinton would pull of the malevolence of playing Blofeld better.
Yes you heard me right folks - if we're going to bring back SPECTRE and Blofeld then lets shake it up a bit.
How about this for a scene early on - Bond is sent by M to investigate a mysterious woman, shags her, then in the morning the cat leaps into the bed and snuggles up to her. When Bond goes in for a kiss it viciously claws out at him causing the famous scar!?
As you might have guessed - I've been drinking.
Mind you I would much prefer this than bringing back the tedious Quantum. As someone already said they are merely a poor man's SPECTRE and there's very little desire from any quarter to see them back.
I completely agree. The general public, even those who didn't care either way about QUANTUM, will ask eternal questions about what happened to them until they are sent packing. It would be shoddy storytelling not to resolve a very large threat they spent two movies focusing on. I completely disagree that they were properly written off, White, Haines, and others are still out there, including an unintroduced leader because it sure wasn't Greene.
That said, if I go by the comments made by John Logan, he did say that Bond should always fight Blofeld. But nothing about SPECTRE, which to be frank is an acronym that is very passe in this day and age. Most of the general public know QUANTUM and not SPECTRE. It will be a lot easier to introduce Blofeld as the leader of a still leaderless QUANTUM to start, and then logically take it from there. People who say otherwise just want to get rid of QUANTUM for their own personal reasons and it wouldn't be in the best interest of the series to drop them cold.
I agree that they should first and foremost finish the Quantum arc, so to speak. White, Haines, the others have to be properly sent off.
I am not sure if making Blofeld the leader of Quantum is a good idea though, although yes, the acronym SPECTRE is maybe a bit dated. And let's not forget that in the novels Blofeld survived his organisations AND created some before SPECTRE: RAHIR and TARTAR I think. So you could have him as head of Quantum. Or a Blofeld-like character, sans the name.
That said, if they are going to use Blofeld, which I think given the latest developments is a definite possibility (or at least way more serious hypothesis than ten years ago), maybe they should do it for Craig's successor, to give the future Bond actor some arc to work on.
I'd be happy with what I bolded above.
I'm not going to mind if Blofeld returns, I just don't want it. I'd rather keep Quantum separate, and since the demise of that organization is still unfinished, I'd enjoy Quantum's return with a female heading the organization. Bring back SPECTRE or Blofeld or whatever, I don't mind, it's just not what I prefer.
I hate to break it to you but:
1. 95% of the general public already forgot all about Quantum about 5 minutes after they left the cinema. SF didn't address the unresolved questions about Quantum and where was the public outcry as it was powering to $1 billion?
2. The public just go to a Bond film, as they have done for 50 years, for some action, adventure, beautiful girls, gadgets and good old fashioned entertainment. It's a matter of supreme indifference to them to have a continual story arc running through the films. If this mattered then the series would have ended after from FRWL (and counting that as a sequel to DN is a stretch given the only reference is Kronsteen's comment about the death of DN).
The whole Quantum thing might be a massive issue to some people on here but we represent about 0.00001% of EON's target audience. The impression you get is everyone concerned realised QOS was a bit of a misstep and they are overjoyed to get back on track with SF. I don't really see why they will feel the need to unearth memories of QOS by reintroducing the lacklustre Quantum given that most of the audience has already forgotten it and doesn't really care anyway.
Bang on.
There's a big difference between using a title from the author of the original book series for one of the films and resurrecting a villain and organization whose last appearances were 42 years ago (32 if you count For Your Eyes Only, and 46 if you don't count On Her Majesty's Secret Service and Diamonds are Forever), possibly exist in a different continuity, and who have already been turned into a complete caricature of themselves in the popular imagination.
Who said anything about resurrecting an organisation? I only referenced the character. CR was written 53 years before making it to the silver screen courtesy of EON. Did the character Le Chiffre suffer as a consequence? No. I'd much rather see an updated character than a title shoe-horned into a movie just to appear more Fleming. There are people on this forum who haven't even read the Blofeld trilogy of novels, yet they are against the idea of his appearance in future outings. Not one single person is advocating an Austin Powers Blofeld, they are merely suggesting that with a little imagination Bond's greatest adversary could well return.
I've said what I want to say. I feel with all this "general" talk that my words are being misconstrued or exaggerated. Quantum might return, it might not. Blofeld might return, he might not. We'll see in the next few years. There's really nothing more to be said, either we want him to return or we don't. I tire of being called a 'non-fan' (or even being hinted at it) because I don't want him to return just yet.
Fair enough about not bringing back SPECTRE, although I'm sure I've seen on here at some point or another. The example of Le Chiffre isn't comparable to Blofeld, since that was the first adaptation of Casino Royale (not counting the Climax! TV version or the 1967 version), and you couldn't really cut the main antagonist of the novel out of the film version. And I know nobody wants Dr. Evil in a Bond movie, but Austin Powers has reduced Blofeld to that caricature in the mind of the public, and any reintroduction of Blofeld would be hurt by that perception. If they keep the old Blofeld, then people will laugh at him for being Dr. Evil, and if they change Blofeld, people will laugh at him (or her, if it winds up being Tilda Swinton) for not being Dr. Evil. Perhaps they could work in some of Blofeld's character or plans (looking at you, Garden of Death) into a new adversary, but Ernst Stavro Blofeld's time has passed. Let the brilliance of 1963-1969 live on.
And there's nothing wrong with using a Fleming title even if the work isn't a full adaptation. It's just a title and, while it's good to have a good title and good to have Fleming, it doesn't make or break the movies.
Why? Why does he have to be the head of anything? Can't he be in the employ of a terrorist organisation or a gun-for-hire that slowly, methodically, rises to power? There's so much that could be done. Hell, he could simply be the OHMSS Blofeld, an older character who has slipped under the radar for decades. Like I said, imagination. Quantum is nowhere near as tantalising as an updated Blofeld. Not even close.