Who should/could be a Bond actor?

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  • Posts: 15,110
    With The Suicide Squad coming out this weekend how long do you think it will take for the Idris Elba Bond rumors to start again?

    The guy is very nearly the same age as Craig. He might have made a good Bond once upon a time and I'm looking forward to seeing him in The Suicide Squad, but I trust even the tabloids will realize now he was never a realistic successor for Craig.

    It's the case of a lot of names brought forward by the tabloids. They're like ten years behind in the list of potential Bonds and they haven't even noticed it.
  • Ludovico wrote: »
    With The Suicide Squad coming out this weekend how long do you think it will take for the Idris Elba Bond rumors to start again?

    The guy is very nearly the same age as Craig. He might have made a good Bond once upon a time and I'm looking forward to seeing him in The Suicide Squad, but I trust even the tabloids will realize now he was never a realistic successor for Craig.

    It's the case of a lot of names brought forward by the tabloids. They're like ten years behind in the list of potential Bonds and they haven't even noticed it.

    That's just the thing. You can't look at contemporaries of the current Bond as potential successors. You have to be looking at the next generation, and few would be able to predict who among them could really fit the bill until the time comes.
  • Posts: 15,110
    Ludovico wrote: »
    With The Suicide Squad coming out this weekend how long do you think it will take for the Idris Elba Bond rumors to start again?

    The guy is very nearly the same age as Craig. He might have made a good Bond once upon a time and I'm looking forward to seeing him in The Suicide Squad, but I trust even the tabloids will realize now he was never a realistic successor for Craig.

    It's the case of a lot of names brought forward by the tabloids. They're like ten years behind in the list of potential Bonds and they haven't even noticed it.

    That's just the thing. You can't look at contemporaries of the current Bond as potential successors. You have to be looking at the next generation, and few would be able to predict who among them could really fit the bill until the time comes.
    And even actors a decade younger than Craig are too old to succeed him.
  • Goldeneye1994Goldeneye1994 Milford, Michigan
    Posts: 14
    I honestly think the next bond is going to be born in the 90s.
  • Posts: 16,153
    Realistically, we really need to be looking at actors between 15 and 20 and imagine what they might be like when they reach an appropriate Bond age range.
    I think we'll need to repeat the entire length of Craig's run before Barbara gets around to prepping B26 then recasting. In the meantime, the media with continue with the Elba rumors.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,203
    I predict an announcement of a new Bond within 3 years and he will be between 32 and 37 years old ; so actors now in their early to early/ mid thirties are now in the pool. Lowden and Hoult are my top two…. at the moment 😁
  • Posts: 1,630
    Have you SEEN Idris Elba in films and pictures ? He looks just fine. Not someone who would fall over in a stiff breeze. Tall, built, distinctive, not some bland generically handsome guy. When his characters get in a fight it is believable, and you believe he can win the fight.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,203
    Since62 wrote: »
    Have you SEEN Idris Elba in films and pictures ? He looks just fine. Not someone who would fall over in a stiff breeze. Tall, built, distinctive, not some bland generically handsome guy. When his characters get in a fight it is believable, and you believe he can win the fight.

    Absolutely suitable to play a suave spy, but not Bond.

  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,359
    I think if he could have poshed up a bit (as all the other Bonds did) he would have made a fine 007. He’s got everything it needs, and it’s especially helpful that a lot of women find him swoonsome.
  • Jordo007Jordo007 Merseyside
    Posts: 2,641
    I honestly think the next bond is going to be born in the 90s.

    I'll have to find my bow tie 🍸
  • sandbagger1sandbagger1 Sussex
    Posts: 936
    With the Covid crisis still ongoing and box-office takings not being what they were, does anyone think we might be looking at a scaled-down Bond franchise in the future? Or even that they might struggle to get funding for a new movie, at least until people are going back to the cinemas in the numbers they used to (if that actually happens)?
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,359
    With the Covid crisis still ongoing and box-office takings not being what they were, does anyone think we might be looking at a scaled-down Bond franchise in the future? Or even that they might struggle to get funding for a new movie, at least until people are going back to the cinemas in the numbers they used to (if that actually happens)?

    I think if they can make the next movie to the sort of budget Skyfall had rather than to the larger Spectre one, it should be fine.

    Do we know what sort of budget NTTD had?
  • Posts: 2,160
    mtm wrote: »
    With the Covid crisis still ongoing and box-office takings not being what they were, does anyone think we might be looking at a scaled-down Bond franchise in the future? Or even that they might struggle to get funding for a new movie, at least until people are going back to the cinemas in the numbers they used to (if that actually happens)?

    I think if they can make the next movie to the sort of budget Skyfall had rather than to the larger Spectre one, it should be fine.

    Do we know what sort of budget NTTD had?

    $250m for the final version, and probably another $50m for the aborted Boyle version, so all in all probably $300m.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,359
    Getting up there then. Good point about the Boyle one, some say they'd started building sets.
  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 15,132
    I’d be thinking the budget for Bond 26 will be somewhere in the region of $150-200 million.
  • sandbagger1sandbagger1 Sussex
    Posts: 936
    Benny wrote: »
    I’d be thinking the budget for Bond 26 will be somewhere in the region of $150-200 million.

    I'd definitely expect a drop, because no one will be sure about the new guy replacing Craig. I'm not sure precisely how movie financing works, but I think if some of it is from investors and product placement, those people won't find the first non-Craig Bond such an attractive proposition.
  • DoctorNoDoctorNo USA-Maryland
    Posts: 755
    I would think the budget would be scaled down due to the changing market, not just no more Craig, but with Amazon involved, their pockets are so deep, who knows…
  • Posts: 1,630
    talos7 wrote: »
    Since62 wrote: »
    Have you SEEN Idris Elba in films and pictures ? He looks just fine. Not someone who would fall over in a stiff breeze. Tall, built, distinctive, not some bland generically handsome guy. When his characters get in a fight it is believable, and you believe he can win the fight.

    Absolutely suitable to play a suave spy, but not Bond.

    ??? Based on WHAT ? Sean Connery did not have blue/grey eyes or jet black hair, but he sure made a terrific Bond. What Connery did bring was strength, conviction, height, a strong build, sex appeal and swagger. I've seen people tout a bunch of pathetically generic handsome lads on here who'd tip over in a stiff breeze, and would never be believable in a fight. Watch The Take, in which Elba appears with the (proposed by many folks on here) Richard Madden and the comparison becomes very obvious very quickly. Madden's character even self-disparagingly compares himself with Elba's character with regard to the physicality aspect. As for Elba's age -- he's in fine shape, as can be seen in any of his films. He looks fitter than past Bond actors did at younger ages.
  • Posts: 15,110
    Since62 wrote: »
    Have you SEEN Idris Elba in films and pictures ? He looks just fine. Not someone who would fall over in a stiff breeze. Tall, built, distinctive, not some bland generically handsome guy. When his characters get in a fight it is believable, and you believe he can win the fight.

    All other considerations aside, he's too old now.
  • JamesCraigJamesCraig Ancient Rome
    Posts: 3,497
    George Lazenby wants.....Margot Robbie?!?



    Heck, say what you want about a 'female Bond', but just tell me who I need to kill to get a Margot Robbie-led spy franchise.

    (To be honest, this was just an excuse for me to spend a few minutes googling Margot and posting photos for our perusal before the whole 'woke' debate heats up - Bond shouldn't be a woman)


    Officially lost his marbles. Never liked him as Bond, for obvious and logical reasons, but I like him even less now. Grats to Lazenby earning another 15 seconds of fame through an online rag.

    P.s. Thought you were playing for the other team @Pierce2Daniel

    We all want Margot Robbie, Scarlett will always be my muse, but I'm quite flexible.
  • Posts: 3,327
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Since62 wrote: »
    Have you SEEN Idris Elba in films and pictures ? He looks just fine. Not someone who would fall over in a stiff breeze. Tall, built, distinctive, not some bland generically handsome guy. When his characters get in a fight it is believable, and you believe he can win the fight.

    All other considerations aside, he's too old now.

    Exactly! You have to consider longevity, and how long the actor will realistically last in a series of films, not just one movie.
  • Posts: 15,110
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Since62 wrote: »
    Have you SEEN Idris Elba in films and pictures ? He looks just fine. Not someone who would fall over in a stiff breeze. Tall, built, distinctive, not some bland generically handsome guy. When his characters get in a fight it is believable, and you believe he can win the fight.

    All other considerations aside, he's too old now.

    Exactly! You have to consider longevity, and how long the actor will realistically last in a series of films, not just one movie.
    Elba looks very good for his age, but he very much looks his age. Even if he didn't, time would have its toll sooner rather than later.
  • Posts: 3,327
    Since62 wrote: »
    talos7 wrote: »
    Since62 wrote: »
    Have you SEEN Idris Elba in films and pictures ? He looks just fine. Not someone who would fall over in a stiff breeze. Tall, built, distinctive, not some bland generically handsome guy. When his characters get in a fight it is believable, and you believe he can win the fight.

    Absolutely suitable to play a suave spy, but not Bond.

    ??? Based on WHAT ? Sean Connery did not have blue/grey eyes or jet black hair, but he sure made a terrific Bond. What Connery did bring was strength, conviction, height, a strong build, sex appeal and swagger. I've seen people tout a bunch of pathetically generic handsome lads on here who'd tip over in a stiff breeze, and would never be believable in a fight. Watch The Take, in which Elba appears with the (proposed by many folks on here) Richard Madden and the comparison becomes very obvious very quickly. Madden's character even self-disparagingly compares himself with Elba's character with regard to the physicality aspect. As for Elba's age -- he's in fine shape, as can be seen in any of his films. He looks fitter than past Bond actors did at younger ages.

    If we can get past the fact that he is black, and not at all in line with the original Fleming description (yes, I know Moore and Craig had different hair colour, and Connery and Laz had different eye colour - but these are minor discrepancies aside).

    Different skin colour and background origin takes on whole new level in adapting and modernising a colonial white old-fashioned British character written in the 1950's. If we eradicate that part too, is this really Ian Fleming's James Bond anymore, or just another modern action superspy?

    You could argue its never really been fully Fleming Bond on screen (other than early Connery, Laz and Dalton), but the essence of the 1950's character is still evident in all the performances from all the actors, despite the different direction in the movies over the years.

    Looking at all the actors, they are not a million miles away from the physical description Fleming gave Bond all those years ago. Craig, Dalton, Brozza and Moore had the eyes, Dalton, Brozza, Laz and Connery had the hair. But they all tallied up overall in a fashion to what Fleming described in the books, if they are still anything to go by. I know some of you don't care less about the books, or Fleming, so this argument will be wasted on you. To me, I personally want an actor that physically matches exactly what Fleming described, no matter what era the new films appear in - but that's just me.

    Getting past the skin colour, Elba is way past his sell-by date now. How would Elba look at the end of his Bond reign? Come to think of it, how old would he look mid-way through his Bond reign.
  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 15,132
    Great post @jetsetwilly . I wonder if an actor like Jamie Bell would be someone that could display the characteristics you mention, when it comes to playing an Ian Fleming type Bond. He's not classically handsome, but looks fine. But he has a ruggedness and steely quality too him as well. He'd be a left field choice similar to Craig. But would he pass as a Fleming Bond?
    He's certainly not my first choice, but he's a good actor, and I could see EON having him on their shortlist.
  • sandbagger1sandbagger1 Sussex
    edited August 2021 Posts: 936
    Jamie Bell is a name that has come up before. He's a decent actor, but if IMDb stats are accurate (and admittedly, they might not be), at 5'7'' he's really going to make the production sweat a bit to make him look tall. I think if height really isn't a deal breaker for Eon, then he's still less likely than the more prestigious Jack O'Connell (5' 7½", very well respected, though I think he'd need to 'posh up' his accent, something that can blunt the force of an actor's talent, imo).

    Then again, I seem to remember that Barbara Broccoli produced one of Jamie Bell's films, so maybe that might swing things in his direction
  • Posts: 6,709
    Great post, @jetsetwilly. Lucid.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited August 2021 Posts: 16,359
    Since62 wrote: »
    talos7 wrote: »
    Since62 wrote: »
    Have you SEEN Idris Elba in films and pictures ? He looks just fine. Not someone who would fall over in a stiff breeze. Tall, built, distinctive, not some bland generically handsome guy. When his characters get in a fight it is believable, and you believe he can win the fight.

    Absolutely suitable to play a suave spy, but not Bond.

    ??? Based on WHAT ? Sean Connery did not have blue/grey eyes or jet black hair, but he sure made a terrific Bond. What Connery did bring was strength, conviction, height, a strong build, sex appeal and swagger. I've seen people tout a bunch of pathetically generic handsome lads on here who'd tip over in a stiff breeze, and would never be believable in a fight. Watch The Take, in which Elba appears with the (proposed by many folks on here) Richard Madden and the comparison becomes very obvious very quickly. Madden's character even self-disparagingly compares himself with Elba's character with regard to the physicality aspect. As for Elba's age -- he's in fine shape, as can be seen in any of his films. He looks fitter than past Bond actors did at younger ages.

    If we can get past the fact that he is black, and not at all in line with the original Fleming description (yes, I know Moore and Craig had different hair colour, and Connery and Laz had different eye colour - but these are minor discrepancies aside).

    Different skin colour and background origin takes on whole new level in adapting and modernising a colonial white old-fashioned British character written in the 1950's. If we eradicate that part too, is this really Ian Fleming's James Bond anymore, or just another modern action superspy?

    They're not playing a character written in the 50s any more though. If it were set in the 50s, sure that would be a bigger issue. Is there much 'colonial' about Craig's Bond? Or Brosnan's? Fleming's Bond fought in WW2 and battled the Russians in the Cold War- is it really Bond if he doesn't do that? Elba is too old to start now though, yes.
    Benny wrote: »
    Great post @jetsetwilly . I wonder if an actor like Jamie Bell would be someone that could display the characteristics you mention, when it comes to playing an Ian Fleming type Bond. He's not classically handsome, but looks fine. But he has a ruggedness and steely quality too him as well. He'd be a left field choice similar to Craig. But would he pass as a Fleming Bond?
    He's certainly not my first choice, but he's a good actor, and I could see EON having him on their shortlist.

    Steel yourself for an avalanche of "he's too short!" posts :D
  • DenbighDenbigh UK
    Posts: 5,970
    Honestly, I trust in EON whoever they choose. No matter what.
  • Posts: 16,153
    Good points, @jetsetwilly. Each of the actors have had something of Fleming's creation in them, and they do all tally up to the man in the books. That was a good analysis.
    Deviate too far from what Fleming wrote and you might as well also change the character's name and occupation.
    Seems to me, and I could be way off, but these days it seems ANY actor in his 30s and from the UK could be considered for Bond. That just doesn't ring true for me. Someone may be a good, or even great actor, but that doesn't always make them right for the role.
    Hypothetically, say had Al Pacino been cast as Superman, I'd have probably felt I was watching Pacino play Superman rather than see the actual character on the screen.

  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,203
    Benny wrote: »
    Great post @jetsetwilly . I wonder if an actor like Jamie Bell would be someone that could display the characteristics you mention, when it comes to playing an Ian Fleming type Bond. He's not classically handsome, but looks fine. But he has a ruggedness and steely quality too him as well. He'd be a left field choice similar to Craig. But would he pass as a Fleming Bond?
    He's certainly not my first choice, but he's a good actor, and I could see EON having him on their shortlist.

    Shortlist? Lol, that’s about right.
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