Who should/could be a Bond actor?

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  • Posts: 230
    Probably been discussed but Richard Madden and Rege-Jean Page are the two I can see. Need someone smoother to provide a contrast to Craig.
  • Posts: 15,114
    CountJohn wrote: »
    Probably been discussed but Richard Madden and Rege-Jean Page are the two I can see. Need someone smoother to provide a contrast to Craig.

    I think they both lost their chance a few years ago already.
  • George_KaplanGeorge_Kaplan Being chauffeured by Tibbett
    Posts: 680
    I just saw La Chimera (the only showing in my city). I won't say I've been won over to the idea of Josh O'Connor as Bond, but I can definitely see what others see in him. He's very believable as a dangerous yet vulnerable rogue and he has a great effortless quality about him. He never comes across like he's trying too hard. If it's to be taken as such, it wasn't a bad 'Bond audition' at all. He spends much of the film in a cream linen suit and some of the early scenes in the Italian countryside gave me FYEO vibes. I wouldn't be too disappointed if they picked him.
  • sandbagger1sandbagger1 Sussex
    Posts: 941
    I just saw La Chimera (the only showing in my city). I won't say I've been won over to the idea of Josh O'Connor as Bond, but I can definitely see what others see in him. He's very believable as a dangerous yet vulnerable rogue and he has a great effortless quality about him. He never comes across like he's trying too hard. If it's to be taken as such, it wasn't a bad 'Bond audition' at all. He spends much of the film in a cream linen suit and some of the early scenes in the Italian countryside gave me FYEO vibes. I wouldn't be too disappointed if they picked him.

    Pretty much how I felt after seeing La Chimera. Not won over exactly, but definitely thinking he's not as crazy a choice as I originally thought.
  • edited November 8 Posts: 15,114
    Need to check that film then.
  • George_KaplanGeorge_Kaplan Being chauffeured by Tibbett
    edited November 10 Posts: 680
    I'm considering seeing Gladiator 2 when that comes out since Paul Mescal's been discussed quite a bit here.

    UPDATE:
    I'm seeing it later this week so I'll share my thoughts on Mescal then.
  • Posts: 1,630
    Hope you find it supercedes my impression, which might be most efficiently defined as follows: Meh-scal
  • Posts: 15,114
    Since62 wrote: »
    Hope you find it supercedes my impression, which might be most efficiently defined as follows: Meh-scal

    The new Sam Worthington?
  • Posts: 346
    The Independent newspaper has a negative take on the search for the next James Bond.
    Daniel Craig doesn’t care about the next James Bond – at this point, who does?

    Poor old Daniel Craig. Every interview he ever does brings the same turgid question: “Who do you want to be the next James Bond?” Ever since he quit the franchise in 2021, that query has been pelted at him like rotten fruit at a creaky Elizabethan actor; he’ll probably be answering it until the day he dies. When, 100 years from now, a particularly well-connected psychic manages to summon Craig’s spirit back from the afterlife, you can bet it’ll be this subject on which his ghost is interrogated. And even then, he’ll surely give the same response that he did this week: “I don’t care.”

    The problem, for Bond studio MGM and producer Barbara Broccoli, is that many 007 fans are starting to feel the same way.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/james-bond-next-who-daniel-craig-b2643766.html

    The success of Goldeneye - six years after the previous Bond film - would suggest a long-ish gap isn't a major problem. Fans returned to Bond in 1995 so there's no obvious reason why fans won't return to see Bond 26. It's possible some fans may be less reluctant to pay to see Bond 26 if they think killing off Bond was unacceptable. My guess is a small minority of fans will boycott Bond 26 or wait for it on streaming.

    It's possible Eon did dig themselves an unnecessary hole by killing off Bond. Perhaps Eon never gave much thought to "what happens if we kill off Bond?" Maybe they were a tad reckless or lacking a long term plan when they made No Time To Die? It's hard to know for sure because we have no idea where the franchise is heading. Amazon appear to have a wait and see policy so it doesn't look as if they're putting any pressure on Eon to get things moving. Bond 26 could be a fresh reboot with a clear vision or be plagued with indecision, endless rewrites. 🤔 But my gut feeling is when the first trailer hits online, people will get excited and care about the James Bond film franchise.
  • George_KaplanGeorge_Kaplan Being chauffeured by Tibbett
    edited November 12 Posts: 680
    Daniel Craig doesn’t care about the next James Bond – at this point, who does?

    Poor old Daniel Craig. Every interview he ever does brings the same turgid question: “Who do you want to be the next James Bond?” Ever since he quit the franchise in 2021, that query has been pelted at him like rotten fruit at a creaky Elizabethan actor; he’ll probably be answering it until the day he dies. When, 100 years from now, a particularly well-connected psychic manages to summon Craig’s spirit back from the afterlife, you can bet it’ll be this subject on which his ghost is interrogated. And even then, he’ll surely give the same response that he did this week: “I don’t care.”

    The problem, for Bond studio MGM and producer Barbara Broccoli, is that many 007 fans are starting to feel the same way.

    How exactly does the author know fans don't care about Bond anymore? I know plenty of people are getting impatient which is understandable, if not justified. But that doesn't indicate a lack of interest to me, quite the opposite in fact.

    Negative takes like this are par for the course at this point, only now with rather pathetic attempts to tie the series in with the "culture war" like this article does.

    People will show up for the next Bond, no matter how long it takes.
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 14,568
    Do I still care about Bond? Just "try and stop me, you jumped-up little shit".
  • BMT164BMT164 So Cal
    Posts: 6
    Oliver Jackson Cohen if moving into a current arc, or reinvent the whole thing with Bronson as aged but connect Bond and his son in flashback to build how he became Bond,
  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    edited November 12 Posts: 15,133
    BMT164 wrote: »
    Oliver Jackson Cohen if moving into a current arc, or reinvent the whole thing with Bronson as aged but connect Bond and his son in flashback to build how he became Bond,

    Welcome to the forum @BMT164, hope you enjoy your time here.
    Do you mean Pierce Brosnan or an actor with the surname Bronson?

    Oliver Jackson Cohen isn’t a bad pick.
    They could do worse.
  • George_KaplanGeorge_Kaplan Being chauffeured by Tibbett
    Posts: 680
    Since I'm on a roll with films starring potential Bond actors, can anyone recommend anything with either Callum Turner or Leo Suter?
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 14,568
    Benny wrote: »
    Do you mean Pierce Brosnan or an actor with the surname Bronson?
    Aaron Taylor Bronson, that actor with the manly voice.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,368
    Daniel Craig doesn’t care about the next James Bond – at this point, who does?

    Poor old Daniel Craig. Every interview he ever does brings the same turgid question: “Who do you want to be the next James Bond?” Ever since he quit the franchise in 2021, that query has been pelted at him like rotten fruit at a creaky Elizabethan actor; he’ll probably be answering it until the day he dies. When, 100 years from now, a particularly well-connected psychic manages to summon Craig’s spirit back from the afterlife, you can bet it’ll be this subject on which his ghost is interrogated. And even then, he’ll surely give the same response that he did this week: “I don’t care.”

    The problem, for Bond studio MGM and producer Barbara Broccoli, is that many 007 fans are starting to feel the same way.

    How exactly does the author know fans don't care about Bond anymore?

    They need to fill a few hundred words, and they saw a post on social media which pulled that Craig quote out from the Variety clip. People always read stuff about Bond, so that'll do, type it up on the train to work.
  • Posts: 1,332
    I don't think there are many obvious contenders for James Bond either.

    I mean, where are the new Hugh Jackman, Eric Bana, Jude Law...?

    It's normal that there are people who don't care.
  • It's just me, and my vision. I don't think any other actor has one.
  • BMT164BMT164 So Cal
    Posts: 6
    Pierce Brosnan (was typing too fast), and his look alike younger son, different take on building the backstory of becoming bond, throw current world crisis items with old Bond retired but somehow connected to mi6 saving day , plus might give 27, 28 a new actor to move with?
  • edited November 12 Posts: 4,133
    I think there’s a lot of hindsight with picking a Bond actor on our end. We say there are no obvious contenders - perhaps that’s true, although it’s worth saying auditions haven’t begun yet. I’m sure no one outside of EON would have thought Daniel Craig the obvious favourite in 2005, but that was seemingly the case. Plenty of actors below 35 with obvious talent, charisma, and star quality are around today and have been mentioned on these forums. The biggest issue is many are so relatively early in their careers a lot of us wouldn’t see it, and even some of the more notable ones would be picked apart by many of us (you’re telling me if we were back in ‘05 none of us would criticise Jude Law, Eric Bana or Hugh Jackman if they were brought up for the role? I’m actually doubtful how big a star or at least screen presence Bana was in practice).

    If there aren’t any ‘obvious contenders’ it’s always going to be from our point of view. Even just by virtue of none of us having anything to do with the selection and audition process. Arguably there are more potentials than there has ever been, although at the end of the day it’s a case of picking from a pool of options, not crowning the pre-destined ‘chosen one’.
  • Posts: 1,332
    Yes, but the issue is these guys are unknown, or they are ugly or whatever. They are boring contenders for the media and the public.

  • Posts: 346
    I don't think there are many obvious contenders for James Bond either.

    I mean, where are the new Hugh Jackman, Eric Bana, Jude Law...?

    It's normal that there are people who don't care.

    I'd say in the 2000s decade Clive Owen, Hugh Jackman were the most mentioned names in the media. Daniel Craig and Henry Cavill were never mentioned? Craig came to attention in Layer Cake but unknown to most film goers. Cavill was a tv actor. Prior to 2005 I'd never seen Craig or Cavill in anything so they were unknown to me.

    Front forward to mid to late 2010s decade and Henry Cavill, Idris Elba, Tom Hiddleston, Aidan Turner were the main names. In 2024 Aaron Taylor-Johnson appears to be the most prominent name.

    Guys like Rege-Jean Page, James Norton, Richard Madden got media attention due to appearing in popular tv shows but when the shows ended and people moved on to the next popular tv show, these guys seemed less likely to have a chance of playing Bond. It's possible Theo James may be another example. In six months time people may have moved on from him.
  • Posts: 4,133
    Yes, but the issue is these guys are unknown, or they are ugly or whatever. They are boring contenders for the media and the public.

    They may well be for the public to discuss (after all, it’s much easier talking about an A-Lister or more well known actor as Bond rather than trying to imagine a lesser known one in the role). But at the end of the day those bigger names aren’t likely to even be considered, so it makes little difference once we actually get a Bond.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,288
    Another Leo that I mentioned before. His star is definitely on the rise, and he's the right age.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Woodall
  • Posts: 15,114
    Benny wrote: »
    BMT164 wrote: »
    Oliver Jackson Cohen if moving into a current arc, or reinvent the whole thing with Bronson as aged but connect Bond and his son in flashback to build how he became Bond,

    Welcome to the forum @BMT164, hope you enjoy your time here.
    Do you mean Pierce Brosnan or an actor with the surname Bronson?

    Oliver Jackson Cohen isn’t a bad pick.
    They could do worse.

    Given his age, he'd need to be cast now. Interesting background, British but with a fair deal of diverse/continental roots, both Jewish and French from his father. I read he even attended a French lycée. Sort of Bondian, come to think of it.
  • edited November 12 Posts: 111
    I'm just about old enough to remember Roger Moore being announced as the new Bond and have followed any talk of a new Bond avidly through the years. It's my opinion that with each new Bond since then, the pool of actors available has become weaker. Today if you look at actors in their late 20s to 35 I think we're really struggling.

    It's interesting to look at diversity on UK TV and how it might affect the casting of Bond 7. This is The Creative Diversity Network's latest Diamond report which takes us up to July 2023.

    https://creativediversitynetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Standard-main-Report_Diamond-The-Seventh-Cut_CDN_12-Sept-2024pdf.pdf

    On-screen contributions in drama on page 45 are as follows -

    Women 51.6%

    Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic 30.7%

    Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual 17.3%

    By my reckoning straight white males in UK dramas are now as low as somewhere around 25%.

    To date Bond has always been played by a straight white male and I'm not saying this should always be the case. That's an argument I never care to get into. Certainly, we're in a position where the pool of straight white male actors has shrunk considerably, and the casting of a minority in the role has never seemed more likely.

    These figures alone do not tell the whole story. For instance they don't break down lead roles, and it's my suspicion that women are dominating in this regard. At least it seems to me that there is a glut of middle-aged female detectives at the moment.

    Then there is the type of males that are making it onto our screens. There are few, if any, debonair or masculine heroes on screen. I can't think of one UK action series currently on air. There is no-one like Patrick McGoohan, Lewis Collins or Sean Bean anymore.

    This post has been about British TV rather than film, but I suspect we're in the same position with what's left of the British film industry. So good luck to Barbara Broccoli. She's got some tough decisions to make.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,368
    We've just been talking about Day of the Jackal in the other thread which has only just started, and that's for one.
  • CigaretteLeiterCigaretteLeiter United States
    Posts: 107
    007HallY wrote: »
    True. I would honestly say this is the worst example as well.

    Roger_Moore_650_841_64_c1.jpg

    Not quite as jarring as the others, but something about Roger Moore's early career as a sweater model just doesn't scream Bond.

    Good god, I looked just like that at nineteen.

    At this rate, the next movie won't come out till my thirties, and a few student films gives me a shade more acting experience than Lazenby....
  • Posts: 15,114
    I'm just about old enough to remember Roger Moore being announced as the new Bond and have followed any talk of a new Bond avidly through the years. It's my opinion that with each new Bond since then, the pool of actors available has become weaker. Today if you look at actors in their late 20s to 35 I think we're really struggling.

    It's interesting to look at diversity on UK TV and how it might effect the casting of Bond 7. This is The Creative Diversity Network's latest Diamond report which takes us up to July 2023.

    https://creativediversitynetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Standard-main-Report_Diamond-The-Seventh-Cut_CDN_12-Sept-2024pdf.pdf

    On-screen contributions in drama on page 45 are as follows -

    Women 51.6%

    Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic 30.7%

    Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual 17.3%

    By my reckoning straight white males in UK dramas are now as low as somewhere around 25%.

    To date Bond has always been played by a straight white male and I'm not saying this should always be the case. That's an argument I never care to get into. Certainly, we're in a position where the pool of straight white male actors has shrunk considerably, and the casting of a minority in the role has never seemed more likely.

    These figures alone do not tell the whole story. For instance they don't break down lead roles, and it's my suspicion that women are dominating in this regard. At least it seems to me that there is a glut of middle-aged female detectives at the moment.

    Then there is the type of males that are making it onto our screens. There are few, if any, debonair or masculine heroes on screen. I can't think of one UK action series currently on air. There is no-one like Patrick McGoohan, Lewis Collins or Sean Bean anymore.

    This post has been about British TV rather than film, but I suspect we're in the same position with what's left of the British film industry. So good luck to Barbara Broccoli. She's got some tough decisions to make.

    Bond is a straight white male, but he can be played by a gay white male or a bi white male. I'm not advocating for Luke Evans as Bond, but he pretty much made his career playing straight tough guys.
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