Is the cast of 'Skyfall' the biggest Bond star cast ever?

2

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  • Posts: 297
    IIRC those plans for a huge cast of top stars for the 'Thunderball' project were originally intended to attract (mainly American) audiences who didn't know 'James Bond' yet, or considered him a poor man's Mike Hammer. 'Around the World in 80 Days' from 1956 was a model there, featuring countless cameos by some of the most popular and renown names of the time. McClory was one of the producers and Fleming supposedly hoped he would be able to pull another such thing for him.

    EON on the other hand decided to play their Bond safe and did not immediately shell out for huge names, preferring to make their stars themselves. After GF they didn't have to attract audiences to an unknown hero any more and actors lined up to get a part. But EON still kept the focus on Bond, regardless of the talent they pitted against him. Often enough that talent got little more than scraps to play with. SF now looks like it's the first time they are confident enough of their lead to involve some massive counterparts.


  • McClory was not one of the producers of 'Around the World in 80 Days' - he was some sort of production assistant.
  • Posts: 12,526
    i kind of hope that Feinnes is suggested or hinted as the head of Quantum, or certainly linked with them right at the end of Skyfall! But only after congratulating the new M if it should be judie dench's swansong? As for the new M? I hope that it will Peter Firth from "Spooks". he so reminds me given the right wardrobe? of Bernard Lees M Who i thought was fantastic!
  • Posts: 297
    McClory was not one of the producers of 'Around the World in 80 Days' - he was some sort of production assistant.

    Didn't know that, sorry. Rubin's THE JAMES BOND FILMS only mentions McClory was involved, specifically in securing the big names for small cameos, and wikipedia lists him as 'producer' of 'Around the World in 80 Days'.

  • edited November 2011 Posts: 108
    Michael Todd would be more than capable of securing big names all on his own. A lot of what has been said about McClory's involvement was started by McClory.

    That said, he was good at schmoozing, so he probably came in useful somewhere along the line.
  • Posts: 297
    Well, Fleming must have had the impression McClory was a useful contact or he wouldn't have pursued the 'Thunderball' project for so long, even going to the trouble to conceive an original story from scratch instead of trying to adapt his previous books. From what I've read about the matter I got the impression McClory influenced Fleming's idea about what a Bond on screen should be like. Later Fleming evidently was frustrated by the whole affair, even before the lawsuit. But for a time he was enthusiastic and confident it would take off.
  • edited November 2011 Posts: 11,119
    Germanlady wrote:
    Germanlady wrote:
    Maybe it is safe to say that in fact for 'Skyfall' EON wants to put Daniel Craig a little bit more out of the spotlights and instead putting the characters that are played by Ralph Fiennes and Javier Bardem ín the spotlights? It is a bold move by Babs and Michael, but reviewers of 'Skyfall' will off course focus a lot on the characters played by Fiennes and Bardem, thus reforcing the rumours that their roles will be big, very big roles.

    I highly doubt, this is the plan. In my book, that would be not bold but stupid to let others eat up their Bond. Au contraire, I think, with DC they have the opportunity to throw great actors at him without loosing him along the way.

    Well, sometimes I draw the compariosn too much with rival franchise Batman. I mean, The Joker really outshone Batman. In every aspect. Was it bad? Apparently not.

    I am not sure about that, because the film is called BATMAN and not Joker. It only happened, because he was so good (and unfortunately dead, which only enhanced the whole hype) but what we remember is the Joker and not Batman. This is not how it should be IMO.
    It seems, that the stronger the villains, the more the hero is forced to shine, to draw on every bit of his mental and physical power and this makes the film interesting, I believe, without outshining the hero.

    I slightly disagree. Apparently, in ALL aspects it worked for 'The Dark Knight'. The Joker made your skin crawl. He made you both laugh at feeling disgusted by his psychotic actions. The movie is rated very very high on IMDB (8.9), whereas 'Casino Royale' got a 7.9 on IMDB. TDK won 2 Oscars out of 8 nominations. CR got nada, niente. In essence, the general audience loved TDK a bit more compared to CR.

    I shall be frank now. I think it is time that 'Skyfall' will be both outshining 'The Dark Knight Rises' and 'The Bourne Legacy'. And I have a sincere feeling Babs and Michael exactly want this to happen; to make Bond the leading, trendsetting action franchise again. So that Batman and Mr Bourne look like pussies compared to Bond ;-). And I think there's nothing wrong with such a kind of ambition :-).

    And looking at the initial topic content, this ambition is clearly visible, even more than with 'Casino Royale'. I also think 'Skyfall' could very well be the first original screenplay Bond film -not adapted from a novel- that will reach the top of fan favourites.
  • Posts: 15,229
    Yes and no. It hasmore big names than the previous two films of Craig, but the Bond girls are unknown and even Bardem is not quite a big star, more like a (re)known foreign actor.
  • I think this will finally outshine TDKR and the Bourne Legacy and finally win some awards it deserved...I see Skyfall winning the smaller awards and perhaps even the best orginal screenplay as well? Maybe a nomination for best supporting actor/actress as well..who knows? I think the producers want to make this the best movie possible of 2012 because 2012 there is many big movies beside Bourne, batman, and the hobbit that is a big competition.
  • It's easily the best cast of any Bond film. They're gonna have to try pretty hard to screw this up.
  • edited November 2011 Posts: 2,599
    I think this will finally outshine TDKR and the Bourne Legacy and finally win some awards it deserved...I see Skyfall winning the smaller awards and perhaps even the best orginal screenplay as well? Maybe a nomination for best supporting actor/actress as well..who knows? I think the producers want to make this the best movie possible of 2012 because 2012 there is many big movies beside Bourne, batman, and the hobbit that is a big competition.

    That's a bold statement but I admire your positivity. I love the Nolan Bat films where as 5 out of the last 6 Bond films have left me pretty disappointed (for me, CR is the only good Bond film since LTK. I even rated it in my top 5 although I'm wondering now if I should have ranked Thunderball higher). Anyway, I will certainly reserve my judgement regarding Skyfall until I see the film. You always hear alot of encouraging talk by the cast and crew before each Bond film but the end product far from lives up to their claims.

  • Posts: 5,745
    Bounine wrote:
    I think this will finally outshine TDKR and the Bourne Legacy and finally win some awards it deserved...I see Skyfall winning the smaller awards and perhaps even the best orginal screenplay as well? Maybe a nomination for best supporting actor/actress as well..who knows? I think the producers want to make this the best movie possible of 2012 because 2012 there is many big movies beside Bourne, batman, and the hobbit that is a big competition.

    That's a bold statement but I admire your positivity. I love the Nolan Bat films where as 5 out of the last 6 Bond films have left me pretty disappointed (for me, CR is the only good Bond film since LTK. I even rated it in my top 5 although I'm wondering now if I should have ranked Thunderball higher). Anyway, I will certainly reserve my judgement regarding Skyfall until I see the film. You always hear alot of encouraging talk by the cast and crew before each Bond film but the end product far from lives up to their claims.

    Its also going against The Great Gatsby! (DEC 25, 2012) Lots and lots of competition.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,356
    You can also add The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to that list. Skyfall has it's work cut out.
  • Posts: 11,119
    Where have you been for the past few weeks? :-?

    But in all seriousness, yes, this is probably the closest we will get to an "ensemble" cast for a Bond film - Maybe it's because of the 50th anniversary hype or what not, but that fact that so many great talents committed to this project goes to show how amazing the film's story and direction will be.

    Even Barbara Broccoli admitted it in this small documentary 'The Secrets Of Skyfall'. Watch from 4min 10sec and onwards. The producers really wanted a 'dreamcast' for 'Skyfall': <youtube>

  • KerimKerim Istanbul Not Constantinople
    Posts: 2,629
    FRWL, OHMSS, LTK and (ugh) DAD have comparable casts.
  • Posts: 11,119
    Kerim wrote:
    FRWL, OHMSS, LTK and (ugh) DAD have comparable casts.

    Well, acting-wise perhaps, but not fame-wise...and not awards-wise.

  • Judging by the new york photos - SKYFALL - has the smallest cast ever.

    And our main menacing villian is a total short-arse. He should have played nick-nack - how short is he? OMG he is shorter than the ladies and even Craig. Hats of to all his directors who made him look so imposing.
  • Posts: 1,661
    They're not that fat!


    :D
  • Kerim wrote:
    FRWL, OHMSS, LTK and (ugh) DAD have comparable casts.

    Okay, after some weeks after the premiere of 'Skyfall', I think this remark is completely wrong by now.

    'Skyfall' has no doubt the biggest starcast in a Bond film ever. Its 'upgrade' to bigger Hollywood stars with huge Oscar CV's behind their names, will make production of Bond 24 much easier. Be prepared of more big names who want to join the cast of Bond 24.
  • Speaking of Gustav Graves, how many Americans heard of Toby Stephens prior to BAD (Buy Another Day)?
  • Not many. Only because he got the role of Bond villain, we got to know him. With Javier Bardem it's certainly the other way around no? Big name.....who's going to do a Bond film. And not...Bond villain..played by this guy Toby.
  • Posts: 158
    But does Daniel Craig have the star power of Sean Connery in the 1960s?

  • Posts: 158
    Not many. Only because he got the role of Bond villain, we got to know him. With Javier Bardem it's certainly the other way around no? Big name.....who's going to do a Bond film. And not...Bond villain..played by this guy Toby.

    Look at Christopher Lee and Donald Pleasence - both better known at the time than Bardem.

  • edited December 2012 Posts: 3,333
    Also Christopher Walken had already won an Oscar for best supporting actor for his performance in The Deer Hunter before he made a Bond picture and had just come off the brilliant Dead Zone before AVTAK. Getting Walken for the Bond baddie was a huge deal back in 1985.
  • edited December 2012 Posts: 11,119
    bondsum wrote:
    Also Christopher Walken had already won an Oscar for best supporting actor for his performance in The Deer Hunter before he made a Bond picture and had just come off the brilliant Dead Zone before AVTAK. Getting Walken for the Bond baddie was a huge deal back in 1985.

    Maybe, but Christopher Walken himself admitted that he needed a big acting job back in 1985. You tend to forget that Walken didn't get offered huge roles in the mid eighties. So in a way....his Oscar fame started to degrade quite quickly.

    With Javier Bardem it's different. The Bond producers hired him while he is still at the height of his career. If he didn't do Bond, then in no time he would have had another project. Moreover, the cast members for 'Skyfall', including Bardem, admitted that 'Skyfall's screenplay was very good. I never heard Walken saying that in 1985.

    I stand by my opinion: The cast of 'Skyfall' is/was the biggest starcast in Bond history. Moreover, this starcast has upgraded the Bond franchise to new levels. Bigger Hollywood names, who are at the height of their careers, would love to star in a Bond film now. Be prepared for a similar starcast for Bond 24. This is why 'Skyfall' is so special.
  • Posts: 158
    Look at Robert Shaw. He was in Jaws, the biggest movie ever, at the time.
  • Was Jaws really the biggest movie ever by time of release in the mid 1970s ? That covers a lot of ground..

    Shaw was in other work long before that I'm sure, The Battle of the Bulge being one of them at least. As for Skyfall, it depends on how you want to view the star attractions of the actors other than Craig. I don't consider Bardem a big star, apart from No Country For Old Men I wouldn't be able to name many other films he worked on. Are Harris and Marlohe big name stars ? Although Dench and Fiennes need no introduction to some. I don't necessarily think this is the biggest ensemble of movie talent Bond has ever seen, others themselves have made suggestions for a bigger star collection
  • Posts: 158
    Was Jaws really the biggest movie ever by time of release in the mid 1970s ? That covers a lot of ground..

    Shaw was in other work long before that I'm sure, The Battle of the Bulge being one of them at least. As for Skyfall, it depends on how you want to view the star attractions of the actors other than Craig. I don't consider Bardem a big star, apart from No Country For Old Men I wouldn't be able to name many other films he worked on. Are Harris and Marlohe big name stars ? Although Dench and Fiennes need no introduction to some. I don't necessarily think this is the biggest ensemble of movie talent Bond has ever seen, others themselves have made suggestions for a bigger star collection

    Yes, I am sure most people didn't even know who Bardem was. Of course, I am talking about Bond movies retrospectively - their star power as seen now, not on release. Yes Jaws was the highest grossing movie in USA and internationally until Star Wars. I agree with your analysis that the star power of Skyfall isn't that that great.

  • edited December 2012 Posts: 3,333
    Maybe, but Christopher Walken himself admitted that he needed a big acting job back in 1985. You tend to forget that Walken didn't get offered huge roles in the mid eighties. So in a way....his Oscar fame started to degrade quite quickly.
    I don't forget, Gustav, as I was around then and going to the cinema quite regularly in the Eighties. In fact I saw his next movie At Close Range at the cinema as well. Besides, I thought you were discussing big names before they appeared in a Bond picture and not what happened to their careers afterwards? If we do this then that puts the cast of Skyfall at a distinct advantage as we don't know how their filmography will pan out in the future.
    Was Jaws really the biggest movie ever by time of release in the mid 1970s ? That covers a lot of ground..

    Shaw was in other work long before that I'm sure, The Battle of the Bulge being one of them at least. As for Skyfall, it depends on how you want to view the star attractions of the actors other than Craig. I don't consider Bardem a big star, apart from No Country For Old Men I wouldn't be able to name many other films he worked on. Are Harris and Marlohe big name stars ? Although Dench and Fiennes need no introduction to some. I don't necessarily think this is the biggest ensemble of movie talent Bond has ever seen, others themselves have made suggestions for a bigger star collection
    Jaws was the 4th Biggest Movie of all time when it was released, just behind Gone with the Wind, The Sound of Music and The Ten Commandments. It really was colossal and one of the most talked about and imitated movies until Star Wars came out a few years later. Funnily enough it was another Robert Shaw co-starring picture called The Sting that Jaws toppled at the Box Office.
  • edited January 2013 Posts: 11,119
    I mean, look at the resumes of the following actors:

    Dame Judi Dench ('M'):
    --> 6 time Oscar Nominee
    --> 1 time Oscar Winner
    --> 9 time Golden Globe Nominee
    --> 2 time Golden Globe Winner

    Javier Bardem:
    --> 3 time Oscar Nominee
    --> 1 time Oscar Winner
    --> 4 time Golden Globe Winner
    --> 1 time Golden Globe Winner

    Ralph Fiennes:
    --> 2 time Oscar Nominee
    --> 3 time Golden Globe Nominee

    Albert Finney:
    --> 5 time Oscar Nominee
    --> 9 time Golden Globe Nominee
    --> 3 time Golden Globe Winner
    --> 2 time Emmy Award Winner
    --> 1 time Emmy Award Winner

    Ben Whishaw ('Q'):
    --> 1 time Emmy Award Winner
    --> 1 time Independent Spirit Award Winner
    --> 2 time BAFTA Nominee

    Daniel Craig:
    --> 1 time BAFTA Nominee

    Sam Mendes:
    --> 1 time Oscar Nominee
    --> 1 time Oscar Winner (Actually, the first ever Bond director to have an Oscar in his possession during the opening press conference of a new Bond film production)
    --> 2 time Golden Globe Nominee
    --> 1 time Golden Globe Winner

    And then we have Chris Corbould, who recently won his first Oscar for his work on 'Inception', newcomer on the Bond franchise, sound re-recording mixer Scott Millan, who already won 4 Oscars, and production designer Dennis Gassner, who also won an Oscar in the past.

    I cannot remember ANY Bond film in which the cast had such high credentials when they were assigned to a Bond film. And a cast with such a load of prices can us only give one conclusion: 'Skyfall' will be big, bigger, biggest, especially in acting skills. And I have the distinct feeling EON wants to produce a Bond film that basically can outshine rival films like 'The Bourne Legacy' and 'The Dark Knight Rises'. And perhaps there's a distinct chance 'Skyfall' will give the franchise its 3rd ever Oscar? We just have to wait and see :-).

    Funny fact: Only newly assigned actresses Naomie Harris (Eve), Bérénice Marlohe (Sévérine) and Helen McGrory (Miss Moneypenny) have rather 'small' CV's.

    Now, finally, the 'suspicions' I last year had for 'Skyfall' in this topic, have all become reality ;-). : http://markoconnell.co.uk/?p=293
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