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No they don't! The term "a good story" and SF obviously is an oxymoron!
The thing is, Bond movies are not, never were ONLY action movies. And thus, need sometimes, for some roles, actors to carry the characters and story. I will take SF over many action movies not because of the quality of its action scenes, but because of the quality of the casting and characterization, and because of the aesthetic. The best Bond movies have soul, even the mediocre ones actually, something that often lacks in action movies. Was DN had such great action scenes? No, it was often very staged, it felt like a B movie, it still had charm and character the way very little movies have.
That said, a muscleman with limited acting skills can play a role in a Bond movie. With The Rock, they would bring a big name, more a star than an actor for a specific role. Bautista, in a limited capacity, without a name yet (which would be distracting), can potentially work wonders if well directed. I did not find Tyler Mane amazing in the first X-Men movie, but he was convincing enough and was lifted by the other actors, in a role that was within his range. And note that when the role became more demanding in the first Wolverine movie, they recast him.
Fighting sequences are the one thing I can't imagine anyone would want to copy Nolan on. His are usually terrible.
I thought Mendes' Jellyfish skyscraper fight was the best fight of the film.
It doesn't make too much fuss, its stylish, and dramatic.
It's very Mendes, and that's what I want more of. If they're going to hire a big name director, I don't want to see him copy other filmmakers. That's for the amateurs to do.
For the record, I do agree that Skyfall had some weak like looking fights when compared to Obanno, Slate, and Greene.
-OHMSS with Tracy's big bodyguard in the hotel
-OHMSS on the beach (terribly cut but superb kinetic action)
-FRWL - the gold standard with Grant
-Thunderball - pretitles fight after the funeral (but horrid editing)
-YOLT - fight in Osato's office with Rock's grandad (loved it from the purely Bond 'Good Evening' start to the finish)
-MWTGG - fight after the belly dance routine (just loved Roger Moore in this movie as he was super cool - "I've lost my charm......Not from where I'm standing"). Barry's music during the encounter was awesome
-TSWLM - Egypt fight sequences with Chandor and with Anya's henchman (Moore's best fights in my opinion)
-Goldeneye - with 006 at the end (excellent close contact combat - and you could feel the pain)
-CR - Obanno on the stairs (again you could feel it)
-QoS - loved Slate but hang the editor up and then slash him at the balls (a'la Hannibal)
-Skyfall - Patrice at Skyscraper (just due to the whole damn moodiness of that entire section from the start with Bond in the pool. I agree that none of it was really necessary and the fight was useless, but it was just so beautifully shot that I enjoyed it immensely)
I'm worried that they're trying to 'pg' down the violence since QoS - and Skyfall showed this. If that's the case, we could have less violent/kinetic fights. I hope not. Let's see
"You just killed James Bond......."
Just responded back :-).
That's his background in the original Fleming books but in the movies, particularly in this rebooted era, Bond's fighting style should be more dynamic than just boxing and judo. He's an assassin that should be using a variety of effective cqc/cab fighting styles. No one's saying he should be doing flying kicks and kicking butt like Jacki Chan; that's not Bond. But scrappy fighting styles of a mix of kali and krav maga is what we should be getting. It's effective, impressive to watch and visceral.
Bautista is fantastic casting and with his work in film and even what he's done with the WWE he's going to make an awesome henchman. Again, he's going to surprise a lot of people.
[/quote]
Indeed!
This story is interesting. It seems Chiwetel Ejiofor is booked up shooting another film this fall. We know Bond starts filming in December so his chances of appearing in the film seem to be totally extinguished. However, Bond shooting schedules are usually very lengthy so there is a chance they have arranged to film his scenes later in production. Thinking of it Javier Bardem is only really in about an hour of SF so if they work their schedules out accordingly Ejiofor could join later in the process. Despite this I think it's really doubtful he'll appear in the film, his name was only rumoured as being a frontrunner some months back (with no offer apparently being made) since then we have heard nothing of his participation while rumours involving Seydoux and Baustia have boiled away.
Ejiofor is a great actor and with his background in British theatre would seem a natural choice for Mendes. I really hope they can work out things and get him in the film!
Here's an advert he recently done with Chivas Regal and he looks a bit Blofeld-esque with that shaved head and confident demeanour
That said, I still think it is likely that he will play the villain in Bond 24. Not that I am enthusiastic about it, but it is so far the only consistent casting rumour about the main villain and he keeps mum about it every time someone asks.
Good question. But nevertheless, who else was rumored, apart from Mark Strong?
I believe it was August. You can look back through this massive thread if you really want to.
Or just check the opening post, which is its purpose /:)
And the last original report was April.
But what do we do now then? I remember Javier Bardem was fully busy around 2011/2012 with "Skyfall". I'm slightly getting used to the idea of Chiwetel Ejiofor (1 Oscar nomination, 3 Golden Globe nominations) as villain. But what about these actors? Which of these actors could be announced by Michael & Barbara on December 6th? Realistically spoken?
:
--> Daniel Day-Lewis (3 Oscar wins, 2 Golden Globe wins)
--> Christoph Waltz (2 Oscar wins, 2 Golden Globe wins)
--> John Malkovich (2 Oscar nominations, 3 Golden Globe nominations)
--> William Dafoe (2 Oscar nominations, 1 Golden Globe nomination)
--> Michael Shannon (1 Oscar nomination)
--> Michael Fassbender (1 Oscar nomination, 2 Golden Globe nominations)
I also came across actor Jared Harris (nominated for several Screen Actors Guild Awards and Emmy's for his role "Mad Men"), who played a delightfulpsychotic Moriarty in "Sherlock Holmes 2" and he plays a certain villainous character called Sanders in "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.", which is now in post-production.
Jared Harris, I would love to see, and Christoph Waltz, but somehow I don't see that happening in Bond 24. My money is still on Ejiofor, even though I am not enthusiastic about him.
--> Daniel Day-Lewis (3 Oscar wins, 2 Golden Globe wins): [AVAILABLE]
Has absolutely no schedule set out for a new movie since he did "Lincoln". But then again, he is also a stage actor and he only signs up for a movie every now (once every 2/3 years isn't an exception, so Day-Lewis is very very critical). Chance is slim Day-Lewis could be lured into doing a Bond film.
--> Christoph Waltz (2 Oscar wins, 2 Golden Globe wins): [AVAILABLE]
Also Mr Waltz has no filming obligations anymore. Filming of "Tarzan" wrapped up on October 3rd this month. Waltz plays a villain in that film as well. Also another drama film with Waltz, "Tulip Fever", about the Dutch 17th century tulip craze, is already in post production. So he's free.
--> Denzel Washington (2 Oscar wins, 2 Golden Globe wins): [AVAILABLE]
Also Denzel takes it easy lately. His latest movie "The Equalizer" is now in cinemas, but he has nothing scheduled for the near future. So also Washington could be signed up to play a villain without too much problems.
--> Idris Elba (1 Golden Globe win, 1 BAFTA-LA win): [TOO BUSY]
Well, this lovely British actor has a really busy schedule right now. Currently (2014) he is filming: "A Hundred Streets" (release date late 2015), "Bastille Day" (release date summer 2016). He is also doing voice work for the animation films "Finding Dory" (summer 2016 release, sequel to Finding Nemo) and "The Jungle Book" (2015). After that he immediately starts filming on "Alive Alone" (2015) and "Knights of the Roundtable: King Arthur" (2016). So my guess is, that Elba can't be signed up for "Bond 24".
--> John Malkovich (2 Oscar nominations, 3 Golden Globe nominations): [AVAILABLE]
This wunderful character actor knows how to play rather twisted, slightly crazy persons. And there's some good news. Currently his only film project he's filming right now is the drama "Dominion". It is set for an early 2015 release, so he almost finished filming.
--> William Dafoe (2 Oscar nominations, 1 Golden Globe nomination): [AVAILABLE]
Dafoe played this marvellous psychtic in "The Grand Budapest Hotel". Also check him out in "John Wick" end of October when that film hits cinema. But as of today his schedule is completely free. He did not sign up for any new movie so far, so EON Productions could also call in Dafoe.
--> Chiwetel Ejiofor (1 Oscar nomination, 3 Golden Globe nominations): [NOT TOO BUSY?]
Yes, he is currently filming "The Secret In Their Eyes" with Julia Roberts. Thanks for the link @Pierce2Daniel ( http://variety.com/2014/film/news/julia-roberts-secret-in-their-eyes-remake-1201298236/ ). But it's only one film, the link is from early September, so he could perhaps already be halfway trhough filming, and after that he's got no schedule at all set up. "Triple Nine" and "Z For Zacharias" are already in post production.
--> Michael Shannon (1 Oscar nomination): [AVAILABLE]
Great drama actor who knows how to play a psychopath. He knows Sam Mendes, as he already worked with him in "Revolutionary Roadhis breakthrough. "Take Shelter" was another drama film that got several prize nominations. His biggest blockbuster to date is "Man Of Steel". But as he already finished filming on the sci-fi drama "Midnight Special" he is free for filming.
--> Michael Fassbender (1 Oscar nomination, 2 Golden Globe nominations): [TOO BUSY]
Currently he is filming "The Light Between Oceans". Then he continues on the production "Assassin's Creed" (summer 2015). Then he starts filming on "Prometheus 2" (due to hit theatres in 2016). And after that he goes on set for "X-Men: Apocalypse" (spring 2016). I think he can't fit in a filming schedule for "Bond 24".
--> Jared Harris (3 Screen Actors Guild Award nominations): [AVAILABLE]
Mr Harris just wrapped up filming on Guy Ritchie's "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.". You can also see him in the remake of "Poltergeist", which comes out in summer 2015. But other than that he has no new plans for filming.
--> Mark Strong (1 BAFTA nomination): [NOT TOO BUSY]
Mark Strong recently wrapped up filming on another 'competitor' of James Bond, the upcoming spy/action movie "Kingsman: The Secret Service". But he is also filming the upcoming comedy "Grimsby" which is set to premiere on 31st of July 2015. So I'm not very sure how he, like Chiwetel Ejiofor, can fit into a Bond 24 filming schedule.
So from this list only Idris Elba and Michael Fassbender really seem to busy. But EON Productions still have a huge list of actors to choose from for the role of Bond villain. And also keep in mind that, like with Javier Bardem, they basically wrote the script by having Javier Bardem in mind as villain. He even received a Spanish version of "Skyfall"'s screenplay to fully prepare himself.
So I expect Barbara and Michael to tailor the screenplay for a specific actor this time around as well. And then the producers have plentiful time to contract one of the above actors for a leading villain role.
I would love to see Jared Harris as a Bond villain. I wouldn't wanna see him as Blofled (if the character returns), just because it would be a strange if he played Moriaty and Blofeld. Two big arch-enemies.
He does not look like Blofeld anyway, even though Blofeld and Moriarty have a lot in common, they are miles apart physically.
How about Simon Russell Beale? He is a friend of Sam Mendes, he worked with him very recently on stage and he has been rumored to play a villain back in 2008-2009 (I think). Granted, this is pretty thin, but still.
But @Ludovico. Although I'd love to see Blofeld return, I think the producers will write the role way more carefully. I don't think they will simply cast a Blofeld. They will re-introduce him slowly. And if he returns in Bond 24 he will have not much screentime, and certainly will not be the leading villain. Perhaps Blofeld's casting will be the biggest project for EON in decades, thus we won't hear any news from him, even not during the 6 December press conference.
I never realised that was Dave Bautista? :-O