Who should/could be a Bond actor?

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  • Posts: 727
    Quite the opposite. The same people who prattle on about Bond needing to be non-European descent doesn’t say a word about Batman.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,179
    Quite the opposite. The same people who prattle on about Bond needing to be non-European descent doesn’t say a word about Batman.

    We’re not on a Batman forum.
  • Posts: 727
    They don’t do it in general.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,179
    How do you know? You said you don’t follow Batman.
  • Posts: 727
    Where? I don’t follow Superman. Didn’t say anything about Batman.
  • ImpertinentGoonImpertinentGoon Everybody needs a hobby.
    Posts: 1,351
    Murdock wrote: »
    Funny how no one talks about making Batman black but for some reason fixate on Bond. I wonder why.

    Batman has been black for about a year now:
    947032._SX360_QL80_TTD_.jpg

    https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/dec/11/new-batman-will-be-black-dc-comics-announces

    It's not Bruce Wayne though. It's Tim Fox son of Lucius Fox.

    The point was a black Batman, which he is. But I don't even know why I am arguing. None of this is in good faith, neither from me nor from @Benjamin_Weekly69, so I guess I'll return to not looking at this thread for a couple of days, until we are back to comparing pictures of the same set of about 12 white men in dinner jackets.
  • Posts: 727
    Comic books pull all sorts of idiotic stunts to try to keep the vegetative body that is the American comic industry on life support. They don’t matter.

    Only the movies matter. Where Batman is yet again white to no one’s objection.
  • DenbighDenbigh UK
    edited January 2022 Posts: 5,970
    But no-one's saying people would object to another white actor playing James Bond, they're might be some but that happens with everything. Most of us are just saying that it's possible to cast a black or even asian actor, as long as they're a British male.

    And before we go into the "conflict of source material". While the franchise still roots itself in the novels and goes back to them as much as they can, we're now in 2022, and extremely far from the world James Bond originally existed in. He has to change, and having a black British gentleman spy working for MI6 would not be out of the norm.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,179
    Where? I don’t follow Superman. Didn’t say anything about Batman.

    Then sticking to Batman, there’s little to no casting buzz for him because Pattinson has already been cast in the part for three years and people have been waiting to see his take. I’m not sure why we’d NOW be discussing the prospects of a black actor as Bruce Wayne, which is why I brought up Superman because that is in the middle of a casting process.

    In the meantime, Jeffrey Wright has been cast in a role traditionally played by white actors: Jim Gordon. That’s twice he’s done that now. And I’ve seen very little fuss over that.
  • Posts: 727
    Anything’s possible. Especially under the gelatinous fingers of Hollywood fat cats. But let’s hope that Eon and Barbara has better sense than to surrender to the mob rule of the woke thugs. Bond was conceived as a white British man. With a British father and Swiss mother. That is his literary heritage. And there is no reason to stunt change it.
  • DenbighDenbigh UK
    edited January 2022 Posts: 5,970
    Anything’s possible. Especially under the gelatinous fingers of Hollywood fat cats. But let’s hope that Eon and Barbara has better sense than to surrender to the mob rule of the woke thugs. Bond was conceived as a white British man. With a British father and Swiss mother. That is his literary heritage. And there is no reason to stunt change it.
    But do you not think that responsive attitude is part of the problem? Basically saying that if Barbara opens up the casting to black or asian British actors, it's automatically woke under the fingers of Hollywood fat cats? Because it is possible the decision is just freshen things up and a way to find new and exciting talent to take up the 007 mantle while also keeping the character and stories true to the source material, like they've always done.

    As for his heritage, yes he has a Scottish father and Swiss mother. But he was also born in the 1920s, we're now in 2022. It's possible for his parents to have both been black, or even just one of them, and have that heritage, especially when that heritage will barely be addressed if at all.

    Either way, like you've said anything's possible. Including EON casting a black or asian British actor in the role of James Bond that resonates with audiences, and keeps the franchise going. But on the other hand, no-ones against another white actor either. My two top choices are Sam Claflin and Callum Turner, again like I've said I just think it's possible and could work.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,179
    Anything’s possible. Especially under the gelatinous fingers of Hollywood fat cats. But let’s hope that Eon and Barbara has better sense than to surrender to the mob rule of the woke thugs. Bond was conceived as a white British man. With a British father and Swiss mother. That is his literary heritage. And there is no reason to stunt change it.

    How often is Bond’s heritage important to the story? Is him being white so integral to entries like TSWLM? That’s why I’m not so bothered by the prospect of casting a non-white. The only time I can think it served some undercurrent was in LALD where Bond goes to Harlem.
  • I wonder if they'll make Bond in this new video game a non white man.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited January 2022 Posts: 16,344
    Anything’s possible. Especially under the gelatinous fingers of Hollywood fat cats. But let’s hope that Eon and Barbara has better sense than to surrender to the mob rule of the woke thugs.

    What an odd turn of colourful phrase. As if it's some kind of unthinking violence being perpetrated on people.
    Seeing people from a slightly different background on a screen doesn't hurt anyone.
    Jimjambond wrote: »
    I wonder if they'll make Bond in this new video game a non white man.

    Yeah good point. Could happen.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    edited January 2022 Posts: 8,179
    If it’s enough to make you turn your back on Bond then you were never really a fan. No different than those whiners over Craig’s blonde hair and harsh looks.
  • Posts: 1,075

    If it’s enough to make you turn your back on Bond then you were never really a fan.

    Perhaps the people that want to see Fleming's idea of of Bond on screen, are fans also. (Imagine that!)
    But they're fans of the original literal concept, rather than the whims of the current movie franchise. Silly buggers.



  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,179
    The movies rarely even featured the “original literal concept” of James Bond. So why suddenly draw the line when they cast a POC actor for James Bond depicted on the 2020s?

    If they were casting a POC actor for a 1950s period piece that’s supposed to be more strictly close to Fleming, you’d have a point.
  • At the end of the day, EON will cast whoever they desire, whoever they feel is the best man for the job. If you don’t like it, then fine. Just don’t try to ruin it for others who do.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,179
    We had Roger Moore give us a very tongue in cheek interpretation of the character, which does not at all feel in line with Fleming’s stick-in-the-mud conception of who Bond is.

    How are any of you self proclaimed Fleming sticklers even fans of the films after all this time?
  • VenutiusVenutius Yorkshire
    edited January 2022 Posts: 3,147
    Looking at Aidan Turner’s resume, seems I haven’t seen him in anything besides the HOBBIT films. Looks like a wimp in photos, to be honest. What’s a better program that shows him to be a candidate?

    This, probably. Irish accent notwithstanding! Bulk him up a bit, get him channelling Dalton and I can see it. I could definitely see him in period adaptations of authentic Fleming.

  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited January 2022 Posts: 16,344
    If it’s enough to make you turn your back on Bond then you were never really a fan.

    Perhaps the people that want to see Fleming's idea of of Bond on screen, are fans also. (Imagine that!)
    But they're fans of the original literal concept, rather than the whims of the current movie franchise. Silly buggers.

    I think that those folk should probably have realised after 60 years that the images they see in their heads when reading one of these books aren't ever going to appear on the screen, not least because everyone sees it slightly differently, but mainly because these are adaptations and always have been; never perfect slavish translations. It would seem odd to only be noticing that now.

    I think there are very few of us here who are fans of the books foremost, and chances are a good deal of those came to the books because they encountered the films first and enjoyed them. Yes, I'm sure there are a few and one of them will probably reply to this pointing out that they read the books first and love them more, and that's great; but if I look at the most recently active threads on this page of this 007 forum I can't see a single one which pertains to the Fleming novels.
    I know I'm a fan of the films moreso than the books so I'm happy for them to continue as they always have: keeping an eye on the original source but also remembering that they've added an awful lot to the idea and success of the character themselves, and hopefully they'll continue adding more in future.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,179
    As a fan of both the books and films, I’ve long reconciled the differences between the two and regard them as separate entities. If the films take anything from the books it’s more out of inspiration rather than trying to be faithful. As long as Bond films remain set in the present, they’ll never be faithful to the novels.
  • VenutiusVenutius Yorkshire
    edited January 2022 Posts: 3,147
    As a fan of both the books and films, I’ve long reconciled the differences between the two and regard them as separate entities. If the films take anything from the books it’s more out of inspiration rather than trying to be faithful. As long as Bond films remain set in the present, they’ll never be faithful to the novels.

    Nailed it in one, I think.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited January 2022 Posts: 16,344
    As a fan of both the books and films, I’ve long reconciled the differences between the two and regard them as separate entities. If the films take anything from the books it’s more out of inspiration rather than trying to be faithful. As long as Bond films remain set in the present, they’ll never be faithful to the novels.

    Absolutely, and they’ll never be anything but set in the present (Wilson & Broccoli even confirmed that in an interview just the other day).
    The audience want jokes and Q gadgets and expensive suits and outlandish lairs and all of the other things which Eon either extrapolated and expanded upon from the books, or just completely added.
  • I think there are some obvious considerations for candidates:

    1. Do you imagine him seducing the likes of Eva Green, Lea Seydoux, Monica Bellucci, Berenice Marlohe, Halle Berry, Sophie Marceau...?
    2. Would he hold his own on screen against the likes of Javier Bardem, Mads Mikkelsen, Giancarlo Giannini, Judi Dench, Christoph Waltz, Robert Davi...?
    3. Can he pass as Scaramanga, Sir Hilary Bray, Taro Torodoki, Dr. Arkov, Peter Franks, Colonel Toro, Arlington Beech, Klaus Hergescheimer of G Section?

    If a candidate doesn't pass 3/3 on this test, they need not apply.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    I like the test/measurements @GeneralGogol
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,179
    You can’t be too careful about radiation.
  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 15,129
    Aidan Turner surely has the right look for what many conceive as being James Bond.
    But can we at least hold off on suggesting he’s the second coming of Pierce Brosnan, Timothy Dalton or even Sean Connery till after he’s been cast.
    He might not become the next James Bond. So be prepared to be let down. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. ;)
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,179
    Going by the clip, he doesn’t really possess the charisma for the role. He certainly looks the part, but looks aren’t everything.
  • JeremyBondonJeremyBondon Seeking out odd jobs with Oddjob @Tangier
    edited January 2022 Posts: 1,318
    Going by the clip, he doesn’t really possess the charisma for the role. He certainly looks the part, but looks aren’t everything.

    That's not up for you to decide, old chap. In my opinion he certainly is a much much better candidate than either Claflin or Callum Turner. Seems as though the majority in this thread agree with me and not with you. At the end of the day Benny is right. It's not up to us, we're merely standing at the side line. I do hope they all get a fair chance at proving who is the rightful heir.
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