› ›

Who could've been Bond?

George_KaplanGeorge_Kaplan Being chauffeured by Tibbett
edited March 14 in Actors Posts: 725
I noticed we have one of these for the Bond girls, so I thought it made sense to have one for Bond himself. I also thought it would be good to keep discussion of actors who no longer have a chance of being cast, either due to age or death, separate from ones who are still in contention.

With that said, who do you think could've and/or should've played Bond, had the stars aligned a little differently? And what do you think they'd have brought to the role?
«1

Comments

  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 15,325
    An actor who seemed to fit all the characteristics from the 80’s was Lewis Collin’s.
    Apparently he had a meeting with Cubby Broccoli and Michael G Wilson in the early 80’s as a potential replacement for Roger Moore. However the meeting didn’t go well and so Collin’s was passed by as a successor for the Bond role.
    Obviously we’ll never know what happened as Lewis Collins and Cubby are sadly no longer with us. But I feel he had the right attributes to potentially be a good and credible Bond.
  • Mathis1Mathis1
    Posts: 7,922
    Benny wrote: »
    An actor who seemed to fit all the characteristics from the 80’s was Lewis Collin’s.
    Apparently he had a meeting with Cubby Broccoli and Michael G Wilson in the early 80’s as a potential replacement for Roger Moore. However the meeting didn’t go well and so Collin’s was passed by as a successor for the Bond role.
    Obviously we’ll never know what happened as Lewis Collins and Cubby are sadly no longer with us. But I feel he had the right attributes to potentially be a good and credible Bond.

    I think Collins himself admitted later that he was too cocky or arrogant, and Cubby took a dislike to him! A pity, as I think he would have made a good Bond, for anyone who saw 'Who Dares Wins' would prove!
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited March 14 Posts: 17,374
    Yes he's great in WDW, shows he's easily got enough presence to have played Bond. I like that his cocky arrogance kind of shows onscreen, it's what you want in Bond really. Dalton could have done with some of that.

    If you watch the Hong Kong stuff from around 15mins into this film he's basically playing Bond in an M scene, then cruising around the city in a suit meeting contacts and being suave, and makes a very good Bond-type if you ask me.

  • shimplyshocking007shimplyshocking007
    edited March 14 Posts: 168
    Ian McShane (born 1942) could've been a good choice to replace Roger in the early eighties. This is mainly based on the roles he has played as an older actor but I think he could've pulled it off if given the opportunity.
  • Jordo007Jordo007 Merseyside
    Posts: 2,727
    Hugh Jackman would have been a good Bond after Pierce. He's a great actor with a cool alpha presence similar to Craig
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 17,374
    Jordo007 wrote: »
    Hugh Jackman would have been a good Bond after Pierce. He's a great actor with a cool alpha presence similar to Craig

    Yeah you're right, he would have been very popular as Bond, I've no doubt. I'm glad we got Craig as I think he brings something really unique to it, but wouldn't have felt short changed with Jackman at all.
  • Jordo007Jordo007 Merseyside
    Posts: 2,727
    mtm wrote: »
    Jordo007 wrote: »
    Hugh Jackman would have been a good Bond after Pierce. He's a great actor with a cool alpha presence similar to Craig

    Yeah you're right, he would have been very popular as Bond, I've no doubt. I'm glad we got Craig as I think he brings something really unique to it, but wouldn't have felt short changed with Jackman at all.

    Yeah I agree mate, Craig is my favourite Bond so I wouldn't change anything about Casino or his Bond, but had he not been Bond, Jackman would have been my second choice rather than actors like Cavill or Owen.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,417
    Jackman would have been awesome; he would have combined the charm and lightness of Moore or Brosnan with the intensity and physicality of Craig.
  • DEKE_RIVERSDEKE_RIVERS
    edited March 14 Posts: 1,698
    mtm wrote: »
    Yes he's great in WDW, shows he's easily got enough presence to have played Bond. I like that his cocky arrogance kind of shows onscreen, it's what you want in Bond really. Dalton could have done with some of that.

    If you watch the Hong Kong stuff from around 15mins into this film he's basically playing Bond in an M scene, then cruising around the city in a suit meeting contacts and being suave, and makes a very good Bond-type if you ask me.


    It has a Monypenny scene too.

    Yeah, he was a great candidate for the early 80s. I guess Cubby didn't want another cocky actor after Lazenby.

  • Escalus5Escalus5
    Posts: 634
    I always thought Jeremy Northam would've been excellent as Bond. It's rumored that he tested for the part.
  • 007ClassicBondFan007ClassicBondFan
    Posts: 2,417
    Oliver Reed

    Oliver-Reed_main.jpg

  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    Posts: 4,579
    Brosnan follow up...:

    Clive Owen
    E129uw3rAGWk461psbBKLH5o6Ik
    Jeremy Northam:
    tumblr_oqbfa57oyJ1sgw74no1_1280.jpg
    In Enigma (2001) directed by Twine directer Michael Apted

    Daniel Craig follow up...:
    Colin O'Donoghue
    MV5BMjk4YTcwMzMtMzk1YS00Zjg2LTlhMDAtOGQzOTNhMDEwOGVmXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg

    Sonny Robertson. After Spectre joking a bit that he should play 009 who car been stolen and he steel Bond his number 007 for 007 In New York.
    MV5BMmQyNzg4NmMtNmJmNS00MGQ4LTlkOTItYzczMWE0NTVmMzNkXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_.jpg
    Sonny-Robertson-as-009-29-may-2016.png

    Hayden Christensen

    ob2j0231_70a190a4.jpeg?region=417,162,3135,1761&width=960

    Collide-between-worlds.jpg
  • DaltonforyouDaltonforyou The Daltonator
    Posts: 679
    An @M_Balje classic.
  • George_KaplanGeorge_Kaplan Being chauffeured by Tibbett
    edited March 15 Posts: 725
    Reed and Collins are my personal favourite 'alternative history Bonds'. I also reckon my original avatar, Laurence Harvey, would've been a good choice, had they wanted a slightly more Fleming-esque type of Bond back in the 60s:

  • VenutiusVenutius Yorkshire
    Posts: 3,243
    Had they continued in the TradBond direction after DAD, the natural successor to Brosnan was...

    44e97b77de7af56606a34d92d0df7e35.jpg
  • dewiparrydewiparry
    Posts: 50
    Kevin Costner. Hypothetical casting but his presence, coolness and leading man quality would have fit.

  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 17,374
    Escalus5 wrote: »
    I always thought Jeremy Northam would've been excellent as Bond. It's rumored that he tested for the part.

    Yes I remember picturing him as Bond when I read the Gardners in the 90s.
  • Scaramanga1974Scaramanga1974
    Posts: 838
    Oliver Reed as Bond would have been a disaster! He would have spent all days on set drinking real vodka martinis!
  • M_BlaiseM_Blaise
    Posts: 374
    Venutius wrote: »
    Had they continued in the TradBond direction after DAD, the natural successor to Brosnan was...

    44e97b77de7af56606a34d92d0df7e35.jpg

    If he was that natural he probably would have had a decent career without Bond.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,417
    M_Blaise wrote: »
    Venutius wrote: »
    Had they continued in the TradBond direction after DAD, the natural successor to Brosnan was...

    44e97b77de7af56606a34d92d0df7e35.jpg

    If he was that natural he probably would have had a decent career without Bond.

    I agree

    I was, am, a huge fan of Highlander:The Series and I think Paul was fantastic as Duncan, but he was a very limited actor; his career outside of Highlander showed that.
  • meshypushymeshypushy Ireland
    Posts: 164
    Jeremy Brett in the 70s, for sure, if there had been an appetite to put Fleming’s Bond onscreen instead of going down the Roger route. An incredible actor and in my mind, the best to have been considered and to have not got the gig.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    edited March 15 Posts: 8,417
    Of the actors mentioned, Lewis Collins stands out; he could have made a great Bond. But, was he what the franchise needed at the moment? I don’t think he was, just as an actor of the Craig mold may not be needed now.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    edited March 15 Posts: 14,089
    My 3 dream alternate history Bonds: Richard Johnson (1960's), David Warbeck (1970's/80's) and James Purefoy (2000's).
  • DEKE_RIVERSDEKE_RIVERS
    edited March 15 Posts: 1,698
    talos7 wrote: »
    Of the actors mentioned, Lewis Collins stands out; he could have made a great Bond. But, was he what the franchise needed at the moment? I don’t think he was, just as an actor of the Craig mold may not be needed now.

    I think he was. He was quite different from Moore and he was cooler than Dalton.
    The issue was NSNA. Cubby needed Moore in the early 80's and that's what we got.

  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 6,091
    In the 90s and '00s, I thought australian actor Peter Mochrie, of Murder Call fame, could have been a good candidate for a Bond movie.

    81CwABd4zLL._SL1403_.jpg
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,438
    Ray Lonnen, circa 1980. Or Nicholas Clay, around the same time. He was great as Lancelot in Excalibur. In fact, he's the only actor I ever liked as Lancelot. I think he would have made a brilliant transition from Moore's Bond for something darker, yet keep something familiar to the audiences used to Moore. And I have always been curious about Dominic West as Bond.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 17,374
    DEKE_RIVERS wrote: »
    talos7 wrote: »
    Of the actors mentioned, Lewis Collins stands out; he could have made a great Bond. But, was he what the franchise needed at the moment? I don’t think he was, just as an actor of the Craig mold may not be needed now.

    I think he was. He was quite different from Moore and he was cooler than Dalton.
    The issue was NSNA. Cubby needed Moore in the early 80's and that's what we got.

    That's a good point actually, anyone but Moore up against NSNA could have sunken without trace.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,417
    mtm wrote: »
    DEKE_RIVERS wrote: »
    talos7 wrote: »
    Of the actors mentioned, Lewis Collins stands out; he could have made a great Bond. But, was he what the franchise needed at the moment? I don’t think he was, just as an actor of the Craig mold may not be needed now.

    I think he was. He was quite different from Moore and he was cooler than Dalton.
    The issue was NSNA. Cubby needed Moore in the early 80's and that's what we got.

    That's a good point actually, anyone but Moore up against NSNA could have sunken without trace.

    Both of you are correct, I was having a brain hiccup and thinking he had been considered in the early 70’s . He would have been an excellent successor to Moore.

    But it is also true that at the time Moore was needed to go up against Connery.

  • RichardTheBruceRichardTheBruce I'm motivated by my Duty.
    Posts: 14,192
    I recall the tabloid thing about Robbie Williams wanting to be the next Bond, later debunked by him. So a non-starter.

    Robbie Williams lays to rest
    any rumours about him wanting
    to take over from Pierce Brosnan
    https://www.mi6-hq.com/news/index.php?itemid=521'




    Kanye West also did not seek the Bond role. But mined the "Diamonds Are Forever".

    Daniel Craig: Kanye West should play
    James Bond
    https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/people/2015/10/08/daniel-craig-kanye-west-should-play-james-bond/73564356/

    Kanye West backing Idris Elba
    to be next James Bond
    https://www.nme.com/news/music/kanye-west-417-1207201




    Sean "Diddy" Combs was serious about it. Even more a non-starter.

    Diddy wants to be 1st black Bond
    https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/diddy-wants-to-be-1st-black-bond-1.577061




  • M_BlaiseM_Blaise
    Posts: 374
    Luke Evans could have been a great Bond.
Sign In or Register to comment.