James Bond 25 - Speculation and Anticipation Thread*

Me?

 

They should get Henry Cavill.

 

Henry Cavill. They should see if they can get him.

 

I respect your opinion, Richard, and always have done, but on this, I don't get what you mean by "agenda-driven"... the reason M gives Bond a scolding throughout Casino Royale is because of how reckless he is, and we see Bond's character subsequently learn and develop across the film, it's his character arc... at least, that's how I saw it. Fleming's novel (as good as it was, the original and best Bond novel) was a little talky for a two-hour-plus action film, so obviously some dramatic expansions had to be made, I have no problem with them doing that, not when they did it as well as they did in that film... plus Fleming's novel is set in a very different world to that of the 2006 film. I get you may be something of a Bond purist, and that's admirable, but purity doesn't sell box-office tickets, or always make for a better film...

By the way, further to your saying you corresponded with the late Richard Maibaum, did he say anything specific about Michael Wilson changing his script for Licence To Kill as you stated in another post? I always heard Maibaum was unable to finish further drafts of that script because of the 1988 Writer's Guild strike, and Wilson was forced to finish it himself...

 

Of the suggestions mentioned recently, I suspect that Henry Cavill will probably need a gig like playing Bond once the DC Extended Universe inevitably collapses under the weight of its own misery, unless he forever wants to be remembered as the single most soul-crushing take on Superman in cinematic history. As for Tom Hardy, his height is likely to factor against him, though I can easily see him in similar roles. I'll never forget watching Casino Royale in my local cinema, hoping for a repeat of the same feelings I experienced with GoldenEye. While that viewing had its moments initially (especially the opening action sequence and title credits), I quickly grew tired of watching this version of the character being emasculated in countless psychological ways, culminating in his eventual physical torture and near castration. In retrospect, the producers really should have pushed Clive Owen to accept the position, as Children of Men came out just a few weeks before - or so I seem to recall - and showed the world how a grittier 007 might have worked with a more suitable actor. I remember an article from around the period Bond was yet to be recast bringing up an obscure series of short promotional films that Owen starred in for BMW, then I stumbled upon a copy of The Hire and was absolutely amazed... THAT was what a 21st Century James Bond could have, should have, and very nearly became. For those who've not seen any of these, here's what I consider the best, and ironically most Bond-like:

 

My dad was a huge Ian Fleming fan (he loved spy thrillers, Alistair MacLean, etc.) and always said the movies never did the books justice, not even close (he did like the movies though and took me too see every one in 70s. I've watched the Connery films on TV with him many times).

I'm definitely going to have to read them at some point....

 

Daniel Craig is rather on the short side (as are many actors, thus the joke in the title "Get Shorty"). I saw him from about 8 feet away at a screening of "Defiance" at Paramount Studios in 2008. That fact aside, he was absolutely one of the most fit looking men I've ever seen.

 

hmm.. I like the idea of Eddie Redmayne....

definitely should be someone in their 30s....somebody British.. and a man.....and they should go back -within limits- to the way Bond was.... even if its politically incorrect.. frankly, the Bond franchise now is just like any other action movie franchise....its lost almost everything that made it unique.. I suppose that is in part cause the world has changed and evolved..

I would guess the next Bond will be black...so no Redmayne

 

and a biopic about the Harlem Globetrotters will star Joe Pesci, Danny DeVito, Josh Hutcherson and Rick Moranis

 

Of course, Iris Elba.

 

Idris Elba is a better choice, lol.

 

He would be close to 50 by the time he did his 2nd Bond film.

 

they're very enjoyable. I read them in high school. Don't forget the two short story collections, For Your Eyes Only and Octopussy. I even liked The Spy Who Loved Me, which is written very differently from all the others.

 

I meant Jessica Alba.

 

even better, if we have to rewrite history at least let's get somebody who's hot

 

Bond as a female!? Of course it'll never happen BUT...I tried to imagine the opening chase/action scene from Casino Royale done with a woman (Alba!?), or the quasi- castration scene. And I can't decide if it would work! Exact same scenes played by a female might work, might be a disaster. It would depend on the actress, couldn't be Alba, sorry. Kinda makes you wonder why there really aren't ANY female action franchises of note (yet!). One scene that would totally work IMO would be Jane (!) Bond winning the Aston Martin in the card game!

 

And just to be 100% PC and to make Jada Pinkett Smith happy, the perfect female Bond should be... Halle Ber...ooops!

 

that's what you call a blueprint right there

Jane Bond? I would buy two tickets for that.

 

Hate to ruin things but there isn't a female that would work as a bond imo.

 

Emily Blunt, Edge of Tomorrow.

Done.

 

As I recall, when they introduced Halle Berry as Jinx in D.A.D., they were hoping to maybe spin the character off into her own movie series. At least I think that was the tentative plan.

I haven't watched the film in ages, because I think it's so bad, but as I recall she was pretty decent in it, and the character might have been able to sustain a film or two on her own, if the story/script had been decent. Alas, therein lies the problem!

 

I still like Gillian Anderson as Bond, because people actually take the suggestion seriously and throw temper tantrums.

 

Yup. She has the Denzel Washington or Idris Elba as Bond problem though; perfect fit 20 years ago. Now? Nah.

 

Thanks for the recommendation! I picked up Dr. No from the library last night and am going to start there.

 

well, honestly, Live and Let Die and Dr. No are kind of connected in that there are some of the same characters. I did Dr No first, but felt I should have done L&LD later. I can't say much else.