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Crikey, I keep getting this on-line conversation thing wrong, don't I?
It's been mainly driven by journalists and media people. I remember back when they were pushing for Colin Salmon to take over the role after Brosnan was fired. Same with Elba. He never had popular support from the fanbase. Hell I don't think he's ever starred as the lead in a movie that didn't bomb. His popularity is completely contrived by online magazines- it doesn't actually translate to widespread appeal.
I mean, if we're talking about black actors for Bond, look at a lot of the positive reactions to the suggestion that Sope Dirisu should be the next Bond. He's less controversial as a pick amongst a lot of people here than some of the white actors being suggested are.
Now in the 2020s, being so far removed from Fleming’s lifetime and how much the world had changed. I’m not sure why it should be an issue to recast him as POC. It’s not like Bond being white is an inherently important part of his character. What does Bond being white say about his character that would get lost when recast with a POC? They could cast him with a black actor, and after that actor is done maybe cast another white actor. All depends on who’s available and suits it.
And the whole “stick to Fleming” doesn’t really fly either because the Bond actors have never really matched Fleming Bond. We never once saw an actor with a scar down their cheek. Maybe hire an Indian decent actor and give him ALL the Fleming attributes such as the black comma and scar, so that the only difference is his skin color?
Yeah I don't think I heard represented so far the element of Dalton being tied up with Brenda Starr and not able to do it. THEN Brosnan accepting but in the publicity generated his Remington Steele show was renewed and he was no longer available. By which time Dalton was avaliable.
If I got that right.
I think you're talking about specific actors being suggested rather than anyone 'clamoring for Bond's ethnicity to be pointlessly changed'- there's a difference between the two, as suggesting a particular actor is not a 'pointless' suggestion. And plenty of fans have thought both of those were good potential choices: personally I think Salmon would have been awful but Elba would have been pretty perfect, if you go into the thread about the next Bond you'll see plenty of other fans agreeing on that. Some don't, and that's the way of things. It's rather silly to try and pretend that it's all a fake story.
As for movies that bombed, I'm not sure Brosnan was exactly an A list star when he was cast, and that turned out fine.
Actually yelled by Brosnan in relation to a woman who was about to explode because her drink had been spiked with a magic potion that makes people into explosives :D
Haha! Great scene. Wonderful film for Brosnan-isms.
Yeah that's way I've always seen it too mate.
I think the confusion comes from EON trying to change the perception that Dalton was their "second choice"
The more likely truth is that Eon has a shortlist of actors they think would be great in the role, whether it’s for down the line or if something happens with their incumbent actor that forces them to recast. But I think that’s true of Hollywood in general.
Look what happened after Edward Norton abruptly departed the MCU after one film, they brought in Mark Ruffalo and made a big show of how he was actually their first choice for The Hulk all along. That’s the kind of confidence they need to project not only to audiences but shareholders.
I uploaded this video of Cubby really trying to sidestep the whole Brosnan thing by claiming they always wanted Dalton above all else. He’s obviously fudging the facts, but he kind of has to. No producer is ever going to actually be honest and say “we actually wanted someone else”.
I can see why; like Cavill, what a shame he wasn’t a stronger actor
I agree that someone should not be cast based alone on looks, particularly if they resemble a previous actor, but if Paul had the same acting chops as Craig, his general resemblance to Connery would not have been a problem.
Also worth noting that they sometimes see their Bond actors in films that you wouldn’t think to look for potential Bond actors.
Cubby Broccoli noticed Sean Connery in Disney’s DARBY O’GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE. Barbara Broccoli said she first noticed Daniel Craig in the film ELIZABETH.
When Henry Cavill auditioned for Bond, he was only known in movies like THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO.
Most of us fans only look or notice potential Bond actors when they’re playing Bond-like characters. Meanwhile Eon looks outside the box when it comes to seeking out their Bond.
Gosh that Monte Cristo movie was bad.
But anyway, I agree about thinking outside the box. That's why I suspect the next Bond will probably be found in a movie like Dunkirk: while the film itself is famous, the cast is made of many unknown and it's the kind of production that gets you noticed by professionals in the industry.
Pierce Brosnan has made his whole career pre-Bond trying to prove to everyone “I could be Bond” about as subtle as someone jumping up and waving their hands up for attention. It worked out for him, even with bumps in the road.
As long as they make a great choice, I don’t think it matters. There were plenty of vocal fans who made a stink about Craig because he wasn’t an obvious a choice back then.
I agree.
And as always: These are mass entertainments, not niche products exclusively for us fans. So there's always something to the idea of saying to the public: "You've said you wanted this guy as Bond for years, well here he is!"
Now, Cavill for Bond is hardly a public uprising, but by now I would say he has for a while been the most constantly associated name (give or take one Idris Elba). Top Gun: Maverick just showed us that sometimes just doing the most obviously entertaining thing can be a real hit.
Tend to agree. After Craig, I rather like being surprised and impressed by an actor giving us his take. Cavill would give us exactly what we expect, and it'd be absolutely fine - but not exciting in any way.