Who should/could be a Bond actor?

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  • Posts: 12,242
    Sounds like we can expect a monogamous or sexless Bond moving forward.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,518
    FoxRox wrote: »
    Sounds like we can expect a monogamous or sexless Bond moving forward.

    Not sure how you arrived there, but ok
  • Posts: 12,242
    FoxRox wrote: »
    Sounds like we can expect a monogamous or sexless Bond moving forward.

    Not sure how you arrived there, but ok

    “Both Wilson and Broccoli, who is a director of the U.K. chapter of women’s advocacy org Time’s Up, have left their mark on Bond, particularly in humanizing the once-womanizing spy and ensuring more fulfilling, meatier roles for the female stars of the franchise. These are qualities that will continue in the next films, says Broccoli.

    “It’s an evolution,” she says. “Bond is evolving just as men are evolving. I don’t know who’s evolving at a faster pace.””

    Key term being “once-womanizing.”
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    edited September 2022 Posts: 7,518
    FoxRox wrote: »
    FoxRox wrote: »
    Sounds like we can expect a monogamous or sexless Bond moving forward.

    Not sure how you arrived there, but ok

    “Both Wilson and Broccoli, who is a director of the U.K. chapter of women’s advocacy org Time’s Up, have left their mark on Bond, particularly in humanizing the once-womanizing spy and ensuring more fulfilling, meatier roles for the female stars of the franchise. These are qualities that will continue in the next films, says Broccoli.

    “It’s an evolution,” she says. “Bond is evolving just as men are evolving. I don’t know who’s evolving at a faster pace.””

    Key term being “once-womanizing.”

    Fair enough, thanks for calling that out.
    I think it's important to keep in mind those are Variety's words, not the producers'. Also I think when PWB was helping write NTTD, she went on record saying that you can sort of have both, with regards to keeping Bond's womanizing characteristics intact for the character, while also telling stories and developing other characters that have more respect for women than, say, Thunderball.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    mtm wrote: »
    This is the old article from 2005 on CBN, and they did seem to have some sort of source to the production into who was considered.

    https://commanderbond.net/2995/the-men-who-could-have-been-bond.html

    Gerard Butler
    Henry Cavill
    Rupert Friend
    Daniel Goddard
    Martin Henderson
    Julian McMahon
    David Morrissey
    Alex O’Lachlan
    Ingo Rademacher
    Dougray Scott
    Christian Solimeno
    Antony Starr
    Karl Urban
    Goran Visnjic
    Dominic West
    Sam Worthington

    They knew that Cavill, Craig and Worthington may have been in the final three, and that O’Lachlan says he tested in costume, so there may have been more.
    You may be surprised to hear I thought West was pretty good as a suave secret agent in Johnny English Reborn. I think he could've pulled Bond off.

    wonechu-what.gif
  • Posts: 12,242
    FoxRox wrote: »
    FoxRox wrote: »
    Sounds like we can expect a monogamous or sexless Bond moving forward.

    Not sure how you arrived there, but ok

    “Both Wilson and Broccoli, who is a director of the U.K. chapter of women’s advocacy org Time’s Up, have left their mark on Bond, particularly in humanizing the once-womanizing spy and ensuring more fulfilling, meatier roles for the female stars of the franchise. These are qualities that will continue in the next films, says Broccoli.

    “It’s an evolution,” she says. “Bond is evolving just as men are evolving. I don’t know who’s evolving at a faster pace.””

    Key term being “once-womanizing.”

    Fair enough, thanks for calling that out.
    I think it's important to keep in mind those are Variety's words, not the producers'. Also I think when PWB was helping write NTTD, she went on record saying that you can sort of have both, with regards to keeping Bond's womanizing characteristics intact for the character, while also telling stories and developing other characters that have more respect for women than, say, Thunderball.

    Variety either jumped to a conclusion or at least the producers didn’t correct them if the suggestion was brought up - but would it really come as a surprise to anyone at this point? There was no womanizing in NTTD, which is okay enough as a one-off, but there’s an expectation / integral part of Bond’s character in general to at least be somewhat promiscuous. Like, a very big part of the identity.

    No one should be crying if Bond consensually sleeps with multiple women. Obviously certain things Bond says and does concerning women in the older movies don’t happen anymore, and that’s a reasonable and good thing for a modern interpretation to drop off. But I’ll never understand why some audiences always assume that the bad behaviors of a character in fiction are an endorsement of it. Have people lost the maturity to just take art for what it is? Anyway, I hope Bond retains being a ladies’ man as it is like a top 5 quality of his character in importance, otherwise we’ll just be straying too much from the character.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    FoxRox wrote: »
    FoxRox wrote: »
    FoxRox wrote: »
    Sounds like we can expect a monogamous or sexless Bond moving forward.

    Not sure how you arrived there, but ok

    “Both Wilson and Broccoli, who is a director of the U.K. chapter of women’s advocacy org Time’s Up, have left their mark on Bond, particularly in humanizing the once-womanizing spy and ensuring more fulfilling, meatier roles for the female stars of the franchise. These are qualities that will continue in the next films, says Broccoli.

    “It’s an evolution,” she says. “Bond is evolving just as men are evolving. I don’t know who’s evolving at a faster pace.””

    Key term being “once-womanizing.”

    Fair enough, thanks for calling that out.
    I think it's important to keep in mind those are Variety's words, not the producers'. Also I think when PWB was helping write NTTD, she went on record saying that you can sort of have both, with regards to keeping Bond's womanizing characteristics intact for the character, while also telling stories and developing other characters that have more respect for women than, say, Thunderball.

    Variety either jumped to a conclusion or at least the producers didn’t correct them if the suggestion was brought up - but would it really come as a surprise to anyone at this point? There was no womanizing in NTTD, which is okay enough as a one-off, but there’s an expectation / integral part of Bond’s character in general to at least be somewhat promiscuous. Like, a very big part of the identity.

    No one should be crying if Bond consensually sleeps with multiple women. Obviously certain things Bond says and does concerning women in the older movies don’t happen anymore, and that’s a reasonable and good thing for a modern interpretation to drop off. But I’ll never understand why some audiences always assume that the bad behaviors of a character in fiction are an endorsement of it. Have people lost the maturity to just take art for what it is? Anyway, I hope Bond retains being a ladies’ man as it is like a top 5 quality of his character in importance, otherwise we’ll just be straying too much from the character.

    I'm not massively bothered either way to be honest. You can pretty much get the effect just with two women in a film (see Daylights).
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,518
    Pretty much agree 100%. I do think it's more and more a knife's edge to walk along, where in this day and age you can have a character who womanizes, but you kind of have to be careful that you're not celebrating it, in a way.
    Really, it should make for more drama if Bond retains this characteristic in a world/story where women have more agency and are portrayed as stronger, more independent characters.
    Regardless, I do agree that this is one inextricable characteristic of Bond and should be kept.
  • edited September 2022 Posts: 2,749
    FoxRox wrote: »
    FoxRox wrote: »
    Sounds like we can expect a monogamous or sexless Bond moving forward.

    Not sure how you arrived there, but ok

    “Both Wilson and Broccoli, who is a director of the U.K. chapter of women’s advocacy org Time’s Up, have left their mark on Bond, particularly in humanizing the once-womanizing spy and ensuring more fulfilling, meatier roles for the female stars of the franchise. These are qualities that will continue in the next films, says Broccoli.

    “It’s an evolution,” she says. “Bond is evolving just as men are evolving. I don’t know who’s evolving at a faster pace.””

    Key term being “once-womanizing.”

    Fair enough, thanks for calling that out.
    I think it's important to keep in mind those are Variety's words, not the producers'. Also I think when PWB was helping write NTTD, she went on record saying that you can sort of have both, with regards to keeping Bond's womanizing characteristics intact for the character, while also telling stories and developing other characters that have more respect for women than, say, Thunderball.

    I suspect it'll just mean they'll attempt to write Bond girls who are more interesting. And cut things like the barn scene from GF, or the part where Bond randomly kisses the nurse in TB (both of these sorts of things were unlikely to occur in a Bond film past 1980, probably even before, for what it's worth).

    To be fair, as much as I criticise NTTD, I do like that the main plot focused on a backstory involving Madeline. I thought it worked and felt organic. Nomi was a bit hit or miss (from a script perspective anyway, nothing to do with the actress, and in essence Bond constantly gets the better of her before they reconcile). Most people seem to have enjoyed Paloma's scenes. I'm sure they can do better though in the sense that there are some genuinely interesting possibilities for a Bond girl or even a female villain going forward that a good actress can sink her teeth into. Doesn't have to be Bond's equal or someone with a tragic backstory (personally I'd like to see them try and adapt a Pussy Galore type from the GF novel but without the weird 'Bond turns her subplot, ie. a leader of female cat burgling organisation).

    I know some people waffle on about the 'lack of sex' in NTTD, but it's nothing new. Bond in the Fleming novels often only slept with one or indeed no women at all, and definitely had a tendency to fall in love. I'm fine with Bond as a character sleeping around, having romantic moments with women, and I'm sure this will continue to be the case. That said I'm sure there's something interesting that can be explored in a future film about Bond's relationship with women (I dunno, you could have a similar set up to Fleming's TSWLM where the Bond girl is rescued by Bond in a chance encounter and years later happens to get embroiled with the same villains and seeks Bond's help. Much like in the novel, she could be infatuated with him at first, but by the end realises he's essentially a rather flawed, albeit brave man who is just as connected to danger as the villains are, and by the end they depart amiably).
    mtm wrote: »
    mtm wrote: »
    This is the old article from 2005 on CBN, and they did seem to have some sort of source to the production into who was considered.

    https://commanderbond.net/2995/the-men-who-could-have-been-bond.html

    Gerard Butler
    Henry Cavill
    Rupert Friend
    Daniel Goddard
    Martin Henderson
    Julian McMahon
    David Morrissey
    Alex O’Lachlan
    Ingo Rademacher
    Dougray Scott
    Christian Solimeno
    Antony Starr
    Karl Urban
    Goran Visnjic
    Dominic West
    Sam Worthington

    They knew that Cavill, Craig and Worthington may have been in the final three, and that O’Lachlan says he tested in costume, so there may have been more.
    You may be surprised to hear I thought West was pretty good as a suave secret agent in Johnny English Reborn. I think he could've pulled Bond off.

    wonechu-what.gif

    Lol, that made my day.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited September 2022 Posts: 14,861
    007HallY wrote: »
    FoxRox wrote: »
    FoxRox wrote: »
    Sounds like we can expect a monogamous or sexless Bond moving forward.

    Not sure how you arrived there, but ok

    “Both Wilson and Broccoli, who is a director of the U.K. chapter of women’s advocacy org Time’s Up, have left their mark on Bond, particularly in humanizing the once-womanizing spy and ensuring more fulfilling, meatier roles for the female stars of the franchise. These are qualities that will continue in the next films, says Broccoli.

    “It’s an evolution,” she says. “Bond is evolving just as men are evolving. I don’t know who’s evolving at a faster pace.””

    Key term being “once-womanizing.”

    Fair enough, thanks for calling that out.
    I think it's important to keep in mind those are Variety's words, not the producers'. Also I think when PWB was helping write NTTD, she went on record saying that you can sort of have both, with regards to keeping Bond's womanizing characteristics intact for the character, while also telling stories and developing other characters that have more respect for women than, say, Thunderball.

    I suspect it'll just mean they'll attempt to write Bond girls who are more interesting. And cut things like the barn scene from GF, or the part where Bond randomly kisses the nurse in TB (both of these sorts of things were unlikely to occur in a Bond film past 1980, probably even before, for what it's worth).

    Indeed, the films have been modernising for decades, it's nothing new (apart from the odd glitch of Guy Hamilton's 70s movies, which had moments of sexism stronger than anything in the 007 films of the previous decade- makes you wonder what he was like).
    007HallY wrote: »
    To be fair, as much as I criticise NTTD, I do like that the main plot focused on a backstory involving Madeline. I thought it worked and felt organic. Nomi was a bit hit or miss (from a script perspective anyway, nothing to do with the actress, and in essence Bond constantly gets the better of her before they reconcile). Most people seem to have enjoyed Paloma's scenes. I'm sure they can do better though in the sense that there are some genuinely interesting possibilities for a Bond girl or even a female villain going forward that a good actress can sink her teeth into.

    Yes I liked that part of NTTD, it was interesting that Madeline was a de facto main character. Sadly she's still not very interesting in the actual scenes; Nomi had potential but they didn't know what to do with her- I tend to think Mendes did mostly better work in his films with the female characters. Eve particularly felt interesting and very watchable, and Bond didn't even shag her.
    Really it's hard not to think of Ilsa in the Mission Impossible films: a properly engaging and interesting female lead who isn't just a male character hastily rewritten for a woman and given some karate and tough lines to say, but an actual woman. The Bond films really need to make a character like that (and I think Nomi actually had the potential to be that, but as I say: she was redundant in the plot).
    007HallY wrote: »
    I know some people waffle on about the 'lack of sex' in NTTD, but it's nothing new. Bond in the Fleming novels often only slept with one or indeed no women at all, and definitely had a tendency to fall in love.

    Indeed, and it's not something I even noticed was missing in NTTD. He gets his leg over in the first few minutes and goes on the pull in Jamaica, so there was enough there for me.
  • kuifje_007kuifje_007 Belgium
    Posts: 8
    Just saw Gentlemen (2019) with Charlie Hunnam. I thought he would be a brilliant Bond like Daniel Craig.
  • JeremyBondonJeremyBondon Seeking out odd jobs with Oddjob @Tangier
    edited September 2022 Posts: 1,318
    kuifje_007 wrote: »
    Just saw Gentlemen (2019) with Charlie Hunnam. I thought he would be a brilliant Bond like Daniel Craig.

    Shame he cannot act.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,518
    kuifje_007 wrote: »
    Just saw Gentlemen (2019) with Charlie Hunnam. I thought he would be a brilliant Bond like Daniel Craig.

    I think he’s a bit brutish for my tastes (might have thought the same thing about Craig though). Liked The Gentlemen though.
  • QsCatQsCat London
    edited September 2022 Posts: 251
    I don't see what is wrong with Bond having.. relations.. with multiple women, if they also want to have.. relations.. with him.
    I think it's a problem when women just seem to fall at his feet, because that's somewhat unrealistic.
    But if, during a film, he meets a woman who interests him intellectually as well as physically, then maybe meets another whom he has to pump for information, that's alright isn't it?!

    These female characters don't need to be badass ala Jinx or .. whatever her name is in NTTD (Nomi?), they just need to be real women; well-written characters who don't have to undermine Bond and masculinity as a whole in order to exist..
    Fleming did write such characters, after all, as Bill Nighy was surprised to find when narrating Moonraker. 1minute in (though you may as well listen to the entire video)


  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,371
    I don't need him bedding numerous women every single film but I really don't want to see another girlfriend/wife dynamic weaved throughout an arc again anytime soon.
  • SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷ Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria
    Posts: 1,282
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    I don't need him bedding numerous women every single film but I really don't want to see another girlfriend/wife dynamic weaved throughout an arc again anytime soon.

    Absolutely!
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited September 2022 Posts: 14,861
    I'm not against it: it makes sense for a man who engages in relationships. But she has to be pretty impressive.
  • SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷ Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria
    Posts: 1,282
    I would like the next Bond era to have a plethora of complex femme fatales, instead of Bond falling in love again.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    edited September 2022 Posts: 7,518
    Yeah, a good mix of Natalyas and Xenias.

    I feel like Bond had a few quasi-relationships in the books. Didn’t Case dump Bond for an American?

    Another female primary villain wouldn’t hurt either.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861

    Another female primary villain wouldn’t hurt either.

    I think it's kind of bizarre we haven't had a single one in the last twenty years. Just for the sake of variety if nothing else.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 8,254
    Time for James Bond to explore polyamory.
  • Jordo007Jordo007 Merseyside
    Posts: 2,482
    The future of Bond doesn't excite me at all
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 8,254
    Jordo007 wrote: »
    The future of Bond doesn't excite me at all

    I think once the wheels start turning and we hear that a script is in the works and directors are being lined up for interviews and true casting is under way, there will be excitement again.

    But when nothing is happening, it’s very hard to get excited. As fans on the sidelines, we’ve no idea what direction they’re going, which candidates are truly on a list… it’s all a big blank.

    Saying that, if they’re going to invest in one actor for a decade, I’d much rather they take their time, work on how to appropriately present the character, hire a strong director to help the casting and hit the ground running when they get their man.

    There are some great films in this series we can revisit, discussions to be had, books to read, James Bond Day, and then all the buzz as they get closer and closer to production … In a few short years, there will be a Royal Premiere and giddiness will return…

  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    edited September 2022 Posts: 7,518
    Jordo007 wrote: »
    The future of Bond doesn't excite me at all

    Write your own James Bond story that, if it turned into a film, would excite you.

    I'm not holding my breath really for the next official Bond film (it will come, just not for a long time I don't think, and I will certainly get excited and go see it when it does), so I'm toying with a bunch of Bond creative projects.

    Even if you have no interest in writing, I bet you have a hobby or two that you could incorporate Bond into.
  • SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷ Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria
    Posts: 1,282
    I think we just need even the smallest news concerning Bond 26, to kickstart excitement again. Maybe rumours of who would direct Bond 26 or something.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,371
    It'll get here when it arrives. I'll also have no excitement for a future era that's clearly unknown and up in the air currently. I plan on doing my yearly Bondathon next month so that'll be a fun way to pass some time.
  • Forgot to mention that I passed my Black Belt grade in kickboxing on Saturday.
  • SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷ Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria
    edited September 2022 Posts: 1,282
    Forgot to mention that I passed my Black Belt grade in kickboxing on Saturday.

    Armed! And very Dangerous =D>
  • Posts: 12,242
    Frankly my excitement is at a low too. Between coming off an era neatly wrapped up and a lot of things I don’t like up in the air regarding the next one, I have no problem just waiting around for now. In the chance NTTD ends up being the last good one for me, at least for a long time, I can live with that. Nothing could be more annoying than the countless issues and delays to conclude one actor’s tenure.
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