Should we get a new M / Q / Moneypenny for BOND 26 and beyond ?

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  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited July 1 Posts: 18,443
    Ludovico wrote: »
    mtm wrote: »
    Why not? He’s great.

    I don't think so. He's rather limited, mostly if not exclusively a comedy actor, he has neither gravitas nor authority to pass as a high ranking civil servant.

    Oh gosh, watch A Very English Scandal if you can, he’s brilliant in it and I think shows everything you’re asking for there.
    Denbigh wrote: »
    I personally disagree about Colman as M, and before I say this I don't want users to think I'm specifically talking about you, but more generally, I think the concern that she'd be 'too similar' to Judi Dench possibly says more about how female legacy in male-dominated roles are perceived, than about Colman's actual potential.

    With male actors who've played M, like Bernard Lee, Robert Brown, and Ralph Fiennes, they don't seem to be held to the same standard of 'difference' from their predecessors. But with women, it’s as if there can only be one version, or else it’s redundant. Colman brings a very different energy to the table: she’s unpredictable, emotionally layered, and can switch between warmth and authority in a way that’s totally her own. I think she could redefine the role just as powerfully as Dench did, not echo it.

    Again, I'm not accusing anyone of this double standard, just pointing out it's possibility.

    It’s a fair point and she does indeed make every role her own, but I think slightly different with Robert Brown as he’s pretty much just a direct replacement for Lee (I would say playing the same character but let’s not get into that! :D ), plus I’m not sure he was even all that great really. He was fine but not much more for me. And I’d say Fiennes was a contrast to the Lee/Brown M.
    But yeah you do make a good point, I’m sure she’d be very good.
  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 15,453
    My hope for M should Ralph Fiennes not return would be Jarod Harris. I think Hugh Grant might make a decent Q. I’d nominate Felicity Jones for Moneypenny.
  • Posts: 15,822
    I'm not sure the males M were that similar. Even within their respective tenure. Ralph Fiennes was at times considerably different from Bernard Lee and Robert Brown in any case, morally ambiguous, sometimes borderline melancholic. I always thought Mallory was more military than the others, far less comfortable in the role of a high ranking civil servant.
  • Posts: 6,898
    Charlotte Rampling for M. Or Jared Harris. Or Jeremy Irons.
    Bu actually, Ralph Fiennes would be the only one I'd like to see returning. Not as Mallory. But simply as M, no explanation required. A good luck charm, transitioning from one era to another, just like Dench.
  • AnotherZorinStoogeAnotherZorinStooge Bramhall (Irish)
    Posts: 755
    Is there nothing to be said for cgi reproductions of Lois Maxwell and Bernard Lee?

    Perhaps swap roles, too?
  • Posts: 15,822
    Univex wrote: »
    Charlotte Rampling for M. Or Jared Harris. Or Jeremy Irons.
    Bu actually, Ralph Fiennes would be the only one I'd like to see returning. Not as Mallory. But simply as M, no explanation required. A good luck charm, transitioning from one era to another, just like Dench.
    I think of all other actors from the previous era, Ralph Fiennes is the one most likely to come back. He's got the name recognition and for Fiennes it's an easy paycheck. I'm not saying he necessarily will be back as M, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did.
  • AnotherZorinStoogeAnotherZorinStooge Bramhall (Irish)
    Posts: 755
    Hope Fiennes, and the character of Mallory, is done and dusted.
  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 5,088
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Univex wrote: »
    Charlotte Rampling for M. Or Jared Harris. Or Jeremy Irons.
    Bu actually, Ralph Fiennes would be the only one I'd like to see returning. Not as Mallory. But simply as M, no explanation required. A good luck charm, transitioning from one era to another, just like Dench.
    I think of all other actors from the previous era, Ralph Fiennes is the one most likely to come back. He's got the name recognition and for Fiennes it's an easy paycheck. I'm not saying he necessarily will be back as M, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did.

    Yes, please. There shouldn't be favoritism among various actors in the series reprising or coming back in different roles and eras.
    echo wrote: »
    Colman with a younger Bond (which we are almost certain to get) sounds delicious to me. I mean, she can do no wrong as an actress and is basically the Dench of her generation.

    Plus, she is rightly so busy with other projects that maybe her role as M would be smaller, and that would appease fans who think the M role has gotten too prominent.

    I'd like to see Olivia Colman as May or Charmian Bond, honestly. It's time to introduce both the characters to the movie series. It will help make the next era different. In particular, since Denis Villeneuve likes to direct ensemble casts. As I've said before, Ralph Fiennes back as M being Sir Miles. Female M, Emily Blunt. Hayley Atwell or Felicity Jones as Moneypenny. Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Q. Those are my main casting choices for MI6 and Bond's family. No traitors!
  • edited July 2 Posts: 5,543
    Pretty sure Charmian’s meant to be dead by Bond’s adulthood (I guess they can do whatever though, but I think it’s better to keep Bond a lone wolf with no family). The problem with May is that she adds little unless she’s really integrated into the story, and often that just creates problems anyway, especially with a big actress like Coleman taking the part. Having a housekeeper today would be a bit odd for a man living in a flat in London. I guess she can be made a landlord…. Maybe. It’s the sort of thing that a minority of fans might appreciate, but leaves the average viewer just scratching their head.

    Never say never, but in most cases I’d say no to either.
  • ImpertinentGoonImpertinentGoon Everybody needs a hobby.
    Posts: 1,436
    007HallY wrote: »
    Pretty sure Charmian’s meant to be dead by Bond’s adulthood (I guess they can do whatever though, but I think it’s better to keep Bond a lone wolf with no family). The problem with May is that she adds little unless she’s really integrated into the story, and often that just creates problems anyway, especially with a big actress like Coleman taking the part. Having a housekeeper today would be a bit odd for a man living in a flat in London. I guess she can be made a landlord…. Maybe. It’s the sort of thing that a minority of fans might appreciate, but leaves the average viewer just scratching their head.

    Never say never, but in most cases I’d say no to either.

    The possibly best British actress working right now handing Bond his breakfast and telling him some sketchy people inquired about him is a bit weird. You'd probably have to get her into the story in a bigger way and I don't know how to do that without re-hashing Skyfall.

    I think there could be a fun modern version of the May character where she is someone working for MI6 and responsible for the domestic cover of the 00s. A combination of organising their living situations as well as keeping everything buttoned down while they are on mission. I know the Bond franchise approaches many of these questions with a big "Well, it just works", but I do sometimes wonder how that works for him.
    If we get a relatively young Bond, they could have a sequence where she introduces him into all of these protocols and him being the himbo that he is mainly being interested in how this is going to work with his various affairs etc. Banter ensues.
    Alternatively they go closer to the relationship they have in the books, where May has worked for Bond for years already and she knows all the ins and outs of how he goes about missions and stuff. So now that I think about it more, the character I envision is probably closer to a modernized Loelia Ponsonby, but still.
    Still not something I see Olivia Colman doing, though.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited July 2 Posts: 18,443
    007HallY wrote: »
    Pretty sure Charmian’s meant to be dead by Bond’s adulthood (I guess they can do whatever though, but I think it’s better to keep Bond a lone wolf with no family). The problem with May is that she adds little unless she’s really integrated into the story, and often that just creates problems anyway, especially with a big actress like Coleman taking the part. Having a housekeeper today would be a bit odd for a man living in a flat in London. I guess she can be made a landlord…. Maybe. It’s the sort of thing that a minority of fans might appreciate, but leaves the average viewer just scratching their head.

    Never say never, but in most cases I’d say no to either.

    I think there could be a fun modern version of the May character where she is someone working for MI6 and responsible for the domestic cover of the 00s. A combination of organising their living situations as well as keeping everything buttoned down while they are on mission.

    That’s a very fun idea of how to do it. As you guys are saying though, it needs to be part of the story of the film rather than just lore, or even worse, just stopping the film dead for a Nigel Small-Fawcet type comedy character.
  • SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷ Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria
    Posts: 2,757
    Emma Stone for Moneypenny. She can pull off a British accent...I think.
  • sandbagger1sandbagger1 Sussex
    Posts: 1,082
    My choices for a female M:
    Tilda Swinton
    Gillian Anderson
    Olivia Williams

    Male M:
    Hugh Laurie
    Mark Rylance
    Benedict Wong (would make for a great ‘Q’, too)
  • Posts: 12,596
    I think now it will be a clean slate.

    My reasoning is that Amazon want a WORLD built around the character of James Bond? To me that would suggest the obvious fact that we will see spin offs of which their will be multiples of?

    Now? Who ever the new 007 will be? I would not expect them to have a guest appearance in any 8 or 10 part TV show? However? M,Q, or Moneypenny could show up in a series involving the Double O program?

    Alongside this show? You could introduce a CIA series that could be working in tandem with the British equivalant that culminates in the next movie release?

    This obviously could apply to any other country too if you so wish?
  • Jordo007Jordo007 Merseyside
    Posts: 2,816
    My hope for Bond 26 is we see more lesser known talented actors given a chance.

    It seems the more high profile the MI6 crew are the more they need to be shoehorned in to the plot, as much as I love Fiennes, Whishaw and Harris as the MI6 crew.
  • DenbighDenbigh UK
    edited July 2 Posts: 6,046
    I've said before that I think Himesh Patel and Anya Chalotra would be a great Q and Moneypenny.

    As well as both of them being interesting and fresh actors, think it’d be a great way to represent the Indian community, the largest ethnic minority group in the UK, bringing in actors who reflect the diversity of modern Britain while still capturing the essence of those iconic roles.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited July 2 Posts: 18,443
    RogueAgent wrote: »

    Alongside this show? You could introduce a CIA series that could be working in tandem with the British equivalant that culminates in the next movie release?

    This obviously could apply to any other country too if you so wish?

    That was their thinking with their Citadel and its global spinoffs, yeah could be.
    Denbigh wrote: »
    I've said before that I think Himesh Patel and Anya Chalotra would be a great Q and Moneypenny.

    As well as both of them being interesting and fresh actors, think it’d be a great way to represent the Indian community, the largest ethnic minority group in the UK, bringing in actors who reflect the diversity of modern Britain while still capturing the essence of those iconic roles.

    Yes that would be good, a bit like the South Asian M in First Light, who I'm not sure has been identified yet!
  • RichardTheBruceRichardTheBruce I'm motivated by my Duty.
    Posts: 14,537
    mtm wrote: »
    007HallY wrote: »
    Pretty sure Charmian’s meant to be dead by Bond’s adulthood (I guess they can do whatever though, but I think it’s better to keep Bond a lone wolf with no family). The problem with May is that she adds little unless she’s really integrated into the story, and often that just creates problems anyway, especially with a big actress like Coleman taking the part. Having a housekeeper today would be a bit odd for a man living in a flat in London. I guess she can be made a landlord…. Maybe. It’s the sort of thing that a minority of fans might appreciate, but leaves the average viewer just scratching their head.

    Never say never, but in most cases I’d say no to either.

    I think there could be a fun modern version of the May character where she is someone working for MI6 and responsible for the domestic cover of the 00s. A combination of organising their living situations as well as keeping everything buttoned down while they are on mission.

    That’s a very fun idea of how to do it. As you guys are saying though, it needs to be part of the story of the film rather than just lore, or even worse, just stopping the film dead for a Nigel Small-Fawcet type comedy character.
    Relating to spy business, May could be a cleaner.

  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 18,443
    Another fun idea!
  • ImpertinentGoonImpertinentGoon Everybody needs a hobby.
    Posts: 1,436
    mtm wrote: »
    007HallY wrote: »
    Pretty sure Charmian’s meant to be dead by Bond’s adulthood (I guess they can do whatever though, but I think it’s better to keep Bond a lone wolf with no family). The problem with May is that she adds little unless she’s really integrated into the story, and often that just creates problems anyway, especially with a big actress like Coleman taking the part. Having a housekeeper today would be a bit odd for a man living in a flat in London. I guess she can be made a landlord…. Maybe. It’s the sort of thing that a minority of fans might appreciate, but leaves the average viewer just scratching their head.

    Never say never, but in most cases I’d say no to either.

    I think there could be a fun modern version of the May character where she is someone working for MI6 and responsible for the domestic cover of the 00s. A combination of organising their living situations as well as keeping everything buttoned down while they are on mission.

    That’s a very fun idea of how to do it. As you guys are saying though, it needs to be part of the story of the film rather than just lore, or even worse, just stopping the film dead for a Nigel Small-Fawcet type comedy character.
    Relating to spy business, May could be a cleaner.

    Oh man, that's the obvious one, isn't it? Just a fun little nod for the people who know Fleming and nothing anyone else has to worry about otherwise. May is the Cleaner! Perfect.
  • Posts: 15,822
    Denbigh wrote: »
    I've said before that I think Himesh Patel and Anya Chalotra would be a great Q and Moneypenny.

    As well as both of them being interesting and fresh actors, think it’d be a great way to represent the Indian community, the largest ethnic minority group in the UK, bringing in actors who reflect the diversity of modern Britain while still capturing the essence of those iconic roles.

    Off topic, but how many Indian Bond girls did we have in the series? I'd rather have an Indian Bond girls than an Indian Moneypenny, because her name is not Indian one bit, but I'm not averse to an Indian Q, albeit an Asian tech wiz might come off as a stereotype. That being said, I suspect they might want to keep Ben Whishaw, given the name recognition.
  • I'm not a fan of May being a part of MI6 or some element of Bond's work. It feels like May is more part of Bond's home life, completely separate from work. Adding her to some element of MI6 loses the charm of seeing Bond's home life. Obviously the film can't just stop for a scene with May, so I'd rather not see her included than have her be a part of MI6 in some way.
  • Posts: 1,230
    Denbigh wrote: »
    I've said before that I think Himesh Patel and Anya Chalotra would be a great Q and Moneypenny.

    As well as both of them being interesting and fresh actors, think it’d be a great way to represent the Indian community, the largest ethnic minority group in the UK, bringing in actors who reflect the diversity of modern Britain while still capturing the essence of those iconic roles.

    I've been beating the Himesh Patel for Q drum for quite some time. I'd be over the moon if that were the case.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 18,443
    I guess it might be interesting if Q were a bit more like Mark Strong's character in Kingsman; an actual doublehard guy, maybe a bit rougher than Bond. Bearing in mind he is an armourer who deals in weaponry, perhaps he should be less of the comedy professor and more like a special forces-type of weapons expert.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,833
    I'm not a fan of May being a part of MI6 or some element of Bond's work. It feels like May is more part of Bond's home life, completely separate from work. Adding her to some element of MI6 loses the charm of seeing Bond's home life. Obviously the film can't just stop for a scene with May, so I'd rather not see her included than have her be a part of MI6 in some way.

    Having a live-in (?) housekeeper seems a bit weird for Bond in 2025, unless it's AI May! Or maybe May as a neighbor, but then again, who wants purely domestic scenes in a Bond film?!? Some people sure didn't like it in NTTD!
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