21 replies to this topic

[quantumofsolace]

http://www.belfastte...m-29137391.html

 

belfasttelegraph march 18 2013

Mark Strong has revealed that he almost appeared in Skyfall - and that he may star in a future James Bond film.

The Welcome To The Punch actor admitted there had been talk of him joining his good friend and 007 star Daniel Craig, the godfather of Mark's son Roman, in Sam Mendes' film.

"We nearly got together on Skyfall, but watch this space, I say. I don't know," he said.

The 49-year-old added: "It would be great and I would love to do that. We will have to see what gets written."

[007jamesbond]

he would be a good henchman! 

[lechero]

 

I wouldn't be opposed to the idea. Would make either a fine villain or more interestingly a good-old fashioned ally.

[Bucky]

he seems to play villains a lot, similar to Gary Oldman up until about 10 years ago. would like to see him in a role as an ally.

[Guy Haines]

As who, I wonder? As the villain? I doubt it - according to The James Bond Archives - a weighty tome in every respect! - Javier Bardem was always going to be the bad guy. Even when they didn't have a name for his character, the villain was referred to as "Javier Bardem" in the first script drafts.

 

So I wonder who he might have played?

[tdalton]

So I wonder who he might have played?

 

Patrice would be my guess.  

[The Shark]

What about Mallory?

[coco1997]

So I wonder who he might have played?

 

Patrice would be my guess.  

Probably. Strong's presence would have been completely wasted on a villain who doesn't say a single word throughout the entire film, though. Guy's got a great voice.
 

[Royal Dalton]

Patrice seems the most likely candidate. But, like Bardem, Strong could have been approached before the film was even written. So there might not have been a specific role for him.

[Dustin]

I like the M idea, would have provided a different chemistry for new M and Bond.

[Odd Jobbies]

So I wonder who he might have played?

 

Patrice would be my guess.  

Mine too. However, Bardem's casting was touch and go for a while when he was attached to the ill fated Dark Tower movie.

[Odd Jobbies]

I like the M idea, would have provided a different chemistry for new M and Bond.

Strong is too similar in age and class to Craig to make a convincing M in this current scenario.

 

At best M should be a father figure for Bond (making some sense of the orphan's loyalty). Fiennes doesn't really make this grade either (hence they had he had perform an act of bravery in SF to justify Craig's loyalty), but at least there's an obvious class divide between to two individuals allowing them to spark off of each other a little.

 

The worst scenario is that they are essentially the same and we're not convinced that Bond is in anyway subservient to M.

 

Obviously i'm working from Fleming's template, but he did do it rather well.

 

ETA: Personally i'd have gone for Michael Gambon, or Charles Dance as M. This would've really rooted the Franchise back in classic cannon/Fleming territory and afterall this indeed appears to be Eon's goal.

Edited by Odd Jobbies, 19 March 2013 - 09:52 AM.

[Vauxhall]

What about Mallory?

 

That was my first instinct. I can certainly imagine him being an alternate to Fiennes. He's only a few months younger.

[S K Y F A L L]

How about Blofeld, has anyone said Blofeld yet? I mean I know he wasn't in SF but could that have crossed their minds and he is perhaps on reserves?

[Vauxhall]

How about Blofeld, has anyone said Blofeld yet? I mean I know he wasn't in SF but could that have crossed their minds and he is perhaps on reserves?

 

Given what we know about SKYFALL, and which elements of the plot were always set to be in place, I don't think Blofeld was ever seriously considered as featuring. However, that's not to say that Mark Strong wouldn't be a decent shot for the role if it ever returned.

[Guy Haines]

I like the M idea, would have provided a different chemistry for new M and Bond.

Strong is too similar in age and class to Craig to make a convincing M in this current scenario.

 

At best M should be a father figure for Bond (making some sense of the orphan's loyalty). Fiennes doesn't really make this grade either (hence they had he had perform an act of bravery in SF to justify Craig's loyalty), but at least there's an obvious class divide between to two individuals allowing them to spark off of each other a little.

 

The worst scenario is that they are essentially the same and we're not convinced that Bond is in anyway subservient to M.

 

Obviously i'm working from Fleming's template, but he did do it rather well.

 

ETA: Personally i'd have gone for Michael Gambon, or Charles Dance as M. This would've really rooted the Franchise back in classic cannon/Fleming territory and afterall this indeed appears to be Eon's goal.

After all that misdirection in the run up to Skyfall, I rather like the idea of Ralph Fiennes as M. It will be a different dynamic between Bond and the boss next time because the age gap isn't that great, but Mallory has earned Bond's respect, not only by his act of heroism during the enquiry shootout, but his underplaying of his former role in the SAS ("Bit of a shock for someone unused to field work" - was there a slight reaction of "I know different" in Bond's face when the new M said that?)

 

As for the view that M should have a naval background, preferably as an Admiral, well we're in the year 2013, not 1953. These days it's as likely that the head of MI6 would have a background as a former station chief in Hong Kong, or an ex-special forces officer, as a former head of Naval Intelligence.

[Odd Jobbies]

After all that misdirection in the run up to Skyfall, I rather like the idea of Ralph Fiennes as M. It will be a different dynamic between Bond and the boss next time because the age gap isn't that great, but Mallory has earned Bond's respect, not only by his act of heroism during the enquiry shootout, but his underplaying of his former role in the SAS ("Bit of a shock for someone unused to field work" - was there a slight reaction of "I know different" in Bond's face when the new M said that?)

 

As for the view that M should have a naval background, preferably as an Admiral, well we're in the year 2013, not 1953. These days it's as likely that the head of MI6 would have a background as a former station chief in Hong Kong, or an ex-special forces officer, as a former head of Naval Intelligence.

 

I'm not complaining about Fiennes, i thought he was great in the role, and will continue to be (so long as the writing/direction is too) and i certainly don't see a need for M to be ex navy!

 

I would just have kept the age difference and i think the actors i mentioned are better, but just as good as Fiennes. But, like i said i'm not complaining and am excited to see the course their relationship takes. I do hope though that M doesn't start to get in involved in field work too often - i think that smacks of desperation for ideas in the writing.

 

Btw, where in SF was it mentioned that Mallroy was ex-SAS? I recall Moneypenny telling Bond about his field work, but i completely missed that one.

[Vauxhall]

Btw, where in SF was it mentioned that Mallroy was ex-SAS? I recall Moneypenny telling Bond about his field work, but i completely missed that one.

 

Mallory was described as a former Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army, not SAS as far as I recall.

[Odd Jobbies]

Btw, where in SF was it mentioned that Mallroy was ex-SAS? I recall Moneypenny telling Bond about his field work, but i completely missed that one.

 

Mallory was described as a former Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army, not SAS as far as I recall.

Thanks, Vauxhall, that's what i thought, it was predictably vague!

[Guy Haines]

After all that misdirection in the run up to Skyfall, I rather like the idea of Ralph Fiennes as M. It will be a different dynamic between Bond and the boss next time because the age gap isn't that great, but Mallory has earned Bond's respect, not only by his act of heroism during the enquiry shootout, but his underplaying of his former role in the SAS ("Bit of a shock for someone unused to field work" - was there a slight reaction of "I know different" in Bond's face when the new M said that?)

 

As for the view that M should have a naval background, preferably as an Admiral, well we're in the year 2013, not 1953. These days it's as likely that the head of MI6 would have a background as a former station chief in Hong Kong, or an ex-special forces officer, as a former head of Naval Intelligence.

 

I'm not complaining about Fiennes, i thought he was great in the role, and will continue to be (so long as the writing/direction is too) and i certainly don't see a need for M to be ex navy!

 

I would just have kept the age difference and i think the actors i mentioned are better, but just as good as Fiennes. But, like i said i'm not complaining and am excited to see the course their relationship takes. I do hope though that M doesn't start to get in involved in field work too often - i think that smacks of desperation for ideas in the writing.

 

Btw, where in SF was it mentioned that Mallroy was ex-SAS? I recall Moneypenny telling Bond about his field work, but i completely missed that one.

Perhaps I got it wrong, read too much into it, but Bond refers to Mallory as belonging to the "Hereford Regiment". I took that to mean the SAS, as it is based in Hereford.

[Major Tallon]

Btw, where in SF was it mentioned that Mallroy was ex-SAS? I recall Moneypenny telling Bond about his field work, but i completely missed that one.

 

Mallory was described as a former Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army, not SAS as far as I recall.

The SAS is a regiment in the British Army, headquartered at Hereford.  The 36th (Herefordshire) Regiment of Foot was amalgamated into the Worcestershires in 1881, so when Bond and Eve talk about "the Hereford" Regiment, they're referring to the SAS.

[Vauxhall]

Btw, where in SF was it mentioned that Mallroy was ex-SAS? I recall Moneypenny telling Bond about his field work, but i completely missed that one.

 
Mallory was described as a former Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army, not SAS as far as I recall.

The SAS is a regiment in the British Army, headquartered at Hereford.  The 36th (Herefordshire) Regiment of Foot was amalgamated into the Worcestershires in 1881, so when Bond and Eve talk about "the Hereford" Regiment, they're referring to the SAS.

Nice, thanks for the clarification.