Jim (24 Jan, 2002 08:08 a.m.):
Would they cast a "name" villain though? Generally, they've used character actors, quite well known but no more than that. Christophers Walken and Lee were fairly big names I guess, but at the time of their respective films, Adolfo Celi, Yaphet Kotto, Gert Frobe? To the wider audience, surely not the name recognition of a Hopkins or Rickman (and not the fee, either).
The last thing that the Bond series wants to do, surely, is to descend into guest villain Arnold Schwarzenegger hell.
I suppose Jim Broadbent above is the exception to that, but I just can't see him in a Bond film, particularly as the villain.
We've had an absence of European villains for a bit. My first suggestion would be the blokey who played Pazzi in Hannibal.
Oh, hang it all, and hang my theory. Give it to Tommy Lee Jones and have done with it.
The only other suggestions I'd have would be Vincent price and Klaus Kinski, but as they're both very dead, this may prove a problem.
Y'know, I would've loved to see Vincent Price as a Bond villain. Maybe Peter Cushing could've worked (as long as we're talking horror movie actors). Still, they did use Price's English counterpart, Christopher Lee, to great effect.
I don't know if it's a question of would they cast a known, because there have been name stars in there before and others who have been offered the roles. Anthony Hopkins was twice offered the villain in the nineties, and Patrick Stewart, while he didn't end up in Bond 20, was rumored and may very well have been offered a part during the early stages of the script's development. Some other name actors to play villains were Donald Pleasence, Telly Savalas, and Louis Jourdan. They do tend to cast more unknown and quasi-unknown character actors, though lately they've been casting more quasi-unknown young actors (who are not character actors primarily).
BTW, the guy who played Inspector Rinaldo Pazzi in Hannibal is named Giancarlo Giannini.
I was just trying to pick up a thread that appears to be gone in which these suggestions were already made (except I'm not sure if anyone mentioned McKellen).
Jim Broadbent is well-known in England, but virtually unknown in the U.S. He's gaining prominence though, with supporting roles in three successful films this year- "Bridget Jones's Diary", "Moulin Rouge" and "Iris"- and a certain Oscar nomination for "Iris", possible win. That may propel him to name status. As it stands, while he is certainly an always-welcome character actor, he isn't a name in the U.S. I also have some difficulty picturing him as a Bond villain, but I have no doubt he could pull it off nicely.
And I agree, I wouldn't want Arnold Schwarzenegger anywhere near a Bond movie.
Another villain suggestion: Armin Mueller-Stahl (what happened to him after his Oscar nomination for "Shine"?) There were some others but I can't recall them at the moment.
Like I said, they don't cast name actors often to play the main villain, but if it's an affable choice I could see it happening. Jeremy Irons and Ian McKellen are still my fave picks for the job.
Dave
