77 replies to this topic

[Agent 76]

fresh news:

Dench Confirms Jan/Feb '06 Start Date for 'Casino Royale' Actress to reprise "M' role for fifth time

Edited by zencat, 10 March 2005 - 07:43 PM.

[Bryce (003)]

Interesting news 76.

Although, it is a bit of a "spanner in the works" to all these notions of this being early in Bond's career given the chronology of the series.

I do and have liked Dame Judi in the role. Glad to know she'll be back.

Has anyone heard this interview or of it?

[TaoMike]

I have to say this is pretty disheartening news... And I actually liked Dench.

But, given Campbell's talk of a "Bond Begins" scenario, I was really expecting (and hoping) that the slate would be wiped clean. Whether you like the idea of restarting the series or not (if that actually is the intention), it would certainly be a gutsy (and risky) move by Wilson and Broccoli. But if they're just going to half-a** it, why bother?

[Bondian]

It proves that I'm getting old, but I find Judy sexy in that pic.

This is interesting news...maybe Campbell spoke too soon?.

[roy_grace]

Personally I'm glad to hear this, simply from the fact that I don't like the idea of a restart. This gives me a little hope that that won't happen. I also read somewhere that John Cleese had signed a contract for two or three more movies, AFTER TWINE. Anyone else recall this?

By the way, why is she refered to as "Dame" Judi Dench? Is it a British thing? Is it like "Sir" Sean Connery?

Edited by roy_grace, 10 March 2005 - 01:35 AM.

[Bondian]

Anyone else recall this?

I certainly do my friend.

[zencat]

[quote name='TaoMike' date='9 March 2005 - 17:26']I have to say this is pretty disheartening news... And I actually liked Dench.

But, given Campbell's talk of a "Bond Begins" scenario, I was really expecting (and hoping) that the slate would be wiped clean.

[007forever]

DAME July Dench portrays M very well. She is just so perfect for it!
So glad she's back.

[Dunph]

By the way, why is she refered to as "Dame" Judi Dench? Is it a British thing?  Is it like "Sir" Sean Connery?

Yup, Judi Dench is a Dame of the British Empire and Sean Connery is a Knight of the British Empire. They were both 'Knighted.' A Knighthood is the highest accolade you can bestow on someone who isn't of aristocratic blood.

Nyaah, restart bollocks. I don't know why they bother. It means absolutely nothing. Hopefully this is a sign that they're not bothering and Campbell got it wrong.

[Bryce (003)]

...because she has such history with Pierce's Bond (she was established as the "new" M to Pierce's old Bond, getting saved by Bond after being kidnapped, etc.). Just one of the many reasons I think the over abundance of "the personal element" in the Brosnan era has tripped up this series, or at least backed it into a creative corner. They inadvertently created a timeline between Bond and Dench's M.

Exactly what I was about to type Zencat.

Also, Campbell really liked setting Dench up as M, and - by all accounts - JD really loves the part and enjoyed working with Campbell.

So...

A new Bond?...Yes.

The same M?...Yes.

Wiping the slate clean and Bond early in his career?

But - again, as Zencat pointed out - We do have yet another confirmation (albeit indirectly) of a January 2006 start date from a cast member.

Cool, yet also confusing.

[Pussfeller]

Well, I never thought for a second that CR would be a reboot, and this seems to prove it. Even so, I was really hoping they would replace Dench. Sure, she was good in Goldeneye, but she's been dreadfully dull since then. I just hope they actually take the time to give her realistic dialogue and rational motivations. They must realize by now that the "ball-busting pantsuit-wearer" paradigm has lost all novelty and smacks of lazy, narrow-minded writing (then again, be fair, we are talking about P&W).

[Qwerty]

Nothing new really. I'm not sure what kind of M I want to see in Casino Royale. Probably leaning more to a GoldenEye type once more.

[WC]

Dratcat! I hoped we'd seen the last of Judi Dench as M. I was hoping for a male M this time, as I'm really quite fed up of Dench in the role. I just hope Samantha Bond isn't returning as Moneypenny. We could do with someone new. She was a bit of a bore.

[zencat]

I would actually vote for no Moneypenny and no Q. If they are going for something tense and real and gritty, let's jettison these cute little "Bond family" moments. Let M give him his briefing, coldly and impersonally, and get him on his way. If the new guy and the new approach work, then work Moneypenny and Q in the next time. But this time, keep it lean and very mean. If you're going to do it, do it right!

[Qwerty]

keep it lean

Exactly. Enough of having MI6 staff turning up everywhere in a Bond film. Don't want to see them.

[Methos]

I would actually vote for no Moneypenny and no Q. If they are going for something tense and real and gritty, let's jettison these cute little "Bond family" moments.  Let M give him his briefing, coldly and impersonally, and get him on his way. If the new guy and the new approach work, then work Moneypenny and Q in the next time. But this time, keep it lean and very mean. If you're going to do it, do it right!

Brilliantly said man!!!! I could'nt have said it better myself!

[JimmyBond]

I'm fine with having no Q in the film. But no Moneypenny? It might be doable, but it would feel weird, but hey, what do I know?

[Jack Bauer]

She was pretty good, but I got a little tired of her ballsy approach to the role. She always had a quip here and there for James. But it's good to see her back.

[JimmyBond]

I think it's actually good to have a familiar face back to usher us into the new Bond. Another cast change would be a bit disorientating after we (almost) had one with Goldeneye.

[trumanlodge89]

I'm fine with having no Q in the film. But no Moneypenny? It might be doable, but it would feel weird, but hey, what do I know?

i think they can still make a gritty and real movie with moneypenny and Q. look at LTK. monnypenny had 2 lines, but she was still in it. and the lack of Q in LALD really detracted from the film i thought. there would be a big gap without those two.lets keep some continuity. though i would agree about getting a new moneypenny. samantha bond has already confirmed shes not doing one without pierce, right?

[Mr. Somerset]

Yay!!!!!!!!!
This should prove to be interesting. We'll just have to see what happens, won't we?
January 2006 seems a long ways away, though.

[Kingdom Come]

Well I like Dench as an actress and a person but this obviously puts the 'early days of Bond' out the window. I'm happy about that. If indeed this is the case.

[Alex Zamudio]

Well I liked her a lot as M, and if CR is not a reboot, then I hope she comes back, but if it is a restart, then this is the worst idea in cinema history, Judi Dench's M was James Bond

[level007]

Well... i was reading this thread and thought about the problem of Dench coming back when the producers want to do a Bond Begin. And i've just scared myself! why ? Remenber Tamahory's concept about Bond ? you know, that James bond is just a code name that is used by different men which would explained the different actors...... Are you afraid now too ? :-)
Well, could it be this ? Because having Dench and cleese back and have a younger bond is just bizarre...

But, after all, just bizarre for us fans. People out there won't think about it

level

[Qwerty]

I'm fine with having no Q in the film. But no Moneypenny? It might be doable, but it would feel weird, but hey, what do I know?

Bond and Moneypenny never actually spoke in Die Another Day, except for the fake VR sequence, so you never know.

[Righty007]

I hope her return means no "Bond Begins."

[David Schofield]

Well, either Dench is in and Campbell's talking bollocks. Or Dame Judy will get a nice pay-off from her contract with a letter saying she's not required for CR in the near future.

Where's your money?

[DLibrasnow]

Personally, I am hoping for a restart, with NO Dench.

[HawkEye007]

Well dang, it looks like the restart idea may be out of the water. I agree with DLibrasnow, I was looking forward to the prospect of a clean slate and a new M. I admit, in GE it was kinda cool to have a female M following the crusty hardass admirals, because it created an interesting dynamic between her and Bond. But from TND on, the relationship was more chummy, which was a bit of a bore. I was looking forward to someone new. Maybe we won't get a restart. Maybe EON wants to get a younger actor in the role so there is a possiblity of him doing multiple films. I dunno, just a thought. We'll just have to wait and see.

One other thing is the subject of Moneypenny. If we get a new guy, get a new Penny. I miss the days of Lois Maxwell in the role. There was great flirtatious chemistry between her and Connery and Moore. If they can get a new Monneypenny, who has that kind of chemistry with the new 007, that would make things better with regards to the MI6 office scenes.

[phoenix4flame]

Judi Dench's return is unfortunate.
I had hoped that with a film based on Fleming's first novel, a new actor as Bond, and Martin Campbell's comments about Bond just starting as a Double-O, that we'd get something closer to Fleming's vision (albeit not a period piece).
But, it appears that Eon wants to keep being politicaly correct and have a woman tell Bond what to do (which really makes me want to throw up).

What we've lost is a sort of father figure to Bond (in Fleming's books, anyway). M is a man and Eon should correct their mistake of making M a woman.