77 replies to this topic

[spynovelfan]

But did she say she was on board the next film... as M?

I wonder if they won't give her a wig and make her a pre-M Barbara Mawdsley. Perhaps they'll do the trick Soderbergh did with Terence Stamp in THE LIMEY, and use some footage of her from the 60s.

Guffaw, chortle and snicker away. The last film featured an invisible car. You may not have seen it - that's because it was invisible.

[Seannery]

Well this is a good sign to me that they aren't doing a Bond Begins story--to do that with Dench would be ludicrous! And good riddance to a Bond new to mi6--a totally unnecessary contrivance. You just need someone younger than Brosnan's 52 and then go from there and make the new film fresh through good writing NOT a gimmicky new start.

BUT personally I wish they would dump Dench--I grew tired of her M act even in Goldeneye. Just bring back Cleese. To spin off Zencat, just have Cleese in it and leave M and Moneypenny out this time and introduce them back in Bond 22.

[Agent 76]

M is a man and Eon should correct their mistake of making M a woman.

well said.

[Martin Mystery]

This is either a sign that CASINO ROYALE will be a bloody mess (what with the old M meeting James Bond 'again' for the first time) or that Martin Campbell's talk of 'Bond's first mission' is nothing but smoke and mirrors.

MM

[Loomis]

This is either a sign that CASINO ROYALE will be a bloody mess....

Well, going by the series' recent form....

Why get Dench back? Even if you don't find her M annoying in the extreme (which I do), isn't she a bit long in the tooth now? She'll be almost 72 when CASINO ROYALE hits screens - a tad old to be believable as the head of the British secret service, surely?

[Rolex]

Well i said on another post elsewhere is that we would have 2 Bonds . Flashback to his early days which has impacts to his present day mission, hence having present day M , Q etc would work . Still its only a theory

[WC]

Why get Dench back? Even if you don't find her M annoying in the extreme (which I do), isn't she a bit long in the tooth now? She'll be almost 72 when CASINO ROYALE hits screens - a tad old to be believable as the head of the British secret service, surely?

If Dench gets too long in the tooth, maybe she could play "M" as an undead vampire? No age problems there!

[kevrichardson]

This is either a sign that CASINO ROYALE will be a bloody mess....

Well, going by the series' recent form....

Why get Dench back? Even if you don't find her M annoying in the extreme (which I do), isn't she a bit long in the tooth now? She'll be almost 72 when CASINO ROYALE hits screens - a tad old to be believable as the head of the British secret service, surely?

Dench looks rather good . Besides who would they replace her with ? Edward Woodward was once in the running . But he is also "long in the tooth" .

[spynovelfan]

This is either a sign that CASINO ROYALE will be a bloody mess....

Well, going by the series' recent form....

Why get Dench back? Even if you don't find her M annoying in the extreme (which I do), isn't she a bit long in the tooth now? She'll be almost 72 when CASINO ROYALE hits screens - a tad old to be believable as the head of the British secret service, surely?

Good point, sirrah! They usually retire at 60-ish. Maurice Oldfield was 63, I think. I'd actually love to see Edward Fox as M again - he's a terrific actor, he'd be much more believable (you could see him as a double-0 agent in his youth, especially if you'd watched THE DAY OF THE JACKAL), and it would give lots of Bond fanatics new threads to start about continuity. He's also three years younger than Ms Dench.

[Seannery]

Yes please retire Dench already

[daman3755]

I believe I called this news a bit ago, back when Campbell told the press that the new Bond movie would pretty much restart the franchise with a younger Bond. I recalled in a post how Dench said she'd return - and low and behold, here she is.

I personally think this shows that Campbell was throwing us a red herring to keep fans at bay. It isn't a restart at all, at least that's what I think. And besides, if they would say go with Clive Owen, he is 38 - a couple years off from Brosnan back when he started. If Cleese comes out and says he'll return - you can bet your butts it's a modern tale, not a restart.

[Donovan]

Funny, I'm neither for nor against Judi's return. The only thing that I ever questioned was she's always drinking on duty. Seems a little strange. Maybe we'll see her get hammered in CR, make improper advances towards Bond ("hey 007, how'd ya like to be the new chief of staff?"), and get dismissed for sexual harrasment. For those keeping score her fifth time as M will mean the second most appearances portraying Bond's boss. Right now, she and Robert Brown are tied for second place with four appearances.

As for Moneypenny, I kind of like the idea Michael France had for "GoldenEye". Dump Penny, introduce Loelia Ponsonby. I think someone like Rosamund Pike would be a good Lil.

By the way, did anyone else see Puffy Combs on Conan talk about his Bond ripoff project (the guy hasn't an original idea in his head). His character will be named Robert Grounds. Who the hell greenlighted this?

I'm really looking forward to missing it.

[Agent 76]

Funny, I'm neither for nor against Judi's return. The only thing that I ever questioned was she's always drinking on duty. Seems a little strange. Maybe we'll see her get hammered in CR, make improper advances towards Bond ("hey 007, how'd ya like to be the new chief of staff?"), and get dismissed for sexual harrasment. For those keeping score her fifth time as M will mean the second most appearances portraying Bond's boss. Right now, she and Robert Brown are tied for second place with four appearances.

As for Moneypenny, I kind of like the idea Michael France had for "GoldenEye". Dump Penny, introduce Loelia Ponsonby. I think someone like Rosamund Pike would be a good Lil.

By the way, did anyone else see Puffy Combs on Conan talk about his Bond ripoff project (the guy hasn't an original idea in his head). His character will be named Robert Grounds. Who the hell greenlighted this?

I'm really looking forward to missing it.

Robert Ground's Car Sales perhaps.

[zencat]

No one seems to remember that Dench said she was coming back in October. She even told us it looked like the film would be delayed a year, and right she was. The news here, as I see it, is she confirmed the Jan/Feb start date. We told you this in our Campbell story, but this is the first time someone has said it on the record, I think.

I think we need to start following Ms Dench around. She's become a pretty reliable source on Casino Royale.

[Dmitri Mishkin]

I did remember Dench saying that last year, but all the same, it was nice to have the confirmation especially because there has been a LOT of speculation here. And the Jan-Feb start date isn't too surprising IMO.

As for bringing Dench back to play M, Campbell never said it would be an actual restart with a completely new cast. It may seem strange to have Dench back opposite the New Bond, but the general public won't care too much. They'll be more preoccupied with seeing how well the actor pulls off being Bond, ordering the martini, knocking out the baddie, etc. I think MGW and BB are counting on that, so instead of overhauling the puzzle, they are simply rearranging it.

Edited by Dmitri Mishkin, 10 March 2005 - 11:09 PM.

[Forever007]

I agree withy many of you that Casino Royale will NOT be a restart at all. Having Judi Dench as M in a restart is absolutely ridiculous and anyone would have to see it that way. EON is too afraid to change the formula too much with a restart film. If Dench is back then so is Cleese, but Monneypenny will be replaced no doubt. Given this news I don't think the younger Bond will be that much younger either with Dench as M. Maybe now Owen will be pursued after he finishes the P.A.

[Righty007]

I think we need to start following Ms. Dench around. She's become a pretty reliable source on Casino Royale.

Shadow operation?

[Qwerty]

No one seems to remember that Dench said she was coming back in October. She even told us it looked like the film would be delayed a year, and right she was. The news here, as I see it, is she confirmed the Jan/Feb start date. We told you this in our Campbell story, but this is the first time someone has said it on the record, I think.

I think we need to start following Ms Dench around. She's become a pretty reliable source on Casino Royale.

Ms. Dench is the insider.

[Bondian]

M. Dench is MooMoo/Pierce-B!.

I think Campbell was "blowing his own trumpet" and he probably couldn't be further from the truth. He may of read a first draft, but that could soon alter, and so couldn't the title if P&W pull one out of the bag.

I'm still slightly concerned why EON has hired the man who 're-booted' the series in 1995. Campbell's GoldenEye was good, but not as good as I'd hoped. Since then, we've had some rather mundane attempts to remake some old classics, but it wasn't ever going to happened.

What uniqueness can Campbell bring to the table this time?.

[WC]

M. Dench is MooMoo/Pierce-B!. 

I think Campbell was "blowing his own trumpet" and he probably couldn't be further from the truth.  He may of read a first draft, but that could soon alter, and so couldn't the title if P&W pull one out of the bag.

I'm still slightly concerned why EON has hired the man who 're-booted' the series in 1995. Campbell's GoldenEye was good, but not as good as I'd hoped. Since then, we've had some rather mundane attempts to remake some old classics, but it wasn't ever going to happened.

What uniqueness can Campbell bring to the table this time?.

Well Martin Campbell did direct the Brosnan Bond film with the most traditional Bond girls in it (Izabella Scorupco and Famke Janssen) who were more European in origin rather than the now standard American Bond Girl. At least he had that right, if not all the other aspects. I hope that Campbell will do something similar again for Casino Royale - no more of this trend which has reached a nadir in Halle Berry.

[Bon-san]

If they're recasting Bond, and going younger, then bringing Dench back only makes sense to me if CR is to follow on from DAD, rather than be the restart thingy idea Campbell floated.

[Seannery]

If they're recasting Bond, and going younger, then bringing Dench back only makes sense to me if CR is to follow on from DAD, rather than be the restart thingy idea Campbell floated.

And then younger would just be younger than Brosnan's 52 only which leaves a wide variety of candidates as still possible.

[Simon]

Geoffrey Palmer, the Admiral whatisface in TND, should be the new M.

Gruff, naval, male - back to the Messervey of old.

[Sir Charles]

I'm going to make my rant short:

Get rid of Dench!
No restart, please! It's not nessesary! A period piece would be dumb as it would date the otherwise dateless character of Bond! (I know that the pic's not going to be periods, but this IS a rant)
Get rid of Bond as Moneypenny!
Keep Cleese! Keep Q (but keep his scenes short-ish, making fans want more)!
No young Bond!
A teaser set in Bond's earlier years (but not too early...more to the tune of Goldeneye) would be alrght, but its been done before!
Shorten the teaser and seperate it more from the main movie!
Don't give Dench any more funny lines...M's not supposed to be funny, IMO!
PW: Write a story where the villain's NOT a "surprise" which limits re-watchability enjoyment! This started with Goldeneye and should've died there!
PW: No more "special guest" "heroes" like Jinx, the Jar Jar Binks of Bond! If you don't want to write about Bond write something else!
MGW & BB: Hurry up and make a stinking Bond 21 one of these days, will you?

There. I'm done. I just had to get that off my chest. I thank you for your patience.

[Mister Asterix]

If Dench is indeed coming back then their goal clearly is to confuse people.

[Taboo]

I'm going to make my rant short:

Get rid of Dench!
No restart, please!  It's not nessesary!  A period piece would be dumb as it would date the otherwise dateless character of Bond!  (I know that the pic's not going to be periods, but this IS a rant)
Get rid of Bond as Moneypenny!
Keep Cleese!  Keep Q (but keep his scenes short-ish, making fans want more)!
No young Bond!
A teaser set in Bond's earlier years (but not too early...more to the tune of Goldeneye) would be alrght, but its been done before!
Shorten the teaser and seperate it more from the main movie!
Don't give Dench any more funny lines...M's not supposed to be funny, IMO!
PW: Write a story where the villain's NOT a "surprise" which limits re-watchability enjoyment!  This started with Goldeneye and should've died there!
PW:  No more "special guest" "heroes" like Jinx, the Jar Jar Binks of Bond!  If you don't want to write about Bond write something else!
MGW & BB: Hurry up and make a stinking Bond 21 one of these days, will you?

-Get rid of Dench!

It doesn't really matter to me, but I suppose if they are going to do a younger Bond then they should have a different M.


-No restart, please! It's not nessesary! A period piece would be dumb as it would date the otherwise dateless character of Bond! (I know that the pic's not going to be periods, but this IS a rant)

I like the idea of it being a restart. I don't think it really matters what period of time Bond is in. He's a timeless character.


-Get rid of Bond as Moneypenny!

This is already certain since Brosnan isn't returning.


-Keep Cleese! Keep Q (but keep his scenes short-ish, making fans want more)!

Completely agree. Cleese is gold. Eon should keep him as long as possible and get as many memorable Q scenes out of him as possible.


-No young Bond!

I've already said that I wouldn't mind this - but this is a Bond at around 28, 29 not really young like 21 or something.


-A teaser set in Bond's earlier years (but not too early...more to the tune of Goldeneye) would be alrght, but its been done before!

One that doesn't relate in any way to the plot too! Sort of short films attached to the main. That'd rule!


-Shorten the teaser and seperate it more from the main movie!

Agree.


-Don't give Dench any more funny lines...M's not supposed to be funny, IMO!

Absoutely. How can you take the character seriously if they're cracking jokes?


-PW: Write a story where the villain's NOT a "surprise" which limits re-watchability enjoyment! This started with Goldeneye and should've died there!

Or just get rid of P&W and hire better screenwriters.


-PW: No more "special guest" "heroes" like Jinx, the Jar Jar Binks of Bond! If you don't want to write about Bond write something else!

Exactly. They clearly aren't up to the job.


-MGW & BB: Hurry up and make a stinking Bond 21 one of these days, will you?

You'd think that with all the material they own, all the power they have, they'd be rolling these films out. But no - perhaps they should pay attention to the fans for once.

[Forever007]

Mister Asterix you are right on the money here. Dench coming back simply confuses everyone who believes in the restart. I'm starting to wonder if the title will indeed be Casino Royale. I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if they annouce later another title altogether.

[Taboo]

I'd actually prefer a different title if the film is none too faithful to the source material.

[stromberg]

If Dench is indeed coming back then their goal clearly is to confuse people.

But of course it is! They already achieved it with me. Remember what they said about the DAD internet rumours on the DVD? I'm sure they took measures to find out about those leaks. Spreading a few rumours here and there to see which way the news goes. And as an extra, they're now pokin' fun on us by letting out semi-official statments and confuse the hell out of us .

I've been smelling red herrings since Campbell spoke out, those informations don't seem to fit. Whenever I try to make it out, I get strange ideas - and I don't like those. Long forgotten names come to my mind... oh please, no Bobby Ewing or Michael Knight (don't dare mentioning Judge Dredd or Robocop ).

Back to Fleming? Maybe the YOLT/TMWTGG novel transition...? ...hmm...

[deth]

what if we have 2 actors playing James Bond in Casino Royal? A younger Bond starting his career as sort of a flashback... I dunno.... and then we get on with business with the present-day Bond.... that's where Dench would come in...