388 replies to this topic

[spynovelfan]

[quote name='SecretAgentFan' date='25 May 2005 - 12:05']Great idea! That

[spynovelfan]

[quote name='HellIsHere' date='25 May 2005 - 12:34']What about Jonathan Rhyes-Meyers? He's an excellent actor... and has the good looks. I guess he would be great as an English snob bastard like James Bond :-D. Give the man some hard edge script material and he

[callmejames]

Judging by the history of Bond films adapted from Fleming novels, and what I'm reading now (assuming this 20-something Bond business is true), here's what I'm seeing EON doing:

Gunbarrel -- we open to a casino, and as EON always likes to do when giving us a different face for Bond, we spend 2 minutes seeing either scenery, other actors, or Bond's back. Eventually we see the face of a 20-something actor in a tuxedo. The gist of Fleming's Casino Royale plays out in the pretitle sequence -- playing Le Chiffre, an assassination attempt, etc. In one way or the other, Bond emerges victorious at the end of the pretitle sequence, and someone asks him his name. He smirks a little, then it cuts to the older Bond (Brosnan, Owen, whoever) staring downward, a look of fond reminiscence on his face. "Mr. Bond?" His daydream interrupted, he's confidently back to the present. "Banco." Opening credits.

As someone who's vehemently opposed to the idea of a young Bond, I do have to say that this seems consistent with EON's track record. I've always felt that a faithful adaptation of Casino Royale would be a little thin for the Broccolis, and in the past they've often taken a Fleming story and compressed it into a piece of a larger story (Octopussy, where only a vocal reference is made to the story Fleming told, or the Living Daylights, where Fleming's assassination story is only the first 10 minutes of the movie).

If they do it this way, Le Chiffre can still be a KGB employee since the modern Bond in his 20s would have been during the Cold War. I'd imagine they save the torture scene for a climactic point in the movie, to be administered by the main villain (Le Chiffre's cybernetic, telepathic former roommate who feels no pain, etc.)

Yes, it's a ripoff of Indiana Jones, but with 17 years between the two movies I'm sure they'd get away with it. Also, this is only a small leap from Goldeneye's pretitle, which took place 9 years before the rest of the movie.

I'm not advocating for this. This is just how I see it happening.

[Yo Jimbo]

SecretAgentFan clearly said that [to quote] "we need more than "sources said"."

By this I think they meant that the title 'Sources: Eon, Sony Considering Young Bonds' demonstrated clearly enough that this was just a rumour. To be considered 'news' then (and again to quote) we need more that 'sources said'.

It is an interesting, fun little rumour. I wonder who started it and how much basis it has in fact. But without susbtantiation I personally won't be telling my mates in the pub tonight that a 22 year old boy is a definite hot fave for the role.

Maybe to Athena it is news. Maybe she knows the 'insider' very well and knows for sure that they are telling her the truth. But for me (and I think a few others who have been burned before) it's just a rumour - I pay it as much credence as I do the rumour in the thread about Gary Stretch being in the last two (i.e. not much - but open to the notion that I might be wrong).

Edited by Yo Jimbo, 25 May 2005 - 02:18 PM.

[spynovelfan]

[quote name='Yo Jimbo' date='25 May 2005 - 09:52']According to 'The Sun' an "Insider" informed them that the Daniel Craign had got the job.
According to MooMoo an "Insider" informed his brother that Jackman had got the job.
According to someone else an "Insider" informed them that Brosnan would be comingback.
and now
According to Athena an "Insider" informed her that a 20 year old had been screen tested.

Are any of these true?

[trumanlodge89]

bond in casino.....business with le chiffre, finds vesper dead (bitch is dead line)..... titles..... 20 years later..... bond in south africa..... story unfolds.....



this could be good. it could suck. who knows?

[Skudor]

[quote name='spynovelfan' date='25 May 2005 - 15:08'][quote name='HellIsHere' date='25 May 2005 - 12:34']What about Jonathan Rhyes-Meyers? He's an excellent actor... and has the good looks. I guess he would be great as an English snob bastard like James Bond :-D. Give the man some hard edge script material and he

[doublenoughtspy]

First of all - let's look at screen tests we know exist - Lambert Wilson was 28 when he tested for TLD. Lazenby was 28 when he had months of screen testing for OHMSS.

Secondly - we know people can be screen tested and not become Bond for 9 years - as Pierce Brosnan showed. So that 22 year old could be a Bond when he is 31.

Third - and I have been saying this like a broken record - Sony and Eon want Bond to skew younger because that's where the audience dollars are.

Why do you think James Bond Jr was created? Because Eon saw that they weren't bringing young people into Bond fandom.

The younger you hook them, the more you can milk them for dollars throughout their lifetime.

Fourth - lets look at competiting franchises whose success they would like to emulate. Spiderman - Maguire was 27. Bourne - Damon was 28. Star Wars - Christensen was 21 in AOTC.

Fifth - lets look at salary. Do you think they are going to have pay someone with in their 20s with little experience Pierce Brosnan style money? No. You could easily shave 15 million off the budget right there.

Sixth - please don't attack Athena or any of the admins for reporting the news. Don't blame the messenger. We don't put things on the main page of the site without considerable thought.

[spynovelfan]

SecretAgentFan clearly said that [to quote] "we need more than "sources said"."

By this I think they meant that the title 'Sources: Eon, Sony Considering Young Bonds' demonstrated clearly enough that this was just a rumour.  To be considered 'news' then (and again to quote) we need more that 'sources said'.

I see. Apologies.

It is an interesting, fun little rumour.  I wonder who started it and how much basis it has in fact.  But without susbtantiation I personally won't be telling my mates in the pub tonight that a 22 year old boy is a definite hot fave for the role.

This is where I think your point falls down. Becuause yes, 'a 22 year old boy is a definite hot fave for the role' *would* be a rumour. Because it's not the fricking story! On the one hand you want the story pinned down. On the other, you don't seem to have read it and almost every one of your posts misinterprets the story you want CBN to be more accurat about! The story is that a source has said that 20somethings are beign considered for the part, and one of them's as young as 22. That's not the same thing *at all* as 'a 22-year-old-boy is a definite hot fave for the role', is it?

Maybe to Athena it is news.  Maybe she knows the 'insider' very well and knows for sure that they are telling her the truth.  But for me (and I think a few others who have been burned before) it's just a rumour - I pay it as much credence as I do the rumour in the thread about Gary Stretch being in the last two (i.e. not much - but open to the notion that I might be wrong).

And that's fine. Nobody's denying it's a rumour and could be wrong. Personally I give more credence to Athena than the Daly Star, but that's just me. But pointing out that the rumour may be false seems utterly futile when the title of the piece makes it clear this is a piece of insider gossip, not an official statement from EON.

Anythign other than an official statement from EON is a rumour, no?

Grrrr.

[Skudor]

First of all - let's look at screen tests we know exist - Lambert Wilson was 28 when he tested for TLD.  Lazenby was 28 when he had months of screen testing for OHMSS.

Secondly - we know people can be screen tested and not become Bond for 9 years - as Pierce Brosnan showed.  So that 22 year old could be a Bond when he is 31.

Good points.

And, for the record, keep up the good work CBn!

[Loomis]

Personally I give more credence to Athena than the Daly Star, but that's just me.

Me too. But why do I get the feeling that, no matter what happens or who they're currently considering, they'll end up going back to Brosnan?

[Yo Jimbo]

Sorry dude, but the story does say that "One hot contender is only 22". I take it that he is not above average temperature - or that Athena's insider is a teenage girl who considers this bboy to be 'hot'. Therefore I presume this means he is a hot favourite. Perhaps I am misreading the article.

[spynovelfan]

So from a source saying he's *one* hot *contender* you get to a 'definite hot fave for the role'.

And you're taking CBN to task for its journalism?

I say again: Anything other than an official statement from EON is, by definition, a rumour. That is something we all know, and anyone with any sense can infer from the article in question that it's not official news, and therefore must be a rumour, hence *may* be wrong.

[Yo Jimbo]

Yes from 'hot contender' I get definite hot fave. I certainly don't think ther term 'hot contender' describes somebody at the bottom of the list. What else could it mean? A hot contender is just that. Somebody with a good chance - what in betting terms might be described as a favourite to win. I took it that the article was written in a definite style, and borrowed the word hot. Definite hot fave. That's clearly what is implied.

And it's not just that the person who started this rumour may be wrong - it's that as far as I can see the rumour may be false. A slightly different meaning - in that rather than being confused the person who started the rumour just made it up.

Without knowing something about this insider I don't know if they are an honest, reliable source of information (any more so than say Judi Dench or an inside reporter for the Daily Telegraph). CBn seem to think they are (so that does give me point to wonder) - but then again so to does every single person or organisation that has ever reported 'insider' information - and they have been deceived before.

As I say, this is NO attack on Athena, and I welcome the reporting of what rumours all the team at CBn have heared. But to claim categorically "as it stands at the moment, the idea of a very young 007 is definitely 'on the table.'" might be considered to be overstating the point a slight.

Just a small point - but one which has been fun to make, defend (and argue against?)

[Loomis]

[quote name='Mister Asterix' date='25 May 2005 - 13:30']So first, this news is not that a 22 year old will be Bond it is that a 22 year old is being considered for Bond. Supposedly, Dalton was considered when he was in his mid-twenties, so we

[SecretAgentFan]

Yes from 'hot contender' I get definite hot fave.  I certainly don't think ther term 'hot contender' describes somebody at the bottom of the list.  What else could it mean?  A hot contender is just that.  Somebody with a good chance - what in betting terms might be described as a favourite to win.  I took it that the article was written in a definite style, and borrowed the word hot.  Definite hot fave.  That's clearly what is implied.

And it's not just that the person who started this rumour may be wrong - it's that as far as I can see the rumour may be false.  A slightly different meaning - in that rather than being confused the person who started the rumour just made it up.

Without knowing something about this insider I don't know if they are an honest, reliable source of information (any more so than say Judi Dench or an inside reporter for the Daily Telegraph).  CBn seem to think they are (so that does give me point to wonder) - but then again so to does every single person or organisation that has ever reported 'insider' information - and they have been deceived before.

As I say, this is NO attack on Athena, and I welcome the reporting of what rumours all the team at CBn have heared.  But to claim categorically "as it stands at the moment, the idea of a very young 007 is definitely 'on the table.'" might be considered to be overstating the point a slight.

Just a small point - but one which has been fun to make, defend (and argue against?)

Absolutely, Yo Jimbo! Well said!

[David Schofield]

Agian, I return to the point of the likely validity of these rumors simply because they are so extreme.

We vere from Daniel Craig to MacMahon back to Brozza (at 50+) and a kid at 22.

Surely, despite Loomis' pessimism, no one thinks EON are that hopelessly undecided at this late stage.

They can't be - which makes these diverse rumours even more ludicrous.

[Loomis]

Surely, despite Loomis' pessimism, no one thinks EON are that hopelessly undecided at this late stage.

But haven't they been undecided at later stages than this in the past? For instance, with OCTOPUSSY and THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS?

[tdalton]

[quote name='Mister Asterix' date='25 May 2005 - 09:30']So first, this news is not that a 22 year old will be Bond it is that a 22 year old is being considered for Bond. Supposedly, Dalton was considered when he was in his mid-twenties, so we

[David Schofield]

Surely, despite Loomis' pessimism, no one thinks EON are that hopelessly undecided at this late stage.

But haven't they been undecided at later stages than this in the past? For instance, with OCTOPUSSY and THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS?

So late, barely six months before? OK, presumably Brolin would have said Rog's lines in Octopussy: surely you don't mean the young Bond notion of TLD was in the pipelines up to six months before the start?

This time its MEGA indecision! Unlikely.

[spynovelfan]

I think they can be, David, and that they're simply casting a very wide net. Alternatively, the film will feature a flashback pre-titles sequence and they need two actors.

Why would anyone make it up?

Incidentally, most of the actors who screentested for GOLDENEYE were around 30 or 31. They went for the 42-year-old.

[Yo Jimbo]

I personally think that whoever has passed this tidbit on to CBn has perhaps over exagerate things a mite. Also I think they may be a little bit behind in the loop.

Perhaps in an earlier draft Bond was going to be in his mid-twenties. But I just don't see it standing since official announcement of Dench's return. In GoldenEye Dench's character is refered to as 'The new M'. If she was a 'new' M - say she had been there for about a year - then she must have started in the job at least 5 years after Bond's first mission; because he was on a mission at the start of GoldenEye, and then it said 6 years (or so) later. [Not to mention Bond had been involved in at least 16 major assignments before her arrival].

Now I know they care not a jot about continuity - but still. Judi Dench is looking older and older, continuity disproves that she was around for Bond's early work - so to suddenly say she is a younger version of her own character working with Bond on an early mission is just laughable.

I also think that we would have heard from one of these kids that have apparently been screen-tested - we've heard about every other bloke who turned up for auditions; and not a one of them is under 28.

Quite a thrill for any 22 year old actor if it is true though. Can you imagine? You'd not be able to believe it. (in fact....)

[Loomis]

Don't count Gary Stretch out of the running. From the "Spy" column by Celia Walden in today's Daily Telegraph (UK):

Bond contender gets heavyweight support

The exhaustive list of potential Bonds is bordering on the absurd. But until now, none of the hopefuls could lay claim to having the support of the granddaddy of all Bonds: Sir Sean Connery.

That accolade has been won by the former British boxing champion turned Hollywood actor, Gary Stretch.

"Gary had already had six callbacks to the MGM studios in Los Angeles when he bumped into Sean at a party recently," says my martini-guzzling mole.

"The two of them really hit it off and ended up spending the evening out on the town together. Sean was able to give Gary a few tips, and subsequently called producer Barbara Broccoli to tell her Gary was his favourite." Connery's intervention certainly seems to have helped. Merseyside-born Stretch - who has managed to retain his good looks despite having them frequently rearranged in the ring - is scheduled to meet Broccoli on Friday.

"It was actually between him and Pierce Brosnan last time round, but Pierce beat him to it. Gary'll be gutted if Brosnan scoops him again."

[Yo Jimbo]

I actually championed him as Bond of the week ten months ago.

Look for 007 Samurai's comments regarding Garry [sic] Stretch

Who'da thunk that it would come back to haunt me now?

[Loomis]

I actually championed him as Bond of the week ten months ago.

Look for 007 Samurai's comments regarding Garry [sic] Stretch

Who'da thunk that it would come back to haunt me now?

A former boxing champ would be great for Bond - imagine how convincing he'd be in the fight scenes.

He's obviously Connery's pick, and I'm sure Fleming would heartily approve, too.

[Mister Asterix]

[quote name='Loomis' date='25 May 2005 - 09:55'][quote name='Mister Asterix' date='25 May 2005 - 13:30']So first, this news is not that a 22 year old will be Bond it is that a 22 year old is being considered for Bond. Supposedly, Dalton was considered when he was in his mid-twenties, so we

[Yo Jimbo]

[quote]A former boxing champ would be great for Bond - imagine how convincing he'd be in the fight scenes.

Edited by Yo Jimbo, 25 May 2005 - 03:31 PM.

[zencat]

[quote name='Yo Jimbo' date='25 May 2005 - 07:15']SecretAgentFan clearly said that [to quote] "we need more than "sources said"."

By this I think they meant that the title 'Sources: Eon, Sony Considering Young Bonds' demonstrated clearly enough that this was just a rumour.

[Loomis]

Well, I think the Stretch rumours are garbage, most probably, although I don't say he'd be a bad choice, necessarily (don't think I've seen him in anything). The idea of Connery ringing Eon to champion him seems especially ludicrous. But I guess what I'm trying to say is that there are plenty of rumours out there (yeah, like we didn't know that already).

[Athena007]

Woow, too much to respond to, but some good conversation non-the-less. Let me just say this and then I have to remove myself from this thread as I have things to do today [for CBn actually]...

[...]Perhaps Athena could tell us whether this person has been good for anyother scoops in the past.  I mean - is it they who passed the news that Bond 21 would be Casino Royale?  or anything else?

Yes.

Well, again to be fair Athena did present this as fact - "we're just telling you what is actually going on on the inside right now".  Also CBn doesn't tend to put 'just another rumour' on its front page - but rather (usually) holds that for what is considered as gospel.

And consider that. What do we [CBn] and do we [CBn] not put on the main page "rumour" wise? What's CBn's "track record" compared to others or even as a stand alone.. And I really don't know what else to say on the matter, I mean either you've received accurate news about Bond from CBn or you haven't. As I said... main page "track record".