4014 replies to this topic

[Revelator]

 

Surely there's an actor out there who's theatrically trained, has acting chops and charisma, and who's only appeared in a few TV shows or films. Connery originally fit that profile, and it's still ideal.

 

Me!!

 

Apart from the classically trained bit.

 

It's not too late to play a few classical roles! Connery was an impressive Hotspur (as seen in the DVD of "An Age of KIngs") and Dalton was Antony in "Antony and Cleopatra" (also on DVD). British actors tend to receive more versatile and effective training than their American counterparts, which is another reason why they're preferred as Bonds. Lazenby was an exception, being an Australian amateur, but he would have certainly benefited from training. 

[dtuba]

As an avowed Craig-lover (not literally mind you) I would be more than happy were he to come back and do one more. However, I fear that if he did the result could potentially turn out to be even worse than SP. In that case, I suppose I could live with SP being his final film.

Other Bonds' final films have been clunkers for the most part (Lazenby and Dalton notwithstanding) but that doesn't mean I want Daniel to come back for one more if it features him surfing ice tsunami's.

Edited by dtuba, 03 June 2016 - 05:27 AM.

[Mr. Arlington Beech]

Well, in an earlier draft the London-act was much more elaborate, different and - in my opinion - captivating. What it turned into was probably due to pressure from the studio´s wishes to shrink the budget for that climax enormously. If that earlier ending had been filmed it would really have been a tremendous finale.

Typical studio/channel request: can we have more for less please?

I'd love to read the alternate version - don't suppose you know of any legitimate online source for it?

I'd be interested to read this too.

SecretAgentFan, Could you tell us here, at least a little bit, about that original grand finale from the earlier draft of SP?

[Surrie]

I have to go with those who want an unknown, lesser-known, or off-the-radar actor for the role, someone who hasn't been associated with other franchises or defined in the eye of the public. None of the well-known actors mentioned in this thread strike me as right for the role. Surely there's an actor out there who's theatrically trained, has acting chops and charisma, and who's only appeared in a few TV shows or films. Connery originally fit that profile, and it's still ideal.

 

I've said it before, but I'll say it again... Richard Madden.

 

29 years old now, but will be early 30s when Bond 25 is released. He's a stage actor, who has only recently broken into films. His 'big-break' as it were was his stint in 'Game of Thrones'. In '07 he was cast as Romeo in the Globe's Summer production of 'Romeo and Juliet' and he's also been in a few BBC dramas. Currently, he's again in theatre for the West End's adaptation of 'Romeo and Juliet' - so obviously he's a very capable Shakespearean actor as well.  

 

He's also not been reported by any of the press (as far as I'm aware) recently to have been in the running for Bond, perhaps this is a good thing. 

 

Personally, I think he's more than capable acting wise, Eon could easily afford, and most of the time he flies under the radar so many won't have a preconception of him. 

[Shrublands]

 

 

 

Well, in an earlier draft the London-act was much more elaborate, different and - in my opinion - captivating. What it turned into was probably due to pressure from the studio´s wishes to shrink the budget for that climax enormously. If that earlier ending had been filmed it would really have been a tremendous finale.

Typical studio/channel request: can we have more for less please?

I'd love to read the alternate version - don't suppose you know of any legitimate online source for it?

I'd be interested to read this too.

SecretAgentFan, Could you tell us here, at least a little bit, about that original grand finale from the earlier draft of SP?

 

 

There was a huge party at the CNS building, to celebrate the opening. All the main characters were there, Irma Bunt was part of the film then.

[SecretAgentFan]

 

 

 

Well, in an earlier draft the London-act was much more elaborate, different and - in my opinion - captivating. What it turned into was probably due to pressure from the studio´s wishes to shrink the budget for that climax enormously. If that earlier ending had been filmed it would really have been a tremendous finale.

Typical studio/channel request: can we have more for less please?

I'd love to read the alternate version - don't suppose you know of any legitimate online source for it?

I'd be interested to read this too.

SecretAgentFan, Could you tell us here, at least a little bit, about that original grand finale from the earlier draft of SP?

 

 

It involved Irma Bunt as Blofeld´s henchwoman.  Bond had a better motive to go back to London since Blofeld and Bunt had kidnapped Madeleine.  Madeleine therefore was directly involved in the finale.  It was set during heavy rain (difficult to shoot, of course, but visually attractive, heightening the tension).

[Shrublands]

My above post was a cross-post with SecretAgentFan. Yes, Madeleine did not escape the Moroccan base with Bond and was still a captive of Blofeld. 

[Surrie]

My above post was a cross-post with SecretAgentFan. Yes, Madeleine did not escape the Moroccan base with Bond and was still a captive of Blofeld. 

 

That would have been better IMO. Tension builder!

[Shrublands]

 

My above post was a cross-post with SecretAgentFan. Yes, Madeleine did not escape the Moroccan base with Bond and was still a captive of Blofeld. 

 

That would have been better IMO. Tension builder!

 

 

Yes, it also solves the terrible problem of them all taking the trouble to meet in a safe house and seeming to take every precaution. Yet Bond lets Madeleine wander off on her own at night at the first opportunity only for her to be captured by SPECTRE instantly. 

[Surrie]

 

 

My above post was a cross-post with SecretAgentFan. Yes, Madeleine did not escape the Moroccan base with Bond and was still a captive of Blofeld. 

 

That would have been better IMO. Tension builder!

 

 

Yes, it also solves the terrible problem of them all taking the trouble to meet in a safe house and seeming to take every precaution. Yet Bond lets Madeleine wander off on her own at night at the first opportunity only for her to be captured by SPECTRE instantly. 

 

  Yes - there is that too. 

[Shrublands]

That said, there were ridiculous lapses in reason in every draft. In redrafting, as one set were solved, another set would arise. 

I think this is very odd for a film that is essentially...

 

Bond travels to a location, has an encounter with a character and gleans some information that will lead him to the next location and character. Repeat until end of film. 

[thecasinoroyale]

25yr old Jack O'Connell throws his hat into the ring, but admits it's not going to happen due to his age!

http://www.standard....c-a3262491.html

[Odd Jobbies]

 

Online gossip newsletter Popbitch are at it again...

 

In their previous issue they said that an insider was tipping Aiden Turner, rather than Hiddleston to get the nod. The latest issue says this:

 

------------------------------------

Paddy Power slashed the odds on
Aidan Turner for the next Bond
yesterday. Hope you got your bet on.
------------------------------------

I can't supply a link yet as; despite this being emailed to me today, the website is still showing previous issue (see my earlier post for that link).

 

Popbitch often users paddy power as a gauge of the supposed truth, so for all i know it's really just a bit of indirect advertising! Or perhaps the printing of this gossip by Popbitch makes it a self fulfilling prophecy (in that Paddy get so many bets because of Popbitch that this in itself effects the odds). But ya never know! 

 

Apparently Ladbrokes are saying the same as Paddy Power.

 

Aidan Turner is the brand new red-hot favourite to become the next 007 with Ladbrokes.

In the last 24 hours an unprecedented gamble has taken place on the Poldark actor replacing Daniel Craig in the British Secret Service, and his odds have crashed into just even money from 4/1. The actor has been especially popular with customers in North London and Essex.

 

 

http://www.unreality...uk/showbiz/why/

 

I don't think it means much, but it's interesting that Pop Bitch are keeping on about this, the clearly think they know something.

 

Someone close to me has worked very closely with Popbitch in the past and they did indeed have sources all over the place. At a glance these days it does seem to be more satire rather than insider knowledge, but they do still publish the odd piece of 'news' that will find it's way to the MSM a few weeks later.

 

I Hiddleston is the man of the moment, but Turner is a far more obvious choice for Eon - lessor known, mouldable, easy sell to the female demographic, has shown in the Agatha Christies drama that he can pull off the brooding menace, as well as in The Romantics (BBC2) the wit and lightness when required. Imo he's an easy choice.

 

After seeing the superb thriller The Guest i'd imagine that in the audition it would be down to Dan Stevens and Turner.

25yr old Jack O'Connell throws his hat into the ring, but admits it's not going to happen due to his age!

http://www.standard....c-a3262491.html

O'Connell is imo the next Tom Hardy. Watch him in the British prison movie Starred Up. Great film and an amazing performance. If Eon have the chance they should grab him. He looks a little short, but his acting chops compensate ten-fold.. He's one of the few actors that could continue to attract the writing & directing talent that Craig's involvement has done.

 

Some here won't be keen on him since, like Craig he tends to speak his mind off-camera, so will probably say so if his Bond scripts start to become too hackneyed. Personally i think that's a good thing - i don't want them to become hackneyed either and an outspoken star will help to remind TPTB just why they hired him in the first place.

 

 

My above post was a cross-post with SecretAgentFan. Yes, Madeleine did not escape the Moroccan base with Bond and was still a captive of Blofeld. 

 

That would have been better IMO. Tension builder!

 

 

Yes, it also solves the terrible problem of them all taking the trouble to meet in a safe house and seeming to take every precaution. Yet Bond lets Madeleine wander off on her own at night at the first opportunity only for her to be captured by SPECTRE instantly. 

 

Indeed. The film falls apart in this act, becoming a tsunami of plot contrivances that require characters to do things totally out of character in order to move the story forward. I haven't seen big budget plotting this inexplicably inept since Prometheus.

 

Spectre's original ending may not have been perfect, but it sounds a damned sight better than what we got. I'd love to know who wrote the original ending and who, if someone else, rewrote it. And which pillar of wisdom made them rewrite it.

[SecretAgentFan]

That said, there were ridiculous lapses in reason in every draft. In redrafting, as one set were solved, another set would arise. 

I think this is very odd for a film that is essentially...

 

Bond travels to a location, has an encounter with a character and gleans some information that will lead him to the next location and character. Repeat until end of film. 

 

Indeed.  To me it feels like "too many cooks in the kitchen" - everybody involved had some ideas that the writers needed to incorporate instead of letting them craft a story on their own.

 

Granted, any big budget production, especially a Bond film, creates a working environment in which the writer is the last one to have any influence on the proceedings.  A writer then is just someone who has to fulfill the wishes of others.  And to stay successful and employed you do that and try to smuggle in some things you actually like and consider important for the narrative.

 

Together with the locations chosen by others and action setpieces that are mostly designed by the stunt people and have to made room for within the script, it is probably nearly impossible to write a Bond story that truly has a compelling narrative.

 

That´s why IMO the early films based on Fleming´s novels work so well - they basically follow a previously laid out narrative.  Now, however, it is mostly about serving the audiences´ expectations - or what studio execs believe these expectations to be.  A collection of outrageous stunts.

[Shrublands]

 

That´s why IMO the early films based on Fleming´s novels work so well - they basically follow a previously laid out narrative.  Now, however, it is mostly about serving the audiences´ expectations - or what studio execs believe these expectations to be.  A collection of outrageous stunts.

 

 

 

I agree as to why the early films worked so well.

 

But I find it most interesting that in the leaked Sony e-mails, studio execs criticise the script for being little more than a means for getting from one action set peace to another. And even go as far as to say, towards the end of preproduction, that they suspect it will never be anything better than that. They really seem disappointed by this as the various drafts appear over the months. 

[SecretAgentFan]

Yes, that is surprising.  And it is even more so because Mendes agrees with the notes, promising big changes - which did not really make anything better.  

 

Something must have gone wrong behind the scenes, up to a point where it seems to have been decided that the most important thing was to get this film done.  Maybe Craig´s injury was more severe than reported, resulting in shrinking down whole sequences.

 

Thinking about this - SPECTRE really only has one fight scene with Craig, the train sequence during which he was injured.  Everything else is him in vehicles or walking through locations.

[Surrie]

Would Eon not draw any inspiration from recent novels?? 

[sharpshooter]

Would Eon not draw any inspiration from recent novels??

Trigger Mortis is the best of the recent continuation novels, but I'd rather they look at the new comic series. Or like those comics, the source. Which of course is Fleming.

[Odd Jobbies]

Would Eon not draw any inspiration from recent novels?? 

YOLT and then the first act of TMWTGG in the following movie.

 

Thinking about this - SPECTRE really only has one fight scene with Craig, the train sequence during which he was injured.  Everything else is him in vehicles or walking through locations.

I guess there's the pre-titles helicopter tussle, but in that confined space it's plausible that it was designed for an actor carrying an injury. 

 

One of my favourite moments is when Craig overpowers 2 security guards in Swann's alpine clinic. When one of the guards looks like he's going to throw another punch at Bond, Craig gives him a stern 'No', or 'Stay' (can't remember which), a la Barbara Woodhouse training dogs, and the guard wisely stands down.

 

I thought that was a wonderfully witty way of subverting expectations (i.e. Bond beats up yet another guard). However, with the injury in mind perhaps this was originally scripted as 'Bond beats up yet another guard', but they had re-think it - all for the better. Reminds me of the great moment in Raiders of The Lost Ark, when the swordsman shows off his skills to intimidate Indy, so Indy simply pulls out his pistol and shoots him... All because Indy couldn't do the scripted fight scene due to dysentery.

[Orion]

Dan Stevens is unlikely following Legion being picked up to series, but Aidan Turner sounds a tantilising possibility in the event Craig doesn't return.

[Odd Jobbies]

Dan Stevens is unlikely following Legion being picked up to series, but Aidan Turner sounds a tantilising possibility in the event Craig doesn't return.

Yes, it's a shame about Legion; no doubt lured in by Noah Hawley's involvement and pilot script. But thereafter Hawley appears to be just exec'ing it, so whatever the pilot's merits i don't see that standard persisting. And tbh it sounds way too much like the dismally dull series Heroes.

 

But with the Eon/MGM studio situation currently in the wind it could still work out for Steven's schedule. If he kills it in the audition (assuming there is one) i imagine BB would opt to wait the extra year for him.

[univex]

I´d welcome Turner in the role as much as Hiddleston. Two very different, superb choices. Although, to be fair, Turner is really close to the classical image we have of Bond. Still, I´d prefer Hiddleston for the sheer enthusiasm he´d bring, and because of Coriolanus, that play sold him as Bond to me, not The Night Manager, which I´ve enjoyed immensely as well.

[Toxteth_OGrady]

http://metro.co.uk/2...-again-5923473/

[SecretAgentFan]

Or Lewis Collins.

[Orion]

http://comicbook.com...es-bond-rumors/

 

Hiddleston briefly talked about Bond at his wizard world appearance with his Thor co-star Chris Hemsworth.

[dtuba]

I would prefer Hiddleston or Stevens. Turner is, IMO, too "pretty" to play Bond. And everyone knows my opinion regarding pretty boys so....

[sharpshooter]

http://comicbook.com...es-bond-rumors/
 
Hiddleston briefly talked about Bond at his wizard world appearance with his Thor co-star Chris Hemsworth.

I hope he's just hosing down any hype. Because he'd be amazing in the role.

[Matt_13]

 

http://comicbook.com...es-bond-rumors/
 
Hiddleston briefly talked about Bond at his wizard world appearance with his Thor co-star Chris Hemsworth.

I hope he's just hosing down any hype. Because he'd be amazing in the role.

 

 

Me too. It's interesting he never just outright says 'No, I was never asked.' His answers are always a little bit longer than they need to be. Still, he very much seems to be pouring ice water on the whole thing in that interview.

[sharpshooter]

Yep. If someone has the role they can't preempt the official announcement. And he, or whoever else, possibly hasn't received the golden phone call with the official offer yet.

[SecretAgentFan]

It could be the old denial-game.  Or simply his disappointment that it did not go as well or as fast as he thought it would.

 

In the end, it probably depends on the distributor-situation that has to be decided on first.  And that might take frustratingly longer than expected. Which might in turn render all these casting ideas irrelevant since actors need to book the next assignment and cannot hold off everything for so long.  Especially not guys like Hiddleston who is considered absolutely hot right now and would be wise to take on as many roles as possible.  

 

The irony here is: Hiddleston might want Bond.  But he does not need the role.  At all.   And the actor who holds on to the role does not really want it.