51 replies to this topic

[scottbuster2000]

If they started a Young Bond Franchise who would you pick as Bond Young James Bond?

My pick is Alexander Nathan Etel (born 19 September 1994) Millions

[DamnCoffee]

Thomas Sangster, even though he's too old now.

[zencat]

Thomas Sangster, even though he's too old now.

My choice as well.

[Captain Tightpants]

I'd prefer it that they didn't make Young Bond films at all. The Young Bond series really undid a lot of the characterisation of the Fleming books - Bond's womanising is a product of Vesper's death; he needs relationships, but he cannot afford to have them because any woman he was involved with would instantly become a target for his enemies. Young Bond undid that by simply making Bond a ladies' man from birth.

[Tybre]

As I've said before, though I don't believe ever before on CBn, Young Bond, while certainly entertaining, falls into the same pitfalls as series like Young Indiana Jones or Young Anything, really. It takes a versions of a fairly well-established character at about half their age and expects us to believe they were engaged in equally or even further fantastical adventures than what they get themselves wrapped up in as adults, and with the same -- or in some cases more -- level of skill as the adult version. Always certainly entertaining, and I wouldn't be opposed to be a Young Bond series, preferably maybe as a line of high-budget HBO telefilms rather than proper cinematic adventures, but viewing it (books or film) as anything remotely canonical...I'll pass.

And just in case someone posts in the interim it's taken me to type this: The above is re:Tightpants, at least initially.

[Safari Suit]

I'd prefer it that they didn't make Young Bond films at all. The Young Bond series really undid a lot of the characterisation of the Fleming books - Bond's womanising is a product of Vesper's death; he needs relationships, but he cannot afford to have them because any woman he was involved with would instantly become a target for his enemies. Young Bond undid that by simply making Bond a ladies' man from birth.

Are we sure that's what Fleming intended rather than just something people have read into the books? Or more specifically what people have read into the books after the film version of Casino Royale?

[DominicGreene]

My choice would be me. I think I look like Bond!

[Peckinpah1976]

Thomas Sangster, even though he's too old now.

My choice as well.

He's far too wet and mousy for Bond, even "Young Bond" (a character like Perry Manderville would be more in his range IMO). To me it requires someone who can appear like an ordinary boy but show steel when required; Sangster has the former quality but not the latter IMO and doesn't even look like Bond - even at age 13 Bond is supposed to be athletic and handsome; Sangster is/was neither. It would be akin to casting someone like Martin Freeman as the lead in the adult series.

A pre-Skins Nicholas Hoult would have been much nearer the mark IMO.

[DamnCoffee]

Hoult is good looking in an odd sort of way, just like Craig. I wasn't too impressed with his acting in Skins though, and he looks horrific in About A Boy.

[Peckinpah1976]

About a Boy was a very long time ago and although I haven't seen Skins he was terrific in an epsiode of Wallander last year playing an "ordinary teenager" who turned out to be a brutal revenge-killer. He's also been cast as the lead in an adaptation of Stephen Fry's public school-set The Liar.

[Zorin Industries]

Hoult is far too old surely? He's playing Colin Firth's lover at the moment for starters.

Thomas Sangster, even though he's too old now.

My choice as well.

Maybe it's just me but Sangster is just a little bit fey and certainly creepy. He plays under his years (he's 20) and I wouldn't buy that he would grow up to be a ladies man and suave killer.

I am not familiar with the Young Bond books THAT much, but I will gladly throw some names into the mix....

Perry Milward
William Miller
Asa Butterfield
Jack Harries
Thomas Grant
Bill Milner

[Harry Potter]

Daniel Radcliffe

ok maybe im biased

[Safari Suit]

Yes, considerably.

[The Shark]

If there were ever a short flashback in Craig Bond film to him is a boy then Asa Butterfield could play him, if his hair was dyed blond.

[DAN LIGHTER]

If there were ever a short flashback in Craig Bond film to him is a boy then Asa Butterfield could play him, if his hair was dyed blond.

Good choice The Shark, I could see the little fella playing YB

[Captain Tightpants]

I'd prefer it that they didn't make Young Bond films at all. The Young Bond series really undid a lot of the characterisation of the Fleming books - Bond's womanising is a product of Vesper's death; he needs relationships, but he cannot afford to have them because any woman he was involved with would instantly become a target for his enemies. Young Bond undid that by simply making Bond a ladies' man from birth.

Are we sure that's what Fleming intended rather than just something people have read into the books? Or more specifically what people have read into the books after the film version of Casino Royale?

It was something I picked up on after the books. I can't say for certain whether it was Fleming's intention - only he can, and he's no longer with us - but I think it's certianly a part of Bond's behaviour: he likes the company of women, but after Vesper's betrayal and suicide, he subconsicously realises he can never be that close with a woman again, a fact reinforced by Tracy's murder.

[Safari Suit]

Fair enough. I can see how it could be read that way. I don't quite buy into it myself, but then not everyone will even if it was intended.

[The Ghost Who Walks]

If there were ever a short flashback in Craig Bond film to him is a boy then Asa Butterfield could play him, if his hair was dyed blond.

That is one creepy photo.

I remember the amusing rumours from a few years back where the press claimed Orlando Bloom was in talks to play young Jimbo. Clearly they never picked up a copy of any of the books.

[Gabriel]

I'd rather they not adapt the Young Bond books. Maybe they could be a TV show, but not a movie series. And I'm deeply dubious about 'Young Adult' books anyway. When I was a 'Young Adult' I was reading Ian Fleming's books!

[Safari Suit]

Doubtless you'll say much the same thing, but they aren't "Young Adult" books, they're kid's books.

[marktmurphy]

As I've said before, though I don't believe ever before on CBn, Young Bond, while certainly entertaining, falls into the same pitfalls as series like Young Indiana Jones or Young Anything, really. It takes a versions of a fairly well-established character at about half their age and expects us to believe they were engaged in equally or even further fantastical adventures than what they get themselves wrapped up in as adults, and with the same -- or in some cases more -- level of skill as the adult version. Always certainly entertaining, and I wouldn't be opposed to be a Young Bond series, preferably maybe as a line of high-budget HBO telefilms rather than proper cinematic adventures, but viewing it (books or film) as anything remotely canonical...I'll pass.

Not sure I'd call Young Indiana Jones entertaining. At least Higson understood what Young Bond should be: giving us similar adventures to that of the character we know. He didn't make the character's 'advenures' into dull history lessons.

[Matt_13]

I think they should simply remain works of literature. I don't want the films to ruin my interpretations of these wonderful books.

[Safari Suit]

A few people probably felt the same way about the Flemings. Still, count me among those who have no particular desire to see Young Bond films.

[Tybre]

A few people probably felt the same way about the Flemings. Still, count me among those who have no particular desire to see Young Bond films.

What about YB TV, unlikely as both concepts are?

[Safari Suit]

Meh, I'd prefer it certainly.

[DAN LIGHTER]

Well, If it got done I would watch it, but I cant say I want to see it happen.

[elizabeth]

If there were ever a short flashback in Craig Bond film to him is a boy then Asa Butterfield could play him, if his hair was dyed blond.

i think he would be just about perfect for the YB role.

[marktmurphy]

What about YB TV, unlikely as both concepts are?

Well, it'd be fantastically expensive to make, which is the problem. A period action adventure show, which often makes wrecks out of vehicles worth hundreds of thousands of pounds now, set all around the world in locations like South America and starring kids (who have restrictions on how long they can work for: hence making filming even more expensive). I think it'd have to be a movie or perhaps animation, unless Higson wrote new adventures for TV.

[Tybre]

What about YB TV, unlikely as both concepts are?

Well, it'd be fantastically expensive to make, which is the problem. A period action adventure show, which often makes wrecks out of vehicles worth hundreds of thousands of pounds now, set all around the world in locations like South America and starring kids (who have restrictions on how long they can work for: hence making filming even more expensive). I think it'd have to be a movie or perhaps animation, unless Higson wrote new adventures for TV.

Well yes it would be expensive, but it doesn't necessarily have to be a TV show in the normal sense either. They could make it like Marple or Poirot, a couple of telefilms of fair budget with seasons spaced a bit apart.

[Gabriel]

Two words: Green Screen.

Watch any half decent US TV show out there and they're filmed in Hollywood. Alias managed to trot all over the planet, going no further than a soundstage!