79 replies to this topic

[DamnCoffee]

I've always wondered about the possibility of Jaws returning, and since the new series is a reboot, the only way the character could make a reappearance would be through a reboot.

Of course, if the series is going in a more realistic approach, the character's background and appearance will have to be carefully thought out. Would he still be a giant? Would be talk? Would he be physically active, i.e fighting? Or would he be a more menacing character, like he was in The Spy Who Loved Me?

Personally, I would be all for Jaws making a return, it would be interesting to see what the producers would be able to do with such an iconic character. The Joker was successfully rebooted, so why not Jaws? His background story is all there for the writers to use, if they decide to use Christopher Wood's idea from the Novelization.

I don't think Richard Kiel would be up for making a return, and I don't think he should. The comic book Jaws should remain in the 70's. Someone in the same vein as Kiel would be brilliant though, but a lot younger and pysically able.

[Conlazmoodalbrocra]

Jaws is of course the most memorable Bond villain in the series, and so in that respect, I can see him returning more than any of the other Bond villains. I would prefer for the writers and producers to avoid going down the road of rebooting characters as much as possible though. I like the direction the series is going in, and I just feel that rebooting Jaws, Goldfinger, Blofeld etc. would lead to cheesy comeback-style films, much like the awful re-introduction of Davros on the new Doctor Who.

[SecretAgentFan]

Funny - I thought at first this was a thread about the rumored re-boot of Spielberg´s "Jaws"...

Re-booting Kiel´s "Jaws" - I don´t know. The name itself was referencing Spielberg´s film because it was a recent box office attraction. Today, one would probably have to explain the name to a new audience or make up a timlier one. (Which animal horror movie was a worldwide success recently? Maybe one would have to change gears and call the new killer "Zombie"...)

But how could you really re-boot "Jaws"? A villain that is immensely tall and strong would work. But one who kills his victims with metal teeth? Naw, that is just too much cartoon-like for these times. And also unpractical, since he would be phonetically impaired. A lisping killer...

Still, MHarkin, I like your idea of discussing the re-boot of former villains/henchmen. If "Jaws" does not really work - how about a new "Oddjob"? Killing not with his hat but with another part of his clothes? His belt, perhaps? Or constantly using everything that he has on him (clothes, newspapers, whatsoever) and which seems harmless but can be used as a deadly weapon? That would even fit within the modern confines of airtravel security...

[Dell Deaton]

Silly me: Came to this Thread thinking it was gonna be about the shark (and actually didn't catch on until I read the part about whether or not he could "talk").

Now that I've caught on--

The general idea, I think, is a good one. Personally, I miss the menacing, bigger than life adversaries. The ones where, despite all we know about "James Bond Will Return," it actually feels like the villain might prevail. I certainly felt that when Jaws was introduced; maybe like no other. Red Grant was frightening, but not in the same bigger-than-life way.

I wouldn't mind a bit of humor, if done well, along the lines of comic relief. As a matter of fact, really well-done humor can put the audience off its game and make attacks and kills more painful.

While I understand Le Chiffre, I just don't feel like the Daniel Craig Bond has ever really been up against someone physically challenging as a henchman.

Would I bring back Jaws, per se? I dunno. Will have to think about that.

[shady ginzo]

a friend of mine suggested this some time ago, after the reboot in Casino Royale and I probably couldn't have shot his idea down any more eagerly. Having thought about it though, and after the QoS, which changed the scenery of Bond a little, I actually love the idea, if done in a particular fashion.

The way I "see" it working is to have a very physically intimidating henchman introduced subtly early in the film. A man of greater stature than Bond but not comic book proportions like the original Jaws. this character would be quickly dispathced by bond (possibly as one member of a group of assailants - maybe a pre-title sequence?) and this apparent demise would feature some sort of facial mutilation (nothing too OTT or "full frontal" i don't want to gross anyone out - that is not the purpose of the scene) but set up for the characters surprise return - complete with metal teeth and I think prominent scarring to the jaw area in general - for a brief but tense, MASSIVE action set peice where Jaws would be the "physical finale" of the film leading to the more dramatic, emotional conflict with the primary villain. a bit like Stamper and Carver, but not crap.

[SecretAgentFan]

That´s a great idea: Bond "creating" the villain due to the violence inflicted upon him!

[crheath]

I don't think it's a good idea. For one thing, Richard Kiel made that role. For another, it was just a great idea at the time. The only villain I would reboot is Blofeld, because they never got him right in the previous films and because he was such an interesting character in the books.

[AMC Hornet]

When my girlfriend and I were seeing NSNA for the first time, she turned to me during the Shrublands fight and asked me (referring to Pat Roach as Lippe) "is this the new Jaws?"

I replied "I hope not."

Bring back Jaws?

Let's not. let's just not.

[Attempting Re-entry]

a friend of mine suggested this some time ago, after the reboot in Casino Royale and I probably couldn't have shot his idea down any more eagerly. Having thought about it though, and after the QoS, which changed the scenery of Bond a little, I actually love the idea, if done in a particular fashion.

The way I "see" it working is to have a very physically intimidating henchman introduced subtly early in the film. A man of greater stature than Bond but not comic book proportions like the original Jaws. this character would be quickly dispathced by bond (possibly as one member of a group of assailants - maybe a pre-title sequence?) and this apparent demise would feature some sort of facial mutilation (nothing too OTT or "full frontal" i don't want to gross anyone out - that is not the purpose of the scene) but set up for the characters surprise return - complete with metal teeth and I think prominent scarring to the jaw area in general - for a brief but tense, MASSIVE action set peice where Jaws would be the "physical finale" of the film leading to the more dramatic, emotional conflict with the primary villain. a bit like Stamper and Carver, but not crap.

I love it. Great idea.

[Safari Suit]

The Joker was successfully rebooted, so why not Jaws?

Well, because there has been a heck of a lot more to the Joker in the past than Jaws, and a much bigger and more diverse "lore" surrounding him. No disrespect to anyone involved in the creation of Jaws, but he essentially is a gimmick, trying to make a "more realistic Jaws" is either redundant or impossible in my opinion. A more apt-comparison for the re-booted Joker would be a re-booted Blofeld, and personally I don't even want to see that. So it would be a polite "no thank you" on my end.

[The Shark]

No... Just no.

I hate to think how even worse than the original a dull, gritty, "dark" interpretation of Jaws might be.

When it comes to "rebooting" characters, just stick to Fleming. Otherwise you're essentially re-producing a turd, that should best be forgotten about.

[DAN LIGHTER]

I am more than happy with the path EON has gone down and cant see this happening with Broc or Wilso at the healm. I think it would just cheapen it all. Jaws had his day at the right time when it worked, and no one should steal Kiels thunder from him.

[Jim]

They could probably do this but I can't imagine why anyone would want to.

[Lachesis]

Jaws was really one in a line of distinctive, intimidating and physically all but indestructible henchmen. Grant, Odd Job, Tee Hee, Jaws, Jaws, The Russian Dude, Gobbinda, Necros, Xenia (kind of), Zao you spotted them and mile away and knew they were going to be harder to despatch than a shot from a gun or a punch to the face...... they are certainly conspicuous by their absence in CR and QoS and I for one would love to see them return...but rather than bring back Jaws himself lets just resurrect the spirit of the threatening adversary - in effect surely Jaws can be 'in' the next movies without it ever having to be Jaws?

[DamnCoffee]

When it comes to "rebooting" characters, just stick to Fleming.

I was under the impression that Jaws was basically 'Horror' from Flemings The Spy Who Loved Me, or someone very similar.

[The Shark]

When it comes to "rebooting" characters, just stick to Fleming.

I was under the impression that Jaws was basically 'Horror' from Flemings The Spy Who Loved Me, or someone very similar.

Well then just take the characters and other elements from TWSLM, and turn it into something.

I'm sure the Broccolis can manage to gain the rights from the Fleming estate. They're tenacious enough to do it.

[Mr_Wint]

I don't want to see the return of Jaws. Instead, it would be interesting if they could come up with something as memorable as Jaws again. But I doubt that will happen. The recent trend seems to be to invent a new henchman for each new actionscene. Mollaka, Carlos, Gettler, Mitchell & Slate were all killed 5 minutes after their introduction.

[Wade]

Nobody has brought up the biggest reason NOT to reboot Jaws, which is that using metal teeth to bite someone to death is ridiculouly inefficient and pointless. Unless Jaws is portrayed as a serial killer and this is his "signature," which would drain away any kind of humor about the character whatsoever, even the wry, subtle kind. Besides, the whole idea about being a professional killer is to be able to blend into an environment, as Bond was allowed to do in both CR and QOS. Think a guy with metal teeth is going to be able to blend in, much less get through airport security? I think Interpol would have a perpetual BOLO out on him.

[dinovelvet]

I don't think Richard Kiel would be up for making a return, and I don't think he should. The comic book Jaws should remain in the 70's. Someone in the same vein as Kiel would be brilliant though, but a lot younger and pysically able.

Step forward, Michael Shannon :

[DamnCoffee]

I haven't heard of this guy, but I can actually imagine him in the role!

[plankattack]

Nobody has brought up the biggest reason NOT to reboot Jaws, which is that using metal teeth to bite someone to death is ridiculouly inefficient and pointless. Unless Jaws is portrayed as a serial killer and this is his "signature," which would drain away any kind of humor about the character whatsoever, even the wry, subtle kind. Besides, the whole idea about being a professional killer is to be able to blend into an environment, as Bond was allowed to do in both CR and QOS. Think a guy with metal teeth is going to be able to blend in, much less get through airport security? I think Interpol would have a perpetual BOLO out on him.

Sure Jaws could be rebooted, but as Wade says, his presence is kind of camp and so his appearance in the current "more serious" style films would be jarring at best. So if you take out the things that make Jaws Jaws (goofy grin, cringing airport security men, etc), then why bother putting him in at all?

[dinovelvet]

I haven't heard of this guy, but I can actually imagine him in the role!

He was Oscar-nominated for Revolutionary Road, which just so happened to be directed by...Sam Mendes.

[jaguar007]

I haven't heard of this guy, but I can actually imagine him in the role!

He was Oscar-nominated for Revolutionary Road, which just so happened to be directed by...Sam Mendes.

IMDB lists him at 6'3. Tall, but not giant like.

I don't think Jaws should return. I would rather they introduced us to a new large sized killer. Not as large as Jaws, but menacing. Perhaps introduce him by having him kill several agents throughout the film, but we never get a good look at him until later as Bond is introduced to the character. Build some suspense around him.

[Guy Haines]

When it comes to "rebooting" characters, just stick to Fleming.

I was under the impression that Jaws was basically 'Horror' from Flemings The Spy Who Loved Me, or someone very similar.

Well then just take the characters and other elements from TWSLM, and turn it into something.

I'm sure the Broccolis can manage to gain the rights from the Fleming estate. They're tenacious enough to do it.

As I understand it, Fleming only allowed the film makers to use the title "The Spy Who Loved Me" for a future film so long as nothing from the original story was used. So, no Sluggsy and Horror, no Vivienne Michel. Ever, most likely.

So far as the re-boot of Jaws is concerned, I agree with you. No. For me, he was one of the least frightening of the henchmen, unorthodox dental arrangement notwithstanding. The only reason Bond came off worst against him for most of the two movies in which he appeared was that it was written in the script!

[DamnCoffee]

Interesting to read comments regarding Jaws being the least frightening henchman. I found him chilling in The Spy Who Loved Me, especially when he was stalking Fekkesh. When I was a kid I had nightmares for months.

[Mr_Wint]

For me, he was one of the least frightening of the henchmen, unorthodox dental arrangement notwithstanding.

I think Jaws was the most frightening (TSWLM) AND the least frightening (MR) henchman ever.

[Conlazmoodalbrocra]

Interesting to read comments regarding Jaws being the least frightening henchman. I found him chilling in The Spy Who Loved Me, especially when he was stalking Fekkesh. When I was a kid I had nightmares for months.

Haha, ditto!

[Guy Haines]

For me, he was one of the least frightening of the henchmen, unorthodox dental arrangement notwithstanding.

I think Jaws was the most frightening (TSWLM) AND the least frightening (MR) henchman ever.

I agree with you regarding Moonraker. But he didn't cut it for me in TSWLM either. For every scene where Jaws was genuinely scary, there would be another where the character is made to look foolish by the film makers.

For the record, I think the most frightening henchman was Robert Shaw's Red Grant in FRWL. When the mask of "Captain Nash" drops and Grant is revealed, we know Bond is in serious trouble.

Oddly enough, a film reviewer here in the UK said that, for him, one of the reasons Daniel Craig's portrayal of Bond worked was that you could easily imagine him as a Bond villain. Did he have Shaw's portrayal of Grant in mind, I wonder?

Now, if they could re-boot Red Grant, the old Moon mad killer himself.......!!

[elizabeth]

Nah, I don't think so. You can't bring back the dead. Not even in movies.

[Guy Haines]

Nah, I don't think so. You can't bring back the dead. Not even in movies.

Yes, you are right, just wishful thinking on my part!