781 replies to this topic

[SecretAgentFan]

It seems the Ejofor-as-villain-rumors will stay rumors since he is cast in Ridley Scott´s "The Martian" which is scheduled to open in November 2015, beginning to shoot in a few weeks.

 

Of course, creative shuffling of the schedule could make it possible for him to also star in BOND 24 - but I doubt it.

[Shrublands]

It seems the Ejofor-as-villain-rumors will stay rumors since he is cast in Ridley Scott´s "The Martian" which is scheduled to open in November 2015, beginning to shoot in a few weeks.

 

Of course, creative shuffling of the schedule could make it possible for him to also star in BOND 24 - but I doubt it.

 

I doubt it too. I'd say that this puts Ejofor out of the picture. 

 

Isn't it very curious then, that we have no credible information at this stage as to who might be the lead villain or the lead Bond girl? 

[Matt_13]

Very, they've either managed to find a way to keep the info inside an incredibly small circle or they haven't found what they're looking for yet.

[Simon]

And I wonder if, as per Vauxhall's earlier post, Sony could get another company other than MarkMonitor to register the title's domain names.  Thus making it a step further away for people to get an advance heads up on titles.

[Shrublands]

As you say Matt, the only way that they could keep secrets like this would be to have a very small number of people in the know.

The henchman and secondary Bond girl stuff got out because of the casting search process. Agents, actors etc had to know and people involved talked.

 

The interesting thing with the main villain and Bond girl is that there hasn't even been any talk of them looking.

 

This all leads me to believe that they've had two actors in mind for a long time, they were approached and said "yes".

Little to no auditioning, no elaborate casting search. 

 

We have to be looking at two well known and respected actors to bypass all that - people who Dan and Sam really want to work with.

[SecretAgentFan]

I could imagine that they were going for Ejofor - but now they will go to their alternative choice.  Who will probably want to ask for more money since he knows that time is running out.

[Shrublands]

Yes, I think that's one possibility. Or the script changed radically between April and the summer, with the main villain's character taking a different direction.

Subsequently, they had a new actor in mind.

[S K Y F A L L]

Ejofors still young maybe in the future. He's not that exciting of a choice anyway IMO.

[The Dove]

"fingers crossed*  Mark Strong for Bond 24!!

[x007AceOfSpades]

I have faith that they have someone good in mind to play the villain. I was rather shocked when Javier Bardem was casted as the villain, and it felt as if it came out of left field. Hoping for the same when the actor is announced.

As you say Matt, the only way that they could keep secrets like this would be to have a very small number of people in the know.

The henchman and secondary Bond girl stuff got out because of the casting search process. Agents, actors etc had to know and people involved talked.

 

The interesting thing with the main villain and Bond girl is that there hasn't even been any talk of them looking.

 

This all leads me to believe that they've had two actors in mind for a long time, they were approached and said "yes".

Little to no auditioning, no elaborate casting search. 

 

We have to be looking at two well known and respected actors to bypass all that - people who Dan and Sam really want to work with.

This.

 

He's not that exciting of a choice anyway IMO.

You don't have to be exciting to make a great villain. Judging by Chiwetel's last few performances, I'd still say he'd make a great dent as a Bond villain.

 

"fingers crossed*  Mark Strong for Bond 24!!

I'm on the fence with Mark Strong. While I do think he's a great actor and very charismatic, it seems as if every film I've seen him in, he plays some sort of villain. I'd like to see him in a Bond film, albeit not as the Villain.

[Call Billy Bob]

Mark Strong for fellow 00 agent then!

[SkyfallCraig]

I don't think they are going that way one more time. There was an ex-00 in Goldeneye, and in Skyfall the same Silva was an ex-agent. I think they are going for a completely different story

[Shrublands]

I'd rather see Strong as someone from the books such as Ronnie Vallance. If for instance the lead Bond girl turns out to be Gala Brand, Vallance played by Mark Strong could work very well.

 

In Risico, Vallance goes behind M's back and speaks to the PM in-order to get Bond sent on a mission to Rome. I can see them going for this sort of friction within the intelligence services. 

[SkyfallCraig]

BB and MW have said more and more that when they don't know where to go with movies, they "return to Ian". So, in a case like this, in a case in which the original script was not as they expected, i can see the introduction of some iconic Bond characters. And of course, Brand and Vallance are two of them. Even if they are obviously not re-doing Moonraker, their "roles" can fit well in a modern Bond investigation. On the other hand, there are some "clues" (that are in fact only my ideas) that suggest that it is quite unlikely. The first that comes to my mind is that the presence of these two characters probably suggests another "domestic" investigation. I can't see them going with this line of plot again. But it is only my idea, they have the power to change a little bit in the characters' stories to make them useful, or to introduce them now to use them in the future, just as they did with Moneypenny

[Shrublands]

I can see them changing the mandate of Vallance's "Ghost Squad" to be more international. This takes them into conflict with M and the 00s.

 

Special Branch as was, was merged with the Anti-Terrorist Branch in 2006 to form the CTC (Counter Terrorism Command) which has a number of investigators based overseas.

This could easily be run by Vallance in a new film, with Brand as one of his overseas operatives, then Bond's assignment overlaps (shades of Moonraker without being Moonraker) 

[S K Y F A L L]

It feels like the clam before the storm, waiting for EON to open the flood gates to Bond 24.

[x007AceOfSpades]

It feels like the clam before the storm, waiting for EON to open the flood gates to Bond 24.

I feel you. With everything being so secretive and such, I'm actually very interested in what's going on behind closed doors. I haven't been this antsy about a Bond film in... well, forever!

[Marcin]

Mark Strong for fellow 00 agent then!

Or SIS chief of station, perhaps? Morocco, maybe?

[univex]

I can see them changing the mandate of Vallance's "Ghost Squad" to be more international. This takes them into conflict with M and the 00s. 

 

That would be brilliant.

[# 11]

Once there was some talk about 2020 Casting doing the background artist stuff.

https://www.facebook...930311040332011

 

[Vauxhall]

Mark Strong says he's not the BOND 24 villain, and just happened to be with Craig in Morocco on a hiking trip.

http://www.contactmu...villain_4436877

Technically, he doesn't rule out being in the film in a non-villainous role...

[Shrublands]

Mark Strong says he's not the BOND 24 villain, and just happened to be with Craig in Morocco on a hiking trip. 

 

http://www.contactmu...villain_4436877

 

Technically, he doesn't rule out being in the film in non-villainous role...

 

 

I'm very relieved. I like Strong as an actor but it would have been deadly dull casting.

He's even in a T.V. commercial at the moment where the joke is that he always plays the villain in blockbuster films.

 

Doing something yet again that has already been the subject of parody is one thing, but the subject of self parody...

[S K Y F A L L]

They went for a walk, WOW!

[x007AceOfSpades]

That came as no surprise since Mark and Daniel are great friends.

 

I like Mark Strong a lot, I'd love to see him in a Bond film, albeit not affiliated with any sort of Villain(s). Nearly every film I've seen him in he plays a villain or at least someone with a shady organization.

[tdalton]

 

Mark Strong says he's not the BOND 24 villain, and just happened to be with Craig in Morocco on a hiking trip. 

 

http://www.contactmu...villain_4436877

 

Technically, he doesn't rule out being in the film in non-villainous role...

 

 

I'm very relieved.

 

I am as well.  It would have been a very, very lazy casting decision given Strong's strong association with villainous roles.  Really, all three of the actors featured in that commercial should be ruled out of playing a Bond villain, at least in the near term, for the same reason.

[Guy Haines]

As with the theme song performer, so with the casting of the movie's main villain - I think it is as likely to be someone we've never considered as someone many of us think would be right or someone being touted by the media. Did anyone foresee Mads Mikklesen being cast for CR, or Mathieu Amalric in QoS, or Toby Stephens in DAD?

 

(And sometimes, though not always, actors who are renowned within the profession, if not quite as well known to the general public turn in very good performances as Bond villains. A "star name" or an actor with a reputation as a villain does not always guarantee a decent showing in a Bond film.)

[Rik]

Once there was some talk about 2020 Casting doing the background artist stuff.

https://www.facebook...930311040332011

 

 

I'm attending this tomorrow. Anyone else?

[Rik]

Went into London, took part in the casting and it turns out it wasn't even for Bond! Oh well, may end up in another movie lol

[Shrublands]

Thanks for the info Rik. It could have been.

[Rik]

Yeah, spoke to a few people there on the day and they are doing Bond 24 apparently. So I'll register with them as well as the two other agencies I'm with.