79 replies to this topic

[Shrublands]

I think a few are getting the wrong end of the stick with the title of this thread (no offence to Pushkin).

 

There's no rumour of Travolta being a villain in B24, that's ruled out. The quote to ponder is Babs saying that they're not going in that direction. Not a rumour, just a possible clue - a first piece of jigsaw to keep in mind when other pieces start appearing.

 

Exactly. I've been reading through this thread and thinking - some people are getting the wrong end of the stick here. 

But there is a potential clue - if Broccoli's talk with Travolta is to be believed, there is something fundamental about him that totally rules him out. 

 

Hairspray jokes aside, It makes me think they might be going with a female villain or possibly Blofeld. 

[Odd Jobbies]

 

Hairspray jokes aside, It makes me think they might be going with a female villain or possibly Blofeld. 

 

 

I agree completely. This little story is getting the brush off by some whom misunderstanding it, but i have a feeling it may turn out to be a serious clue.

 

The most obvious conclusion is indeed that it's a woman, then Blofeld (or perhaps both - a female Blofeld)

 

I hope it's not a female Blofeld, i'd prefer them to go back to the books if they want to re-invent the character because of Austen Powers, but i can see this seeming a neat, headline grabbing way of doing this.

[tdalton]

I really don't think that there's much of anything to this.  We get these kind of stories pretty much every time that there's a new Bond film about to enter production (Gulshan Grover, anyone?), and nothing ever comes of these kind of rumors.  If Travolta did meet with Broccoli, and that's still an "if" question, there's little to no chance that she divulged to him any information regarding Bond 24's villain.  I think the most likely scenario is that she didn't want to cast Travolta in the role, and let him down easy with a rather vague notion of a "maybe next time, but we're doing something a bit different this go around" kind of thing.  I really don't think that there's any significant clue as to the villain of Bond 24 here.  There was already plenty of speculation about Blofeld prior to this, and that won't change until they announce that the new villain is or (hopefully) isn't Blofeld.  There's also at least some speculation each time out that the villain will be a woman, so that's not really anything new either, since it comes up from at least one or more rumors each time since it would be such a novelty for the franchise.

[SecretAgentFan]

I´m even wondering whether John Logan´s first draft of a script is ready.  Or whether Sam Mendes is working on BOND 24 already.  And he will have to sign off on any casting.

[tdalton]

I don't think that anyone knows for sure exactly where they are in the production process, but from the recent interviews with Logan, it sounds as though they're far enough in to know the story that they're telling and the kind of villain that they have (i.e. the whole "the villain is appropriate for the story we're telling" quote from last month).  Whether that means any "official" work has begun on Bond 24, that's anyone's guess, but I would imagine that they at least have some kind of a clue as to the direction they're going as I would have to think that they'd need to get the ball rolling on things like casting by mid to late summer.

[SecretAgentFan]

Agreed.  Thinking about it, could it be that Christoph Waltz has been approached for the villain role?  He was part of this year´s Berlin Film Festival jury - together with Barbara Broccoli who probably did not waste the opportunity to court a two-time Oscar winner as Bardem´s successor for Sam Mendes.  And the German-speaking villain is also a Bond tradition, so...

[Odd Jobbies]

Waltz must be top of everyone's wish list, including Babs. But looking at Waltz' IMBD his schedule seems very full (as you'd imagine it would be).

 

If he can squeeze in a Blofeld or 2 it would make for spectacular fireworks, i'm sure

[Shrublands]

I´m even wondering whether John Logan´s first draft of a script is ready.  Or whether Sam Mendes is working on BOND 24 already.  And he will have to sign off on any casting.

 

According to Craig, a treatment existed as early as the September/October of 2012. Then there was talk of the various directors who were approached last summer, when Mendes seemed to be unavailable, getting to read a first draft script. I'm imagining that there will be much possitive spin put on this extra year again, when they all start to talk about the film and its script in the coming months. 

 

Yes, I would imagine that Mendes has a few very firm ideas as to who will be cast in key roles by now and they have probably already been approached. Bardem and Fiennes had been by the January in Skyfall's pre-production. 

[Odd Jobbies]

...I would imagine that Mendes has a few very firm ideas as to who will be cast in key roles by now and they have probably already been approached. Bardem and Fiennes had been by the January in Skyfall's pre-production. 

 

 

I'd go along with this - Mendes doesn't strike me as a procrastinator who goes in half cocked at the last minute. Always worth remembering his long term relationship with Kevin Spacey, who wasn't available for Skyfall because of King Lear (at least that was the story early on).

 

So i imagine Mendes and Logan always having him in mind early doors should the story fit.

[tdalton]

Agreed.  Thinking about it, could it be that Christoph Waltz has been approached for the villain role?  He was part of this year´s Berlin Film Festival jury - together with Barbara Broccoli who probably did not waste the opportunity to court a two-time Oscar winner as Bardem´s successor for Sam Mendes.  And the German-speaking villain is also a Bond tradition, so...

 

I'll preface this by saying that I have enjoyed Christoph Waltz in the films I've seen him in, most notably his two Tarantino films, but I would really hope that EON would go with someone a bit less safe for the Bond 24 villain.  Waltz and Spacey would both be very obvious choices for the villain (Waltz due to his two Oscars in a relatively short amount of time and Spacey for his working relationship with Mendes).  Not that either would be bad choices, but I would hope that EON might go in a direction that's exciting and somewhat from left field.  Also, as stated, the German-speaking villain is something of a Bond tradition, so why not go in a direction that's not quite as familiar for the series?

[SecretAgentFan]

Absolutely.  But I guess EON and SONY will go for such familiar big names.  With Bardem, IMO, it was the same case. 

[Odd Jobbies]

Yep, i wouldn't be too excited if they announced Spacey - he's a great actor, but it'd be predictable. How far could he really take it from the great work he's currently doing in House Of Cards. I just meant that i can see his relationship with Mendes putting him squarely in the frame.

[Pushkin]

It should definitely be spacey and all he needs to is a reprise of his take on Dr. Evil!

[Odd Jobbies]

It should definitely be spacey and all he needs to is a reprise of his take on Dr. Evil!

Spacey must rue the day that he did the Dr Evil spoof, now that his old chum Mendes is directing Bond.

[S K Y F A L L]

 I didn't like Spacey's Lux Lurther in Super Man Returns all that much but besides that love him in mostly everything. I have a hard time picturing Spacey as a Bond villain though cause I can't imagine what kind of villain that would be. 

[Odd Jobbies]

Yep, his Luther sucked, but that whole film was screwed from script to screen (though without it we may not have gotten the unexpectedly brilliant Man of Steel). But as you say, everything else is phenomenal: Glengarry Glen Ross, Swimming with Sharks, The Usual Suspects, Se7en, House of Cards. 

 

It's an almost peerless list of sinister greatness. He's at his best as the cold blooded corporate reptile, which could be the way Eon choose to reintroduce Blofeld to the modern era (Spacey would've been the perfect Dominic Green and therefore perfect as his boss). Blofeld will, i think be revealed as the head of Quantum's inner circle - SPECTRE.... Or maybe not  ;-)

 

Blofeld displays delusions of grandeur and pretensions to the aristocracy which Spacey can portray in his sleep.

 

Superman Returns shows us that even Spacey is rubbish in a rubbish movie, but with his American Beauty and King Lear collaborator directing i don't think anyone should worry about that happening again.

 

I'm not campaigning for, or predicting that Spacey will be Blofeld, just weighing the pros (almost everything he's done) against the cons (Dr Evil).

Edited by Odd Jobbies, 21 February 2014 - 10:11 AM.

[Shrublands]

 

 

Superman Returns shows us that even Spacey is rubbish in a rubbish movie, but with his American Beauty and King Lear collaborator directing i don't think anyone should worry about that happening again.

 

It was Richard III not King Lear. I saw it at the Old Vic, a great production and Spacey was fantastic in it. 

[SecretAgentFan]

 

Superman Returns shows us that even Spacey is rubbish in a rubbish movie, but with his American Beauty and King Lear collaborator directing i don't think anyone should worry about that happening again.

 

 

Hey, don´t knock "Superman returns"!

[Odd Jobbies]

 

 

 

Superman Returns shows us that even Spacey is rubbish in a rubbish movie, but with his American Beauty and King Lear collaborator directing i don't think anyone should worry about that happening again.

 

It was Richard III not King Lear. I saw it at the Old Vic, a great production and Spacey was fantastic in it. 

 

Doh! Thanks for correcting me :-)

 

 

 

 

Superman Returns shows us that even Spacey is rubbish in a rubbish movie, but with his American Beauty and King Lear collaborator directing i don't think anyone should worry about that happening again.

 

 

Hey, don´t knock "Superman returns"!

 

 

If you insist ;-)

Edited by Odd Jobbies, 21 February 2014 - 12:51 PM.

[SPECTRE ASSASSIN]

It should definitely be spacey and all he needs to is a reprise of his take on Dr. Evil!

Spacey must rue the day that he did the Dr Evil spoof, now that his old chum Mendes is directing Bond.

John Travolta also made a cameo as Goldmember as well in the same movie.coincidence? This rumor must be taken a little more seriously.

[Solex Agitator]

I am not opposed to the idea of a female Blofeld.  Helen Mirren, anyone?

[SecretAgentFan]

She would be very interesting.

[Odd Jobbies]

Mirren would be fantastic, but i think they'd go younger. The obvious choices are Tilda Swinton and Kate Blanchett, but we all hate obvious choices, don't we?  

[tdalton]

If we're going to have a female villain (and I hope that we do), she needs to be an original character who can stand up on her own merits, rather than being a character called Blofeld.  With regards to Mirren, I think she would be far too obvious a choice.

[S K Y F A L L]

Watched 2 Travolta films the other day; BASIC (2003) and SWORDFISH (2001). I didn't mind basic all that much but found both films a little confusing. 

[Odd Jobbies]

If we're going to have a female villain (and I hope that we do), she needs to be an original character who can stand up on her own merits, rather than being a character called Blofeld.  With regards to Mirren, I think she would be far too obvious a choice.

Agreed. But will Eon be able to resist to media coup of bringing back Blofeld - and this time it's a woman [insert name of famous / obvious actress here]....

 

With the success of SF i hope they don't feel they need such stunt coverage, but who knows?

Edited by Odd Jobbies, 25 February 2014 - 10:41 AM.

[RMc2]

 

If we're going to have a female villain (and I hope that we do), she needs to be an original character who can stand up on her own merits, rather than being a character called Blofeld.  With regards to Mirren, I think she would be far too obvious a choice.

Agreed. But will Eon be able to resist to media coup of bringing back Blofeld - and this time it's a woman [insert name of famous / obvious actress here]....

 

With the success of SF i hope they don't feel they need such stunt coverage, but who knows?

 

 

If they do feel the need to bring Blofeld back, I'd much prefer an overblown, upfront announcement of it, rather than a 'clever' and clumsy 'twist' reveal of the character, as with Moneypenny in SF.

[tdalton]

 

 

If we're going to have a female villain (and I hope that we do), she needs to be an original character who can stand up on her own merits, rather than being a character called Blofeld.  With regards to Mirren, I think she would be far too obvious a choice.

Agreed. But will Eon be able to resist to media coup of bringing back Blofeld - and this time it's a woman [insert name of famous / obvious actress here]....

 

With the success of SF i hope they don't feel they need such stunt coverage, but who knows?

 

 

If they do feel the need to bring Blofeld back, I'd much prefer an overblown, upfront announcement of it, rather than a 'clever' and clumsy 'twist' reveal of the character, as with Moneypenny in SF.

 

 

Agreed.  The whole Moneypenny thing was one of the worst-kept secrets out there, not made any better by the fact that they kept lying to us about it when it was a foregone conclusion that she was playing Moneypenny.  

[Walecs]

Worst of all, revealing M's death around April... and then they say: "We won't publish a Skyfall novelization because we want to avoid spoilers"

 

And let's not forget:

"Skyfall mission for 007 Legends will be released after movie release to avoid spoilers"

 

Skyfall mission is based on the first 15 minutes of the movie.

 

EON and Eurocom, are you f*cking kidding us?

[SecretAgentFan]

I guess it wasn´t going according to their initial plans.  And it is extremely difficult, near impossible to withhold information these days.

 

My take:  They really wanted people not to know in advance that M would die and Bond would get shot in the PTS.  

 

All I can say:  Good luck, J.J. Abrams - but we will all know much more about STAR WARS VII than he and Kathleen Kennedy intend to give us before the premiere.