The James Bond Franchise

[ChelseaNH]

In my voice lessons, I'm learning "Moonfall" from The Mystery of Edwin Drood and it totally sounds like a Bond theme.  I'm picturing opening credits when I sing it.  (But since they've done "Skyfall" I don't see the Bond franchise using "Moonfall" any time soon, alas.)

[OrientalAmish]

Here's the link to the Jonathan Ross special for Spectre: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFbhyeR9bfg

 

My highlight of this special is the banter that Jonathan had with Christoph Waltz when they were joking around with each other when Jonathan told Christoph told him he was getting to drive to new Aston Martin used in the movie.... Christoph was like, "No, you're not".....LOL

 

 

[Joimiaroxeu]

Spectre gets the Honest Trailers treatment:

[ribboninthesky1]

Heh, I watched that the other day and was highly amused.  I'm a bit more understanding of Craig and his comments on Bond, but otherwise, spot on.  

[Dancingjaneway]

Watching Spectre tonight I'm very much convinced that Craig needs to hang it up. He just isn't in it anymore and he's looking a little too ragged. Whoever takes over the franchise(directing wise) needs to decide if they are going to stick with a bond who has depth to him or a Bond who is just looking to kick ass and get the girl in the end. Skyfall is definitely the best of the Craig dynasty. I also want to go back to when the Bond girls actually did something more than just look pretty and sleep with Bond. It's why I liked "Tomorrow Never Dies" so much. They also need to keep on track with what Adele did with her Bond theme. She brought a newness to it but also it was also a call back to the old Bond themes like "Goldfinger" and "Diamonds are Forever". As far as to who they should cast I think they need to cast someone who is in their 30's and not 40+. That way they don't end up looking like death by the 3rd or 4th film. It also means they don't look super ridiculous next to the Bond girl(I'm looking at you Moore and Connery). I can say for sure that my top 2 Bond themes are "License To Kill" and "Skyfall". As far as favorite films I would definitely pick "License To Kill" and "Skyfall". When it comes to which Bond I like best I can't really choose. It depends on what mood I'm in. If I just want to watch a kind of campy action I would pick Connery or Moore but if I want something more serious I would choose Dalton or Craig. I liked Brosnan very much(but that moreso has to do with liking the actor himself). I like to watch his(Brosnans) Bond movies when I want to see Bond teamed up with a kick ass female. It's almost like the Batman series. Some Batman movies are cheesy(Keaton) and some are serious(Bale). Also I can't stand Ralph Finnes as M. I really miss Judy Dench. She was tough, sassy and smart as a whip. Ralph is just boring and doesn't have any spark with Craig. I do like the new Q and the new Moneypenny. 

[VCRTracking]

Sir Ken Adam, James Bond production designer, dies aged 95

 

HIs work is iconic.

 

Also RIP Beatles producer George Martin, who passed two days ago. He also produced the song Goldfinger written by John Barry and sung by Shirley Bassey, but also wrote the score for Live and Let Die and produced the title song by Paul McCartney and Wings.

[AimingforYoko]

So, apparently Rachel Weisz's husband has turned down nine figures to return to the franchise and an Asgardian is the favorite to replace him.

[NumberCruncher]

I really don't think there's any chance Hiddleston will be chosen--especially with the high potential that his Marvel contract would conflict with another large franchise.

[Rick Kitchen]

There is going to be a massive uproar if it isn't Idris Elba.

[HalcyonDays]

I honestly think Daniel Craig is the best Bond in the franchise. Hands done. The sexism of the earlier ones (Connery slapping around woman) make that decision much much easier. There is also some camp at times that does not help the movies.

So I will miss him immensely, but totally understand. He said before Skyfall that the physical demands of Bond were really hard on him, at his age.

Hiddleston hell yes - I could totally see it, after watching The Night Manager. Idris Elba too, hell yeah. But I will miss Craig's conflicted, emotional, broken Bond big time. He was brilliant in the role.

And remember, so many people were so upset when Craig was cast, since Fleming's Bond was dark haired, dark-eyed and Craig was blue/blond-haired. Whoever is cast, may their be that similar controversy, because maybe we will once again end up with another brilliant Bond!

[DollEyes]

ITA. Craig's Bond is my fave Bond because his was the most human. His Bond was vulnerable and not afraid to show it, especially in Skyfall. If Idris Elba can't be the next Bond, since I'm watching/loving The Night Manager, Tom Hiddleston's a close second. Another suggestion: Michael Fassbender. Like Elba & Hiddleston, he's got the acting chops, the physicality and the sex appeal to play Bond.

Edited May 21, 2016 by DollEyes

[benteen]

Craig is a great Bond when he's not sleep-waking through the role like he was during Spectre.

[Rick Kitchen]

Jamie Bell in talks to play James Bond.  What? As a teenager?

http://moviepilot.com/posts/3935996?utm_source=fb-channel-top-tv-series&utm_medium=facebook&

[Kromm]

4 minutes ago, Rick Kitchen said:

Jamie Bell in talks to play James Bond.  What? As a teenager?

http://moviepilot.com/posts/3935996?utm_source=fb-channel-top-tv-series&utm_medium=facebook&

Isn't Bell in his 30s?

Not that it's the case here (because he is in his 30s), but there actually IS a well liked series of Teen Bond books out there. Fully authorized by the Fleming estate too...

http://www.ianfleming.com/books/young-bond-books-2/

[Rick Kitchen]

His biological age doesn't match his looks.

[BetterButter]

Annotated Bond Titles

[Joimiaroxeu]

Wonder if the somewhat surprising success of Tom Hiddleston and The Night Manager at the latest Golden Globe awards will put him back in the running for Bond? If a PR romance with a major pop star couldn't do it for him, maybe this will.

[Dejana]

4 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

Wonder if the somewhat surprising success of Tom Hiddleston and The Night Manager at the latest Golden Globe awards will put him back in the running for Bond? If a PR romance with a major pop star couldn't do it for him, maybe this will.

Considering the reaction in the room to his acceptance speech, probably not? And they would likely recast the supporting parts with a new Bond, anyway, but Naomie Harris was among the unimpressed.

[DarkRaichu]

I'd like to see 1 movie with Pierce Brosnan as older Bond, just so they can pile the campy back on.  The serious Bond (Craig) depended too much on scripts which was never the strong suit of the Bond movies anyway.  For example, I fell asleep throughout most of Quantum Solace, it was that boring of a movie :P

[Joimiaroxeu]

I'm still hoping they can talk Daniel Craig into doing one more. Maybe they could use it to have him hand off the the title to a new Bond. (I subscribe to the theory that Bond is a cover and not a particular person even though some of the films have presented plot points to make that seem unlikely.) Also, I'm finding it interesting that the producers seem to be holding out until Idris Elba would probably be too old to do more than a movie or two. They likely want someone they can get at least four movies out of. I guess Tom Hiddleston would qualify on that basis but otherwise I'm not in his camp. He seems too delicate to play a believable Bond to me.

[ribboninthesky1]

I thought Daniel Craig was a lock for one more film.  I vaguely recall something about him being offered a ton of money. In any case, I wonder if they'll pull someone out of relative obscurity for the next set.  I assume the more athletic, less gadgety Bond is here to stay, so it'll have to be someone okay with the physical toll of several films.  I can see why they'd want a younger man for that. 

Tom Hiddleston got a GG for The Night Manager? Hmmm, okay. And now I'm curious about his acceptance speech. Ditto on being too delicate for modern Bond.  Unless they're going back to a more cheeky, suave Bond who didn't do much more than look good in a suit, and I'm not sure that's practical. 

[benteen]

I wouldn't mind seeing Daniel Craig come back for another role as long as he doesn't look bored and sleep-walk through the role again.  He showed more energy and life for his The Force Awakens cameo than he did for this movie.  Also, I don't want another idiotic "Bond is giving up spying" storyline like they tacked onto the last one. 

Write a good script that doesn't try to acknowledge the previous Craig films in ANY way.  Continuity has lead to awful movies during the Craig years.  Sleepwalking through the role hasn't helped either.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Sony has allegedly offered Craig $150 million but so far it's still unknown whether he'll take the deal. That's how much he hates playing Bond now.

[Kel Varnsen]

8 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

Sony has allegedly offered Craig $150 million but so far it's still unknown whether he'll take the deal. That's how much he hates playing Bond now.

I kind of get it. He is 48 now, which means he will be over 50 when  the next movie comes out. The kind of work you have to do to get in Bond shape at that age must be brutal. Then there is the whole marathon long haul of prep/getting into shape, then shooting, then reshoots,  then promo for north American and then the international releases and then the home video release. It is not like he needs the money and i imagine his time (and being available to do something interesting) is probably more valuable to him then the dumptruck full of money. 

[Athena]

Friends and I were talking about Craig with this same issue. I knew who he was before Bond. He really liked the challenge the first couple of movies, but he has been candid lately that the physical prep has been increasingly difficult for him. When you compare the Bond movies and the expectations for him and the previous Bonds, he has it a lot worse. His Bond is fit and active in a way that previous Bonds were not; the action movie stars now must have a certain look and build which they did not before. Achieving this build is very hard on the actors; they have a strict regime and work out for hours months before the movie even starts. The Marvel Actors (Evans, Hemsworth, Pratt) all must do this as well, but they are all younger. Not to mention all the promotions this movie goes through; I don't think many classically trained actors love the PR circuit especially for big movies like this.

I think Craig has every right to retire from the role; he's been with it over 12 years. He can pick and choose his movies and spend more time with his family. If I was married to Rachel Weisz, I'd miss her.

[BetterButter]

Today Daniel Craig officially becomes the second-longest-tenured James Bond

[LauraAnders]

I know this will sound very strange to many of you. But I've tried to watch most of the Bond films. However, from 1962 up to the present day, Goldfinger is the one and only Bond film that I have found to be wonderful and I loved watching it every time I tried. I've seen it about 6 times from 1962 till now and no other Bond film has ever come close to Goldfinger as far as I'm concerned.

[Joe]

3 hours ago, LauraAnders said:

I know this will sound very strange to many of you. But I've tried to watch most of the Bond films. However, from 1962 up to the present day, Goldfinger is the one and only Bond film that I have found to be wonderful and I loved watching it every time I tried. I've seen it about 6 times from 1962 till now and no other Bond film has ever come close to Goldfinger as far as I'm concerned.

That's fair enough. Not everything appeals to everyone. Good on you for giving it a fair shot, though. And Goldfinger is probably the best one anyway. If you're only going to watch one Bond, that's the one. :)

[katha]

Unpopular opinion here: I've always kinda liked Quantum of Solace. The "plot" is ridiculous to a degree unusual even for the Bond franchise and trying to even think about it breaks your brain LOL. The villain's meh, the whole MI6 stuff is meh, the action sequences are weird and disjointed...but I like the absurd stuff in the desert. Craig and Kurylenko sell this for me through the sheer power of their performances. They're like siblings in arms going out to get revenge and they both sell it on an emotional level. It's also a nice touch how completely non-patronizing Bond is towards Camille and just explains to her how best to go about killing someone, no coddling, no judgement. It's an interesting beat in the Craig version of the character anyway: When he's callous and sexist towards women it's clear that it's a deliberate, strategic choice because he doesn't seem to have the kind of deep-seated yet casual misogyny issues of earlier versions. Which makes the character and the manipulative, cruel lengths he'll go to to get results even more chilling, in some ways.

[ribboninthesky1]

I prefer Quantum of Solace to Spectre. It'll be interesting to see who they cast after Craig.  Certainly there are those who prefer Connery or Brosnan, or even Moore or Lazenby, but Craig has definitely left his mark.  Likely a tough act to follow. 

[SimoneS]

On 1/9/2017 at 9:42 AM, Joimiaroxeu said:

Wonder if the somewhat surprising success of Tom Hiddleston and The Night Manager at the latest Golden Globe awards will put him back in the running for Bond? If a PR romance with a major pop star couldn't do it for him, maybe this will.

I hope not. Hiddleston is so not the Bond to me. Shallow as that is. I am just glad that Daniel Craig is doing the next movie so there is time to find a strong actor to take on the role.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Quote

Daniel Craig is doing the next movie

I don't think that's been determined yet, or at least it hasn't been announced. Sony is probably still trying come up with more money to offer him.

[Kel Varnsen]

21 minutes ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

I don't think that's been determined yet, or at least it hasn't been announced. Sony is probably still trying come up with more money to offer him.

If he is turning down 150 million dollars I think it may have gotten to the point where it is no longer about money.  

[ribboninthesky1]

Craig seems more than ready to move on, but Sony is in a tough spot because again, what British actor can step into and own the role? Colin Farrell pops into my head, but not sure if he's too old now. Plus, he's Irish.  Then again, so was Brosnan. 

[katha]

Yeah, Craig's ambivalence is more than just about the money at this point. Has to be. I've heard the filming for Spectre was difficult. And then just the general fact that the training for the part must be absolutely brutal, the older he gets the more difficult that aspect of the job is as well. So he's stuck with months of preparation and then with relatively long shoots as well since all the stunt work, different locations etc. mean that the filming is a relatively complex affair. Plus, he's made more money than he can spend in this lifetime at this point, I'd guess.

That said, it does look more likely that he'd perhaps do another one than it did a few months ago. The noises coming from that direction seem way more hopeful than they used to. I'm sure good money offered doesn't hurt and the more he's away from the immediate (unpleasant?) experience of the last one and whatever wasn't working for him there, the more likely he's to consider another movie if he thinks that circumstances might be different. Agree that another Craig movie would also give Sony more time to come up with a long-term strategy for the next one. The Craig era worked because there was a clear idea who this version was supposed to be, how he'd interpret being 007. And even when the script was stupid, Craig always had a strong grasp of the particular identity of this incarnation.

Elba is being discussed and I think he'd be good, but now he seems almost too old to take it on for a longer period? I'm not really convinced by most of the other names bandied about. Hiddleston seems all wrong, he doesn't strike me as having the charisma for this kind of lead role. Tom Hardy never did much for me either. Damian Lewis is a great actor and I'd be interested in what he'd do with the part, but he also seems too old at this point.

Edited February 25, 2017 by katha

[Joe]

Tom Hardy? He'd be good, but the movie itself would draw comparisons to and be a let-down from Fury Road.

[DarkRaichu]

Actually hope Craig does not return since Spectre tied in so many plot points for his Bond and basically wrapped his stint as Bond with 1 nice bow.   That scene with him sparing the life of the person who was ultimately responsible for the deaths of his 1st true love (Vesper) and his "mom" (Judi Dench's M) was a poetic end to a man with a license to kill.  Done. The End.  Get out on a high note.  I highly doubt a 5th movie could bring a better end for his Bond.

ETA: as far as a new Bond movie, why not bring Brosnan back as older Bond for 1 movie.   Heck bring Moore and Dalton back too and flat out recognize that 007 and Bond are code names / position / title as much as M is.

Edited February 25, 2017 by DarkRaichu

[ribboninthesky1]

6 hours ago, katha said:

And even when the script was stupid, Craig always had a strong grasp of the particular identity of this incarnation.

Agreed.  I sometimes felt like Craig's Bond was in a totally different film vs the screenplay. 

Edited February 25, 2017 by ribboninthesky1

[Silver Raven]

I agree about Goldfinger being the best Bond film, but From Russia With Love is pretty close in quality.

[stealinghome]

Yeah, I'm giving a hard pass to Hiddleston. He's a good actor, but just all wrong for Bond. My vote would be for Idris Elba, though I wouldn't hate Damian Lewis or Tom Hardy. What about Michael Fassbender? He was very Bondlike in the first X-Men reboot movie. I could imagine him as a Bond similar to Craig's. It's too bad Henry Cavill is wrapped up in the D.C. movieverse, as I wouldn't mind seeing what he did with the role; Cavill was *great* in The Tudors in a role that is much closer to Bond than Supes is (though I didn't see Man from Uncle, which would probably be a better gauge!).

[Joimiaroxeu]

Quote

Yeah, I'm giving a hard pass to Hiddleston. He's a good actor, but just all wrong for Bond. My vote would be for Idris Elba, though I wouldn't hate Damian Lewis or Tom Hardy. What about Michael Fassbender? He was very Bondlike in the first X-Men reboot movie. I could imagine him as a Bond similar to Craig's. It's too bad Henry Cavill is wrapped up in the D.C. movieverse, as I wouldn't mind seeing what he did with the role; Cavill was *great* in The Tudors in a role that is much closer to Bond than Supes is (though I didn't see Man from Uncle, which would probably be a better gauge!).

Ditto on Hiddleston. My first choice would've been Idris Elba but I think they've dilly-dallied too long and now he's probably aged out of the role. (They likely want someone they can get three or four films out of before they have the Daniel Craig problem again.) This may sound shallow but I think Damian Lewis' red hair works against him. A lot of fans initially lost their minds over Craig's blond Bond so I can just imagine the furor over a "ginger" one. Tom Hardy I could sort of see but he comes across to me more like a Bond villain than a suave secret agent. Fassbender? No. I have the same issue with him as I have with Hiddleston: I think he's too delicate-looking to play a believable Bond. I just watched Henry Cavill in the Man from U.N.C.L.E. and he kind of works as a secret agent and he wears a suit well. Don't see him handling both the Bond and Superman franchises though. So, I dunno. Craig is a hard act to follow.

Edited February 26, 2017 by Joimiaroxeu
spellcheck wtf?

[KatWay]

Quote

Fassbender? No. I have the same issue with him as I have with Hiddleston: I think he's too delicate-looking to play a believable Bond.

Really? I don't know if I would consider Fassbender delicate looking. My problem with him would be more that I think he would make a better Bond villain than hero. He plays menacing very well.

[Oreo2234]

Quote

yeah, Craig's ambivalence is more than just about the money at this point. Has to be. I've heard the filming for Spectre was difficult. And then just the general fact that the training for the part must be absolutely brutal, the older he gets the more difficult that aspect of the job is as well. 

That's why I'm not keen on the idea of a forty something actor getting the role. People point out that Moore was relatively old when he started but he didn't have to do the type of stuff Craig did. The action scenes are more intense and demanding than they used to be. 

Edited February 26, 2017 by Oreo2234

[katha]

54 minutes ago, KatWay said:

Really? I don't know if I would consider Fassbender delicate looking. My problem with him would be more that I think he would make a better Bond villain than hero. He plays menacing very well.

Yeah, I'd find an experiment like that very interesting and would watch it, Fassbender is a great actor, but it would kinda drift into Hannibal territory tbh. The Craig movies have basically acknowledged how screwed up and terrifying Bond is, but Craig can somehow still walk the line between anti-hero/ambiguous leading man and something even darker. Fassbender would cross over that line and the whole series would take on that darker tone IMO. Which...as I said, it might be fascinating, but at a certain point it's not recognizably Bond anymore, but something else. You'd still need to stay within the parameters of a certain flavour of leading man charisma, Fassbender has charisma, but it's slightly more sinister/harsher than what is needed here, I think.

[Kel Varnsen]

On 25/02/2017 at 3:21 AM, katha said:

 

Elba is being discussed and I think he'd be good, but now he seems almost too old to take it on for a longer period? I'm not really convinced by most of the other names bandied about. Hiddleston seems all wrong, he doesn't strike me as having the charisma for this kind of lead role. Tom Hardy never did much for me either. Damian Lewis is a great actor 

Idris Elba seems like a lazy choice. A not white Bond would be cool but he  seems like the most famous, and thus most obvious black, british actor in the right age range. I can totally see a director going to a bunch of casting people "i want to have a non-white bond, find me someone who would be good, maybe an Idris Elba type" and then after he leaves the casting people just say "should we just call Idris Elba and then go to lunch?". Plus Stringer Bell always bugged me.

As for Damian Lewis, too old, and not even the best Homeland actor who could play bond, that would be Rupert Friend.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Quote

Idris Elba seems like a lazy choice. A not white Bond would be cool but he  seems like the most famous, and thus most obvious black, british actor in the right age range. I can totally see a director going to a bunch of casting people "i want to have a non-white bond, find me someone who would be good, maybe an Idris Elba type" and then after he leaves the casting people just say "should we just call Idris Elba and then go to lunch?". Plus Stringer Bell always bugged me.

I've never seen The Wire but I understand it still has a big and very loyal fan base. His Luther character seems relatively well-regarded also. Meanwhile, a Black Bond is likely going to be an even harder sell than a blond one. I imagine the producers wouldn't be seeking a famous Black British actor so much as one who'd come with the solid bona fides needed to play Bond. The actor needs to bring a certain tough physical presence that I see in guys like Craig, Elba, Hardy, Cavill. Now Rupert Friend is a name I haven't seen mentioned. He might be an interesting choice if he's going to be leaving Homeland.

Edited February 27, 2017 by Joimiaroxeu

[Traveller519]

If they're going to go in the direction of a Black James Bond, I'd hope they would go for someone a few years younger who could carry the role like David Gyasi or Ashley Walters. Jacob Anderson could be good too, but he's probably too young. Regardless of racial background, I would like to see an actor in their thirties take the role. It simply opens up the door for more believable action and romance with younger characters.

It would be cool to see one of the other smaller roled actors from Game of Thrones get a chance too, like Mark Stanley (Grenn); Joe Dempsie (Gendry) or even Michiel Huisman (Darrio)

[Kel Varnsen]

If they do go with a not white Bond, i wonder if David Oyelowo would work. I haven't  seen Selma but he seems to have been the chops/accolades . Plus he was awesome as an intelligence agent back when he was on Spooks.

[SimoneS]

On 2/25/2017 at 3:21 AM, katha said:

Elba is being discussed and I think he'd be good, but now he seems almost too old to take it on for a longer period? I'm not really convinced by most of the other names bandied about. Hiddleston seems all wrong, he doesn't strike me as having the charisma for this kind of lead role. Tom Hardy never did much for me either. Damian Lewis is a great actor and I'd be interested in what he'd do with the part, but he also seems too old at this point.

I would have loved Idris to be the first black Bond, but I completely agree that he is way too old now. My preference for a black Bond would be Chiwetel Ejiofor. He is handsome and an amazing actor.

Hiddleston just no. He is sooo metrosexual. Nothing about him strikes me as a Bond man. I don't think that Lewis is handsome enough. I always liked Clive Owen as a potential Bond, but he too is way to old now and he never had the charisma. 

I know this is going to sound crazy, but the only British actor that I could fathom taking over the role now is Orlando Bloom. It would be hard, but he is 40 and he could do three films. Of course, he would have to bulk up, but I think that he could do it. However, if Craig does one more film like I think that he will, Bloom might be too old.

Seriously, I love the Bond franchise even as it treats women like sex objects. I have loved Daniel Craig's Bond and want a strong successor.

Edited February 28, 2017 by SimoneS

[Ohwell]

David Oyelowo is a good actor but he doesn't have the looks to be Bond, IMO.  I agree that if they go for black Bond, then Chiwetel Ejiofor would fit the bill.