Who’s your vote for the next James Bond?

[Dannyalcatraz]

Here’s some dark horse candidates:

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Though Nicolas Hoult really has too kind a face, but he's a great actor (the best of the three, IMO) so... he could probably pull it off in spite of that.

He is extremely good at playing a bordering-on-psychotic-in-charming-way a-hole. Like one of the best.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

He is extremely good at playing a bordering-on-psychotic-in-charming-way a-hole. Like one of the best.

That's true. But he still has a kind face. It just turns into a creep, but not what I think of as Bond. But you're right, he'd pull it off somehow.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

That's true. But he still has a kind face. It just turns into a creep, but not what I think of as Bond. But you're right, he'd pull it off somehow.

Roger Moore had an incredibly kind face, and Craig has a relatively kind one, so I don't think that's really a problem. Personally I'd characterize Hoult's resting face as looking kind of inquisitive rather than kind myself.

Also, should check him out in The Order, where he's honestly pretty terrifying (it's a movie that starts very strong, has some really amazing shots that give it a sense of place/temperature/smell that often isn't present in modern movies (also excellent editing and sound design), but sort of eventually turns into something more standard/predictable).

All that said he's the next Lex Luthor and unless Superman and the new DCU crashes and burns (which I'd be surprised by, given Gunn is in charge of it), he may be pretty busy for the next few years.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Just taking the films by themselves, Connery Bond is a brutal misogynistic rapist, Moore Bond is better but he’s not above sexual harassment and racism (as a character, it’s not his fault that Live and Let Die is incredibly racist, but it sure as heck is the fault of his writers, who are also responsible for his choices). Dalton Bond is vastly better (respectful, thoughtful, ethical, empathic), better than Brosnan Bond (who also loves a bit of sexual brutality and harassment). Craig Bond is a bit of a thug but otherwise could be worse.

Having re-watched the movies a few years ago and listened to Bond pocasts* I'd say this was a very succinct and accurate summary of the various Bonds. Brosnan Bond also just straight up kills a lot more people than other Bonds per-movie, I guess that was the '90s for you. Agree re: Dalton-style Bond as the ideal for a modern Bond.

* = Particularly recommend Kill James Bond, which can be very, very funny, though I'd say start with Moore-era or even one of the Brosnan ones then go back, because the stuff that happens in the Connery ones is kind of rough.

 

[payn]

Having re-watched the movies a few years ago and listened to Bond pocasts* I'd say this was a very succinct and accurate summary of the various Bonds. Brosnan Bond also just straight up kills a lot more people than other Bonds per-movie, I guess that was the '90s for you. Agree re: Dalton-style Bond as the ideal for a modern Bond.

* = Particularly recommend Kill James Bond, which can be very, very funny, though I'd say start with Moore-era or even one of the Brosnan ones then go back, because the stuff that happens in the Connery ones is kind of rough.

The Brosnan era brought back the outlandish stunts and over the top action of the Moore era, but tried to keep a straight face with it. While not great spy stories, they were fun action movies. Thats sort of the trap with Bond, you need to balance the two ideas to get the best movies, IMO.

 

[TiQuinn]

Live and Let Die literally suggests all Black people period or at least most Black people in New York, depending on how you interpret it, are organised some sort of conspiracy against white people. Repeatedly. There are actually people who would argue it's not even the most racist Moore-Bond film either (though I would politely disagree).

The movie Live and Let Die maybe, maybe gets a little bit of a pass because it was trying hard to capitalize on the Blaxploitation era - but doing so with a white hero and heroine was colossally tone deaf.

The book Live and Let Die, OTOH, was easily the most racist of the Bond novels and that’s including Dr. No’s yellow peril.

 

[payn]

The movie Live and Let Die maybe, maybe gets a little bit of a pass because it was trying hard to capitalize on the Blaxploitation era - but doing so with a white hero and heroine was colossally tone deaf.

The book Live and Let Die, OTOH, was easily the most racist of the Bond novels and that’s including Dr. No’s yellow peril.

Omegaman shows this kind of thing was unfortunately common.

 

[jian]

The Brosnan era brought back the outlandish stunts and over the top action of the Moore era, but tried to keep a straight face with it. While not great spy stories, they were fun action movies. Thats sort of the trap with Bond, you need to balance the two ideas to get the best movies, IMO.

Brosnan did an accurate modern version of book Bond but I’m really not into that. Apparently he based his portrayal a lot on his character in The Fourth Protocol, a sociopathic KGB agent tasked with detonating a nuclear bomb in the U.K. as a false flag operation, which is certainly a take on Bond but not the one I’d want.

 

[payn]

Brosnan did an accurate modern version of book Bond but I’m really not into that. Apparently he based his portrayal a lot on his character in The Fourth Protocol, a sociopathic KGB agent tasked with detonating a nuclear bomb in the U.K. as a false flag operation, which is certainly a take on Bond but not the one I’d want.

I thought Pierce did great, but it was the writing that let him down.

That said, Bond is essentially sociopath. Its kind of required for the job isnt it?