Craig is the next Bond.

[Turanil]

Especially after movies like the Bourne Identity, which showed how good a modern spy thriller could be.

As far as I'm concerned, any attempt to make the Bond movies more gritty can only be a good thing, and I'm glad they're trying someone new...

I disagree here. I agree that Bourne Identity was a good movie, and much more convincing than any James Bond film for a spy thriller. However, for me a James Bond movie is before all an humoristic movie packed with imposible action, luxury cars, sexy girls, gigantic amount of wealth, and so on. As such, my prefered James Bond movie is "Never Say Never" with Sean Connery, because of the tone and humor. IMO: making James Bond darker, gritty, and less gadget oriented is no more making a James Bond movie. Better make an original spy movie, not calling it James Bond.

I think I won't go see that new movie.

 

[Viking Bastard]

Yeah, I definately don't want Bond to turn Bourne.

That said, the best Bond movies for me have always been the ones that have reached
the best balance between the Thriller, Style and Camp.

Like GoldenEye, Goldfinger or Diamonds Are Forever.

 

[Ranger REG]

Blonde Bond ? Don't think so.

Personally, I don't know why Bond has to be Caucasian.

I'm all for a racially different 007.

 

[trancejeremy]

Well, the guy I wanted to be the next Bond was the guy who played Cat on Red Dwarf.

Danny Jules-John or Danny John-Jules, I can't remember which. He played a fairly kick ass vampire in Blade 2, so he can do action movies, sorta. (I imagine his stunt double did most the work).

Or, I was thinking this the other day, why not get Jet Li? He's basically a great action movie actor in search of a series. Okay, yeah, he's Chinese, but Hong Kong used to be run by the Brits - he could have joined MI6 then.


Anyway, no spy movie is realistic. The Bourne series (or the various Tom Clancy novelsmovies) is just as over the top and silly and fake as the Bond Franchise, but the Bond series at least recognizes it.

 

[Dark Jezter]

Interesting choice. I admit that I've never heard of the actor before now, so we'll have to see how well he does.

Anyway, no spy movie is realistic. The Bourne series (or the various Tom Clancy novels) is just as over the top and silly and fake as the Bond Franchise, but the Bond series at least recognizes it.

Were we reading the same Clancy novels? Because in the Tom Clancy novels I read where espionage played a major part (Cardinal of the Kremlin, Red Rabbit, Clear and Present Danger, etc) the spies were not aided by high-tech gadgets, there were no beautiful love interests, no car chases, gun fights, daring escapes, evil geniuses plotting world domination, or stuff like that. Spies in Tom Clancy novels usually spend all their time trying to remain inconspicuous until they obtain the information they need, and hoping that their cover doesn't get blown.

 

[Mark CMG]

Seems like he'll fit the mold -

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185819/

I guess they're basically shaving 15 years off the lead role so they can squeeze off a handful of movies with the same actor. Starting off with the one title by Fleming that has never actually been seriously done is a good way to break in a new actor. Then they can move on with a pile of new, non-Fleming scripts without having everyone on their ass about the actor, provided he does well enough. Beyond Casino, I wonder what sort of plots they'll be using for future films?

 

[ssampier]

Personally, I don't know why Bond has to be Caucasian.

I'm all for a racially different 007.

An interesting thought. My first reaction would say an Asian actor, but knowing Hollywood he'd have to know martial arts. Hollywood also has a problem with Latino actors, as well.

I suggest an African-American Bond.

 

[Ranger REG]

An interesting thought. My first reaction would say an Asian actor, but knowing Hollywood he'd have to know martial arts.

Yeah, I can see why Jet Li and Jackie Chan wouldn't make the cut.

*Damn! Where is my damn rolleye smiley, Morrus?!?!!!*

Hollywood also has a problem with Latino actors, as well.

I don't know about you, but I have yet to see portrayal of latinos in British TV.

I suggest an African-American Bond.

Or an African-British Bond (hope that is an appropriate term in England).

 

[trancejeremy]

Were we reading the same Clancy novels? Because in the Tom Clancy novels I read where espionage played a major part (Cardinal of the Kremlin, Red Rabbit, Clear and Present Danger, etc) the spies were not aided by high-tech gadgets, there were no beautiful love interests, no car chases, gun fights, daring escapes, evil geniuses plotting world domination, or stuff like that. Spies in Tom Clancy novels usually spend all their time trying to remain inconspicuous until they obtain the information they need, and hoping that their cover doesn't get blown.

Sorry! I meant his movies, not (necessarily) his novels. Especially since I've haven't read any of his novels. But his movies have been quite actiony and silly in places (though still pretty good).

IIRC, in Clear and Present Danger, doesn't Harrison Ford go to Columbia and single handedly rescue a bunch of soldiers from drug lords?

And then in another one, we see a bunch of SAS troops attack some sort of IRA camp in Libya, and the people at the HQ get a view of it via satelite in real time and close up. Patriot Games I think that was. That sort of thing isn't possible now (via drone maybe) and it certainly wasn't possible then.

And I can't remember enough of his Netforce to comment, except it was, well, pretty bad.


While it's not a movie yet (it's in the works), his Splinter Cell video game series is really over the top. In real life, the NSA just collects information. They don't go around killing people secretly.

If his novels were much different than the movies, then my bad, I was judging them by those.

 

[trancejeremy]

I don't know about you, but I have yet to see portrayal of latinos in British TV.

What about Manuel, from Fawlty Towers?