Idris Elba as James Bond?

[cliffhanger]

[QUOTE=Legato;16166376]

Have you even read the comments concerning Craig? When Casino Royal first came out you had even the doubters give the guy praise, yes there are still those who doubt him but like people are going to go by the words of those who hang onto the other Bonds before Craig and even those other Bonds have doubters. People hate and usually one has to take what haters say with a grain of salt instead of taking what they say as gospel. I for one say Craig does a good job for the role given to him but thats just my opinion on it but not going to ignore that he even has his share of supporters

Yeah but the thing is the people who like Craig as Bond are seen AS the Haters.lol

[thwhtGuardian]

I like the idea of Elba as a James Bond but I feel like if you are going to do this it needs to establish that whole James Bond as a code name thing. Actually what I would like to see is for Elba to be a supporting character and have Hugh Grant or Hugh Jackman play Bond for a one off, kill them at the end and have Elba take over.

I really don't think that would be needed at all. At worst you'd just have to spin it as a re-imagining of the character, at best most fans of the films would just accept it as the ever changing role of Bond in the same way that they've embraced the other various actors to take the role.

[Legato]

Tilda Swinton as the main villain and with Cillian Murphy as the second-in-command.... sounds good idea to me.

Has there been a female in the recent Bond films that played a main antagonist? If not then that would be a refreshing change

[Siddon]

I really don't think that would be needed at all. At worst you'd just have to spin it as a re-imagining of the character, at best most fans of the films would just accept it as the ever changing role of Bond in the same way that they've embraced the other various actors to take the role.

I think what we've seen with Casino Royale and Skyfall is that the Bond movies are better when you have continuity and real stakes at hand. On the otherhand QOS shows that you can't just spin your wheels with realism and death you have to actually commit. And the one thing that they haven't really done with Bond is give us a huge mystery. It's the three act story that people will buy into.

Act 1 you can establish a huge cast of MI6 characters including Idris Elba, perhaps as the "bad" guy kill Bond at the end but have it be by a mysterious bad guy.

Act 2 you've killed Bond but as you've established the concept you know a new "007" Bond is coming. Now this one is focused on who killed James Bond, is MI6 bad and who's the big bad...the guy who fans have wanted to see as the Bond badguy for years...Sean Connery.

Act 3 you "solve" the death of Bond, clean up MI6 which was now a shadowy military organization that's been starting wars for profit. But now you know Bond can die/retire/come back you both open the door for Craig, Bronson, or even Dalton to return for "multi-Bonds" and Bond lives or dies that factors into the end of the film.


Now that you can tell epic story's again through serialized films I'd like to see them try it with Bond.

[Siddon]

Has there been a female in the recent Bond films that played a main antagonist? If not then that would be a refreshing change

Elektra King played by Sophie Marceau in The World is Not Enough.

[Lancerman]

As someone whose read the Bond book series by his creator Ian Fleming, and watched every film I would just like to point out a few things.

1. The silly fan theory that Bond is a codename is just incorrect. In fact if you have any signifcant knowledge of the series you'll note too much continuity from Connery to Brosnan to for that theory to hold under even the slightest scrutiny. I could make a list but I've done it on this very site no less. Craig's Bond was a reboot. They finally after many years got the rights to the first book and were dying to film it. It would have been the first film out of sequence in the timeline of the films. Also Brosnan's last film was pretty much trashed and called the worst Bond. Their were a lot of factors. Basically its the first five actors playing the same role and then Craig playing a rebooted version of that role. Honestly you guys are on a comic book forum, you should be pretty used to this concept.

2. Bond is to the point where he is an icon in England. Prominent American actors have turned the part because they felt Bond should be British. He's on par with Superman over there. There was an outrage because they picked an actor who had almost every single attribute of the Bond character except his hair color. I think Idris Elba is a phenomenal actor but I think this is a role that he's going to be fighting an uphill battle with it. The character since 1953 has been portrayed as being a certain way. There is a model for what James Bond is, and more or less every actor has been in line with that. Elba could pull it off but if it goes wrong it's going to hurt the franchise and probably his career for awhile.

3. To Legato's post. The World Is Not Enough has Elektra King as the main antagonist. She isn't revealed until about halfway but she's the mastermind. That was the 19th film. Skyfall was the 23rd by comparison.

[Siddon]

Die Another Day was not the worst Bond film, based on critical response it was the second best Bronson film. People like to complain about that one because it was the most indulgent and decadent of the films from that era. Also they've only got the four Fleming stories left, Risico seems like the only filmable story.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1926...ond-countdown/

Also a Superman analogy might have worked except for the whole killing him, having a Brit play him, and erasing the continuity of half the films. Good on you for reading all the books, sadly for me spy books make me fall asleep.

[Kieran_Frost]

I wonder if they a change of race could end up giving more weight to the idea that James Bond essentialy a codename in british intelligence who can be given to anyone (while its a popular fan theory, movies never quite use it)

I really don't like the whole "James Bond is a codename" thing. He ALREADY has a codename = 007. Why would he need another?

Glen Close would be at the top of mine - I always find her unnerving.

We... have... A WINNER!!! Oh my word, would not this be THE BEST BOND VILLAIN CASTING EVER!!!

I really can't see the Broccoli's handing over the reigns of the franchise to Nolan for three films.

Agreed. How many producers do you know who will hand over reigns of one of the biggest franchises of all time? I don't think so...

Nolan would ruin Bond.
I would rather see Martin Campbell direct another entry.
Neveldine/Taylor would be an interesting choice.

I would be curious about David Fincher directing one... but yeah, right now I'm not on the Nolan band-wagon. I don't think he'd do Bond right.

Christopher Nolan has a distinct style when he makes a film...I think if he got into the Bond franchise would it sort of severely tweak the formula that makes it work?

But shouldn't a Bond film feel like a Bond film, and not a Nolan film?

From what I have seen Idris in (just Thor and Ghost Rider) I have a hard time picturing him as Bond. He just doesn't strike me as the Bond type. He is a good actor, and I like his work so far, and this has nothing to do with race. He just seems a bit to rough and tumble. More the kind of guy who would fight first and then go "aw, shit... I should have asked him a few questions before I beat him to death" kind of character.

I need to see either the Wire (getting it for Christmas, yey!) or Luther first, to know if he's any good... so far, nothing stands out (but then again, you can be BAD in many things, and yet that one role just clicks with you and you are AMAZING... Bond could be the right fit, who knows?).

It supports the constant recasting of the James Bond role, if they can do that with M then it makes sense to do it with Bond

But each time with M they acknowleldge it's NOT the same person.

Skyfall also looked like what could have been a pretty good send off for Craig if he chooses to exit the role. Better to leave on a good note than be like Brosnan and leave after doing a bad Bond Film(Die Another Day)

It's always good to leave on a high... but what's to say the next one won't be even better. Connery delivered more than 3 awesome Bond films, even Moore had 3 that were good. Craig's only had two great Bond films... let's try and see him get one more.

[Kieran_Frost]

I do think the actor needs to be British. I was going to say that James Bond is probably the second most important British figure in movies behind Sherlock Holmes and could you imagine the outrage if they didn't cast an Englishman as Sherlock.... durrrrrrrr

That said... 'for' this arguement: non-British people playing Robin Hood; and mostly being bad at it. 'Against' this arguement: Robert Downey Jr?

That works just fine. Sean Connery and (to an extent) Timothy Dalton had that I-don't-wax-my-chest badassery but still had charm, the cool killer. Craig Daniel is just a scowling male model with a full body-wax and no personality.

He's a theatre actor, not a model.

Yuck. That idea is terrible. If fans want to debate the whole "Different people are Bond" thing that's fine, but I really don't want to see a movie where Bond dies and another guy becomes Bond. Also Hugh Grant as Bond. No.

I have to agree... that was a TERRIBLE idea. It robs everyone of the debate of "codename vs. character". One sure fire way to set up Idris as the most hated Bond is stealing the name from a dead man... IF they cast Idris, just recast him as Bond, don't have him graverob the name (sends the terrible message the only way a black man can play Bond is to steal the name).

Tilda Swinton as the main villain and with Cillian Murphy as the second-in-command.... sounds good idea to me.

I think you're on to something here...

Hey the guy is on his 3rd movie and people are still doubting his Bondness..not a good look.

So? That doesn't mean much... EVERYONE has haters. Craig is also the ONLY Bond to be nominated for a major competative award for playing Bond... so clearly A LOT of people like his work in Bond.

Has there been a female in the recent Bond films that played a main antagonist? If not then that would be a refreshing change

Ignore "recent"... there has NEVER been a female as the main antagonist. Which is silly, because Bond doesn't need to physically fight them (therefore removing the possibly controversial idea of Bond beating up a woman... which is itself sexist; treating women like they can't be hit by Bond, just like any other man). Bond has famously simply shot quit a few villains; why not Glen Close?

Elektra King played by Sophie Marceau in The World is Not Enough.

3. To Legato's post. The World Is Not Enough has Elektra King as the main antagonist. She isn't revealed until about halfway but she's the mastermind. That was the 19th film. Skyfall was the 23rd by comparison.

I would disagree. She's not the MAIN villain; she dies long before the end, and Bond has his final showdown with Renard on the submarine. At best she's the "shared" main villain (she IS the mastermind, after all); but a woman has never been the main villain outright. But she is the closest one to that title, agreed.

[upmiddowntown]

Big Idris Elba fan. Big Bond fan. Not a fan as Elba as Bond though.
Maybe Elba can be his American or English counterpart.
Or better yet someone can write an espionage film for Elba!

[Kieran_Frost]

Big Idris Elba fan. Big Bond fan. Not a fan as Elba as Bond though.
Maybe Elba can be his American or English counterpart.
Or better yet someone can write an espionage film for Elba!

But... but... Jeffrey Wright... I don't think we've seen Colin Salmon in a while (god, he was BEAUTIFUL in Prime Suspect 2); so the English counterpart could work (interestingly Colin Salmon has played 007, in the Omid Djali Show... I assume a spoof, but still... pretty cool!). Or another 00 agent... maybe one Bond comes into conflict with? Hell, I'd support Idris as the new Moneypenny... times have changed, we need a hot male Moneypenny!

[Phil Clark]

I do NOT need to see Idris Elba in a skirt, flirting with Daniel Craig.

[jesse_custer]

I think what we've seen with Casino Royale and Skyfall is that the Bond movies are better when you have continuity and real stakes at hand. On the otherhand QOS shows that you can't just spin your wheels with realism and death you have to actually commit. And the one thing that they haven't really done with Bond is give us a huge mystery. It's the three act story that people will buy into.

Act 1 you can establish a huge cast of MI6 characters including Idris Elba, perhaps as the "bad" guy kill Bond at the end but have it be by a mysterious bad guy.

Act 2 you've killed Bond but as you've established the concept you know a new "007" Bond is coming. Now this one is focused on who killed James Bond, is MI6 bad and who's the big bad...the guy who fans have wanted to see as the Bond badguy for years...Sean Connery.

Act 3 you "solve" the death of Bond, clean up MI6 which was now a shadowy military organization that's been starting wars for profit. But now you know Bond can die/retire/come back you both open the door for Craig, Bronson, or even Dalton to return for "multi-Bonds" and Bond lives or dies that factors into the end of the film.


Now that you can tell epic story's again through serialized films I'd like to see them try it with Bond.

This reads like a really bad soap opera.

I would be curious about David Fincher directing one... but yeah, right now I'm not on the Nolan band-wagon. I don't think he'd do Bond right.

Honestly, I don't think Fincher's Bond would be that different from Nolan's Bond.

[Kieran_Frost]

I do NOT need to see Idris Elba in a skirt, flirting with Daniel Craig.

Who said anything about a skirt? Moneypenny is a CODENAME! Like 'M'. Why can't it be a man in a suit? And why can't he flirt with Bond?

Honestly, I don't think Fincher's Bond would be that different from Nolan's Bond.

You are probably right. Though Fincher has worked with Craig before. That said, Sam Mendes!?!?! Who knew that would be so awesome? (in terms of an action movie, I mean)

[jesse_custer]

Did you see Road to Perdition? Sam Mendes can direct action very well. He can just go overboard with other things.

Nolan and Fincher are only above average action directors (and I think I'm being generous with that), and neither man has shown a good understanding of heroism. That's why I would stay away from them if I were producing a Bond movie.