http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-echochambers-30594460 Elba was my pick for the next Bond as far back as when Casino Royale was released in 2006. Daniel Craig is the best actor to play Bond to date, in my opinion. His arrival (finally, thankfully) hailed the departure of a rather camp character who relied far too much on gadgets. Elba is the only British actor that comes to mind as Craig's potential replacement (Luke Evans and Clive Owen would be on my shortlist too). The only problem with Elba replacing an aging Craig (let's face it, the role requires a certain youthfulness) is that he is four years younger than the current Bond; Craig has been announced to return for Bond 25 (the one after Spectre, which is filming as we speak). But I think Elba's skin colour should have no bearing on his selection. Rush Lambaugh's remarks are disgusting. The only constant that should remain, in my opinion, when selecting actors is that they are actually British. Thoughts? Specifically, who would be your pick after Craig?
Elba would be a great choice. Although I would love to see either Marc Strong or Tom Hiddleston take it on. Tom Hardy would fit too I am a bit out of the loop on more "domestic" UK actors
Idris Elba is a great choice, great actor and plenty of potential to pull it off. Let's face it following Daniel Craig is going to be a hard act to follow but Elba has more chance than most. Tom hardy is another interesting choice but I just can't see him as anything other than bane now . . . Bane, james bane just doesn't have be same ring to it
Clive Owen is one I would of liked to see and he's been in the loop on it for years now, but I think he's said that he's too old to do it. Agree Tom Hardy is likely to be on the shortlist and I think there's a chance he could do it. He managed to pull off being a loveable rogue in Inception anyway. I'll be honest, I've never seen anything with Elba in it I can think of so I can't comment on whether he should be a Bond. As far as skin colour, I'm with the fan theory that James Bond is a code name and not a person. No reason he shouldn't get to do it. The only thing I remember saying when there were rumours about a black Bond is that I wanted someone who deserved the role, not to give it to a black guy just because its progressive. I gather Elba is a very good choice though, so that's my only concern sorted.
Julian Clary. Bond has always been camp, well after Connery...might as well go the whole hog. Roger Moore Julian Clary
I don't think he's a great choice. I like him as an actor, especially in The Wire, although I enjoyed Luther too, but I'm not seeing what makes people think he'd make a good Bond. Anyone got any youtube clips or anything of his acting where he has any "Bond-ness" about him, as I really don't see it.
Kinda agree....and to be honest, he's charismatic and all...but I don't think he's that good an actor. I've only seen him in Luther though, so maybe I am being harsh to judge him on one series.
Haha! I was basically going to say the exact same thing. The BBC article hit the nail on the head for me when it mentioned about the relevance of Bonds' back story. I get where Rush is coming from but frankly I think he's being way too precious. As for a next Bond...I honestly don't know. I kind of want to stick with the darker, grittier theme of the latest Bond films and go with someone closer to Jason Statham, except I don't think he'd be quite right. I honestly don't know who else I would pick though.
What about Dominic West? A little on the old side, but that would still fit with the last film's comments about an "old dog":
I was really disappointed with the last Bond films. I don't like Bond after Connery and the odd Moore one and everyone said the new ones where similar to the originals, but I didn't get that vibe really. They just threw away the gadget stuff and it was suddenly "gritty". hmmmm..... Harry Palmer > James Bond.
For me, Roger Moore was a bit of a let down actually. Liked the movies but didn't like him. Loved Connery, actually quite liked Dolton, didn't enjoy Brosnan after the first two films (and to be honest, I think Sean Bean might've been the reason I loved Goldeneye), and Lazenby was...well, Lazenby. Craig I do like though. I wouldn't say the newer ones are that close to the originals either. But the Craig ones are definitely grittier IMO. Not 'cos of the lack of gadgets either but more 'cos of bits like when he dumps Dominic Greene in the desert with an oil can, the scene from Casino Royale with Le Chiffre where he's tied to a chair, the poisoning scene, Skyfall and Bond being utterly washed up, etc. At least more so than harpooning a guy to a tree with the quip "I think he got the point" .
The first bond film had almost no gadgets, neither did Casino Royale. I'd like to see a few people play Bond. Elba and Hardy are up there.
OK, watched a bit of youtube and he pulls off some good lines, but it's still closer to cockney geezah - albeit with some refinement - than product of the public school system. I think Bond should be that kind of "officer class" type who went from boarding school into the civil service, with some Naval duties for good measure. I know Craig plays the character a bit rougher, but he's still more Sandhurst than rank-and-file.
lol @ Harry Palmer - recently watched a few. Some were great... some were... err.. not so great. Not sure why anyone gives time to anything that bigoted slob Limbaugh has to say. Comedy gold. He's a complete buffoon in the best of times. Bond's a fictional character so he could ostensibly be played by anyone. It's not a historical novel based on facts. It's fiction written by Ian Fleming. He doesn't even have to be British. I'm curious for those of you pulling the nationalism card how you figure he's got to be British? Can't see the logic in it. If the actor manages to cause you - the audience member - to suspend disbelief then surely it's job done regardless of what is nationality is right?
Mark Strong is a brilliant candidate. How the hell did I forget him? Tom Hiddleston is a bit too camp, in my opinion. I've only seen him play Loki so I probably need to watch his other stuff to get a better idea of his acting range. But even as Thor's little brother he was fantastic. Tom Hardy could definitely do it but I think he's at least 10 years too young at the minute. Hardy is great in This Means War and comes off as a very believable secret agent. There's a scene in a restaurant where he bitch slaps Chris Pine that makes you think he's genuinely a hard nut in real life. I'd seen Elba in One Love and The Gospel before I saw Casino Royale and thought he'd be great as the next Bond because he's a superb actor, rather than choosing him to be the token black Bond. It is a shame so many people will inevitably talk about his skin colour when it has jack to do with the character. His performance in The Long Walk to Freedom will blow your mind. He should have won the best actor Oscar. See above. Jason Statham is probably the best choice for the role in terms of action scenes. I can't help but watch Craig and think "actor who trained for the action" whereas Statham looks like he came out of his mother's womb with a gun in one hand, a knuckle duster on the other, and a knife between his teeth. Another great choice. He was excellent as Fred West in Appropriate Adult and really could pull off Bond. The Craig films are closer to what the life of a spy might look like (still way over the top compared to reality of course). I liked the part in Skyfall where Q was arrogant to say he could beat Silva's computer system because he built it, but Silva still won. Played quite nicely with the new Q's young face. The only American I could see playing Bond is Jeremy Renner. Of course, he would have to apply for British citizenship and take elocution lessons first. Two of those are British, one British but whose country pretends it isn't, and one British but his country is so drunk it can't remember.
I think Elba is too old now. He'd be, maybe 45 by the time the next starts so not much longevity there. I'm not sure who I'd pick but I could see Luke Evans or maybe the guy who plays superman. As for Craig I liked Casino Royal, it was a fantastic update to Bonds story but I thought quantum of solace had nothing to do with Bond, and Skyfall was only ok.
