if the storyline is as s***e as the last one's, it won't matter what colour Bond is
We have had a Scottish one so diversity isn’t an issue with Bond
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RIAC
Here we go again.
Ian
Unfortunately, it's all about identity politics these days:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...hing-backlash/
https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood...hing-ed-skrein
My opinion is that the context of the films these days is "Based on characters and stories by Ian Fleming". Unless they decide to set the film in the 1950s, with story faithful to the books, complete with a Benzedrine popping Bond, then surely pretty much anything is fair game?
And that's the thing, context can mean different things to different people. I'm thinking the point is along similar lines to yourself, but that the context is not just being faithful to the era, but also to Bond being white. Hence my question to redmonaco as to what his context is.
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
True, and sometimes double-standards may undoubtedly be a factor, but I think that ignores the different context there. With minorities (of all types) still often under-represented in TV & Cinema as a whole, then I can understand why there might be anger when one of those few bona fide minority roles is cast with an actor of another race.
I can see why Elba may not fit many people’s traditional imagining of the role, but fundamentally a black Bond doesn’t at all detract from what the majority of film-goers like about the character – alpha-male Britishness, action, incredible stunts, puns, gadgets, sex, cars, exotic locales etc. – so it shouldn’t really matter.
Whereas, having Tom Cruise playing 6’5” Jack Reacher does detract from Lee Child’s creation, whose physical bulk is at the very core of the character and informs his ability to stop a bullet with his bare chest (yes, that does actually happen in a book). Put 5’3” black man Kevin Hart in that role and I’d be equally annoyed, but not because he’s black.
Bond is no longer based on anything, they ran out of books and stopped setting it in a time and climate of the material. I was happier that they moved away from the Fleming model a bit, so moving to Elba as Bond wouldn't be much of an issue, the only problem is he's 45 now, would be about 48/49 for his Bond film, so not much longevity to do another 2 or 3 movies.
Personally i think it's got to be someone like James Norton, Jamie Dornan or Henry Cavill, who could do a 3 film deal without turning into another Roger Moore!
Who cares about the lead actor; what’s needed is a return to bints with innuendo names!
The Bond franchise is spun around a contemporary spy story based of a fictional character created some time ago.
The crux is that the story plays nów.
A plot centered in Afrika or the Far East would totally warrant a negro c.q. oriental actor/actress.
Now, as I have not looked forward to see a Bond movie ever, this one is not likely to be an exception.
I thought Colin Salmon would have made an excellent Bond. 20 years too late now right enough and he was blagged as a sidekick anyway.
Age is a factor. Moore should've chucked it at spy who loved me. Connery should never have come back after Diamonds. I fear Elba's convincing life span would be very short. Craig is already beyond his sell by date IMO.
Whoever is cast should be 35-40, regardless of ethnicity. They can get away with being mid late 40s at the end of their tenure, not at the start!
It's interestinghow you get things stuck in your mind. Many years ago I read Jeffery Deaver's "The Bone Collector" in which the main character was Lincoln Rhyme. Colour was never alluded to but in my mind he was white. A bit of a shock to see him played by Denzel Washington in the film of the book, it just didn't seem right (and I'm a fan of Denzel Washington).
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
The best 'Bond' of the past 20 years was a woman anyway. Check out Garner in 'Alias'; a very well made thrill fest that lasted 5 or so seasons.
Things evolve over time, James Bond is a silly fictional caracter kept alive for an ageing audience, who cares? What is clear is that the same people that are stuck in time regarding the Brexit problem are clinging on to their "oldy worldy" views in this thread. If the actor is good he's good.
#RichardRoundtreeforBond
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
Personally I think someone like Norton would suit the role better - but Bond is such a big franchise I don’t think it matters what ethnic background Bond came from, as long as they could legitimately be a British agent.
I just don’t see Elba as a credible Bond, but then many felt that way about Craig and he is one of my favourites over all the films.
It's just a matter of time...
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
I've very much in the camp that are saying that, once you bring Bond into a modern age and are no longer wedded to the books, Bond's ethnicity is not really important. Quality of actor and script are key. I can cope with Elba just because it means it wouldn't be the awful Adrian Lester taking the role but he is a bit lumbering for my vision of the character. As for the guy who suggested James Norton, you should be locked in a room and forced to watch MacMafia on loop...
I did say someone like Norton, rather than Norton. I.E. a younger (the Elba), slightly posh ish British actor. I’m sure there are lots to choose from
It's just a matter of time...
Redmayne looks like he works in IT. Hiddleston is already in a franchise movie series and Lewis is nearing 50 and has been pointed out , is a ginge. Sorry James, we can't send you on this mission, the UV index is likely to be 'high'
With the films veering so far from the source material now, the colour of the lead man seems totally irrelevant to me.
Some folk think the world has move on. Love this racist thread.
Clearly it has not.
Perhaps the ultimate reboot, I shall start the online petition now. Gentlemen, I give you BOND. Imagine the mad bugger in evening wear.
J
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I can't see Idris Elba as Bond. He could never pass for mid-30's. He's going grey for goodness sake!
IMHO Daniel Kaluuya would be a better choice - you might have seen him in Get Out, Black Panther and Sicario.
As a left-field choice I'd nominate Toby Jones for the role.
After all, any actor who can move between playing Neil Baldwin, Truman Capote and Dobby the House-elf can doubtless assume the mantle of a mid 30's, chain-smoking, hard-drinking, ex-naval, petrol-headed, lothario. Custom lift shoes could add the necessary 18cm in height.
I think Daniel Craig played it well. A thug in a dinner jacket suited the Bond character for me. As for Bond being black, I don't disagree with it as such, just find it unnecessary.
Ian
The only way it would work for me with Elba is to have him film 3 films back to back, with the Bond arc being towards the end of his career, so having him more polished than Craig and being more in line with Connery.
I doubt any studio would risk back to back films with a new lead though, a great Bond would have been Hugh Jackman, but again, he's too old now as well, and admits it too with him leaving the X-Men franchise.
I tend to disagree a bit, I didn't mind Tom Cruise as Reacher and Lee Child himself signed off on it. His justification was that while he had to be a bit crude and "nail on head" about Reacher in the novels with him reminding us every three paragraphs that he's a big lad, the big screen allows much more scope to show that he is an "unstoppable force" in a different way.
As far as Bond, I'm firmly in the camp that he should be played by a white actor.
No racism here, I just think it would be a bit silly to mess around with a very well established literary character. I would feel the same about Sherlock Holmes I suppose, or any number of others. When a character like James Bond is that well fleshed-out (best part of 70 years) why can't we just accept that this is his identity? He was written as a white guy, why the desperate push to have him played by a black guy?
I don't get the furore to be honest, surely it's racism in reverse?
Idris Elba is a cracking actor and would make a great addition to the franchise - give him the 006 badge or something by all means, but why does he HAVE to be James Bond?
Coming soon, an angry "sexism" thread about remaking Harry Potter with a girl as the lead (Mary Potter?). Equally as frigging pointless.
Jane Bond?
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.