NEXT BOND NEWS: A truly bad day

[ReaperFett]

It's been reported over here in Blighty that Dougray Scott was offered the part as the next Bond, but decided not to, as he didn't think he could live up to Sean COnnery.

This is dire news. This was the man I wanted. The accent, the look, the acting ability. Everything was there

[DvdJervs]

If you ask me they should quit the Bond series while they're still ahead, unless they're willing to try and go back to what Bond is supposed to be - a secret agent, not a commando with 20 million gadgets and gizmos at his disposal.

[Jedi Master Kyle]

agreed. all he needs is a small pistol, and a few cool gadgets. nothing more.

[ReaperFett]

Not as fun!

What I think is needed is something REALLY inventive as an idea for a plot. Maybe a cliffhanger, maybe not. But something that is different.

The only thing I want dumping is the product placement. Otherwise, Bond shouldn't stop, IMHO. You stop it, a similar film comes out, but minus Bond

[DvdJervs]

You stop it, a similar film comes out, but minus Bond.
That's the only thing that's separating the current crop of Bond films from all the rest - the names of the characters (and a super-blown budget). Probably goes to show the pitiful state in which the Bond films have reached. Once upon a time the Bond series was a class of its own. Now they're just stock-standard action films with the usual Bond trimmings here and there. :(

I would have no problem if they let Bond retire after the next one (Brosnan is only supposed to do 4 I believe). It's been fun but looking at my 'Best Bond Films' list just about all of them are from either Connery or Moore. With old Desmond (Q) now departed (killed in a car accident, of all things, last year) there is nothing left that ties the current trend to the originals (aside from character names - that's it).

[ReaperFett]

my favourite three are Live and let die, Goldeneye and Tommorow never dies.

Bond 20 is Brosnan's lasst. I just hope Dougray changes his mind. To me, he IS Bond.

[DvdJervs]

Favourites for each Bond:

Connery - 'Goldfinger' ('From Russia With Love' is techinically superior but 'Goldfinger' is just more fun :) )

Lazenby - doesn't count since he only did one (which he was ill-equipped for)

Moore - 'The Spy Who Loved Me'

Dalton - 'The Living Daylights'

Brosnan - 'Goldeneye' (not that there's been much to write home about for Brosnan - too gizmo oriented)

Connery IMHO is THE Bond - no other have managed to grasp all the various Bond traits better than him (Dalton deserves an honourable mention for being the only other Bond to properly grasp the serious Bond, probably even better than Connery did - pity he only did 2 films).

Rest assured they'll keep making Bond films as long as they keep making money.

I wonder sometimes though what would have happened if Connery didn't quit when he did - would they have kept him as long as possible then just end the series with no one else? Connery quit in the prime of the Bond films which is why they tried experimenting with alternative actors and after Moore's success they kept doing it.

[mez7]

if youve read any of the books you would know that connery is bond,
the books dont make him rely on gadgets, just his smarts, and his berretta, (yes a berretta is the gun he usually used at least in the 4-5 bond boks ive read)

the last few have been just filled with gadgets to have gadgets,
the last one i liked was goldeneye, TWINE was pretty good, but they need to get better to keep the series going

[Bromine]

What I always liked about Bond was that he survived by his wits, not superpowers. If he was in an enemy base and some guys with guns happened by, he'd hide or bluff his way by, as opposed to shooting them all dead with strafing gunfire, then taking out the last guard with Kung Fu. Not that mindless action like that isn't fun, but it gets old quickly. I liked not knowing how he would get out of a situation.

[flagg]

They need to reinvent the franchise, get someone like Tarantino to direct. How about Brosnan gets killed in his last film, and a new agent becomes 007? It turns out that whenever a Bond dies or retires, a new guy assumes the mantle.

[DvdJervs]

Personally that wouldn't work for me, at least in terms of reinventing the franchise. The franchise is about BOND, not 007 - that just happens to be his code number.

If you kill of Bond and replace him you kill the franchise. Any replacement agent in subsequent films will just be seen as another standard hero in an action film amongst countless other action films. It wouldn't be Bond anymore.

flagg's suggestion is kind of like producers killing off Star Trek and then replacing it with Farscape. They may share similarities but in the end it's a completely different ballgame altogther.

[Bromine]

What I'd like to see is not so much a re-inventing of the franchise so much as some good original "James Bond"-style spy movies. Make a new character with a different personality and new character traits, have him work for a different agency, et cetera. Tell a good spy story withour ripping off JB. Good spy movies are rare these days.
btw, I don't count MI2 and the like as spy movies, because it was entirely an action movie. Even the new James Bond flicks are much more action than intrigue.

[Jedi Master Kyle]

Here's an idea: Why not give Bond some interesting bad guys to combat. Lately it's been ex agents, and rich guys with metal in their head. What happened to all the odd jobs and jaws and baron samedis???

[ReaperFett]

Vinnie Jones was apparentley offered a part as a baddie in the next film, so I presume they are looking for a Jaws-esque figure

[Bromine]

Yeah, some larger-than-life villains would definitely help!:)

[flagg]

DVD Jervs, you missed my point. They've already changed Bond four times, or didn't you notice that Pierce Brosnan is a different guy than Sean Connery? :)
What I'm suggesting would offer an explanation for why Bond keeps changing in appearance, much like Dr. Who. They need to do something to refresh the series. I fell asleep during Tomorrow Never Dies.

[DvdJervs]

And you've missed my point. The actors have changed, but the character has remained the same (although each actor has brought their own style to it for better or worse) with the same enemies, friends, abilities etc etc.

All they've done is changed the actors (and everyone has gotten used to it). You're talking about changing the entire character, which I doubt would work, because then it's just another action movie, not Bond. :)

[mez7]

actually DVDjerves the character has changed with each new actor, theres tons of differences between sean connerys bond and peirces bond,

so making it show that they give the new agents the same name wouldnt really ruin much for me,
kind of like an honor thing for the best agent and keeps their real identity a secret for when they retire or whatever

[I J S]

If I was a gambling man my money would be on Christian Bale as the next Bond. He certainly has the looks, physique and the acting ability to take over the 007 mantle. I haven't heard Dougray Scott mentioned until the above post but he would also make a decent contender. However if they don't do something different with the series it won't really matter who they get in.
After the truly awful TWINE, Eon need to make some brave decisions for Brosnans last outing. A new direction is desperately needed to inject some life into the old dog.But as the current formula is proving to be very successful financially ,if not artistically , (Rush one out every 2 years with a massive marketing campaign) I can't see them taking any chances.
The Bond films are made to make money, lots of money. As the old saying goes - 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'! So there is no way on this Earth the studio execs
from Eon, United Artists and MGM are going to risk the dollar for the sake of artistic integrity.

I J S

[Bromine]

Very good point. Even if the majority of Bond fans don't care for the new films, they're still making good money at the B.O. (Not to mention the lucrative endorsement deals made with Eriskson and others). We can expect more of the same from the franchise as long as it makes money.