"James Bond 23" officially slated for 2012!

[WillsBabe]

Rush Limborg wrote:

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"I thinks she has handcuffs." "I do hope so."

DC's JB in handcuffs? What an entertaining notion with which to start the day!

[Starkers]

Meanwhile I'm thinking Gemma Arterton in handcuffs...that line prompts something for everyone ;-)

My fave line from QoS isn't even in English!

"We are school teachers on sabbatical...and we have just won the lottery."

[Kai "the spy"]

Starkers wrote:

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My fave line from QoS isn't even in English!

"We are school teachers on sabbatical...and we have just won the lottery."

You know, this was one of the few parts I liked about QoS, a glimpse of the classic Bond "Where's the fun in subtly?" attitude.

That's also what I feel was missing the most in the Craig films; Bond needs to look like he's fun doing the stuff he does (something that Brosnan had perfected from the start, just watch him drive that tank in "GoldenEye"). Craig rarely does that. Or he didn't in the two movies we saw up to now. It seems he can only have fun when he's with a lady. Well, of course, he should have fun when he's with a lady, but ... oh, you know what I mean.

[Skywalker]

I don't think it would have been very appropriate for Bond to be 'having fun' in QoS, given his emotional state at the time.

[Kai "the spy"]

Skywalker wrote:

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I don't think it would have been very appropriate for Bond to be 'having fun' in QoS, given his emotional state at the time.

That's why it was a terrible decision to have it as a direct sequel.

You know there is precedent, right? "On her Majesty's Secret Service" and the following "Diamonds are Forever". Now, I'm not saying they should have gone all-out wacky the way they did with "Diamonds", but some balance would have been nice. Also, the "too much" of the wackyness of "Diamonds" didn't really come from Bond's character, but from the other characters.

[StarTrek1701]

JarodRussell wrote:

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Next Bond should be black. He has been white for far too long already.

Next Blade should be white. He has been black for far too long already.

[Captaindemotion]

Kai "the spy" wrote:

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That's why it was a terrible decision to have it as a direct sequel.

You know there is precedent, right? "On her Majesty's Secret Service" and the following "Diamonds are Forever". Now, I'm not saying they should have gone all-out wacky the way they did with "Diamonds", but some balance would have been nice. Also, the "too much" of the wackyness of "Diamonds" didn't really come from Bond's character, but from the other characters.

I don't like how DAF ignores OHMSS. Sure, you have Bond hunting down Blofeld at the start and the lines about MI5 being able to cope in Bond's absence (little in-jokes at Connery's expense). But the tone of the movies are different and not only have you a different Bond but yet another Blofeld.

I'd much rather have seen Lazenby return and hunt down Savalas' Blofeld, instead of a toupeed & flabby through-the-motions Connery (I should note that it wasn't a 'take the money' role - most of his fee went to charity) hunt down Charles Gray's camp Ernst B.

[CorporalClegg]

StarTrek1701 wrote:

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Next Blade should be white. He has been black for far too long already.

Umm ... What?

[DarKush]

StarTrek1701 wrote:

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Next Blade should be white. He has been black for far too long already.

Here we go with the tit-for-tat. Though I'm not a fan of changing Bond's race, I think these type of kneejerk responses, usually Shaft if not Blade do little to address the original assertion. There's no comparison between Blade who starred in three films and a failed TV show, with Bond which is a billion dollar franchise. The Blade and Shaft franchises together wouldn't put a dent in Bond's. Neither have made the mainstream cultural impact that Bond has, and switching their races wouldn't have much of a ripple for majority audiences. Changing Bond's race would create more widespread debate about the images and roles available for actors of color. And it is for that reason, the controversial debate and the potential for lost revenue that you won't see a black Bond anytime soon. Though Idris Elba could definitely pull it off.

I'm not opposed to racebending completely, but I don't think it would work for Bond. I think if the character was made into a black man, white producers would take away the character's virility. They would probably make him an eunuch. I think Bond is too much a symbol of white Western manhood to ever change skin colors. Though there is a lot of red, yellow, and brown tint in the Western experience too.

The real problem IMO is the lack of major roles for actors/actresses of color, or of iconic characters of color who could have a franchise that could rival Bond, Harry Potter, LOTR, etc. So I think there's a tendency for some to try to gloam onto existing franchises instead of working to promote homegrown, organic characters/properties. Though his content is debatable, Tyler Perry has provided an interesting model of franchise building with his Madea character. I would rather see black characters and others of color attempt to do something like this, instead of trying to be a black Bond or Kirk, or whatever.

We're not there yet, and it isn't because no one hasn't created works that could be turned to franchises. There's a lot of black heroes in literature, once you delve into it, it's just an issue of black heroes, with the exception of if they are played by Will Smith and a handful of others, are not seen as profitable. Then again, Smith's racebending Jim West didn't leave many wanting more, though it could've been the fact that that movie itself was a steaming pile more than anything Smith did in the role of West.

[KB24]

I don't have a problem with the next Bond being Black (even if I do favor Fassbender) but changing Bond's race leaves me wondering how they would play Felix Leiter. I really love Jeffrey Wright's portrayal and hope to see more of him in these upcoming plans. If they do the 007 in New York bits, we may well finally get a good dose of him. Would they ever have a black Bond and a black Leiter on screen together at the same time? Or would making Bond black automatically make Leiter white again?

Actually, now that I think of it, it might be kind of neat if Colin Salmon could some how move into the Q position. There's already some classy banter and wit there, and it would be cool to see him with some badass toys and yet be so reserved. Someone posted early about him having been the best black Bond, but he can't really now. Unless they someone make him a turncoat villain in an upcoming storyline and actually have him be some sort of agent.

Eh, any real scripting and casting news for 23 of late?

[ColeMercury]

How about making a movie based around an original character who's a black secret agent?

[KB24]

That would be nice. But if I may play advocate, what else would you do to make it something more original than just a 'black Bond'? Strangely it seems tougher to do that today, for everything ends up being compared to just being a Bond/Bourne knockoff. Salt was Jolie playing something Bondesque, right? The American was played up as Clooney being spy.

Frankly, I am getting seriously disappointed that MI-5 just keeps adding a minority for the sake of them being there, while all the pretty blonde haired blue eyed people get to be the big time spies saving the day. I really wish they would have a decent black lead instead of a barely there guy at a desk. What a waste.

[Rush Limborg]

^For the record, Bond works for MI-6.

But anyhow...if we're looking for a "Q", I'm looking at Ian Holm. Witty, quirky, eccentric...Ian does that perfectly.

[Samurai8472]

Kevin Spacey was offered a role as villain

http://www.mi6.co.uk/news/index.php?...7&t=mi6&s=news

[Rush Limborg]

Folks...you are going to LOVE this.

Guess who is VERY interested in playing a Bond Girl:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjeGG-wb6mc

I'd say, "DISCUSS!!!"...but that's the language of spammers.

Personally, I think we're comming close to seeing a BIT too much of Miss Cardassian (sorry, I couldn't resist)...but who knows? She could actually turn out to be a great actress...eh?

Nah....