Kind of OT in the topic now, but I know before somewhere we were talking about Fassbender's merits as the combination between Dalton and Craig. Hollywood Spy is doing a poll on who should be the next Bond.
http://hollywood-spy.blogspot.com/
Down on the right, is the poll:
WHO SHOULD BE NEW JAMES BOND?
Matthew Goode
Hugh Jackman
Lee Pace
Paul Bettany
Toby Stephens
Michael Fassbender
James Purefoy
Thomas Kretschman - German and will be 50 next year? Not a chance.
Bale would have been a great Bond and my suspicion is that Eon originally wanted him to replace Brosnan. There was a rumour that he was reluctant to accept the Batman role as he knew it would rule him out for 007; being a Brit, he valued Bond's iconic status.
And I do think it has ruled him out. IIRC, the Bond actor isn't allowed to wear a tux in any other movie during his term. Bruce Wayne is often required to wear one. Both characters use fancy gadgets and are often assisted by an elderly sidekick (M or Q v Alfred). Both fight flamboyant villains (in particular, Bale's Batman has taken on Ras Al Ghul, the most Bond-esque villain, created in the 1970s as an equivalent to the Bond baddies). Both have ostensibly playboy lifestyles and drive cool cars. So I can't see the same actor being allowed to play both characters at the same time or even in near proximity.
I know we've been having fun with the speculation, but I'm kind of surprised that they are doing this, I mean is there a point this early? Also, Cavill isn't on the list. As we discussed before, it certainly is possible he could be done with Superman by time the next Bond is needed.
Of course, I still say Fassbender. Vaughn made Craig look so good in Layer Cake, and now he's got all the press calling MF a 'bond like Magneto'. Nothing to do but wait and debate I suppose. I can't abide Toby Stephens, his entire career is thanks to mom Maggie Smith as far as I'm concerned.
Mods if you'd rather make a new thread, feel free.
Goode - too weedy. Not seeing it.
Jackman - I would have given him the role last time out. But he's only 7 months or so younger than Craig and while Sean Connery may famously have 'made way for an older man' (in Moore), the last few times Bond has been re-cast, the new man has been a few years younger than his predecessor.
Lee Pace - Too much in the James Stewart mould, rather than the Sean Connery mould. Far too nice.
Paul Bettany - Too blond and balding. More likely to be cast as Q than 007.
Toby Stephens - they will not cast someone who has been a Bond villain in a movie. End of.
Fassbender - probably the most likely choice. Can't wait to see how the UK tabloids react to Bond being played by a German-born, Irish raised actor, who came to prominence playing IRA martyr Bobby Sands.
James Purefoy - too old, last time out would have been his last chance.