Idris Elba strongly considered to be next James Bond by producers

[mr_crisp]

I love Idris, so I'm fine with him as Bond.
But...the problem is, if someone suggested a white guy play Shaft.....hell to pay. It's this type of double standards that gets on my nerves.

Thumbs up
Stupid 10 character limit

[Coin Biter]

I have to say I'm not convinced that Shaft, the lead in the most famous of the blaxploitation genre, is the best counter example that could have been provided

In any event, it is what Joey Tribbiani would call a moo point. Elba hasn't been contacted, and is unlikely to be given the role, on account of his age, principally.

[Bl00dwerK]

I'll be kind of surprised if it happens. Bond tends to follow trends in cinema, and rebooted due to the success of the Bourne movies. Now the hot film franchise is Mission: Impossible and Tom's crazy stunts. No way Elba can pull ANY of that off.

[jump]

I do see a semi-decent argument that Bond can't be black. Part of the Bond character is him coming from a rich family and not just rich but from the upper class old money of boarding schools, stiff upper lips, goes to Eton etc which makes up some of the character traits which don't really exists in black British families.

It's a minor argument against a Black Bond and can be easily outweighed by having a decent enough actor for the role.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

I do see a semi-decent argument that Bond can't be black. Part of the Bond character is him coming from a rich family and not just rich but from the upper class old money of boarding schools, stiff upper lips, goes to Eton etc which makes up some of the character traits which don't really exists in black British families.

It's a minor argument against a Black Bond and can be easily outweighed by having a decent enough actor for the role.

The biggest argument is that Bond is massive elitist with superiority complex and that translates to him often having mysognistic and classist views against certain people.. He definitely is homophobic and has some real racial biases in the books. I think a lot of that plays easier with a white guy from old money. And while he’s not a total stooge for the government he does have an affection for the glory days of the empire

[Coin Biter]

I do see a semi-decent argument that Bond can't be black. Part of the Bond character is him coming from a rich family and not just rich but from the upper class old money of boarding schools, stiff upper lips, goes to Eton etc which makes up some of the character traits which don't really exists in black British families.

It's a minor argument against a Black Bond and can be easily outweighed by having a decent enough actor for the role.

Minor anecdote: I did a course with someone who went to one of those boarding schools - can't remember which one. Harrow, maybe. His accent was a great deal more Received Pronunciation than anyone who's ever played Bond He wasn't white.

That aside, Casino Royale has subtly changed the Bond back story. Do you remember this exchange with Vesper Lynd in the Craig Casino Royale?

"All right... by the cut of your suit, you went to Oxford or wherever. Naturally you think human beings dress like that. But you wear it with such disdain, my guess is you didn't come from money, and your school friends never let you forget it."

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

Minor anecdote: I did a course with someone who went to one of those boarding schools - can't remember which one. Harrow, maybe. His accent was a great deal more Received Pronunciation than anyone who's ever played Bond He wasn't white.

That aside, Casino Royale has subtly changed the Bond back story. Do you remember this exchange with Vesper Lynd in the Craig Casino Royale?

"All right... by the cut of your suit, you went to Oxford or wherever. Naturally you think human beings dress like that. But you wear it with such disdain, my guess is you didn't come from money, and your school friends never let you forget it."

He cane from money, he was just orphaned at a young age.

[Carabas]

I'll be kind of surprised if it happens. Bond tends to follow trends in cinema, and rebooted due to the success of the Bourne movies. Now the hot film franchise is Mission: Impossible and Tom's crazy stunts. No way Elba can pull ANY of that off.

They seem kinda small beer compared to the kind of stunts the Bond movies have always been known for.

[G. Boney]

I have to say I'm not convinced that Shaft, the lead in the most famous of the blaxploitation genre, is the best counter example that could have been provided

In any event, it is what Joey Tribbiani would call a moo point. Elba hasn't been contacted, and is unlikely to be given the role, on account of his age, principally.

Hey I'm just glad the example they used was another fictional character. Too many times over the years when someone is against racebending I've seen them go the "would it be okay if [insert white actor here] played MLK?!!!!?" route.

[Vinsanity]

They seem kinda small beer compared to the kind of stunts the Bond movies have always been known for.

idk I don't see any Bond doing the stuff Tom does. Maybe Timmy Dalton for the easier stuff.

Anyway someone said age and I agree. Not because Idris is unable to do it, but the contract might be an issue.

[Carabas]

idk I don't see any Bond doing the stuff Tom does. Maybe Timmy Dalton for the easier stuff.

Anyway someone said age and I agree. Not because Idris is unable to do it, but the contract might be an issue.

Refresh my memory... What kind of crazy stuff does Hunt pull off?

[jump]

Refresh my memory... What kind of crazy stuff does Hunt pull off?

He runs around a lot in one long shot.

[ChrisIII]

Speaking of Bond's backstory, one part that's frequently mentioned in the novels and films but never really elaborated on is his navy service. Sure we see him wear the uniform a few times over the course of the films (except for Lazenby, Dalton and Craig-so far). Kind of mirrors Fleming's own background.



If there was another reboot that'd be an interesting thing to see.

[ChrisIII]

Not sure what you mean here. They wanted Selleck for Indiana Jones but he'd already filmed Magnum PI and the network wouldn't let him do the movie.

I meant the episode that featured Selleck in an Indiana Jones style getup as a reference to him almost getting the role. Likewise, Brosnan played up the "I was almost Bond" image in some advertising...until he actually was Bond.


Funny thing is, Roger Moore kind of did the same thing too. He (as Templar) poses as Bond in one episode of the Saint; and also in a comedy skit for Mainly Milicent. Both almost a decade before he really became Bond. Although some have stated he was offered the role for "Dr.No", reportedly he was asked a few times over the 60s, especially when Connery stepped down for the first time in '66.


I think even Clive Owen even got into the fun and played a Bond-like character in the Steve Martin Pink Panther movie, just kind of making fun of the rumors. (Steve Martin seems to be kind of prone to these kind of Bond connections in a weird way-he played Bond in an SNL skit, appeared in the Looney Tunes movie obviously with Timothy Dalton obviously parodying his time as Bond etc.)

[motherofpearl1]

Hey I'm just glad the example they used was another fictional character. Too many times over the years when someone is against racebending I've seen them go the "would it be okay if [insert white actor here] played MLK?!!!!?" route.

I believe Beverley Knight is going to play Emmeline Pankhurst.