Bond, James Bond. Should he die?

[CouchCoach]

Saw this last week. The director of the last one with Daniel Craig is walking because the daughter of the originator of the films, Barbara Broccoli, wants to kill him off and bring in a new 007 but not Bond. Maybe even a female 007.

I have seen all of these films and while they all share the same formula, I have had an affinity for them and read all of the Ian Fleming novels several decades ago. Great escapism, especially for a man.

They're changed Bond's from Connery to Lazenby to Moore to Dalton to Brosnan to Craig and surprisingly Moore wins the favorite Bond in all of the surveys. However, they've never allowed Bond to die, just changed out the actor.

They've made him vulnerable with these last 4 with Craig so he's much closer to fragile and human inside than he's ever been so it seems they've been heading in this direction, so should he die?

I realize the answer to this is also affected by your age as I grew up on Bond and have spent the last 57 years with him showing up every 2 to 3 years. No other fictional character has lasted this long for me.

Who's your favorite Bond and should he die and be replaced with a new 007?

Mine is still the man who created the character, Sean Connery, and I think it is time that James Bond introduce himself in that iconic fashion, Bond, James Bond one last time in the working title, Bond 25. And then we bid adieu to the man we knew so well.

 

[Hardline]

No.
Bond should not die.
No female or non British actors.

And keep casting smoking hot Bond girls.
Jill St. John still is my favorite in Diamonds are Forever..That bikini made my pants go crazy.

 

[Melonfeud]

I liked Connery the best in playing the part of an double ouaght spy, and while Moore was pretty good, he'd always kinda' presented an impish type of persona( I thought so,anyway)

Bond can't be killed off& replaced with a female character as it'll come across as an complete & total mockery of it's illustrious history& benchmark creation( and prove to be an utterly abject failure all the way around, also,mark my words on that)

 

[CouchCoach]

I liked Connery the best in playing the part of an double ouaght spy, and while Moore was pretty good, he'd always kinda' presented an impish type of persona( I thought so,anyway)

Bond can't be killed off& replaced with a female character as it'll come across as an complete & total mockery of it's illustrious history& benchmark creation( and prove to be an utterly abject failure all the way around, also,mark my words on that)

Normally, I would agree but this new 007's been neutered from his womanizing and become this reflective vulnerable character and he's headed for the crypt. They can't get back to what he was, that debonair, suave lady killer that could drink all night and still drive an Aston Martin like a race car driver and then kick some butt when he arrived. This Bond has been to rehab!!!!!!!!! Oh James, say it ain't so! Damn me, all my heroes are becoming human.

 

[DallasEast]

As progressively thinking as I think I am, I cannot see James Bond as a woman. Then again there was a time I could not see Captain Marvel as a woman either.

An actress taking over the role would need naturally superior screen presence in my opinion. Funny. The first British actress that popped into my mind who MIGHT fit my ideal of a female Bond is Lena Headey. In my opinion, Cate Blanchett would have likely won me over 10/15 years ago if given the opportunity. Sure, she is Australian but the country was a former British colony so... An extremely bold female choice would be Gugu Mbatha-Raw.

My favorite Bond will always be Sean Connery but Daniel Craig is my #2. I enjoyed Roger Moore's portrayal but my affection for him playing the character continually decreased after Live And Let Die, which is my favorite Moore/Bond movie.

I would prefer they do not kill 007. Just reboot the franchise with a female secret agent. One does not kill James Bond in my book. He is immortal despite whatever is thrown at him (or possibly her).

 

[Melonfeud]

Normally, I would agree but this new 007's been neutered from his womanizing and become this reflective vulnerable character and he's headed for the crypt. They can't get back to what he was, that debonair, suave lady killer that could drink all night and still drive an Aston Martin like a race car driver and then kick some butt when he arrived. This Bond has been to rehab!!!!!!!!! Oh James, say it ain't so! Damn me, all my heroes are becoming human.

(I think the only bond DVD I own is one where a blondish brown haired dude plays the part, in it I recall he's in a fight to the death with a villain high up on some interior scaffolding where in the ensuing melee their both crash thru& end up tangled up in ropes fighting, I can't recall the title of that flick offhand, but it was a pretty decent watch)
Is this new bond character that dude who starred leading role in COWBOYS & ALIENS ,that Craig?

 

[DallasEast]

Is this new bond character that dude who starred leading role in COWBOYS & ALIENS ,that Craig?

Yep.

 

[Silver Surfer]

First Ghostbusters and now Bond? The world's gone mad, I tell you. Stark raving mad........


Ask the folks at Coca Cola and Playboy what happens when you start messin' with a classic formula for success.

 

[iceberg]

As progressively thinking as I think I am, I cannot see James Bond as a woman. Then again there was a time I could not see Captain Marvel as a woman either.

An actress taking over the role would need naturally superior screen presence in my opinion. Funny. The first British actress that popped into my mind who MIGHT fit my ideal of a female Bond is Lena Headey. In my opinion, Cate Blanchett would have likely won me over 10/15 years ago if given the opportunity. Sure, she is Australian but the country was a former British colony so... An extremely bold female choice would be Gugu Mbatha-Raw.

My favorite Bond will always be Sean Connery but Daniel Craig is my #2. I enjoyed Roger Moore's portrayal but my affection for him playing the character continually decreased after Live And Let Die, which is my favorite Moore/Bond movie.

I would prefer they do not kill 007. Just reboot the franchise with a female secret agent. One does not kill James Bond in my book. He is immortal despite whatever is thrown at him (or possibly her).

at least with captain marvel, she was that character back in the 80s as well after they killed the original captain marvel.

read a review the other day that was brutal calling brie "the beckiest becky" available. i had to laugh at the slams but man alive, brutal.

 

[CouchCoach]

As progressively thinking as I think I am, I cannot see James Bond as a woman. Then again there was a time I could not see Captain Marvel as a woman either.

An actress taking over the role would need naturally superior screen presence in my opinion. Funny. The first British actress that popped into my mind who MIGHT fit my ideal of a female Bond is Lena Headey. In my opinion, Cate Blanchett would have likely won me over 10/15 years ago if given the opportunity. Sure, she is Australian but the country was a former British colony so... An extremely bold female choice would be Gugu Mbatha-Raw.

My favorite Bond will always be Sean Connery but Daniel Craig is my #2. I enjoyed Roger Moore's portrayal but my affection for him playing the character continually decreased after Live And Let Die, which is my favorite Moore/Bond movie.

I would prefer they do not kill 007. Just reboot the franchise with a female secret agent. One does not kill James Bond in my book. He is immortal despite whatever is thrown at him (or possibly her).

They would probably find an unknown actress much like Star Wars did. And it wouldn't be the same but the same is losing impact, which is why they've messed with the character, making him less superhuman.

The rumor had been Idris Elba was the next Bond but I don't think he was willing to commit the time. This will be Craig's 5th one.

And I think how they'd spin the death of James Bond might be interesting and the guy has been alive for at least 57 years and was probably 40 when we first saw him. 97 years is a good life.

 

[DallasEast]

at least with captain marvel, she was that character back in the 80s as well after they killed the original captain marvel.

read a review the other day that was brutal calling brie "the beckiest becky" available. i had to laugh at the slams but man alive, brutal.

I started something. My apologies to the OP.

Technically she started out as Ms. Marvel and a separate character back then. I am lost about 'beckiest becky' though. What is that?

 

[CouchCoach]

(I think the only bond DVD I own is one where a blondish brown haired dude plays the part, in it I recall he's in a fight to the death with a villain high up on some interior scaffolding where in the ensuing melee their both crash thru& end up tangled up in ropes fighting, I can't recall the title of that flick offhand, but it was a pretty decent watch)
Is this new bond character that dude who starred leading role in COWBOYS & ALIENS ,that Craig?

Same one, also in "Defiance" and "Layer Cake", a good film.

I always thought Clive Owen would have been the perfect Bond.

 

[DallasEast]

They would probably find an unknown actress much like Star Wars did. And it wouldn't be the same but the same is losing impact, which is why they've messed with the character, making him less superhuman.

The rumor had been Idris Elba was the next Bond but I don't think he was willing to commit the time. This will be Craig's 5th one.

And I think how they'd spin the death of James Bond might be interesting and the guy has been alive for at least 57 years and was probably 40 when we first saw him. 97 years is a good life.

Going with an unknown would be an extremely bold move. Interesting.

 

[CouchCoach]

Going with an unknown would be an extremely bold move. Interesting.

But look at their history, none of these actors have been household names when they signed them. I think getting these guys for the right price is part of the deal and Elba is already established and doesn't need Bond films to make a name for himself.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

A female lead is fine. Great actually. I love the bad arse chick action movies. I really do.

Captain Marvel.

Colombians.
Salt.
Peppermint.
Atomic blonde.
Wonder Woman.
G.I. Jane
Alien. Ridley.
AvP with Saldana.
On and on...

But what’s happening is... change it just to change it.
Make a male a female.
Make a white person a black person.

Make a great movie but don’t force an agenda on me... don’t force a movement on me.

 

[DallasEast]

But look at their history, none of these actors have been household names when they signed them. I think getting these guys for the right price is part of the deal and Elba is already established and doesn't need Bond films to make a name for himself.

I think Lazenby is the only Bond who fit cleanly within the 'unknown' category. The Bond films are British based. Connery, Moore, Craig and even Dalton had done enough in their home market to be known commodities. I am old enough to remember Moore as The Saint, which is a reason why I initially enjoyed his casting as the new Bond at the time. Brosnan was well-known (in my opinion) on both sides of the Atlantic. Americans certainly loved him as Remington Steele before he became 007.

 

[DallasEast]

A female lead is fine. Great actually. I love the bad arse chick action movies. I really do.

Captain Marvel.

Colombians.
Salt.
Peppermint.
Atomic blonde.
Wonder Woman.
G.I. Jane
Alien. Ridley.
AvP with Saldana.
On and on...

But what’s happening is... change it just to change it.
Make a male a female.
Make a white person a black person.

Make a great movie but don’t force an agenda on me... don’t force a movement on me.

Good point about a kick-butt action movie actress but those are movies designed for female leads. I like your AvP with Saldana example in that a better comparison would be an actress re-imagining Schwarzenegger role in Predator.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Good point about a kick-butt action movie actress but those are movies designed for female leads. I like your AvP with Saldana example in that a better comparison would be an actress re-imagining Schwarzenegger role in Predator.

Wasn’t really comparing.

My point is make movies for each instead of changing just to change.

 

[Silver Surfer]

No problem with a female lead in an action/spy/whatever lead role. But Bond is a franchise.... If you want a female lead, create a new role with a new persona.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

I think Lazenby is the only Bond who fit cleanly within the 'unknown' category. The Bond films are British based. Connery, Moore, Craig and even Dalton had done enough in their home market to be known commodities. I am old enough to remember Moore as The Saint, which is a reason why I initially enjoyed his casting as the new Bond at the time. Brosnan was well-known (in my opinion) on both sides of the Atlantic. Americans certainly loved him as Remington Steele before he became 007.

I remember hearing/reading that Lazenby’s Bond. OYMSS is highly regarded as one of the best if not the best Bond films.