Daniel Craig picked for Bond

[edonline]

http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,12589,1453249,00.html

Daniel Craig picked for Bond

Staff and agencies

Wednesday April 6, 2005

Guardian Unlimited

Bond fans around the world will be shaken and stirred today by reports that the hunt for the new 007 is over - actor Daniel Craig appears set to slip into the tuxedo vacated by Pierce Brosnan.

According to the Sun, Craig, 37, has been offered a three-film deal by producer Barbara Broccoli - a commitment which could mean his spending the next 10 years in the role, a chore said to be worth a cool £15m.

The actor has most recently been winning acclaim for his standout performances as a middle-rank gangster in Layer Cake and the rational journalist driven to the end of his tether in Enduring Love. Television viewers may have seen him as Fluke Kelso in the small screen adaptation of Robert Harris's Archangel just a couple of weeks ago.

The race to find the sixth Bond started about 18 months ago when producers Broccoli and Michael Wilson told incumbent Brosnan that he was too old to continue. The Sun reports that the choice had come down to Craig and Clive Owen. However, Owen had told casting agents he did not want the job as he feared it might limit his career.

Other names mentioned at different times in connection with the superspy role have included Eric Bana, Jude Law, Heath Ledger, Ewan McGregor, Dougray Scott and Australian Hugh Jackman. The Sun even stuck its neck out last December for Colin Salmon as the first black Bond.

Filming on the as yet untitled Bond 21 has been delayed until 2006.

[EvilEd]

Great! Although I woulda liked Brosnan to come back for one last outing, Craig is an excellent choice. He's more gruffy and gritty than Brosnan and since Casino Royale is a pretty gritty novel, and with Campbell back, this ought to be fan-fucking-tastic! :cool:

[bdubprod]

that's odd...for the last two days all i've been hearing is that Brosnan is actually going to stay Bond...maybe even for two more films.

[James Logan]

No. I say no.

Craig's a fairly talented actor. And I actually always envisioned him as a guy who had the face and style of a nice Bond villain, but not Jimbo himself. He doesn't have the charm or the sexiness or the coolness or the suave side.

I don't like this, especially if it gets an official announcement soon.

[Harry Warden]

I had heard Brosnan would be back too.....


That guy doesn't look like Bond...horrible choice.

[Digifruitella]

Meh...

[ilovemovies]

Wait, is this the same dude who played Paul Newman's son in Road to Perdition?

I also just don't see him as Bond. Like James Logan said, Bond villian, sure. But definately NOT Bond.

The news that Brosnan would be back was proven to be a rumor on Entertainment Tonight last night.

But damn. I had heard before that Clive Owen was looking like the likely candidate. If this is true, then that's a shame. Owen is SUCH a better choice for Bond than this guy.

[EvilEd]

I think Campbell is going for a very down and dirty Bond picture with this one, since it's based on the first novel. I think some forget that Bond in the novels isn't exactly some pretty boy. He's a cold blooded assassin for the most part, more like the way Dalton played him, which as of right now, is still the best portrayal of Bond. I think Craig is the perfect choice for this type of Bond picture.

[Solid Snake]

This doesnt mean he is gonna be the new bond. It only said he has been offered the part.

I hope brosnan is back or clive owen.

[outsyder]

THIS IS FAKE!!!!


Craig has denied this report. Unfortunately, the link to it is down. I'll try and find something.

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=8&theme=&usrsess=1&id=73378

[Raul Duke]

Clive Owen is the perfect Bond

[therealjohng]

Originally posted by Raul Duke
Clive Owen is the perfect Bond


Correctomundo. But Daniel Craig is not a bad choice, so I'll give him a chance.

[ilovemovies]

I'm glad it's fake. I don't see this Daniel Craig guy as Bond. I REALLY hope that there are either able to get Brosnan back or get Clive Owen to play him. Though I may be open to a few other names. Hugh Jackman, Ewan McGregor and maybe Jude Law would be decent choices. But Clive Owen is definately the best choice I've heard (other than Bronsan coming back of coarse).

[KTJ2004]

Yeah, Pierce Brosnan is the perfect Bond, and Daniel Craig just doesn't seem to be a very good choice. Here's hoping Brosnan comes back...if not, then Clive Owen.

[Xanadublue]

I'll miss Brosnan whenever he does leave, but I can't see Jackman or McGregor as bond. They're just too familar to take on the role I think. They also have other widely-recognized characters attached to them. I just hope they finalize their choice soon.

[Tuukka]

I would have been interested to see Craig in the role. Sure, he looks rough and mean, but that's a good thing. I believe he is a good enough actor to pull of the suave side as well.

My strongers impression of him is from Tomb raider 2. A decent movie, and a decent role. But I dug him in it. I think he has screen presence, and with a right role he could suprise us all.

Craig has that one thing that Bond's have been missing since Connery. Yes, Bond is supposed to be extremely suave. But Bond is ALSO supposed top have an animalistic side to him. He is a cold blooded killer, a sadist even. And I think Craig could also bring that side visible in the role.

Bond is supposed to have that "you don't want to fuck with me" aura with him. Connery had it, but the other Bond's so far haven't really had it.

[James Logan]

Originally posted by Tuukka

Bond is supposed to have that "you don't want to fuck with me" aura with him. Connery had it, but the other Bond's so far haven't really had it.

Agreed. But I personally think Clive Owen'd be the top choice, because he can have the animality AND the charm. Craig, to me, misses the charm part.

And EvilEd, yeah, the novel Bond is a cold-blooded, nasty assassin. And about not just being a pretty boy, he's also got a scar across the cheek (which always puzzled me, you're a secret agent and you've got such an obvious scar on your face at all times?). But the thing to me is, as much as I love Ian Fleming's novels, Bond isn't as fascinating a character in the books as he is in the movies. He's got an edge, and an interesting job, and so on, but he's not fascinating. What makes the novels for me are the plots, the other characters, the "villains", not Bond himself, because in the books, he's a pretty usual, anti-hero like main character. And I don't think that'd work all that well on a silver screen without the charm and humor and suave side, as it showed with Dalton (who, in my opinion, wasn't bad, but when compared to Connery, Moore and in hindsight Brosnan, doesn't stand the comparison, IMO).

[alexia]

I thought the final decision for Bond was between Clive Owen and Julian McMahon?, Both excellent choices as for Daniel Craig not convinced he would make a good bond, Bring Back Brosnan although Owen and McMahon would be good choices

[Rick-James]

I was never a fan of Bronsan's bond, so i'm glad he's gone... this Craig is a good actor, but I don't see him as bond.

Everyone wants Owen as Bond...so they better just give him the damn role! he is just too perfect for 007.

[EvilEd]

Originally posted by Tuukka

Bond is supposed to have that "you don't want to fuck with me" aura with him. Connery had it, but the other Bond's so far haven't really had it.

Dalton had that.

[Dee93]

I agree that Owen would be good, but my only fear is that he's too much of an "it" guy right now. Same with Julian. Though, aside from Brosnan, those are probably the two best selections.

[EvilEd]

Originally posted by Rick-James
I was never a fan of Bronsan's bond, so i'm glad he's gone... this Craig is a good actor, but I don't see him as bond.

Everyone wants Owen as Bond...so they better just give him the damn role! he is just too perfect for 007.

Owen has gone on record as saying that he DOES NOT want to play Bond.

I guess he'd rather do King Arthur 2. :rolleyes:

;)

[James Logan]

Originally posted by EvilEd
Dalton had that.

I didn't think so. :) Dalton was dark enough, but not...threatening. Sometimes you could even see he was trying to be threatening, but the whole charm about Connery's Bond was that it seemed effortless. He had that suave smile one second, and then the next, it was like he was going to kill you and rip your balls off without even giving it a second thought. That's the fascinating part about Connery's Bond, to me.

Originally posted by EvilEd
Owen has gone on record as saying that he DOES NOT want to play Bond.


You never know...It's funny how in some cases, exactly when the people go on record to say nothing's not happened, it means the exact opposite. It's a bargaining tool. And Owen would be doing it right, going no comment sometimes, going no thanks some others, but always saying it's a nice rumor and it's an honor to be considered, not ruffling any feathers.

Not saying that's it, but it could be.

[Tuukka]

Originally posted by James Logan
I didn't think so. :) Dalton was dark enough, but not...threatening. Sometimes you could even see he was trying to be threatening, but the whole charm about Connery's Bond was that it seemed effortless. He had that suave smile one second, and then the next, it was like he was going to kill you and rip your balls off without even giving it a second thought. That's the fascinating part about Connery's Bond, to me.


RE:

I agree. While Dalton was in fact the closest to the Fleming's original book character, he has also been the most boring Bond so far (Never saw Lazenby). Dalton just isn't that intimidating.

I also agree with your earlier point about the importance of finding a good MOVIE Bond as opposed to good literary Bond. Bond's movie version is and has always been more popular, and it sets the standard that the new Bond should follow. In the end the books are pretty irrelevant.

But there is obviously an intention to re-invent the character in some way. And since they already went as far as they could go without turning into self-parody with Die Another Day, I believe they are trying to go back to the roots. And the roots are in the more rough and edgy direction.

But where do they find a guy who can convincingly be both a dangerous predator and a super-suave gentleman?

Connery was one, but you don't find guys like Connery too often.

[James Logan]

Well, it's definitely a HUGE challenge. No doubt about that. I'm among those who think that right now, Clive Owen is the closest to that -- and not just by default, I think he's pretty damn near perfect. But I'm not a casting director, and I'm not a proven director either, so I could be absolutely wrong.

Craig, though, does seem to be lacking something.

[jason statham]

Brosnan is the best. period.

[BorderEevilIII]

I have read that Daniel Craig is NOT takin over cuz learning bout this is news to him...

[therealjohng]

Originally posted by jason statham
Brosnan is the best. period.


I take it you've never seen any of the Connery flicks then??