Bond...James Bond: What Actor Could Play the Role?

[#hamler]

Over the years there have been 22 James Bond films. In those films, select few actors were chosen to fulfill the role of the lead character, British Intelligence Secret Service Agent, 007 James Bond. Actors Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Peirce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig have all received the honor of playing the World famous character, Jame Bond. Sean Connery obviously filling the role more times than anyone.

The character of James Bond is an agent in the British Intelligence Secret Service (SIS or MI6). Bond sports a suave and sophisticated style, his hair is neat, he's failry good looking, english accent and a ladies man. Now, I ask you WrestleZone, what actor do you believe would play the character of James Bond well?

George Clooney​

Holy shit, look at all the Bond fans starting to riot at the thought of an American actor (from Kentucky lulz) playing the role of the very British Jame Bond. I don't care. I don't understand why it is so ridiculous for an American actor to play Bond. If there were an American actor out there who could pull off an exceptional british accent, looked and knew the part, I wouldn't have any problem at all accepting an American as Bond.

So now that we got that out of the way, I believe George Clooney would make a wonderful James Bond. He has an unexplained swagger in his movies. A swagger I believe could carry a James Bond film to success. In the movie The American, George Clooney plays the part of Mr. Butterfly, an Assassain looking for a way out of his deadly profession. After an attempt on his life, he hides out in Italian Village while working on his next assignment. Ok, the movie is boring, but he fucks a prostitute alot and the action sequences, while limited, are entertaining. This movie by no means was the best, but the character George potrays reminds me so much of a James Bond character. This movie got me thinking just who could fill the role of James Bond?

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

Ooft, George Clooney? Can he do an english accent? I think he's looking a bit too old for it. Plus, isn't an American playing James Bond pretty much Jason Bourne? Same initials and everything!

I'd love to see this guy be given a shot

Tom Hardy

He was a bit of a wild child early in his career, but in the past few years his stature and notoriety have grown more and more; from a brief couple of appearances in Band of Brothers, to his lead as one of Britain's most notorious prisoners Charles Bronson in the film Bronson to his upcoming role as Bane in the new Batman film. This guy has talent.

He also showed off his 'suave-smooth-talking-Brit-in-a-foreign-country' schtick quite nicely in Inception, as well as his weapon handling skills. The guy's adept at both.

The beauty of it is that he doesn't need to necessarily play the NEXT Bond, he is young enough to wait until after the next Bond is done.

Tom Hardy.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Robert Downey Jr. He's the guy I picked for "best actor" in a different part of this forum, and I think he'd be a great James Bond.

Downey showed he can do the swashbuckling, dashing hero in "Sherlock Holmes" and he proved himself as the sophisticated, international playboy as Iron Man's alter ego.

 

[jacdnwarrior]

I'm not a huge fan of the series, but I have enjoyed some of the films. I like Daniel Craig in the last installments.
I would've liked to have seen Clive Owen get the part. I liked him in Sin City, Closer, The International, the Bourne Identity, to name a few. Perhaps in the future he'll be given the shot, but that could be a long while before Craig hangs it up and by that time Owen might too old for the role.

Leonardo DiCaprio, Jude Law, Cillian Murphy are all pretty young. They're also fine actors who could bring some youth into the film series and could be considered in the future. DiCaprio in the role could bring in a younger audience. If they really want to shake things up (later on of course), they could consider Daniel Radcliffe. He might be a problem. People might associate him too much with the Harry Potter character, but personally I think it could worth exploring in the future.

 

[jmt225]

I've never been a huge fan of the James Bond films, but there is one person who I can certainly see playing the role to absolute perfection, and that is...

Spoiler

Jon Hamm

Seriously... look at that picture. I would love someone to try and argue that that man is not James Bond personified.

Plus, the guy is simply an incredible actor. He can bring the charisma to the role that it requires, he can be intimidating as fuck when he wants to be, and if the film decided to go a darker route like all heroine action flicks have seem to take the past few years... he could pull off a "troublesome" Bond better than anyone else as well.

Also, just want to add... if I could cast a villain in a James Bond movie, my first choice would be Vincent Cassel. That guy EASILY plays the best 'heel' in cinema right now, and he'd be perfect as a Bond villain.

 

[Mike C.]

I feel like they've got the absolute right guy right now. I think Daniel Craig has played the role really well, giving it his own completely unique feel for the character and making at least one pretty good Bond film (I have yet to see Quantum of Solace, not really a Bond fan despite my grampa's best effort).

If he said that he wasn't going to do it anymore, I suppose that I'd give Clive Owen a call. I really thought he was going to be the choice when they were casting before.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

If George Clooney had been English, he would have been James Bond for the last 20 years. Possibly the smoothest, most suave actor in cinema, Clooney would be perfect for the role.

Obviously, the guy who is given the role of James Bond has to be a hit with the women, which Clooney is, but James Bond cannot be a pretty boy actor, he has to be sophisticated and cool, just like Pierce Brosnan was, and Clooney would fit this role better than anyone out there now.

However, he is probably too old now to do it, so they need to look for another actor. Tom Hardy, as suggested by another poster, could do the role pretty well.

 

[Daniel]

George Clooney, I really don't see happening or even potentially happening. Not only is he American (not the worst thing by any means, but many will hate it), he's 50. This is the biggest problem. Daniel Craig is considered an old Bond at the age of 43. However, I'd love to see it. His suave, sophisticated cool would sit well with the film purists, though. It would have to be a one film deal because of his age. But I'd still eat it up.

Tom Hardy is a good pick. I haven't seen him in much, but from what I hear, he's a fine actor indeed. It's just reminded me that I need to see Bronson. In my head however, he doesn't look like a Bond. But the again, they said that about Daniel Craig and he's one of my favourite Bonds (along with Pierce Brosnan).

I'm going to go out on a limb (and expect to be ripped apart) when I say Will Smith. I'm fully aware of the elephant in the room - he's got curly hair. Yes, I get that. People said that Daniel Craig's blond hair would be a problem and look at how wrong they were. So I stand before you today and ask, why can't a curly-haired man in this day and age play a traditionally straight-haired man? As I said in the Will Smith thread a few days ago, he can act. He's versatile. And if there is an important attribute that you need to play James Bond, it's versatility. You need to be an action man. But you also need to have a dramatic element to your performance. And you also need to be comfortable in a short, snappy dialogue with M. Will Smith can do all of this. He's proved it before.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

After going for somebody a bit more brutish in Daniel Craig I can't see them going back to somebody who's as suave and sophisticated as Pierce Brosnan or Timothy Dalton. A few years ago Clive Owen seemed a possibility and I've heard people mention Colin Firth. Its unlikely they'd go for somebody like that now. Matt Damon showed that you didn't need to look like a bruiser to be a convincing bad ass, but I just don't see the next Bond being anybody other than Tom Hardy.

An American in the role, unlikely. John Hamm? He looks the part, which is why they should use his likeness if they make a Bond comic strip.

 

[Alex]

Y'know I always thought they should have a black Bond for some reason. It would be an interesting concept, a guy who is every bit of Bond's character but just happens to be black.

For this idea there were three choices.

Spoiler

Denzel Washington

The guy is very varied in his acting, and could easily play a suave spy, while also being a hit with the women. (Training Day and American Gangster in a way)

Spoiler

Samuel L. Jackson.

He could play a badass Bond (similar a bit to Daniel Craig) and his conversations with the other characters would be very memorable (obviously without the swearing)

Spoiler

Will Smith

Yeah I said it. Its not out of his frame of acting to play a spy. I guess a more calm collected version of Mike Lowry from Bad Boys mixed with his character from Enemy Of The State would be be a good fit in my opinion.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

Can we please discuss more BRITISH actors for this role? I don't want to be ripping American actors, but there are some good British ones too.

I already mentioned Tom Hardy, but jacdnwarrior suggested Jude Law and Cillian Murphy (although Cillian isn't British he CAN do accents) which are both interesting choices. Cillian has done a range of roles that proved his versatility so seeing him as a lead in an action film (I count Wind That Shakes The Barley as a drama) would be intriguing.

Jude Law's notoriety as a womaniser in real-life could help or hinder, though jumping from Craig to Law in a visual sense might seem to be going backwards as Law doesn't seem to have as big a frame as Craig.

James McAvoy is an outsider due to his size and general young looks, so a possible candidate a few years down the line.

Christian Bale would be quite a natural fit I think. From his turns in the Batman films, Bruce Wayne is not a million miles away from James Bond. Maybe this similarity would turn him off from the role depending what he wants to do in the future.


A couple of real outside shots now.

Dominic West - His turn in The Wire cemented him as an actor who carries a lot of the qualities that can be applied to Bond; smarts, womanising, calculating, drinking (though he may have to take that down a notch!)

Paddy Considine - Loved him in Dead Man's Shoes, and is one of those actors just waiting on a real break-out role. Whether he can be as commanding as Bond needs to be I'm not entirely sure, but that's why he's an outsider.

For those suggesting black actors for Bond, they'd perhaps be better suited to the role of that Felix guy, whose written as a black American. Though Samuel L Jackson as Bond? C'mon son!

 

[Dave]

I always thought it would be extremely funny to see Jason Statham do it... AT least for one movie. How hilarious would that be? I know I would watch it.

Anyway, onto more serious contenders.

Christian Bale, if he would do it, must be one of the forerunners for the role. Not only does he satisfy the “all so important” criteria of being British, he also has the look that Jake mentioned is becoming increasingly important. People went crazy over Daniel Craig when he was selected and I am willing to be that MGM will be setting out to do that again, putting a “Hunk” in the starring role and have him roll around with his top off. Outside of that though, you know that Christian Bale can deliver a good performance as the suave character that we all think Bond should be, or at least to some extent. His performances in American Psycho and Batman have shown me that he can play a more serene role when it is demanded of him and I think that he would make a good fir for the Bond mould.

Matt Damon could be an excellent Bond. Goodness knows that everything he touches seems to turn to gold and he has been in this type of movie before. However, the problem would be snaring someone like this into the role with MGM on it's knees financially. I mean, getting Matt Damon into the Bond role would be a terrific achievement and it would bring in huge numbers at the Box Office but does MGM still have the financial power to bring him in? I seriously doubt it. The same goes for any of the huge names that people have been suggesting in this thread. I believe that Fox have started buying out MGM, so maybe it is a possibility after all? Who knows.

I think Tom Hardy is probably the first choice for the next Bond but I have never really cared for his work. That being said, I am not going to judge it before I see it. I made that mistake with Daniel Craig and he absolutely flattened what I thought about him. Let's hope Tom Hardy can do the same thing, if he is given the opportunity.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

Matt Damon could be an excellent Bond. Goodness knows that everything he touches seems to turn to gold and he has been in this type of movie before. However, the problem would be snaring someone like this into the role with MGM on it's knees financially. I mean, getting Matt Damon into the Bond role would be a terrific achievement and it would bring in huge numbers at the Box Office but does MGM still have the financial power to bring him in? I seriously doubt it. The same goes for any of the huge names that people have been suggesting in this thread. I believe that Fox have started buying out MGM, so maybe it is a possibility after all? Who knows.

You raise a very important point about finances and MGM, so the idea of a lesser known and subsequently cheaper actor playing Bond could actually work well as it's far less of a gamble than bringing in, say Christian Bale who would command a very large fee I imagine.

I like Matt Damon as an actor, the main issue I have with him being Bond is that he's already Bourne, and his performances in the Bourne trilogy arguably had an effect on the Craig era Bond films, ie the free-running in Casino Royale, with Bond already influencing Bourne previously.

I think Bourne is an excellent American version of James Bond, but the two franchises should be kept separate to keep them special.

 

[harrythem]

If we're going to start going all mental and making James Bond black, then let's at least have a few black English actors suggested first, as that'd be an easier first step to take (instead of changing his colour and making him a yank at the same time. Us English would have a spasm)

I always liked Colin Salmon or the dude who plays Luthor in the BBC series. If they're going for black british bond, that'd be cool.

Otherwise, why not do an aged Bond where he just is...the daddy? Yeah, Ray Winstone as an older Bond. The voice might be an issue but, fuck me, that'd be the daddy of all mean and moody Bond films.

Knowing how Hollywood works I can picture the next Bond being either Jamie Bell or bloody Robert Paterson though!

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

If we're going to start going all mental and making James Bond black, then let's at least have a few black English actors suggested first, as that'd be an easier first step to take (instead of changing his colour and making him a yank at the same time. Us English would have a spasm)

I always liked Colin Salmon or the dude who plays Luthor in the BBC series. If they're going for black british bond, that'd be cool.

Otherwise, why not do an aged Bond where he just is...the daddy? Yeah, Ray Winstone as an older Bond. The voice might be an issue but, fuck me, that'd be the daddy of all mean and moody Bond films.

Knowing how Hollywood works I can picture the next Bond being either Jamie Bell or bloody Robert Paterson though!

Idris Elba? Stringer Bell from The Wire? Could work but I couldn't see the big man asking for a poofy Martini!

 

[CleverName51]

My vote goes for Alexander Siddig

He played Dr. Julian Bashir on Star Trek Deep Space 9 and there were several James Bond parody episodes/skits on the series with Siddig taking the role of "Bond" so why not see what he can do in the actual role. Oh, Siddig is part British-part Middle Eastern but he looks like he can pull off both sides of Bond (badass and ladies man)

Spoiler

 

[JWGunslinger]

I cannot believe that this name has not come up because I think he fits the role perfectly, it's Michael Fassbender

To me that picture is a perfect example of why he would be perfect for the role, that picture is as Bond as it gets. If you saw Inglorious Basterds you know that his role as Lt. Hicox was a great example of a smooth operative who can appriciate a good drink. Remind you of anyone? I think Tom Hardy is a great pick too, I really like him but I just feel Fassbender is perfect.

 

[ANT1GOTH]

Am i the only person that Heath Ledger would have made an excellent 007? I really think he could haved played the charecter out well, and gaven it a darker and edgier look to the film franchise...but as of current actors who i think should play 007 i would have too choose Christian Bale.

 

[BK Styles]

TOTALLY agree with Fassbender. His performance in X-Men First Class is breathtaking, and I've had him in my head as a potential Bond since watching it. So I'd definitely second him.

Also, completely agree with Tom Hardy. If you want to know why, watch Inception. His role in that has Bond-ish elements, and makes me think he could do it well.

 

[¡Roján!]

Speaking of Inception, I always thought that Leonardo DiCaprio would make an awesome James Bond. I don't know why but he has a certain swag about him that makes just seem really cool no matter what role he plays (sort of like Samuel L Jackson or Morgan Freeman). Another actor who would nail the James Bond character well would be Josh Harnett, in my opinion. He's a very underrated actor.

 

[Tequila Dave]

I'm sorry, but as a Brit I would not be satisfied with an American playing James Bond. I understand where the OP is coming from, but this is how I see it:

For the most part, America dominates the movie scene. The biggest blockbusters and the biggest actors are American made. I don’t mind that, not one bit, but the two things that separate the Bond franchise from any other (in my opinion) are its longevity, and the fact it’s British. Bond is arguably one of Britain’s largest achievements in Hollywood, and the authentic British-ness of the main character only adds to the series’ appeal.

For me, the only person I have in mind for the role is Clive Owen:

This man is to stranger to action roles, and in my mind, as the perfect look for Bond. He’s also a realistic candidate.