So Idris Elba might be the next James Bond

[Torrasque]

Thats pretty cool, I liked him in Prometheus and he was perfect as Heimdall in Thor, so it'd be great to see him in such an iconic role. I'm not sure how good he'd be at it, but I'd be willing to give him a chance. Many people said that Daniel Craig would be a terrible Bond, but I like him.

When I told my dad about this rumor (it still is just a rumor, even Elba won't confirm it) he frowned and said, "a black Bond? ugh..." which is understandable since my dad grew up with Sean Connery as bond, and because my dad is kind of racist... lol

This made me think though, "are there certain roles that shouldn't be open to everyone?" James Bond has always been white, but that is mostly because of the times, back when black actors were a rarity. I don't think James Bond should be a racially exclusive role, James Bond is just MI6's best agent, not their best white guy. But I still ask myself, "are there certain roles that shouldn't be open to everyone?". All I can think of are black Nazi's or not-pale skinned vikings, but I'm sure there are other ones (or maybe not?)

So I have a few questions for you:
If Idris Elba actually does turn out to be the next Bond, how would you feel?
Do you think James Bond is a role that only white guys should play?
How would you feel about an asian James Bond?
Do you think there are certain roles that shouldn't be open to everyone? (certain races, certain genders, etc.)

 

[Marter]

Who said that?

Because, y'know, Craig has been signed on for two more movies. And if, by chance, they get each of those out in two years after the previous one, Elba will be 44 when the role is vacated. Then, some time in pre-production, he'll be 45 by the time filming starts. It's not really a matter of skin color; it's about age. Why sign someone only four years younger than the last guy?

Seriously, it's not even a rumor at this point -- unless you have new information I don't -- because they're not talking about that yet.

Elba would be fine if he started now, but that's not happening.
Bond can be played by whatever race, being a fictional character and whatnot.
Bond can't be a woman. Some characters can't be of different genders. Race shouldn't be a factor in the vast majority of cases for fictional characters (I say this because I know someone will bring up a case where it would matter).

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

Firstly, what's wrong with Daniel Craig? I would have thought he has a couple of Bond movies left in him.

Idris Elba would certainly look the part and would do a good job but I don't know about casting him.

As to whether a black actor can play Bond; sure, if a white actor can play Shaft. However I think if a character is written in a series as belonging to a certain gender/ethnicity then they should probably be played by an actor who best matches that description, purely for accuracy to the text. I was horrified at the "white-washing" of movies like Avatar and potentially what's happening with Akira. They should have definately been played by Asian actors. It's not like there aren't fine Asian actors. There are also a lot of excellent black actors, case and point Morgan Freeman, however I was surprised when he was cast as Colonel Kurtz in the movie adaptation of Stephen King's 'Dreamcatcher'. Kurtz in the novel was a tall, fair haired, albinoid white guy. He was only a minor character so it's not a big deal, but as I was very familiar with the story it just seemed a bit strange. Presumably he was hired to bring some credibility to the movie.

Then again I have no problem with a black Spiderman, and I'm a Spiderman fan. I guess because Spiderman's identity has very little to do with his ethnicity.

 

[Torrasque]

Who said that?

Because, y'know, Craig has been signed on for two more movies. And if, by chance, they get each of those out in two years after the previous one, Elba will be 44 when the role is vacated. Then, some time in pre-production, he'll be 45 by the time filming starts. It's not really a matter of skin color; it's about age. Why sign someone only four years younger than the last guy?

Seriously, it's not even a rumor at this point -- unless you have new information I don't -- because they're not talking about that yet.

Elba would be fine if he started now, but that's not happening.
Bond can be played by whatever race, being a fictional character and whatnot.
Bond can't be a woman. Some characters can't be of different genders. Race shouldn't be a factor in the vast majority of cases for fictional characters (I say this because I know someone will bring up a case where it would matter).

http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2012/10/this-idris-elba-to-play-james-bond-rumor-just-got-serious/
Naomie, who appears in Skyfall, was being interviewed a couple of days ago by the Huffington Post about the film, and they asked about the idea of there being a black Bond one day. She said: ?I didn?t realise that there was this talk and then I did a film with Idris and he said that he met [007 producer] Barbara Broccoli and that it does seem like there is a possibility in the future that there could very well be a black James Bond.

?And I would have to vote for Idris because I just finished working with him and he?s a great guy.?

As things stand currently, Daniel has two more films on his contract, which means we?re looking towards the end of the decade before there?s a change, and of course that?s plenty of time for other actors to come along and dazzle the producers.

For his part, Idris has expressed an interest in taking on the part in the past, but won?t be doing it to make a point about color.

Last year, he told NPR: ?It?s a rumour?I just don?t want to be the black James Bond. Sean Connery wasn?t the Scottish James Bond, and Daniel Craig wasn?t the blue-eyed James Bond, so if I played him, I don?t want to be called the black James Bond."
Like I said, rumor.

A female Bond would be pretty weird. Would she still woo women? Would she be called Jane Bond?
The only time where I think race should be a factor is when it is a racial role, like Nazi's for instance.

 

[WolfThomas]

So I have a few questions for you:
If Idris Elba actually does turn out to be the next Bond, how would you feel?
Do you think James Bond is a role that only white guys should play?
How would you feel about an asian James Bond?
Do you think there are certain roles that shouldn't be open to everyone? (certain races, certain genders, etc.)

Excited he's a really great actor, he's spectacular and in Luther and the Wire.
No I don't think that. But they must be British or sound genuinely British.
Again if he sounds British and is convincingly suave and deadly.

I think that there's historical figures that should be their own race (or appear it). There's characters who race is built in their story and background so they should remain the same. But anyone else is fair game, as long as the story isn't unnecessarily altered to be around race.

My example is Spiderman. If they had gone with Donald Glover and just did a regular Spiderman adventure that'd have been great. But if they tacked on a racsism subplot that would have completely derailed it.

 

[Torrasque]

So I have a few questions for you:
If Idris Elba actually does turn out to be the next Bond, how would you feel?
Do you think James Bond is a role that only white guys should play?
How would you feel about an asian James Bond?
Do you think there are certain roles that shouldn't be open to everyone? (certain races, certain genders, etc.)

Excited he's a really great actor, he's spectacular and in Luther and the Wire.
No I don't think that. But they must be British or sound genuinely British.
Again if he sounds British and is convincingly suave and deadly.

I think that there's historical figures that should be their own race (or appear it). There's characters who race is built in their story and background so they should remain the same. But anyone else is fair game, as long as the story isn't unnecessarily altered to be around race.

My example is Spiderman. If they had gone with Donald Glover and just did a regular Spiderman adventure that'd have been great. But if they tacked on a racsism subplot that would have completely derailed it.

Thats what I like most about what Mr. Elba said in that interview I linked, "I don't want to be called the black James Bond". He wants to be James Bond for the sake of being Bond, not for the sake of being a black James Bond.

 

[Polarity27]

So I have a few questions for you:
If Idris Elba actually does turn out to be the next Bond, how would you feel?
Do you think James Bond is a role that only white guys should play?
How would you feel about an asian James Bond?
Do you think there are certain roles that shouldn't be open to everyone? (certain races, certain genders, etc.)

Excited he's a really great actor, he's spectacular and in Luther and the Wire.
No I don't think that. But they must be British or sound genuinely British.
Again if he sounds British and is convincingly suave and deadly.

Err... you do know that he *is* British, right? The American accent is the put-on, go listen to an interview.

OT: Idris Elba as James Bond? Shut up and take my money!

 

[WolfThomas]

Err... you do know that he *is* British, right? The American accent is the put-on, go listen to an interview.

OT: Idris Elba as James Bond? Shut up and take my money!

I know that. I was saying that ANY actor, as well as an ASIAN actor would have to be British or have the most convincing accent.

 

[Spinozaad]

James Bond can't be black, because the producers/screenwriters will inevitably make him like horrendous hiphop, let him spew yo mamma jokes and so on.

Anyway, I'm torn. On the one hand it would satisfy the postcolonial/PC crowd to finally get a Bond who is a) not sexist and b) not the deadly assassin of a (former) imperialist power.

But to me, that would be jumping the shark. I could live with a spin-off following another agent of 00 Section. But not James Bond.

 

[kaizen2468]

I'd be fine with it. If it turns out bad it's because of the writers not the actors ethnicity. I like Idris as an actor too and found it so ridiculous how many people were mad over his casting in Thor.

 

[Pinkamena]

I do not see why this is an issue. James bond can be whatever ethnicity. The only problem I would have is if they used a female actor, because, well... It's pretty much hammered down he's a male.

 

[Blunderboy]

I'm not really a huge Bond fan, but this man as Bond?

Fuck yes. Internet, make it happen!

 

[JoJo]

The only time the race of a character should matter is if the film is based on an actual person, or if only a certain race would make sense for that time period and location. There's lots of black British people so there's no reason that James Bond couldn't be black. Besides, it doesn't matter what colour his skin is, he'll die just as easily when I have him eliminated for interfering with my nefarious schemes ;-)

 

[GrimTuesday]

I'm all for it provided it is done well, and that's because I don't like watching things that are shit in general. I've always liked the idea that each new bond is an entirely different person, and that James Bond is just the name that the agent assigned to the 007 number uses. There has just been too many actor changes for it to still be the same guy as Sean Connery's Bond was. Also, with having Judy Dench as M in the new ones, that is the only explanation, because she wasn't the original M.

 

[IamQ]

I'm less suprised at them asking him for being bond, and more suprised that so many people know of him. I didn't remember him from anything until you people told me he was that guardian in Thor and the pilot in Prometheus, two incredibly forgettable characters.

 

[Lionsfan]

For me, I think the only requirement for a James Bond actor is male and British.

Who said that?

Because, y'know, Craig has been signed on for two more movies. And if, by chance, they get each of those out in two years after the previous one, Elba will be 44 when the role is vacated. Then, some time in pre-production, he'll be 45 by the time filming starts. It's not really a matter of skin color; it's about age. Why sign someone only four years younger than the last guy?

Didn't Pierce Brosnan have 2 movies on his contract when they dumped him? I'm not saying Craig is out, but do you think he has 2 more films left in him?

Random thing too, if you could cast a replacement to take over when Craig finishes, who would you cast?

 

[repeating integers]

This could be great. I loved him as Heimdall in Thor.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

I dunno.

I look at you these days, Idris, you know what I see? I see a man without a country. Not hard enough for this role right here and maybe, just maybe, not smart enough for them roles out there.

Seriously though, haven't we had enough Bonds? A new spy franchise, please.

Random thing too, if you could cast a replacement to take over when Craig finishes, who would you cast?

Fassbender.

 

[dementis]

As long as Bond has a convincing English accent and is played by a decent actor I'm happy.