It looks like the next James Bond will be shaken, not stirred.
Awful puns aside, Bond is set to have a shake-up the next time we see him on screen, with producers saying he’ll be more ‘emotionally sensitive’ in the next movie.
Daniel Craig was widely praised for portraying the stoic, martini guzzling, ladies man in a more emotional light (Craig’s Bond died a family man), and it seems it’s a trait producers want to carry on.
Speaking to Variety this month ahead of 007’s 60th anniversary in October, producer Barbara Broccoli hailed Craig as having ‘cracked Bond open emotionally’ and confirmed those qualities would be required of whoever plays the famous spy next.
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Broccoli said: “It’s an evolution. Bond is evolving just as men are evolving. I don’t know who’s evolving at a faster pace.”
Speaking alongside fellow producer Michael G Wilson, Broccoli also suggested 007 casting rumours are much ado about nothing, saying they’re still in the ‘early stages’ of tracking down their next Bond.
She even hinted that Idris Elba, who has been hotly tipped to step into Bond’s shoes, is too old for the role.
“We love Idris. The thing is, [the casting decision] is going to be a couple of years off,” she said.
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“And when we cast Bond, it’s a 10-12 year commitment. So he’s probably thinking, ‘do I really want that thing?’ Not everybody wants to do that.
“It’s not just about casting an actor for a film. It’s about a reinvention.”
Wilson, who has worked with Broccoli on Bond films since 1995’s GoldenEye, added: “It was hard enough getting [Daniel Craig to do it], and he was in his early 30s at the time!”
Broccoli also pointed out that although lots of young actors are chomping at the bit to play Bond, they don’t always realise how intense a commitment it is.
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“A lot of people think, ‘Oh yeah, it’d be fun to do one’. Well. That ain’t gonna work,” she said.
Broccoli also confirmed that they’re looking to totally shake up the role (see, that opening pun did make sense) and explained that before they even consider potential actors, they have to work out exactly where they want to go with the character next.
“That’s why, when people go, ‘Oh, who are you going to get?’ it’s not just about casting an actor for a film. It’s about a reinvention, and ‘Where are we taking it? What do we want to do with the character?’” she said.
“And then, once we figure that out, who’s the right person for that particular reinvention?”
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Topics: Film and TV, James Bond, Daniel Craig