08-12-2018, 12:14 PM
08-12-2018, 12:15 PM
Stringer Bell as Bond
08-12-2018, 01:22 PM
Brexit means brexit
08-12-2018, 02:55 PM
Would be a great choice IMO.
The boy quoted in the BBC article saying he shouldn't get it because Fleming's Bond was white
08-12-2018, 02:56 PM
08-12-2018, 03:05 PM
Still agree with it tbf. He's not black, he's not female, he's not American or French, he's not fat, he's not 7ft tall, he's not in a wheelchair, he doesn't have dreadlocks, he doesn't drink Tennents and he doesn't drive a Fiat 500.
08-12-2018, 03:06 PM
Would rather see interesting new roles being written for black protagonists than black actors tokenistically (probably not a word ) being given roles that were previously always white only for them to then go back to another white actor after Hollywood has given itself a pat on the back for being super woke.
08-12-2018, 03:12 PM
(08-12-2018, 03:06 PM)Makween Wrote: Would rather see interesting new roles being written for black protagonists than black actors tokenistically (probably not a word ) being given roles that were previously always white only for them to then go back to another white actor after Hollywood has given itself a pat on the back for being super woke. It's not really a token gesture given he actually is currently one of the best actors to play that sort of role just now. Don't see why black actors can't play traditionally white roles when the role has nothing to do with race. They made black panther for a black actor and to me that just comes across as a 'token' black comic book film. I'm all for casting the right actor over anything and just now he has to be considered a strong contender for the role based on his acting skills.
08-12-2018, 03:21 PM
(Edited 08-12-2018, 03:24 PM by Shuto Makino.)
(08-12-2018, 03:12 PM)TEAM LEVEIN Wrote: It's not really a token gesture given he actually is currently one of the best actors to play that sort of role just now. Tbf, I do think the role has a bit to do with race. Bond is an upper class, if not aristocratic, British male and always has been - old money Britons are literally all white. By making him black you either make that aspect of his character ring false or turn him into a different kind of action hero (i.e. you change his background - might be a good film, but it's no longer Bond, so it'd make more sense to just create a new character). I'm not actually hugely opposed to this, btw; just think it neither works nor promotes greater long-term diversity. I'm not a big Bond fan anyway, but think this change rings a bit false. All of that said, they can make him Japanese for all I care provided that he continues hating women.
08-12-2018, 03:26 PM
Agree with Morph here. He's a superb choice for the role that Bond has become, so I don't see it a tokenistic, back patting gesture.
You can't hold Bond to the exact character in the books when we're in 2018, and the earlier books were so long ago. It's almost that Bond is the name passed on to each new 007 that is recruited, just they all have the same womanising, hard drinking, hard fighting habits and wise cracks. We are also in a post post-modern era so aren't bound by the strictures of last convention. In other words,
08-12-2018, 03:28 PM
I think a female version of Ghosbusters/Oceans 11 is tokenistic but Elba is the best man for the job here.
08-12-2018, 03:33 PM
Sorry what I meant by that was like, you probably couldn't have a black guy running a cotton plantation just because he's the best actor on paper.
Think in terms of bond, it has moved with the times so they don't try and portray him as this ancient guy who went to Fettes in the 40s or whatever in the films. So yeah you're right, if you go by the books it might be the case that it would be very unlikely to find a black guy in that position. However these days, not so much. I work at Fettes sometimes and the demographic is mainly white but it's not like you don't see a significant population of other races too. In 2018 I don't think it's a far stretch to say that the people that grew up in the environment the character did aren't purely white. Maybe it's because I'm not a huge fan of Bond that I couldn't really care less what they do with it. If Elba played bond I'd probably go see it in the pictures where I doubt i will when Craig still has the role.
08-12-2018, 03:35 PM
^ Barry 'Morph' Norman
08-12-2018, 03:37 PM
Could play it as a self hating black man trying to break into upper class circles
Dont think Craigs bond felt very connected to the "old money" bond. Didn't think any of the mendes films really worked for him. Elba could def be great but depends on what Danny boyle will do with it.
08-12-2018, 03:39 PM
08-12-2018, 03:42 PM
(08-12-2018, 03:26 PM)Walter Sobchakpeazu Wrote: Agree with Morph here. He's a superb choice for the role that Bond has become, so I don't see it a tokenistic, back patting gesture. Current year has nothing to do with how a literary character gets adapted. There's no reason to make James Bond black other than a token gesture and a pat on the back for progressive society. If he's a new 007 then fine, but change his name, change his background. Marvel comics managed to make Spider-Man black without making Peter Parker black.
Genuinely think people are over egging the idea of James bond being an aristocratic whitey from old money. The symbolism of the bond character has primarily focused on the renegade/rebel, amti-establishment behaviour with actually quite a mysterious past. The most important thing about Bond is the ability to behave effortlessly smooth and a ladies man. Idris has both. If it was about only about being a posho then you would have had folk like hugh grant being touted for it in the past, but I think most would agree he doesn't fit the billing.
This isn't tokenistic at all, imo. It's giving the best British actor for the role the job. Would be harsh if he gets the gig for people to tell him it's a token gesture. It would be patronising in the extreme.
08-12-2018, 03:47 PM
I just don't think you should be ruled out of portraying an entirely fictional character simply because of the colour of your skin
08-12-2018, 03:47 PM
(08-12-2018, 03:42 PM)Roger H. Sterling Wrote: Current year has nothing to do with how a literary character gets adapted. There's no reason to make James Bond black other than a token gesture and a pat on the back for progressive society. If he's a new 007 then fine, but change his name, change his background. Marvel comics managed to make Spider-Man black without making Peter Parker black. There are loads of reasons to make Elba James Bond. There's only one reason some think he shouldn't get it.
08-12-2018, 03:51 PM
If you think about it, he would've been given the job of bond without a second thought if he was white. The fact he's black is the reason for the delays and deliberations. Film executives no doubt doing tonnes of market research to figure out whether the audience would accept it. If the results come back no then his application would be popped in the bin straight away. Profit coms before "progressiveness" in Hollywood every time. You can see that in their risk averse behaviour of releasing films that aren't "bankers" (e.g. a litany of superhero and transformers sequels)
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