Make up your minds, you assholes:
All bets are off about the new James Bond - it looks like Pierce Brosnan may be back as the suave super spy after all. According to Internet reports, Sony bosses want Brosnan to return as 007 in the next Bond film Casino Royale, and they're keen for him to star in one more movie after that. A source tells website Darkhorizons.Com, "All the stuff we heard about Brosnan being out is just a ploy from both camps. The negotiations between Brosnan and Eon (Bond production company) came to an end because, in the last year, things were up in the air, thanks to all the organizational changes taking place. Brosnan/Eon camps are still going through the motions of bluffing each other: an echo of the old poker game that Cubby Broccoli (former Bond boss) went through with Roger Moore - Moore frequently announced that he wouldn't be back. The mood around Sony is that Brosnan will be back. Hence, the reluctance of the filmmakers to come right out and announce that they have parted ways with Brosnan. Sony are not in a gambling mood. They could lose more with an unknown actor, or with an experienced but unpopular actor. They're well aware that you just can't place any actor in this role."
I'm done with this. I've been bringing intermittent Bond updates every so often, when a new and/or juicy casting rumor came along, but enough is enough. The most I've felt about the James Bond franchise in current years has been casual interest, but all the coy studio machinations going on are rapidly changing that to active dislike.
So in the unlikely event you're still looking for news on who's going to be starring opposite the goofy supervillain and the hot babe in the next formulaic 007 film, you won't find it here.
Pete, suffice to say that Bond will played by an actor who will never measure up to Sean Connery.
I can count on one hand the number of Bond movies where I felt like Bond was the right age, and most of those are Connery. Brosnan was perfect for the role when he was on Remington Steele, Roger Moore was perfect when he was on The Saint.
For crap's sake, get Clive Owen into the role before he turns 50, or worse yet, before he gets good enough roles that make him turn it down.
While I must admit that the Bond franchise has done nothing for me since the Connery days, the prospect of Ewan McGregor as 007 is an interesting one that might get me to watch again (his name is one of the many that is being thrown about for the role).
I mean, isn't the franchise pretty moribund now? Although I will be fascinated to know who they cast as Johnny English if Rowan Atkinson is ever incapacitated.