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Bond's number is up: black female actor 'is the new 007'

theguardian.com

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Re: Bond's number is up: black female actor 'is the new 007'

#11

Post by bryanlarsen »

amoitnga wrote: post #6

I don't see the point of it. Even if it's good, it's not going to be a Bond film, it'll be a film about some sort of special agent, not a James Bond film. Why not create a new original thing, where the lead character played by a female and build on top of it. Why do they need to mess with the existing working formula... I just don't get it. But at the same time, can't say few latter Bond films where all that good, so…

IIRC, Bond has retired before, and the plot of the book or movie starts with M convincing Bond to come out of retirement to help his replacement fix some crisis. IOW, they've done this before, IIRC.

Re: Bond's number is up: black female actor 'is the new 007'

#12

Post by Damogran6 »

happytoexplain wrote: post #9
amoitnga wrote: post #6

I don't see the point of it. Even if it's good, it's not going to be a Bond film, it'll be a film about some sort of special agent, not a James Bond film. Why not create a new original thing, where the lead character played by a female and build on top of it. Why do they need to mess with the existing working formula... I just don't get it. But at the same time, can't say few latter Bond films where all that good, so…

I've never really understood the common concern that arises when some established character's race/gender/other-intrinsic-trait is changed (even if it's a different person in canon), where the proposal is "now it's not the same, just make it something new and leave the existing brand name unchanged." I totally understand not wanting a beloved character to change that dramatically, but after enough decades it just see…

It's not an issue...so long as the replacement is worthy. But many times it's used as a marketing gimmick to prop up a bad story.

Re: Bond's number is up: black female actor 'is the new 007'

#13

Post by lake1 »

amoitnga wrote: post #6

I don't see the point of it. Even if it's good, it's not going to be a Bond film, it'll be a film about some sort of special agent, not a James Bond film. Why not create a new original thing, where the lead character played by a female and build on top of it. Why do they need to mess with the existing working formula... I just don't get it. But at the same time, can't say few latter Bond films where all that good, so…

It's a cynical publicity stunt.

Re: Bond's number is up: black female actor 'is the new 007'

#15

Post by simonblack »

siphon22 wrote: post #4
samcday wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're curious why they're not retiring a film franchise that consistently pulls in hundreds of millions of dollars of profit with every installment? :)

It will be worth it to see if they'll still pull that much after this change. Can't wait

Right.

I predict this will be the second-last of the Bond Series. It will flop, and then they'll try just once more to attempt to rescue the dead brand.

Think of it as the "New Coke" of the Bond Brand.

Re: Bond's number is up: black female actor 'is the new 007'

#16

Post by amoitnga »

happytoexplain wrote: post #9
amoitnga wrote: post #6

I don't see the point of it. Even if it's good, it's not going to be a Bond film, it'll be a film about some sort of special agent, not a James Bond film. Why not create a new original thing, where the lead character played by a female and build on top of it. Why do they need to mess with the existing working formula... I just don't get it. But at the same time, can't say few latter Bond films where all that good, so…

I've never really understood the common concern that arises when some established character's race/gender/other-intrinsic-trait is changed (even if it's a different person in canon), where the proposal is "now it's not the same, just make it something new and leave the existing brand name unchanged." I totally understand not wanting a beloved character to change that dramatically, but after enough decades it just see…

> I've never really understood the common concern that arises when some established character's race/gender/other-intrinsic-trait is changed

for me it's just about the fact that.... well, I want to be like him :). I want to identify with Bond a little, or Bourne, or Ethan Hunt. I want to see him coming up with cool, smart, unexpected solutions to difficult situations, kicking ass, overcoming physical challenges, while being absolutely cool/awesome/good looking. No problem with him being black, or Asian... It's just if he is a woman he is no longer ...

> Bond, James Bond (cue the music)

powerful weapon on her majesty's secret service

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