Whither Bond?

After decades of legal entanglements, the first 007 novel, Casino Royale, can finally be made as a legitimate James Bond movie. Ironically, the producers (Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson) are taking their sweet time picking a new face.

There’s a recent article by Anne Thompson and Borys Kit from the Hollywood Reporter that does a great job of laying out all the facts, heresay, and rumors about casting the world’s most resilient cold war agent.

Now, if I may be so bold, I will attempt to summarize their summary.

FACTS

Pierce Brosnan is out. Wanted too much money.
Clive Owen (“King Arthur”), 41 – Was approached by director Martin Campbell, but said he wasn’t interested. Strangely, he’s said to be doing a send-up of Bond as 006 in the new Pink Panther movie.

HERESAY
…courtesy of unnamed sources close to the production

Daniel Craig (“Layer Cake”), 37 – Broccoli liked, but Wilson didn’t.
Hugh Jackman (“X-Men”), 36 – Broccoli says not masculine enough.
Colin Farrell (“Phone Booth”), 29 – Judged too much of a bad boy.
Eric Bana (“The Hulk”), 37 – Not good-looking enough.
Ewan McGregor (“Star Wars”), 34 – Too short.
Julian McMahon (“Nip/Tuck”), 37 – Posed as Bond on a magazine cover and rubbed the producers the wrong way.

RUMORS

Colin Salmon (“Prime Suspect”), 43 – The black actor played another British agent in the last three Bond pictures.
Goran Visnjic (“ER”), 32 – The Croatian actor studied with a dialogue coach and supposedly did a screen test.
Henry Cavill (“Goodbye, Mr. Chips”), 22, – Screen tested.
Alex O’Lachlan (“The Oyster Farmer”), 28 – Screen tested.
Ewan Stewart (“Titanic”), 47 – Was said to have tested but did not, according to Sony.

IF THE FANS HAD A SAY
…polls & speculation

Jude Law (“Sky Captain”), 32 – Winner of Total Film’s Poll
Gerard Butler (“The Phantom of the Opera”), 35
Hugh Grant (“Bridget Jones’s Diary”), 44
Ralph Fiennes (“The Constant Gardener”), 42
Rufus Sewell (“Dark City”), 37
Matthew MacFadyen (“Pride and Prejudice”), 31
Karl Urban (“The Two Towers”), 33
Orlando Bloom (“Pirates of the Carribean”), 28
Jason O’Mara (“Band of Brothers”), 33
Jack Davenport (“Pirates of the Caribbean”), 32
Robbie Williams (“De-Lovely”), 31
Jeremy Northam (“Gosford Park”), 43
Dominic West (“The Wire”), 35
Dougray Scott (“Mission Impossible II”), 39
Rupert Friend (“Pride & Prejudice”), 26
David Morrissey (“Derailed”), 41
Gary Stretch (“Alexander”), 36
James Purefoy (“Rome”), 41
Ioan Gruffudd (“Fantastic Four”), 31

What it all boils down to is… who can they get for a multi-picture deal for a good price? Who is young, good-looking, and can do the accent? Who has star potential, but probably not a huge star already? Jeesh, it sounds simple to me!

Maybe they should go the digital route, and just insert Mr. CG Sean Connery from the upcoming video game. That would solve the problem of having to live up to the original, right?