DaveyJoe

We don't want Elba as Bond because he's black, but because he's a suave motherfucker. I personally don't like Craig as Bond, and am looking forward to his retirement. Fortunately the number of cranky bitches complaining about race changes in 'iconic' characters is diminishing.

B5Erik

Yeah, and I can't wait for the white, grey haired, overweight, 50 year old Bond. As long as the actor is great and can be both classy and tough, right?

I mean, it's not supposed to matter, right? The iconic look can be changed if the actor is good enough, right?

Rubbish.

Shazam

I have to admit I'm not a big Elba fan. I think he's a serviceable actor. Never understood the fuss around him.

DaveyJoe

Uh... no. Elba could play a believable spy because he's fit and intimidating. Skin color seems to be your hangup, and that's your problem.

Mike86

Yeah I agree. He's okay but I don't get why the Internet loves him so much. Also I still maintain my stance on not loving things like changes to race or gender of an established character just for the sake of doing so.

B5Erik

No, changing who the iconic character is is my hangup.

Yes, Elba COULD play a believable spy. Just not a spy named James Bond. He couldn't be believable as James Bond any more than I could.

Remember the scene in Live and Let Die where Bond embarrasses himself trying to fit in in Harlem? That doesn't work with Elba. Bond is who he is - and being a working class white guy elevated to elite society is fundamental to who he is. Even in the UK a black man isn't going to fit in in upper society without getting second looks. Sorry if reality crashes your party.

Is it fair? No. Is it right? No. Will it be that way in 100 years? I hope not.

But it's that way now, and since the Bond movies don't take place 100 years from now changing his ethnic background changes everything in a way that makes him a different character.

Put Elba in the role and it's not really James Bond. It's just another British spy.

It's just as ridiculous as a gay Bond or a female Bond - ideas that have been floated by the PC crowd in the media before.

By the way, I love Idris Elba. He's great. He's just not James Bond.

James Bond is one of the most recognizable characters in movie history - regardless of who is playing him. You show a picture of ANY Bond actor in a Tux with a Walther PPK and every movie fan knows it's James Bond. Put Elba in a Tux with a Walther PPK and no one knows who he's supposed to be unless they're told.

B5Erik

Exactly.

There are plenty of good actors who can play the role. It's not like they need Elba because he is so far and away the best option.

Changing characters gender or ethnic background just for shits and giggles (or worse yet, for PC reasons) is stupid.

By the way, by the time Craig is done with the role Elba will be about 47 years old, and by the time he'd start filming a Bond movie he'd be about 48 or 49. Too old to start playing Bond, so it isn't even worth discussing.

Sean O'Hara

Okay, so a Bond movie with Elba wouldn't have a scene like that. Given how awful and embarrassing Live and Let Die is, I don't see a problem with that.

Are you really arguing that a James Bond movie shouldn't do something because it wouldn't be realistic? A multi-billion dollar volcano headquarters built in total secrecy is okay by you, but a black man fitting into British upper class society is preposterous?

Solid Snake

It's not PC. It's just a fact. Britain isn't so white anymore. Just like we are. Movie Bond, aside from his backstory now, doesn't really have a reason to always be white. Book Bond should always be white cuz that's the era he's from. But modern Movie Bond has nothing really that ties him to a skin color. He just needs to be the nationality along w/ the characteristics. The Bond of today isn't shackled by skin color. The other Bonds made all kinds of sense to be white cuz the era they're stemming from but Bond doesn't have that now. You don't have to be white to be a Brit anymore and it's never been as more obvious as it is today.

It's just like Johnny Storm being Black. It isn't that big of a deal. Even visually, Johnny Storm was never iconic. If you showed him in anything other than his FF suit... he'd just be a blonde haired guy. Johnny Storm isn't visually iconic aside from when he's actually on fire. His characteristics and actions are what made him more so as mainstay in the minds of the readers. Not his visuals.

Other characters? Sure. It makes sense to keep white. But we've moved to a point where we aren't so white anymore. Get over it. A black Bond wouldn't change anything unless they made him culturally change to "fit" his race. Bond as a template doesn't have that.

Shaft has to be black for example. Yet some people love to bring him up as an example as to what if they made him white. Shaft's structure and existence is entirely held that he be a black man. That'd be something worth bitching about. Movie Bond? He's gone so far into the pop culture falling into the evolution of cultural and societal nature that he doesn't have to be white anymore.

Mike86

I guess I don't agree with that. After being seen as one type of person who has similar traits over the course of fifty plus years a character does take on an identity and that includes race/gender in my honest opinion. Stick a person of different ethnicity or gender into a role and they're going to stand out as different whether people like to admit that or not.

majorjoe23

Is it acceptable that I want a black Bond not for PC reasons, but to upset people who whine about things being done for PC reasons?

I do agree the Elba would be too old to start playing Bond. But on the other hand, Black don't crack.

invisiblegt

No. It's not acceptable.

Solid Snake

gender is another thing. That infuses a whole other aspect of social, societal, and cultural issues. Specifically to this subject. It would literally change the character in so many ways. Which would throw it into the negative of respecting the character.

His skin color though? It doesn't matter to Movie Bond now. If Bond became a black man, it'd stand out wildly cuz he's always been white. It shouldn't stand out if he does the role justice though. So then that pushes what racial politics people have issue with.

I'm not saying this as an Hispanic guy. I'm not all about making all white characters different races. I'm being as objective as I can cuz I got no attachment to Bond. I'm iffy on the whole franchise really but I do like me some good movies in it. And I also like reasonable cultural progression within the film industry.

In some cases though? Skin color doesn't matter. Skin color on the Movie Bond of today, beyond backstory that we have now for some reason, isn't important to him. Movie Bond has moved beyond that.

Solid Snake

A singer called Sam Smith posted this on his twitter:



It seems like it confirms it for some people. No official word from the production. Never heard of the guy. He any good?

DaveyJoe

Fair skinned guy here. Bond has so far been played by a Scottish, Australian, English, Irish, and Welsh guy. In 2015 Bond being played by a Black English guy would upset a surprisingly small amount of losers.

Decker

Oh he's great, as far as pop vocalists go. New to the scene last year. Openly gay. Won several Grammys including Best New Artist, Best Song (songwriting award) and Best Record (for the song performance).

You must have heard these two if you have a radio (the top one was the song that cleaned up at the Grammys -- he had to accept an after-the-fact co-writing credit with Tom Petty due to similarities with "I Won't Back Down")

<iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pB-5XG-DbAA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nCkpzqqog4k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

OldBoy

he's good. a logical Brit choice for the song after Adele...

Solid Snake

Oh, shit. yeah. I heard them. They got overplayed a bit here but I always enjoyed hearing the song. I seriously thought it was a black guy singing that cuz of the way his voice goes.

E Unit

He played an ACL Fest stage last year and he was pretty good. Massive crowd for him. As much as I would have liked to hear Elie Goulding sing, I'm just as interested in hearing him sing the new theme song.

So Chris Cornell sang Casino Royale which ushered Daniel Craig as the new Bond, perhaps Sam Smith does the farewell song for Craig's last Bond film? Any word official word on that?

Solid Snake

I believe Craig signed on for two more after Skyfall. With a clause for Craig to jump off of Bond if it didn't sit well w/ him anymore.

E Unit

With all the hoopla about Idris Elba and speculation of others, I didn't know if Craig decided to pack it in. I'm glad he'll be around for a while.

Solid Snake

They've asked him and he's responded that it could. He's signed on for one more after Spectre. But he could leave Bond and it's ok for him to do so.

AnonomusBob15

Sam Smith sucks.

Jack White originally wrote Seven Nation Army as a Bond tune but didn't think it'd get used. I'd personally like to see more unconventional choices. Maybe Blur or Radiohead.

invisiblegt

For me, Sam Smith's voice has an almost "depressing" quality to it. Very downtrodden and sullen. Every time I hear a song by him, it's as if it's just sucked all the energy out of the air.

If they want to stay with a U.K. based artist, I'd personally prefer either Labrinth or John Newman.

Or, better yet, get the damned Stones to do it.

DaveyJoe

Sam Smith is pretty good... at ripping off Marvin Gaye.