Depending on how old you are or how you were introduced to the films, you’ll probably have one actor who just is James Bond.
If you’re a purist, it might the OG Sean Connery. Me, I’m partial to the comedy of Roger Moore balanced out by the suave sophistication of Timothy Dalton.
The current James Bond, Daniel Craig, has also, in my humble opinion, been an excellent Bond. Since his first appearance as 007 in 2006’s Casino Royale, Craig’s infallible portrayal of the character has won over many fans.
However, Craig’s version of the debonair spy has also attracted criticism from some viewers. The latest, however, comes not from a fan or critic but a former Bond himself.
Pierce Brosnan, who starred in four James bond films – from 1995’s excellent Goldeneye to 2002’s Die Another Day – has voiced his feelings with the current state of the Bond franchise.
Speaking to The Rake, Brosnan expressed his disappointment how Bond, and the newer films, seem to have lost their sense of humour:
There had to be humour, I felt. It is different now. They had strong competition and they haven’t reinvented it but given it a much more muscular, dynamic twist.
When I played him you have to let the audience in that this is a fantastic joke – this man, jumping off a motorcycle and catching up a plane, is completely preposterous. But for me you had to let them in.
That’s what I was brought up with. Sean [Connery] did it, Roger [Moore] did it par excellence.
The 65-year-old also revealed, the move towards to more sombre, brooding action heroes – inspired by the likes of The Bourne Identity and Mission Impossible – pushed him away from playing the role.
However, it seems the action-packed newer movies have also exhausted their current star, Daniel Craig, who’s publicly said, time and again, he’s tired of playing the iconic spy.
Ever since, speculation has been rife as to who would pick up the titular role.
We heard rumours Tom Hiddleston was in the running, and how producers wanted Poldark’s Aidan Turner. In fact, it got so silly, you could name any age-appropriate British actor and chances are there were rumours they’d be the next person to slip on Bond’s iconic tuxedo.
One name kept cropping up time and time again though, which was none other than the magnificently talented, Idris Elba.
The Independent reported Bond producer, Barbara Broccoli, decided the time is right for a ‘non-white actor’ to take up 007’s license to kill and Elba is the frontrunner for the role.
Broccoli is reported to have made these remarks while in conversation with director, Antoine Fuqua, who believes this progressive move will happen ‘sooner rather than later’.
Though nothing has been confirmed so far, Idris himself has been toying with fans and dropped a pretty huge hint he might be picking up the mantel.
Posting an image of himself with the caption: ‘my name’s Elba, Idris Elba,’ the 45-year-old left fans reeling with the possibility he might be the next actor to order a martini shaken, not stirred.
Fingers crossed.
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Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.