Wanted: New 007
2004-07-29 13:25
London - The 21st James Bond movie is scheduled to start production next year, but it is still unclear who will take over the role of agent 007.
Negotiations with Pierce Brosnan, 51, have allegedly broken down. In a recent interview, the most successful 007 of all time said his role as Bond was over. So who will take over from him?
When the 20th Bond film Die Another Day was released in 2002, everything seemed clear.
Asked if he would play the role of the British agent a fifth time, Brosnan replied: "I want to give a clear answer - I will do another film."
Yet in April this year, he said the Bond producers had not been in touch. He would love to make another film, he said, but did not know whether he would be allowed to. British press reports said Brosnan was too old.
But insiders doubt that is the real reason. The last James Bond film was the most successful in the series' 42 year history. It seems more likely that the producers found Brosnan's salary demands too high.
In an interview published on Wednesday on the Entertainment Weekly website Brosnan said producers of the movie were confused about how to extend the famous series and that he was on his way out.
But the possibility of behind-the-scenes negotiations continuing has not been ruled out and it is still possible that Brosnan will once again appear before the cameras as 007.
Finding a new James Bond is described as one of the trickiest tasks in the film business. Things were not easy even in 1962 when the role was first cast.
Bonds galore
Bond author Ian Fleming and producers Albert R Broccoli and Harry Saltzman asked readers of the Daily Express to make suggestions and vote. David Niven, a specialist in "gentleman" roles, topped the poll.
When a successor was later sought for Sean Connery, the shampoo model George Lazenby was cast. But he proved so unpopular that he was dropped after only one film.
Dozens of names have been mentioned as a possible successor to Brosnan. London bookies have given Australian Hugh Jackman, 35, last seen in Van Helsing the best odds.
He is followed by Daredevil bad boy Colin Farrell, 28, and Orlando Bloom, 27, the elf with sex appeal last seen in The Lord of the Rings.
Bloom will definitely be cast as Bond in a film about 007's loutish years, which is to run outside of the regular series.
In a poll by the British film magazine Total Film the star of Cold Mountain, 30-year-old Jude Law, emerged as favourite. And in a poll conducted by Amazon, the star of The English Patient, Ralph Fiennes, 41, was favourite to become the next James Bond.
The Sun tabloid reportedly learned that Geoffrey Moore, 37, has been shortlisted to step into his 78-year-old father Roger's footsteps.
Many like the pop star Robbie Williams, 30, have put forward their own names, but have been rejected.
The female casting chief of the James Bond films receives applications on a daily basis.
In a recent interview, she said men who did not consider themselves attractive enough to become the next James Bond were a rare species. - Sapa-dpa
- SAPA