How many movies is ideal for a Bond actor?

Absolutely_CartAbsolutely_Cart NJ/NYC, United StatesPosts: 1,740MI6 Agent
I'd say minimum of 3 and maximum of 6. 4 or 5 isn't bad.

If Connery retired after YOLT, he would've had a near-sterling filmography as Bond. That would also give Lazenby a chance to reprise himself in DAF.

And if Moore, who was getting old, quit at Octopussy, Dalton could have had a re-written version of A View to a Kill.

Perhaps Craig will set the standard at 5. Or if Craig's 5th film doesn't turn out well, we might revert to Brosnan's 4.

But what do you think?
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Comments

  • Xfire2k15Xfire2k15 Posts: 31MI6 Agent
    I would say five is just right
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 37,861Chief of Staff
    It depends on the actor, of course, and his age.
  • DutchJamesBondFanDutchJamesBondFan the NetherlandsPosts: 414MI6 Agent
    I think Brosnan could have done a fifth one and maybe even a sixth one, he wasn't looking that old in 2006 (pretending that Brosnan 5 and six would come out in 2004 and 2006). Also Craig can easily have a fifth, but I'm not sure about a sixth because even now he starts to look a bit old for a Bond, but right now it's no problem what so ever. Same for Lazenby and Dalton, they quitted (looking at their age) way too early. I'd only say that Connery was old in DAF and Moore in AVTAK.

    And it depends on their screenplay, Connery looked a bit boring sometimes in his later films.
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  • broadshoulderbroadshoulder Acton, London, UKPosts: 1,363MI6 Agent
    edited June 2015
    I'd
    Perhaps Craig will set the standard at 5. Or if Craig's 5th film doesn't turn out well, we might revert to Brosnan's 4.

    But what do you think?

    Craig has already set the limit at five...
    1. For Your Eyes Only 2. The Living Daylights 3 From Russia with Love 4. Casino Royale 5. OHMSS 6. Skyfall
  • Absolutely_CartAbsolutely_Cart NJ/NYC, United StatesPosts: 1,740MI6 Agent
    I'd
    Perhaps Craig will set the standard at 5. Or if Craig's 5th film doesn't turn out well, we might revert to Brosnan's 4.

    But what do you think?

    Craig has already set the limit at five...

    We know Craig set the limit at 5.

    But will future actors take 5 as the standard, or Brosnan's 4?
  • Golrush007Golrush007 South AfricaPosts: 3,421Quartermasters
    I think that 5 is probably the ideal number. Two to establish the actor in the role. Two with the actor in his prime. And one to round off his contribution to the series.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    {[] I agree with that, as I always thought five was the perfect number as back in
    The two year cycle, that would give each actor a decade as 007. :D
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,619MI6 Agent

    We know Craig set the limit at 5.

    But will future actors take 5 as the standard, or Brosnan's 4?

    One of the reasons why Brosnan did only 4 was that they went with the reboot, so needed to find a different and younger actor.

    Nobody knows which direction EON will go in the future and there is no real "formula" for the number of movies per actor - so your question does not make sense for me.

    And if they want Craig after the 5th (as far as I know his contract is 4) badly, you'll see how $$ change an actor's opinion :D
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,926MI6 Agent
    I always thought his Contract was 5?
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • TylerTyler Posts: 184MI6 Agent
    Saw a random article today saying who was in the running as the new James Bond now that Craig has made clear that SPECTRE will be his last outing as Bond, is this true? where was it reported??
    Never fear the event
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,926MI6 Agent
    Here's the Thread with a similar Article

    http://www.ajb007.co.uk/topic/45837/craig-no-more/
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • Penfold HeartPenfold Heart Posts: 159MI6 Agent
    I would say 5.

    6 at a push if the actor is really into it.

    Enough for the actor to get established and then explore the role a bit.

    But it's not too many so the actor hopefully does not become bored with it.
  • Gassy ManGassy Man USAPosts: 2,972MI6 Agent
    It depends on the actor and how long it takes to make them.

    In the early days, they were making about one a year. Then it became two. Then we would get gaps of time for various reasons.

    With Craig, we should have had four films already by now, but the lawyers and other nitwits got involved, and we had a four-year hiatus between Quantum of Solace and Skyfall, which essentially squandered the few extra years gained by hiring a 38-year-old to play James Bond.

    If Craig stays in shape, he could easily do two more after Spectre. Given that we essentially have two two-part films with Casino Royale/Quantum of Solace and Skyfall/Spectre, it will in the end really feel like Craig only made two long and uneven movies with these pairings.

    So I'd like him to do at least two, if not three more than are standalones. Maybe if they do the productions faster, this can be accomplished while Daniel Craig is still functional enough to do all of the physical efforts . . . . .
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,926MI6 Agent
    I've said this before, but I feel that he has two more Films in him.
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • UnderwaterBattle007UnderwaterBattle007 Posts: 284MI6 Agent
    Gassy Man wrote:
    It depends on the actor and how long it takes to make them.

    In the early days, they were making about one a year. Then it became two. Then we would get gaps of time for various reasons.

    With Craig, we should have had four films already by now, but the lawyers and other nitwits got involved, and we had a four-year hiatus between Quantum of Solace and Skyfall, which essentially squandered the few extra years gained by hiring a 38-year-old to play James Bond.

    If Craig stays in shape, he could easily do two more after Spectre. Given that we essentially have two two-part films with Casino Royale/Quantum of Solace and Skyfall/Spectre, it will in the end really feel like Craig only made two long and uneven movies with these pairings.

    So I'd like him to do at least two, if not three more than are standalones. Maybe if they do the productions faster, this can be accomplished while Daniel Craig is still functional enough to do all of the physical efforts . . . . .

    I sincerely hope after the release of SPECTRE we only have to wait 12 months for the commencement of Bond 25 production. If they carry on with this 3 or even 5 year cyle between films I'll be lucky to get to Bond 28!!
    FRWl, CR, OHMSS, TSWLM, SF, GF, TLD, LTK, TND, FYEO, OP,TWINE, GE, LALD, TB, SPECTRE, DN, YOLT, TMWTGG, QOS, MR, DAF, DAD, AVTAK, NTTD.

    "Do you expect me to talk? "No Mister Bond I expect you to die"
  • Gassy ManGassy Man USAPosts: 2,972MI6 Agent
    Gassy Man wrote:
    It depends on the actor and how long it takes to make them.

    In the early days, they were making about one a year. Then it became two. Then we would get gaps of time for various reasons.

    With Craig, we should have had four films already by now, but the lawyers and other nitwits got involved, and we had a four-year hiatus between Quantum of Solace and Skyfall, which essentially squandered the few extra years gained by hiring a 38-year-old to play James Bond.

    If Craig stays in shape, he could easily do two more after Spectre. Given that we essentially have two two-part films with Casino Royale/Quantum of Solace and Skyfall/Spectre, it will in the end really feel like Craig only made two long and uneven movies with these pairings.

    So I'd like him to do at least two, if not three more than are standalones. Maybe if they do the productions faster, this can be accomplished while Daniel Craig is still functional enough to do all of the physical efforts . . . . .

    I sincerely hope after the release of SPECTRE we only have to wait 12 months for the commencement of Bond 25 production. If they carry on with this 3 or even 5 year cyle between films I'll be lucky to get to Bond 28!!
    They drag it out much, much too long. The 1960s films, to me, have more sprawling productions, sharper scripts, more creative direction, sweeping scores, great costumes, great actors, great cinematography, and so forth, yet some of them took only a few months to make. With the modern Bond films, they get two or more years and even then don't really produce much that compares, though Casino Royale is close.
  • MilleniumForceMilleniumForce LondonPosts: 1,214MI6 Agent
    Craig needs to do one more after SPECTRE. Then he has the two Quantum films, two SPECTRE films, and an anniversary film in the middle that links both together.
    1.LTK 2.AVTAK 3.OP 4.FYEO 5.TND 6.LALD 7.GE 8.GF 9.TSWLM 10.SPECTRE 11.SF 12.MR 13.YOLT 14.TLD 15.CR (06) 16.TMWTGG 17.TB 18.FRWL 19.TWINE 20.OHMSS 21.DAF 22.DAD 23.QoS 24.NSNA 25.DN 26.CR (67)
  • Will OnceWill Once Surrey, EnglandPosts: 24MI6 Agent
    I don't think the number of films is the issue. It's how believable it is that the actor could be licensed to kill and not licensed to have elasticated waistbands. The bad guy should have a hollowed out volcano with a monorail. James Bond should not have a flat with a stair lift.

    We should get a sense that Bond will carry the leading lady off to the bedroom for a night of sweaty passion. Not plod upstairs in his fur-lined slippers for a hot cocoa.

    The retirement age for the 00 section is 45, so Bond should always be credibly below this. So Sean Connery was too old at 52 in Never Say Never. Roger Moore was, what, 57, in A View to a Kill?

    Daniel Craig is 47, although to be fair he looks younger. I wish I'd looked like that when I was 47. Hell, I wish I'd looked like that at any point in my half century.
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 37,861Chief of Staff
    Will Once wrote:
    Daniel Craig is 47, although to be fair he looks younger.

    You think? Moore and Brosnan looked a lot better at that age, I'd say.
  • Will OnceWill Once Surrey, EnglandPosts: 24MI6 Agent
    Depends who we are comparing against.

    You haven't seen what I look like...!
  • Matt SMatt S Oh Cult Voodoo ShopPosts: 6,610MI6 Agent
    Will Once wrote:
    Depends who we are comparing against.

    You haven't seen what I look like...!

    I know plenty of people who look younger than Craig at his age, but they're not in as good shape as he is.
    Visit my blog, Bond Suits
  • I never missI never miss EnglandPosts: 47MI6 Agent
    5 or 6 films is ideal to create a legacy.

    I very much doubt we'll see Bond 25 before 2018, although I'd be delighted if we got it a year earlier. In 2018 DC will be 50 and most likely will move on at that point. Seems highly unlikely we'll ever return to a two year cycle - DC should have completed at least one more really.
  • UnderwaterBattle007UnderwaterBattle007 Posts: 284MI6 Agent
    5 or 6 films is ideal to create a legacy.

    I very much doubt we'll see Bond 25 before 2018, although I'd be delighted if we got it a year earlier. In 2018 DC will be 50 and most likely will move on at that point. Seems highly unlikely we'll ever return to a two year cycle - DC should have completed at least one more really.

    If they had pulled their finger out SPECTRE could have quite easily been a Bond 25 or even a Bond 26 release.

    I'm hoping they go back to the 2 year cycle and Bond 25 is released in 2017.

    If they had looked after Connery (contract wise) he could quite easily have done all the films up to and including MWTGG, in fact he still looked ok in NSNA. Octopussy was filmed that same year.

    So I would say the right actor appointed at the right time, ideally when he's in his early 30's, there is no reason he couldn't do 7 or 8 Bonds if all parties are happy.

    If we are now on a 3 year cycle then who knows 4 or 5 films will be the maximum.
    FRWl, CR, OHMSS, TSWLM, SF, GF, TLD, LTK, TND, FYEO, OP,TWINE, GE, LALD, TB, SPECTRE, DN, YOLT, TMWTGG, QOS, MR, DAF, DAD, AVTAK, NTTD.

    "Do you expect me to talk? "No Mister Bond I expect you to die"
  • welshboy78welshboy78 Posts: 10,320MI6 Agent
    I can't see there being a quick turnaround. Sonys rights expiring, EON prob battling to keep Mendes on all over again (presume this one will surpass Skyfall) and im sure DC will want a break since its hard work and he is getting older etc
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  • Agent LeeAgent Lee Posts: 254MI6 Agent
    I think five is the optimal number, a conclusion based on looking at the trajectory of each actor's tenure:

    1. If Connery would have stopped at five, it would have been an ideal run. I think he was great in DAF but the film was sub-par.

    2. Lazenby only did one, and there's no telling how a longer tenure might have gone. After three films, he may very well have become the established Bond in the public eye, with a fourth and fifth as the icing on the cake.

    3. Moore had run out of gas by A View to a Kill. Octopussy was a fine sixth film though. I'd say he's the outlier with six, but if you take the average thus far, I'd say five is still the optimal number.

    4. Dalton was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Had LTK been more successful, Dalton going into the nineties could have worked out really well. One thing's for sure, he probably would have had a better run of films than Brosnan ended up having.

    5. Brosnan's films got progressively worse, by no fault of his own. Though the tonal shift between DAD and CR was incredibly drastic, it's not that hard to imagine a slightly less drastic back-to-basics tone shift with Brosnan still in the role. If he had stayed for just one more, he could have easily bowed out gracefully and handed the reigns to Craig for CR, making a more natural transition. Plus, it would have given Brosnan the chance to return to form and really give us his best Bond before he left.

    6. Craig has redefined Bond for the 21st century. He's also my favorite Bond. I gotta say though, at this point, I'd rather he bow out gracefully with one more film than fade out slowly like Moore. If Spectre is as great is it looks like it's going to be, chances are EON will be able to keep up the magic for one more (fingers crossed). This would be the perfect time to reapproach the series with a new Bond.

    So, in my mind, five is the optimal number, but there are always exceptions to the rule.
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  • Absolutely_CartAbsolutely_Cart NJ/NYC, United StatesPosts: 1,740MI6 Agent
    Barbel wrote:
    Will Once wrote:
    Daniel Craig is 47, although to be fair he looks younger.

    You think? Moore and Brosnan looked a lot better at that age, I'd say.

    At 47, roughly, Brosnan was doing TWINE and Moore was doing MWGG.

    Looks are subjective. I think that after Goldeneye, Brosnan went from his Remington Steele look to more of an attractive sporty dad look. But I'd still say, in a conventional sense, he was better looking than Craig is.

    It's hard to judge age due to the fact that virtually all actors use make-up (and they film at angles to bring out their best features). Craig looks younger in the Spectre trailer than in certain parts of Skyfall.
  • Lady IceLady Ice Posts: 279MI6 Agent
    I think 5 is good. Timothy Dalton still looked very dashing in his late forties so could have done more than the two. I think Craig looks a little old now; it won't be too bad if he's paired with older women but it will start to look a bit icky in later films if he's paired with young women. He looks physically in shape but is showing his age so 5 in total would be sufficient
  • broadshoulderbroadshoulder Acton, London, UKPosts: 1,363MI6 Agent
    Five seems to optimum number - I think five would suit Craig well

    There was an article on morning TV with Daniel. he was saying how much he enjoyed being James Bond. He enjoyed spinning the Aston Martin around...
    1. For Your Eyes Only 2. The Living Daylights 3 From Russia with Love 4. Casino Royale 5. OHMSS 6. Skyfall
  • WadsyWadsy Auckland, New ZealandPosts: 412MI6 Agent
    I would say 5.
    Sean Connery should have quit after TB
    George Lazenby could have had YOLT, OHMSS and DAF
    Roger Moore should have done LALD through to MR (or FYEO)
    Timothy Dalton should have done the entire 80's (or starting with OP)

    After that I don't really care.
    1. FYEO 2. OHMSS 3. LTK 4. FRWL 5. TLD 6. TSWLM 7. AVTAK 8. GF 9. MR 10. TB 11. OP 12. SF 13. DN 14. SP 15. LALD 16. GE 17. CR 18. YOLT 19. TWINE 20. TMWTGG 21. NTTD 22. TND 23. QOS 24. NSNA 25. DAD 26. DAF 27. CR '67

    1. Dalton 2. Moore 3. Connery 4. Lazenby 5. Craig 6. Brosnan
  • heartbroken_mr_draxheartbroken_mr_drax New Zealand Posts: 2,073MI6 Agent
    Depends on how many films they pump out during a timespan. If Craig hangs around for another film, he could beat Moore's record of 12 years. While that will take him to five films, I don't think Moore should've stopped at five (FYEO) for any other reason other than his age. Even then, he still could've done OP as a great swan-song film (which happens to be AVTAK anyway -{ )

    Boredom/age/popularity are the only limits to a Bond actor IMO. Brosnan could still be Bond if he didn't have to be young {[]
    1. TWINE 2. FYEO 3. MR 4. TLD 5. TSWLM 6. OHMSS 7. DN 8. OP 9. AVTAK 10. TMWTGG 11. QoS 12. GE 13. CR 14. TB 15. FRWL 16. TND 17. LTK 18. GF 19. SF 20. LaLD 21. YOLT 22. NTTD 23. DAD 24. DAF. 25. SP

    "Better make that two."
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