Liam Neeson for James Bond

Comments

• youknowmyname Gainesville, FL, USAPosts: 703MI6 Agent

  January 2009

  LIAM NEESON as Bond. No.
  
  Possibly when he was younger, but I really don't think so. Couldn't see him cracking a joke really well or looking anything but serious all the time. Even when he is laughing in some of his more jovial movies he doesn't look natural. Plus his build doesn't do it for me. So my answer is no, and if you want to suggest it to producers go right ahead, but IDK if Babs pays much attention to us AJBers, if she did the franchise could've gone in a totally different direction.
  
  Good thoughts though and welcome to the forums.

  "We have all the time in the world..."
• superdaddy englandPosts: 917MI6 Agent

  January 2009

  neeson recently said on tv that he screentested for bond same time as brosnan and the best man for the role got it. neesons words not mine
• zaphod Posts: 1,183MI6 Agent

  January 2009

  superdaddy wrote:

  neeson recently said on tv that he screentested for bond same time as brosnan and the best man for the role got it. neesons words not mine

  
  Thanks for that. I didn't know he had tested. I agree with him though, and very classy of him to say so.
• BRIXMIS Great BritainPosts: 171MI6 Agent

  January 2009

  youknowmyname wrote:

  LIAM NEESON as Bond. No.
  
  Plus his build doesn't do it for me.
  
  
  You could argue that Neeson had more the build of the Fleming Bond, and he was a handy boxer in his youth, by all accounts. Saying all that, dont think he would have ben particularly suited the film role.
• JADE66 Posts: 238MI6 Agent

  January 2009

  If the Bond films were being remade and remained absolutely faithful to the Fleming novels, then Liam Neeson would be, in my opinion, ideal for the role. He's lean, fit, handsome in a cruel sort of way and has an intimidating presence.
  The films as they have been made would not fit him. I would have liked to see him in CR though.
  That could've been interesting.
• zaphod Posts: 1,183MI6 Agent

  January 2009

  JADE66 wrote:

  If the Bond films were being remade and remained absolutely faithful to the Fleming novels, then Liam Neeson would be, in my opinion, ideal for the role. He's lean, fit, handsome in a cruel sort of way and has an intimidating presence.
  The films as they have been made would not fit him. I would have liked to see him in CR though.
  That could've been interesting.

  
  He is a good actor, but always seems a bit languid/ half asleep to me.
• youknowmyname Gainesville, FL, USAPosts: 703MI6 Agent

  January 2009

  zaphod wrote:

  superdaddy wrote:

  neeson recently said on tv that he screentested for bond same time as brosnan and the best man for the role got it. neesons words not mine

  
  Thanks for that. I didn't know he had tested. I agree with him though, and very classy of him to say so.

  
  Quite.

  "We have all the time in the world..."
• denyboy Posts: 2MI6 Agent

  January 2009

  Its good to hear opinion of other people.
  
  I think Bond should be a bit more serious movie and Liam would have been a great for Bond role.
  
  But that is just mine opinion. Any more comments on this topic?? Im enjoying in reading about different perspectives on this topic.
• Hardyboy Posts: 5,901Chief of Staff

  January 2009

  denyboy wrote:

  I think Bond should be a bit more serious movie and Liam would have been a great for Bond role.

  
  Isn't Daniel Craig's Bond a serious character? That said, I don't think there's any need to change Bonds right now and Liam Neeson--though a terrific actor (when he isn't doing an American accent)--has never fit my image of Bond.
  
  . . .I know: just four years ago we were all saying there's no need to change Bonds right now and Daniel Craig has never fit our image of Bond!

  Vox clamantis in deserto
• Loeffelholz The United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters

  January 2009

  It'd be great to see Neeson get involved with the franchise, somehow...but since he's already been a Batman supervillain, it seems unlikely.
  
  He'd be a great foil for Bond in a fight, as a Red Grant-type character---a real killer who might actually end Our Hero's life.
  
  I think the series needs another one of those.

  Check out my Amazon author page! Mark Loeffelholz
  "I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
  "Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond Ever^TM
• Napoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,427MI6 Agent

  January 2009

  Cubby Broccoli was real keen for Neeson after Schindler's List, I suppose the way Schindler is introduced in that film is very Bondian. However, he doesn't have the Bond look to me and if he was tested back in 1996 he'd be too old now. While I see Loeffs' point about having him as a heavy, at 6ft 4in he'd tower over Craig a bit too obviously and anyway he's just too famous for Bond now. They don't go for name stars, do they?

  "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."
  
  Roger Moore 1927-2017
• Loeffelholz The United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters

  January 2009

  You're probably right about Neeson being too famous---but he's the perfect size to be a threatening physical opponent for Craig's Bond.
  
  They can't/won't get Neeson, but IMO they need someone like him, in size, build, etc. Let him be bigger than Bond. Jaws was bigger than Bond. This would be a far more down-to-earth, yet obviously mismatched (against Bond) duel.
  
  If I were Eon, I'd approach someone like Neeson for just such a purpose: not a big role (in terms of screen time, and time out of the actor's schedule!), but a key role.

  Check out my Amazon author page! Mark Loeffelholz
  "I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
  "Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond Ever^TM
• sniperUK UlsterPosts: 594MI6 Agent

  January 2009

  There is one role that Neeson would have been perfect in ,though he is now too old for the part.That is fellow Ulsterman Lt.Col Blair "Paddy" Mayne DSO** etc ,Co 1 SAS ,he has the looks,build etc of Col Paddy and if made around ten-fifteen years ago would have been fantastic.
• youknowmyname Gainesville, FL, USAPosts: 703MI6 Agent

  January 2009

  You know, I didn't even bring this up over the dinner table at my mates tonight, but he and his father saw Taken and reckon after watching that Liam Neeson would make a great Bond...with that said, I still disagree and agree with above comments saying that DC is the best for the job at the moment.
  
  It does make me want to go see Taken though.

  "We have all the time in the world..."
• John Drake On assignmentPosts: 2,564MI6 Agent

  January 2009

  Neeson said recently that his wife Natasha Richardson forced him to turn down the role by threatening to leave him if he took it. Personally I prefer her sister.
• Jamesbondjr Posts: 462MI6 Agent

  January 2009

  I recently read that he had turned down the role although the reasons were not given. Maybe it was a good thing, I don't think Bond would turn down a great opportunity because his wife told him to
  
  In all seriousness though, I think Liam Neeson would make a great Bond and fits my vision of the Literary Bond almost perfectly

  1- On Her Majesty's Secret Service 2- Casino Royale 3- Licence To Kill 4- Goldeneye 5- From Russia With Love
• Panache xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxPosts: 89MI6 Agent

  February 2009

  Liam Neeson as Bond? That would have been cool for me as I have been told I look like him on a couple of occasions and no it wasn't very dark!
  
  Having said that, at an autograph event Valerie Leon saw my shadow loom over her (I'm 6'6") and thought for a second I was Richard Kiel!!
  
  Why is it never Pierce Brosnan?!