Ralph Fiennes as Mallory

Haven't seen this discussed extensively anywhere else on the forum, which surprises me, so I figured I'd bring it up. What do we all think?
He seems like he'll be an interesting character from the little we've seen in the trailers. Personally, I'm banking on him turning out to be the bad guy, purely because it's Ralph Fiennes, and because he does look to have a somewhat sinister tone about him. That said, I do also like the idea I've heard about him becoming the new M - the producers will have to tackle the idea at some point (Judi Dench is now 77), and since M is supposed to be central to Skyfall's plot it wouldn't surprise me if we were to see her killed off.

Comments

  • GordoLeiterGordoLeiter Posts: 462MI6 Agent
    Wasnt the original M's name "Sir Robert Mallory" or something like that? I woulnt be surprised if he is the next M
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    http://www.mjnewton.demon.co.uk/bond/mult_m.htm

    This might help give a bit of background on M or Sir Miles Messervy.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • WordsAndDreamsWordsAndDreams Posts: 93MI6 Agent
    There's been a lot of discussion about him possibly being the next M. However, I also sort of have the feeling that he'll end up being a bad guy, potentially even the main bad guy, with Silva being the second in command or something like that.
  • GordoLeiterGordoLeiter Posts: 462MI6 Agent
    There's been a lot of discussion about him possibly being the next M. However, I also sort of have the feeling that he'll end up being a bad guy, potentially even the main bad guy, with Silva being the second in command or something like that.


    Ill admit i do like the idea of a "crooked" M
  • don pdon p Posts: 607MI6 Agent
    i agree Judy,s days are numbered,, her lines always seem to be the same.. "where the hell have you been",, ... "you,ve got a bloody cheek",,

    poor lines ,, however,, what about,, Connory,,,, the new "M",, that ! would be interesting, .

    and a good reboot for the new rebooted bond,, and EX agent as M.. a cold war hero..
  • James SuzukiJames Suzuki New ZealandPosts: 2,406MI6 Agent
    wasn't there a character called Kincade? maybe hell be the new M
    “The scent and smoke and sweat of a casino are nauseating at three in the morning. "
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  • GordoLeiterGordoLeiter Posts: 462MI6 Agent
    Maybe they might pull a suprise twist and Blofeld may be the new M


    ....yes i know.....FAIL :p
  • Mr MartiniMr Martini That nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,707MI6 Agent
    xboy614 wrote:
    wasn't there a character called Kincade? maybe hell be the new M


    Yes, there is a Character named Kincade, played by Albert Finney. Albert will be almost as old as Judi Dench. I think it's redundant to gid rid of a 77 year old M, to bring in a 70+ year old M. My theory is Kincade is the bad guy and Silva is the Henchman. I do find this image of Ralph interesting though. I'm guessing it's from Skyfall:

    http://www.aceshowbiz.com/images/news/skyfall-images-ralph-fiennes-government-agent-character.jpg
    Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,344MI6 Agent
    If both theories are correct and Fiennes is the new M and a villan, there are a lot of interesting posibilities. One of them is using the scene in TMWTGG were Bond tries to shoot M, but this time 007 isn't brainwashed.
  • Moore ThanMoore Than EnglandPosts: 3,173MI6 Agent
    Mr Martini wrote:
    xboy614 wrote:
    wasn't there a character called Kincade? maybe hell be the new M


    Yes, there is a Character named Kincade, played by Albert Finney. Albert will be almost as old as Judi Dench. I think it's redundant to gid rid of a 77 year old M, to bring in a 70+ year old M. My theory is Kincade is the bad guy and Silva is the Henchman. I do find this image of Ralph interesting though. I'm guessing it's from Skyfall:

    http://www.aceshowbiz.com/images/news/skyfall-images-ralph-fiennes-government-agent-character.jpg

    That image of Ralph Fiennes is from Skyfall.

    I think Albert Finney's Kincade has a small but important role in Skyfall. I lean towards ally (not the new M) rather than villain. He's certainly been kept well under wraps. The only sighting I am aware of is from the teaser trailer, literally a couple of frames.
    Moore Not Less 4371 posts (2002 - 2007) Moore Than (2012 - 2016)
  • Scrummy64Scrummy64 Posts: 50MI6 Agent
    Thinking about it, it seems very unlikely that Mallory will end up becoming M. The fact that we see him berating M in the trailer, as well as how sources have confirmed that he is M's "government overseer", suggest that he is superior to M's position, and it would therefore seem bizarre for him to demote himself.
  • BIG TAMBIG TAM Wrexham, North Wales, UK.Posts: 773MI6 Agent
    It would be nice for Ralph Fiennes to be the real main villain of the piece. Having a Whitehall mandarin turn out to be an in-house rogue operative would be 007 straying into John Le Carre territory. Always nice to have a little twist like that. I'd actually have Mallory kill off M in a shock moment akin to Kevin Spacey's shooting in LA CONFIDENTIAL. But I doubt the Bond people would be so bold as to go down that route.
    Fiennes is one of those actors able to convey menace with ease & it would be a shame not to capitalise on this strength. As a point of interest, I read some years ago that Fiennes was toying with the Gustav Graves role but opted to play Francis Dollarhyde in RED DRAGON instead.
  • David SchofieldDavid Schofield EnglandPosts: 1,528MI6 Agent
    edited August 2012
    EON have played a bit of a blinder, haven't they?

    The assumption is that he's superior to M, but is he? We don't know the context of the clip in the trailer; is he telling M off, or just discussing the loss with her and its major implications? There's a shot of him somewhere sat beside Bond but OPPOSITE M, he seems to be hanging about MI6 a bit too much to be a hot-shot mandarin, AND, crucially, he's seen armed and shooting - NOT the normal activity of a big wig Govt Civil Servant pen-pusher.....

    And we don't even know his name for sure. (OK, it's Moneypenny) :))
  • Gassy ManGassy Man USAPosts: 2,972MI6 Agent
    I thought Fiennes said early on that he would be playing a familiar character that would make fans happy, or something like that. I took it as an allusion to a character we've seen before though I was thinking he would turn out to be Blofeld. He could certainly be the next "M" since the name fits, though I don't find Fiennes correct for the role since he really should come across as more fatherly or grandfatherly. Fiennes seems too much a contemporary for Daniel Craig, even if their ages are farther apart.
  • HowardBHowardB USAPosts: 2,755MI6 Agent
    Would not surprise me if Fiennes replaces Dench as the new "M".
    It could go something like this: Fiennes says to Bond "MI6 has narrowly survived complete disaster with the "00" section almost wiped out that's why the PM has given me the task of rebuilding and running a new MI6. We can never allow MI6 to become compromised like this ever again. I know you were close to her (M) but I hope you will stay on. Bloody hell 007, Queen and Country need you more than ever."
    Bond of course then pledges to Fiennes that he will stay on. Then a relieved Fiennes says to Bond "Oh, one more thing 007, I'd like to introduce you to my new administrative assistant. Fienne's hits the intercom switch. "Moneypenny, Could you please come into my office"........
  • BIG TAMBIG TAM Wrexham, North Wales, UK.Posts: 773MI6 Agent
    Not a bad synopsis of how things may pan out, HowardB. I particularly like the idea of the Moneypenny entrance. I'd still like to see Fiennes as a baddie, though.
  • HowardBHowardB USAPosts: 2,755MI6 Agent
    BIG TAM wrote:
    Not a bad synopsis of how things may pan out, HowardB. I particularly like the idea of the Moneypenny entrance. I'd still like to see Fiennes as a baddie, though.

    No problem with Fiennes turning out to be a deeply embedded mole within the British government either.
    Maybe Bond sniffs him out in the end, but Fiennes character manages to escape/disappear. Film could end with Bond getting a mysterious phone call from a former adversary (voice of Mr. White) "Hello Mr. Bond, I just wanted to express my condolences regarding the very unfortunate passing of your leader, M and your fellow MI6 compatriots. I want to let you know that such barbarism was not the work of Quantum. Yes, we did place the man you know as "Mallory" deep inside your government, but to gain influence and control not plot and commit murder. Much to our great embarrasment he had gone rogue on us. His real name is Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Oh and Mr. Bond, please leave him to us, it would be unfortunate for MI6 to lose its last "00" in
    pursuit of another personal revenge".
  • Scrummy64Scrummy64 Posts: 50MI6 Agent
    HowardB wrote:
    BIG TAM wrote:
    Not a bad synopsis of how things may pan out, HowardB. I particularly like the idea of the Moneypenny entrance. I'd still like to see Fiennes as a baddie, though.

    No problem with Fiennes turning out to be a deeply embedded mole within the British government either.
    Maybe Bond sniffs him out in the end, but Fiennes character manages to escape/disappear. Film could end with Bond getting a mysterious phone call from a former adversary (voice of Mr. White) "Hello Mr. Bond, I just wanted to express my condolences regarding the very unfortunate passing of your leader, M and your fellow MI6 compatriots. I want to let you know that such barbarism was not the work of Quantum. Yes, we did place the man you know as "Mallory" deep inside your government, but to gain influence and control not plot and commit murder. Much to our great embarrasment he had gone rogue on us. His real name is Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Oh and Mr. Bond, please leave him to us, it would be unfortunate for MI6 to lose its last "00" in
    pursuit of another personal revenge".

    Very cool :D
    Only problem there is that in You Only Live Twice, Bond had never met or heard of Blofeld before, so if Fiennes does turn out to be him then it probably won't be directly said on screen, or if it is, then not for Bond or MI6 to hear. Maybe he'll be injured in a firefight at some point, leaving him with Donald Pleasence's classic scar over his eye, and we'll get a glimpse of some plans or blueprints labelled 'SPECTRE'?
  • HowardBHowardB USAPosts: 2,755MI6 Agent
    Scrummy64 wrote:
    HowardB wrote:
    BIG TAM wrote:
    Not a bad synopsis of how things may pan out, HowardB. I particularly like the idea of the Moneypenny entrance. I'd still like to see Fiennes as a baddie, though.

    No problem with Fiennes turning out to be a deeply embedded mole within the British government either.
    Maybe Bond sniffs him out in the end, but Fiennes character manages to escape/disappear. Film could end with Bond getting a mysterious phone call from a former adversary (voice of Mr. White) "Hello Mr. Bond, I just wanted to express my condolences regarding the very unfortunate passing of your leader, M and your fellow MI6 compatriots. I want to let you know that such barbarism was not the work of Quantum. Yes, we did place the man you know as "Mallory" deep inside your government, but to gain influence and control not plot and commit murder. Much to our great embarrasment he had gone rogue on us. His real name is Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Oh and Mr. Bond, please leave him to us, it would be unfortunate for MI6 to lose its last "00" in
    pursuit of another personal revenge".

    Very cool :D
    Only problem there is that in You Only Live Twice, Bond had never met or heard of Blofeld before, so if Fiennes does turn out to be him then it probably won't be directly said on screen, or if it is, then not for Bond or MI6 to hear. Maybe he'll be injured in a firefight at some point, leaving him with Donald Pleasence's classic scar over his eye, and we'll get a glimpse of some plans or blueprints labelled 'SPECTRE'?

    Sounds good to me. Maybe Fiennes is scarred by Bond himself while making his escape. Being part of the re-boot or new Bond universe the writers should have a lot of freedom with re-booting Blofeld :s
  • minigeffminigeff EnglandPosts: 7,884MI6 Agent
    this whole idea of rebooting blofeld is a bit, i dunno, dare i say it..... amateurish?

    in my mind, the idea of having a big baddy secret organisation is an ok ish one, but i'd rather have something a bit more subtle than volcano lairs and oil rigs.

    i'd prefer for the DC films to kinda tie in together, like say have in a future film a reference back to an old one say like have eve actually turn out to be a mole and a couple of films down the line a future villian say something along the lines of "why do you think we didn't have you killed in Istanbul Mr Bond?" and then Bond twig that he's been the focus of said big baddy group for some time.

    I guess what I'm saying is I'd prefer a more in depth way of writing and subtle approach to future villians/organisations instead of daft 'take over the world' plots.

    i think by setting up the Quantum group, and leaving it open at the end of QoS, we've now got a decent organisation that can be brought out of storage when the time's right, as long as it's not over used.

    the days of spectre, blofeld and white persians are long gone. as good as they were, i think its only right to leave them in the past and move forward.

    as for mallory's character, i can't wait to see how it pans out. something tells me that fiennes is gonna deliver the goods, as long as he doesn't tell bond that he's "going to loooose evvvveryyything"..... :p

    MG
    'Force feeding AJB humour and banter since 2009'
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  • HowardBHowardB USAPosts: 2,755MI6 Agent
    Couple random thoughts/scenarios:
    If Fiennes character turns out to be the "bad guy" and he is responsible for M's murder he won't survive the film. Bond will kill him at the end. I base this on EON not wanting a "downer" ending and not wanting to hem themselves in to another direct sequal.

    If "M" survives and Fiennes turns out to be the "bad guy" maybe he escapes and returns as a nemesis in 24. So throw out the no more direct sequels theory.

    I still have a gut feeling that Dench's "M" will be killed off or just retire in the end and Fiennes becomes the new "M".
  • BIG TAMBIG TAM Wrexham, North Wales, UK.Posts: 773MI6 Agent
    I didn't think Blofeld was a viable prospect anymore due to legal wranglings? Perhaps people know differently. I'd be interested to know the legal stance on this.
  • minigeffminigeff EnglandPosts: 7,884MI6 Agent
    BIG TAM wrote:
    I didn't think Blofeld was a viable prospect anymore due to legal wranglings? Perhaps people know differently. I'd be interested to know the legal stance on this.

    you're absolutely correct, it'd be criminal to bring back blofeld :v
    'Force feeding AJB humour and banter since 2009'
    Vive le droit à la libre expression! Je suis Charlie!
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  • Sir MilesSir Miles The Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,766Chief of Staff
    minigeff wrote:
    the days of spectre, blofeld and white persians are long gone. as good as they were, i think its only right to leave them in the past and move forward.

    You are so right with this....as much as we want to 're-live the golden days', I just think to bring it back like that would be too cheesy...I could 'see' Tamil Rahani as the head of Quantum though....
    YNWA 97
  • David SchofieldDavid Schofield EnglandPosts: 1,528MI6 Agent
    Sir Miles wrote:
    minigeff wrote:
    the days of spectre, blofeld and white persians are long gone. as good as they were, i think its only right to leave them in the past and move forward.

    You are so right with this....as much as we want to 're-live the golden days', I just think to bring it back like that would be too cheesy...I could 'see' Tamil Rahani as the head of Quantum though....

    Rahani? The imbecile who used an airship but WITHOUT bringing along his own pilot????? 8-)

    Yep, sounds just like the head of Quantum, employers of the idiots of QOS.
  • mfstudiomfstudio Posts: 28MI6 Agent
    This topic is about two possible things - Is Mallory a bad guy (the next head of Mi6) or a bad guy (possibly new Blofeld). Well, what about he's both and Bond doesn't know it! I would be Mallory who kills "M", he becames the head of Mi6 at the end of SKYFALL and the audience knows that he's the villian, but Bond doesn't. I think, it would be an interesting development for next bond-movies.
  • darenhatdarenhat The Old PuebloPosts: 2,029Quartermasters
    I like the idea of Fiennes as the new M...even if he is Craig's contemporary. In fact, I think that would be perfect since, I'm tired of seeing Dench and Craig's characters being at odds - that's not the M-Bond relationship that Fleming created. Since Fiennes character doesn't seem to like Dench, I see that as common ground for a good Fiennes/Craig ("Now that she's gone, let's do what MI6 is meant to do") repartee.

    The name fits too - Messervy, Mawdsley, Mallory.

    I'd hate to see Fiennes play a villian - again. It's too 'old hat' even if he is good at it. Also, I don't want Skyfall to be 'two-parter' like CR and QOS and his playing a villain seems to make that a possibility.
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