Colin Firth Tips Bond Again

Colin Firth is ‘desperate’ to succeed Pierce Brosnan as the next James Bond.

The Bridget Jones’s Diary star is keen to cast off his image as the smouldering Mr Darcy from Pride and Prejudice by playing a ruthless 007. Firth admits he would jump at the chance to replace Brosnan, who is contracted for just one more Bond movie. ‘I’d go for it, absolutely! I’d love the idea,’ he enthuses. But Firth, 40, could face competition from antipodean lovehound Russell Crowe, who fancies his chances of grabbing the plum role.

A source close to Firth said: ‘Colin is desperate to star as Bond. But he’s realistic about his chances and admits that Russell Crowe is probably the favourite.’ Firth, who is married to producer Livia Giuggioli, has just celebrated the birth of a son, Luca, who was born in Rome a fortnight ago.

Bruce Feirstein Finishes New Script

Screenwriter Bruce Feirstein made his connection with the James Bond series when he wrote the first draft of Tomorrow Never Dies, the story solely his. He also worked on a third draft of The World Is Not Enough. As yet there’s no news on his involvement with Bond 20 and when we last spoke with him he had no connection with it.

However, that doesn’t mean that he’s out of work. DarkHorizons has reported:

James Bond film writer Bruce Feirstein has apparently just finished a script for John Woo entitled “The Professionals”, no word on if its related to the British show of the same name.

If we find out anymore we’ll be sure to let you know.

'Bond… James Bond' Is Favourite Film Catchphrase

From Ananova:

A new poll of British film goers has revealed the nation’s favourite film catch phrase.

More than 2,000 cinema goers took part in the poll which was conducted by London’s City University and WENN.

James Bond came out on top with the line: The name’s Bond, James Bond.

It was first said by Sean Connery in 1962’s Dr No.

Second was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s line from 1984’s Terminator: I’ll be back.

The full line up of the top 20 favourite film catchphrases is:

1 The name’s Bond, James Bond – Dr No

2 I’ll be back – Terminator

3 Play it Sam – Casablanca

4 Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn – Gone
With The Wind

5 You were only supposed to blow the bloody
doors off! – Italian Job

6 Here’s Johnny – The Shining

7 You can take our lives, but you’ll never take
our freedom – Braveheart

8 Life is like a box of chocolates – Forrest Gump

9 Show me the money! – Jerry Maguire

10 Phone Home – ET

11 I’m the King of the World – Titanic

12 To infinity and beyond – Toy Story

13 May the force be with you – Star Wars

14 Go ahead punk, make my day – Dirty Harry

15 You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? – Taxi
Driver

16 I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse – The
Godfather

17 That’s another fine mess you got me into – Way Out West

18 Why don’t you come up and see me – She Done Him Wrong

19 Look at me Ma, I’m on top of the world – White Heat

20 I coulda been a contender, I coulda been a contender – On The Waterfront.

Brosnan Set for Irish Wedding in August

DUBLIN (Reuters) – Irish-born actor Pierce Brosnan, the current film incarnation of British super-agent James Bond, will marry Keely Shaye Smith on August 4 in the west of Ireland, newspapers reported Monday.

The couple have opted for a Roman Catholic church ceremony to be followed by a reception in Ashford Castle in County Mayo, one of the top 50 hotels in the world, reports said.

Widower Brosnan, 49, twice postponed the wedding to Smith, 36, last year after his teenaged son Sean suffered spinal injuries in a traffic accident.

Brosnan, born in Navan, north of Dublin, is believed to have signed a six-figure contract with Hello magazine for exclusive pictures of the wedding, reports said.

Happy Birthday Jonathan Pryce

Happy Birthday today to the Emperor of the Air, Elliot Carver… I mean Jonathan Pryce. Born on this day in 1947 in Holywell, North Wales.

Here’s a short bio from the IMDB:

Subtle, incisive actor who can play Casper Milquetoast types and sinister villains alike. A stage veteran, Pryce studied at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and acted with the Royal Shakespeare Company in such productions as “Measure for Measure” and “Antony and Cleopatra.” His early film credits include Voyage of the Damned (1976), Loophole (1980), The Ploughman’s Lunch (1983), and Something Wicked This Way Comes (also 1983, as Mr. Dark), but it was his performance as the timid clerk Sam Lowry in Terry Gilliam’s nightmare comedy Brazil (1985) that made him a movie “name.” He has since appeared in some very negligible comedies like Haunted Honeymoon, Jumpin’ Jack Flash (both 1986), and Consuming Passions (1988), in addition to Gilliam’s The Adventures of Baron Munchausen andThe Rachel Papers (both 1989). Pryce was memorable as Al Pacino’s potential client in Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), Monsieur Rivière in The Age of Innocence (1993), and especially as the ice-like Henry Kravis in the TV movie Barbarians at the Gate (1993). He won the Best Actor award at Cannes for Carrington (1995). On Broadway, he won Tony Awards for “Comedians” (1977) and “Miss Saigon” (1990), the latter causing a furor from Actors’ Equity over objections to a white man playing a Eurasian part.

Happy Birthday Mr Pryce and here’s to many more!

Happy Birthday To The Man Who Started It All

Happy Birthday to a man who needs no introduction at all.

Ian Lancaster Fleming was born on this day in 1908. Needless to say on he would go on to create out favourite hero, James Bond.

Sadly, Fleming had a short lived life of only 56 years. He died at 1 am on August the 12th, 1964. His only son, Caspter, suicided in 1975 and his wife Anne passed away in 1981. All three are buried together.

So we commit this in memory of Fleming who would have turned 93 today.

Happy Birthday Christopher Lee

Happy Birthday today to actor Christopher Lee. Lee was born on this day in 1922.

Lee has a unique association to the Bond series. He is the nephew of Ian Fleming and Fleming insisted that he played Dr Julius No in the original film, however, producers disagreed.

He finally played the villian Fransico Scaramanga opposite Roger Moore in The Man With The Golden Gun.

His next major release will be Star Wars Episode II in which he played Count Dooku.

Happy Birthday Micheal Lonsdale

Happy Birthday today to Mr Micheal Lonsdale. He was born on the 24th of May back in 1931.

Lonsdale of course appeared as Hugo Drax in 1979’s ‘Moonraker’. Drax of course wanted to start a new Aryan Race, Bond of course stopped him.

Lonsdale’s ties with the Bond series don’t end there. He has also Appeared In “Is Paris Burning?” along side actor Gert Frobe, who gave a brilliant performance as Auric Goldfinger in Goldfinger. He also starred in “The Name Of The Rose” with former Bond Sean Connery.

Happy Birthday Pierce Brosnan!

Happy Birthday today to a man who needs no introduction, Pierce Brosnan!

Brosnan turns 48 today! He first appeared in the James Bond series as James Bond in 1995’s GoldenEye; but you knew that already!! He will next appear as James Bond in James Bond 20.

Feel free to discuss Brosnan in the CommanderBond.net Forums, where there are several relevant sections to the past and future Brosnan eras!

Happy Birthday To Glen & Wiseman

Today is a double whammy for birthdays in the James Bond world!

John Glen turns 69 today, being born in 1932. Glen has worked on many a Bond film as Second Unit Director, Assistant Director, Editor and most importantly Director making him one of the most associated Bond Crew.

Happy Birthday to Joseph Wiseman as well, born on this day in 1918 in Canada. He turns 83! Wiseman played the first villain in the James Bond series, Doctor Julius No, in 1962’s Dr. No. It’s a little known fact that he also did the voice of Ernst Stavros Blofeld in 1965’s Thunderball, for which he received no credit.

Happy Birthday to both of them from CommanderBond.net! And thanks to NJ for the reminder!