And he’s a little short for a stormtrooper.
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I’ll fight the cause for Richard Madden.
First his age; he’s 32 with right now could be considered a little young. But he’s not playing Bond right now, Craig is preparing his last film for release in 2020 so realistically he won’t be making his debut until 2022. This would put him around 35/36 for his first Bond, only 2-3 years younger than Craig was for Casino Royale. I wouldn’t want to go any younger but given the slower production cycles of modern films a slightly younger Bond could be better in the long term. And he looks his age, he’s not one of these actors who was playing teen until his late 20’s.
As for his height, according to IMDb he’s only 1/4 of an inch shorter than Craig. Not really worth quibbling about.
Beyond that, I’ve long felt that he has a lot of potential as a leading man. I’m not saying he’s the best candidate but I think he deserves a screen test when the time comes.
I don’t want Madden as Bond. However, I do think there’s an argument for having a younger Bond.
I’m a little tired of this pattern in which we get an ideal Bond (Both Craig and Brossa), yet after a couple of movies they’re virtually 50 and visibly getting too old to play the action role. After all, even Fleming had Bond say that the agent didn’t expect to reach 40, so why is 37/8 seen as the perfect casting age?
A great example of the of the ramifications of this policy is the uncomfortable schism between QoS and SF:
QoS is about an agent learning the ropes - becoming the hardened character we know and then the next movie SF is about an agent being over the hill and fighting to stay relevant in this young man’s job. What the hell happened to everything inbtween?
It’s a crazy situation to constantly be repeating all because of the fallacy that an actor has to be around that age to be plausible, or mature enough.
Ive always agreed with the approach that they should cast the best actor and mould it around them, but the best actors around are all too often mid to late 30s.
I think it’s time to take a risk on a younger, less proven actor whom may not hit his stride for 2 or 3 movies, but will then have another 5 or 6 left after that. Connery was 31/2 in Dr No.
A compromise is to return to the movie every 2 years output. But let’s be realistic, that just isn’t going to happen in any sustainable way - those days would appear to be over.
I would suggest that you watch The Take, which could be considered a screen test of sorts , Idris Elba is by far the more charismatic of the pair, Madden hasn’t got “it” , that spark of real magnetism I think is a must for any Bond.
Same thing happened IMO in The Bodyguard, Keely Hawes has that star quality which Madden lacks.
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How much of the starter age is a hangover from Connery, when they started with the intent to make b movies in a couple of months, so it was an actor for a short term view. Then when Connery was so imbued peoples minds, they kept casting to that ideal, regardless of the change in circumstances of the series.
I… agree completely 
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Stop the press!!! 
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And Lazenby was 29 during filming of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Additionally, a younger actor would make these relationships more believable as opposed to Bond coming off as a creepy old man at times. cough A View to a Kill cough
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Actor Dominic West has a peculiarly harebrained idea. This is what drinking the alt-control-left kool-aid gets you…
…and remember, we don’t discuss politics here, even when this spectacularly misguided…
I’m off to the Lounge of Solace for drinks. Anybody want to join me? We’ll put the drinks on some poor sap’s tab.
There’s a useful four letter word and he’s full of it.
…Is he perhaps a little miffed at being passed over in 2006!?
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Just goes to show that even the most ludicrous thing with “Bond” attached to it gets itself reported. Suggests there’s still some popular interest there to be mined and exploited, after all.
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There are a lot of groups in need of representation but James Bond can’t be used to represent all of them and nor should he.
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Given the number of Lego bricks not just in the British army but on the whole globe it’s evident Bond must be played by a Lego piece…
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Batman already beat them to it.
Not for the first time…
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I’m not disagreeing, but why is the one-film-every-two-years model over and done with? I can’t help hoping for its return.
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I wonder if Cary Grant would have modified his transatlantic accent had he agreed to do Dr No?
More here:
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Thanks for the link. NBNW is one of my favourite films.
I don’t think Carry would have modified his accent. The whole point of using it was that it would fit both the US and UK.
They don’t hire Movie Stars to act, they hire them to attract their fans. CG’s accent was a huge part of his brand (Connery comes to mind) and when the studio pays the big money they usually want the whole package. Cynical or common sense - your choice 
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Will Smith is a text book example. On the very rare occasions he gets to act, he’s very good (Ali, The Pursuit of Happyness), but that’s rarely what he’s hired to do. He’s hired to be Will Smith.
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