Albert Finney Reportedly in Bond 23 Cast

[JAMESHOT]

Is Albert Finney Joining Bond 23?

After years and years of delays and way more rumors that we can keep track of, Bond 23, the next outing of the super spy James Bond with the rumored title Skyfall is finally ready to go into production--so ready, in fact, that on November 23rd there will be a press conference announcing the start of production. Sam Mendes will be on hand as the director, and presumably Bond himself Daniel Craig will be there with him, but the studio has been so unwilling to confirm casting rumors that they won't even announce which other cast members will be there. Javier Bardem has said himself that he'll be in the film but won't specify the part, and Ralph Fiennes has been rumored for a role for so long it must be true, but beyond that we really don't know how to separate rumor from fact.

So, in the few days remaining before we get actual confirmation of who will be in the film, add another rumor to the pile. The Daily Mail-- source of a lot of Bond rumors up to this point-- reports that the production has recruited British screen veteran Albert Finney to play a Foreign Office chief who is technically the boss of M, played by Judi Dench. Finney has the gravitas to play the role, for sure, but it's unclear how someone further up in the bureaucracy in charge of Bond might be able to fit into an action-heavy film. You could choose to read this as confirmation of that weird rumor that Mendes was trying to cut all the action out of the film, but that story still doesn't hold water for me so I'm leaving it alone.

No matter how they fit him into the story, Finney-- who hasn't acted in a movie since 2007's Before the Devil Knows You're Dead-- should be a welcome addition to the Bond universe, and with plans to reprise his role in the next Bourne movie, he seems to be making up for his brief absence.

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Alber...-23-27601.html

[pegsman]

This sounds more and more like a very classy affair.

[JAMESHOT]

Much better cast than the last one if all holds true. Might be one of the best all star casts ever for a Bond film.....

[JAMESHOT]

This girl Darla Hanger from the National Examiner / Examiner .com is reporting that he will play M ? I think she has things mixed up over there........

http://www.examiner.com/celebrity-he...-m-new-bond-23

Albert Finney is "M" in new Bond 23
Bond 23 is awaiting full casting and the start of the new movie is eagerly anticipated by Bond Fans. Today it was announced that Albert Finney will join the cast as "M", James Bond's boss. Finney replaces Judi Dench, who has played the Bond superior in several films and has previously been reported to be cast for this film.

Tuesday's announcement was met with enthusiasm by fans, who are awaiting the official Bond 23 press conference on November 3, kicking off the principal photography for the film.

Albert Finney is well equipped for this role and fans may recognise him from his roles in the Bourne Ultimatum, and is rumored to be cast in the Bourne Legacy. Finney also played in 'Erin Brockovich'. For a complete list of films check out his biographical sketch. Finney with his years of accomplishments, should bring a richness to this role of 'M'.

At this point the film's name has not been officially chosen and begs the question, "Will the film's name be 'Skyfall'?"

[pegsman]

Maybe M's indisposed and Finney's character takes over for a while? It's been done before.

[JAMESHOT]

Originally Posted by pegsman

Maybe M's indisposed and Finney's character takes over for a while? It's been done before.

Strong possibility after the SkyFall Plot synopsis today.....

(In SKYFALL, Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.)

[ShakenNStirred]

I wonder if Dench is forced into retirement due to the film's scandal, thus giving a dramatic introduction to Finney as the new M...

[ophir]

Originally Posted by ShakenNStirred

I wonder if Dench is forced into retirement due to the film's scandal, thus giving a dramatic introduction to Finney as the new M...

Or maybe she is killed?

[Spanner]

Whatever Finney's exact role is, the fact that he's in it is just very exciting.

[JAMESHOT]

Originally Posted by Spanner

Whatever Finney's exact role is, the fact that he's in it is just very exciting.

What if he is playing M's husband and Fiennes as her son. Just another to throw out there....

There have also been brief references to M's family: In GoldenEye, she responds to Tanner's "Evil Queen of Numbers" jab by telling him that when she wants to hear sarcasm she'll listen to her children. In The World Is Not Enough, Sir Robert King wishes M the best to her family; later she recalls advising King not to pay his daughter Elektra's ransom, against "every instinct I had as a mother."

[ShakenNStirred]

Originally Posted by JAMESHOT

What if he is playing M's husband and Fiennes as her son. Just another to throw out there....

There have also been brief references to M's family: In GoldenEye, she responds to Tanner's "Evil Queen of Numbers" jab by telling him that when she wants to hear sarcasm she'll listen to her children. In The World Is Not Enough, Sir Robert King wishes M the best to her family; later she recalls advising King not to pay his daughter Elektra's ransom, against "every instinct I had as a mother."

Interesting take on this JAMESHOT. Not sure how I'd feel about her family coming into play. I like the small role M's husband has played in the last two Bonds, but I'm not sure if I want them to be part of the plot... my gut tells me that'd be a bad idea. Then again, Fleming allowed us to see into M's life a bit more than the films, so it may work. Finney does look like he could play her husband (but then surely couldn't they have said the name of his character at the press conference, because all we know of M's name is... well, M, so if they said a proper name for the husband we wouldn't be able to connect the two until we'd seen the film (or read spoilers...))