Ralph Fiennes has shared that he missed an opportunity to portray James Bond after suggesting a radical reimagining of the iconic character.
Fiennes, 63, who currently plays M, the head of the British Secret Intelligence Service, in the Bond films, said he was approached about playing 007 years ago. He proposed that the Bond films be set in the mid-1950s and filmed in black and white, drawing inspiration from film noir and Ian Fleming's original novels.
"I think maybe I was a bit of a d***," Fiennes stated, reflecting on his suggestion. "I mean, I loved the books, and I like Barbara Broccoli enormously. But I suggested - could they not do them in the mid 1950s and black and white and very sort of film noir-y?"
He felt the earlier Bond films, such as From Russia With Love, were closer to the character described in Fleming's books, portraying Bond as "lonely, sexy, dark, and slightly violent." Fiennes noted that the film series evolved to become more "tongue in cheek," a direction that didn't align with his personal taste at the time.
Fiennes praised Daniel Craig's tenure as Bond, stating that Craig "re-invented Bond in a fantastic way by going so grittily right in, totally plausible, complex, dark." He believes Craig successfully balanced the gritty realism with the franchise's traditional elements of wit and character.
The search for the next James Bond is ongoing, with recent reports indicating that Callum Turner, Jack Lowden, and a mystery actor participated in final auditions. Bookmakers currently favor Jack Lowden for the role, with Callum Turner as his closest competitor. Producer Amy Pascal has indicated that a decision could be reached by the end of the year, potentially allowing filming for the next movie to commence in 2027.