Casino Royale predictions???

[LeiterCIA]

Man up and lay it on the line!... Here and now! Based on the tidbits we have to go on, what are you betting?

I predict a great film, best Bond since The Living Daylights.

[Kara Milovy]

I think we'll see some real groaner stupid cliches, some classic Purvis & Wade won't those guys shut up moments, but I agree that most of it will be great. I think TLD is a good comparison.

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

I think it will be great, and DC will silence his doubters. I also have higher hopes for the dialogue as I think the talent vacuums that are P&W will be reigned in a bit. CR is not a story that lends itself to quips.

[Asonokirk V 2.0]

If the screenplay truly captures the spirit and intent of Ian Fleming's book, it should be a great Bond film. I always loved that story and was appalled by the David Niven/Woody Allen version. The bottom line is this is the last of Fleming''s Bond novels to be translated to film. I don't consider the 60's version anything other than a spoof, not a real Bond film.

I know I'm insane, but imagine Dr. Who meeting Bond during one of the Doctor's adventures.

[Boromir006]

I think it'll be fine. My only concern is that in the quest to make it "dark," "gritty" and "real" they'll forget to bring the fun. (Eg. Licence to Kill.) I don't want to watch Bond moping and groaning about his rotten life for two hours... it doesn't matter how true to the book that character arc might be.

[LeiterCIA]

My only concern is that in the quest to make it "dark," "gritty" and "real" they'll forget to bring the fun. Yeah, thats how I am leaning too (though, for me it's not a concern). I have a feeling they'll work hard to avoid the quips and anything resembling slapstick comedy. I am hoping they wont be so concerned with "dark" as they are with gritty realism. From what I have seen, I think they are on the right track.

[Martini97]

I don't want to "count my chickens before they hatch." So to avoid
"jinxing" the whole thing, I'm not going to make any position from this point on.

[UNCLEagent]

Bond was always larger than life. A Bond movie was like a trip to the circus (I DON'T mean Moonraker here)

I hope they don't become too obssessed with the reality, gritty aspects as to lose the fun. IMHO, while Bourne may be an entertaining ride, it is by no stretch of the imagination "fun" as one would expect from a Bond film.

I fear it may be a let down. It won't be Craig's doing; it will be the direction.

I hope (and expect) to be wrong.

[Kara Milovy]

I didn't see Crash, but there was some funny stuff in Million Dollar Baby, even though it was a dark, gritty movie. And Martin Campbell, who brought us an earlier Bond film with a lot of grit (a killer fist fight, "For England James?" the beach scene, the destruction of Severnaya), also gave us Boris and "Stand By Your Man". GoldenEye is one of the best blends of humor and grit in the series.

[Cooper]

The Bond "firsts" have an excellent record. Dr. No, OHMSS, Living Daylights and Goldeneye. ...all great Bond films. Can't talk about Live and Let Die, cause I never saw the whole thing (my Moore viewing record is abysmal).

Royale will not disappoint. I think Pierce deserved one more film, but I'm looking forward to Craig and a fresh start. (wish it was a little bit more of a fresh start without Ms. Dench)

I don't need a lot of humor in these movies but I'm reading Thunderball now and just read a great section where Felix and Bond bemoan the terrible food they have to eat at their hotel and Leiter goes on to chide the bartender for being cheap with the alcohol in his martini. Bits of dialogue like that would be pure Bond and would give the films a new kind of humor... and also give Bond and Leiter the relationship they have ignored in these films.