Kevin Spacey Nearly Played Bond 23 Villain

Kevin Spacey Nearly Played Bond 23 Villain

The Oscar winning actor was almost lined up to portray the villain in the upcoming 23rd James Bond film, but his love for the stage came first.

News
By ecksmanfan - Feb 22, 2011 08:02 PM EST
Filed Under: Action
Source: Live For Films

Kevin Spacey's last venture in the world of villains didn't pan out to well, as Superman Returns turned out to be somewhat underwhelming, but I'm not sure we can blame Spacey for that. But that is a discussion for another article.

In a recent talk with Spacey, he revealed that since Sam Mendes would be helming the next installment in the James Bond franchise, he was considered for the role of the main villain.

"I asked him did he want to be the Bond villain in Bond 23 as Sam Mendes was directing it. Spacey would have loved to have played the part and looks as if he would have if it had not been for Richard III. Sam Mendes is also directing that, but Spacey goes on tour with the play while Mendes goes on to direct Bond. Neither Sam or Kevin were happy about it but nothing could be done."


Spacey and Mendes previously worked together on the multi-award winning film American Beauty and have sinces worked together on other projects, including, as the article states, the current stage version of "Richard III."

I can't say that I'm upset about this. While I am a big fan of Spacey (thought he was easily the best part of Superman Returns, despite it lack-luster script), I just don't see him as a Bond villain, but who knows, they man has pulled off some great roles. Javier Bardem, who was offered the role, has yet to commit to the project
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Sweep
Sweep - 2/22/2011, 8:50 PM
He was a great villain in Se7en. Not so good in Superman Returns. Bardem would be a much better choice.
DetectiveCinema
DetectiveCinema - 2/22/2011, 8:51 PM
Hmm, he do alright. There are better choices out there though...



If you get the chance, Check out my James Bond: Diamonds Are Forever fancast ^^^

JUST CLICK THE PIC!
Sweep
Sweep - 2/22/2011, 8:57 PM
I reckon Stellan Skarsgard would give it a red hot go too.
Hannibal_King
Hannibal_King - 2/22/2011, 9:20 PM
Whilst it'd be interesting seeing him in a Bond movie would Spacey really get the people into the cinemas?

I can't remember the last time I saw a movie just because Spacey was in it.
LP4
LP4 - 2/22/2011, 9:24 PM
@ecksmanfan- As usual (like the routh-supporters) you're stating that we should not hold Spacey AT ALL accountable for his take on Lex Luthor. Look I'm all for blaming everything on Singer. But fact is- Spacey will NEVER be able to ever fully escape a tide of anger from comicbook-fans for his SHITTY Lex.

If Spacey knew the portrayal of Lex would not be good, he shouldn't have taken the job in the first place- makes him a sell-out to the FANS- He basically took a gig...a gig that was a total B/I/T/C/H SLAP to fans of the character and he took that gig for a paycheck.

= SELLOUT. Sorry spacey-fans but he is a major sellout.

LP4
LP4 - 2/22/2011, 9:25 PM
Maybe Spacey will get his chance to be a bond-villain. His evil scheme can be that he sells real-estate, LOL. And maybe in the film he can grow crystals in water. Awesome bond film right there, LMAO
LP4
LP4 - 2/22/2011, 9:29 PM
Thank you "grif" for your contribution as usual :D
LP4
LP4 - 2/22/2011, 9:31 PM
@RacerREX- Spacey was all wrong for the role. Even in the COMICS- Lex is physically FIT- he can fight. In the film Spacey was just an old man who didn't look "fit" at all.

Spacey and his hackman impersonations won't be missed in the reboot :D
ecksmanfan
ecksmanfan - 2/22/2011, 9:31 PM
@LP4 Spacey, who is a great actor, did the best he could with a shit script...THAT'S what I'm stating. As I stated, he was easily the best acted role in the film, but that's like saying one piece of shit smells better than all the others.

His character was a "continuation" of sorts to the Gene Hackman take on the Lex Luthor character, so if anything, we have Richard Donner to thank for that...not Singer.
LP4
LP4 - 2/22/2011, 9:32 PM
Personally I'd think- Billy Zane or Timothy Olyphant would make a much better Luthor than spacey. Just saying...
LP4
LP4 - 2/22/2011, 9:33 PM
@ecksmanfan- Yeah I know what his Luthor was based on. That's why I hated it. In any case yeah he acted the role well but that doesn't make a damn difference. It still screwed over the fans and still nearly destroyed Superman. And the fact that Spacey was PART of it doesn't make me any more a FAN of the guy that you all are.

Oh and you're stating we should blame DONNER for the Spacey portrayal of Lex?? That was mostly Singer's fault. I blame Donner for making Lex campy in the old films...but being those are classics I don't hold it to him that much. SINGER deserves ALL the blame.

But the fact that Spacey is a SELLOUT doesn't make me like him very much either.
LP4
LP4 - 2/22/2011, 9:35 PM
@RacerREX- My point is- Spacey is a sellout. And he is.
LP4
LP4 - 2/22/2011, 9:36 PM
He wanted to be Luthor again- FAT CHANCE that fat old man will get the part back. Snyder rebooted everything from that trash. Got rid of routh, spacey and everything! Good riddance.
LP4
LP4 - 2/22/2011, 9:38 PM
@RacerREX- Also you're wrong, in the comics Luthor WEARS A BATTLESUIT and beats the crap out of Superman. I can't imagine- Spacey's old wrinkly self inside a battlesuit. It seems almost laughable just thinking about it.

Timothy Olyphant as a younger Lex makes more sense for the reboot.
ecksmanfan
ecksmanfan - 2/22/2011, 9:43 PM
@LP4- To each his own I guess. He chose a bad role. All actors have. I don't count that as making him a sell out. By this logic....Ryan Reynolds, Eric Bana, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, James Marsters, Famke Janssen, Anna Paquin, etc., etc., etc., are all sell outs, because they portrayed comic book characters that strayed from their origins in the printed comics.
LP4
LP4 - 2/22/2011, 9:47 PM
@RacerREX- I never said he was a bad actor nor have i attacked his grammys or whatever. I'm just saying as a fan of the character of LEX LUTHOR i hated his portrayal, I don't care WHO is really to blame. I just look at the guy who donned the role. I look at the guy who shaved his head and called himself "Lex Luthor" I don't care about that asshole Bryan Singer who meddled behind the scenes. I am looking at the ACTUAL GUY who did the role.

@ecksmanfan- He could have turned down the bad role. Leonardo Di Caprio and Ed Norton are two fine actors who have turned down really bad roles before. Spacey is about their level of acting so he could have turned down the shitty role. But he DIDN'T= SELLOUT.
LP4
LP4 - 2/22/2011, 9:48 PM
Anyway, END OF DISCUSSION.

I'm logging out.
InTylerWeTrust
InTylerWeTrust - 2/22/2011, 10:00 PM
Billy Zane isn't fit to hold Spacey's jock.

Calling him a sellout because he wasn't the Lex Luthor you wanted is absolutely ridiculous. Same as calling Singer or Routh an asshole.
HARVEYdent86
HARVEYdent86 - 2/23/2011, 2:33 AM
@TheWitness - U mean USUAL suspects!haha Anyways, I feel like Spacey is indeed one of the best actors around and in all honesty, back when I watch Superman Returns when it came out, I enjoyed his portrayal as Lex... However... over time and research have come to the realisation that it was actually a horrid campy style and shouldn't have been done in that way! Did I think spacey screwed it up? NO, I do believe it was Singer's direction for Spacey to do more of a "Hackman" version, so yeah the blames on him personally... for me! As bond villian, he can do it justice, however Javier would be even better! No Country For Old Men is just proof of how sinister and evil he can b!
HARVEYdent86
HARVEYdent86 - 2/23/2011, 2:36 AM
@TheWitness - U mean USUAL suspects!haha Anyways, I feel like Spacey is indeed one of the best actors around and in all honesty, back when I watch Superman Returns when it came out, I enjoyed his portrayal as Lex... However... over time and research have come to the realisation that it was actually a horrid campy style and shouldn't have been done in that way! Did I think spacey screwed it up? NO, I do believe it was Singer's direction for Spacey to do more of a "Hackman" version, so yeah the blames on him personally... for me! As bond villian, he can do it justice, however Javier would be even better! No Country For Old Men is just proof of how sinister and evil he can b!
AlexDeLarge87
AlexDeLarge87 - 2/23/2011, 4:30 AM
He would have been great as calculating and cold bastard villain!:) Se7en and American Beauty are still on my top ten list of favorite movies!

Bardem is good choice. I still hope thou that the rumored Ralph Fiennes plays the main villain and Bardem the secondary villain (maybe a drug lord or something like that)
rolanddeschain
rolanddeschain - 2/23/2011, 5:12 AM
Bardem FTW as Bond villian.....

Spacey.....Great in Se7en, great as Kaiser Soze.....Bond Villian?......not so much
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