"Casino Royale," the forthcoming James Bond flick (number 21, if you’re counting), has generated quite the buzz among die-hard Bond fans irate over the casting of "Layer Cake" star Daniel Craig as the suave secret agent.
The vitriol is not held back at Craignotbond.com, the online headquarters for a grassroots movement to boycott "Casino Royale" on the sole basis that Daniel Craig is too short, too "rough faced," and too blond to play the beloved lethal lothario.
Fans supporting the boycott are also upset with the filmmakers for deciding the franchise needed a "reboot;" according to reports, "Casino Royale" will not carry on the chronology of the previous Bond films but will be a sort of prequel/origin story to restart the entire franchise. Thus, while Dame Judi Dench is onboard once again as Bond’s boss, "M," character actor Jeffrey Wright will portray CIA agent Felix Leiter — a recurring character previously played by numerous actors, who was killed off in 1989’s "License to Kill."
But back to the Craig debate. On their comprehensive website, boycotters seem consumed first and foremost with the physicality of their new Bond; at 5’11" Craig stands inches shy of his predecessors Sean Connery (6’2"), George Lazenby (6’2 1/2"), Roger Moore (6’1"), Timothy Dalton (6’2"), and Pierce Brosnan (6’1"). He’s got blond hair and blue eyes. According to the website, only "people who think that men like Mick Jagger, Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine are handsome" will find Craig attractive. To illustrate, the site juxtaposes Craig with pictures of Bill Murray, Bob Denver, and Cleveland Cavalier Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
And yet, that’s not all the latest news for the "Casino Royale" production and poor Daniel Craig. Days after the casting of Eva Green as Bond girl Vesper Lynd was confirmed (yay!), Craig got two of his teeth knocked out while filming his very first fight scene in Prague (aww). Add to that rumors that Craig couldn’t drive Bond’ signature Aston Martin with it’s manual stick shift, and this Bond’s got quite the mission: impossible ahead.
"Casino Royale" is set for release on November 17, 2006. The confirmed cast so far includes international thesps Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Eva Green, Jeffrey Wright, Mads Mikkelsen, Simon Abkerian, and Caterina Murino.
