Damian Lewis is the favourite to play the next James Bond. What do you think?

[MitzyLeFrouf]

I know most secret agents probably look like John Major but I do think the fictional ones at least should be suave and sophisticated. Damian Lewis looks as though he should be working for the council, in charge of assigning allotments or something equally as dangerous.

I just can’t imagine him arse kicking and seducing his way across the world in pursuit of the baddies. He looks as though he'd stop mid scrap to tell the villains that his bad hip was at him and could they please reschedule.

Are you a fan of the smug mouthed one?

Robert Pattinson is a bit too sickly and wheezy looking to go charging about on the tops of high speed trains after Baron Von Baddie. He'd have made a good Victorian Bond though............one who was in the throes of galloping consumption.

Oh livin you are so bad! My heart is all a flutter now he is just gorgeous and oh my god when he has the batsuit on his voice goes all low and gravely......oh I need a lie down!

I think Matthew Goode

here
But it depends how much of downton he is down to do.

Jamie Dornan is too boyish.

Don't even know what his name is but he should definitely be the next James Bond.

Rewatching the Wire for the first time, Idris would be perfect for the role but don't think he's going to do it sadly.

Damian Lewis - meh.

I reckon Poldark should do it - I know women from their 20s to their 70s who were swooning over him, and he has the voice of gravitas. Aidan Turner gets my vote.

Idris would be perfect

for the third time, not first!

I think he'd be an idiot to take it- his career is going from strength to strength, and the Bond role would be a straitjacket to him.

I think they missed a trick by not getting Clive Owen when he was a bit younger.

Jason Statham has said he's available for the role.

Ahem.

Aidan Turner is too young, Bond should be around 40, no? And Christian Bale is too big a star, Daniel Craig wasn't that well known when he was cast. I don't think they'd cast an Aussie, would they?
Idris would be good, agree its time for a black Bond. Remember the fuss when DC was cast, a blond Bond !

Idris or Damien.

Hubba hubba.

George Lazenby was an Aussie. He was also awful in the role.

Idris is THE only sensible choice.

LurkingHusband check out Luther.

I still haven't recovered from my disgust at the comments some people I work work with about Idris being Bond (they weren't positive, and not negative for valid reasons)

Anyway Damien I don't think would work, he does lack that menace. Though he has played characters that aren't exactly lovely he just didnt portray that overwhelming 'presence' that I think Bond needs.

Well, quite!

Aidan Turner is 31 so he'll be the correct age when he's on his 3rd or 4th film

But yes, Idris would be so perfect. We watched the episode with this scene last night and tried to act all nonchalant with DH on the sofa next to me...

Mark Strong? Great actor and can do menacing well.

Oooh I love Mark Strong. His voice is so.......hhhnnngghhhhh

Oh, I think Lewis can do menace. He certainly did in Homeland and Wolf Hall. But I think it would be a very conservative choice- if they really want to bring the franchise up to date, I think they need to move away from the Humorous White Male Toff Psychopath archetype. Or at least shake it up a bit. Part of the problem, I suppose, is that they don't seem sure where to go with Bond: should it be that quintessentially vintage old-school Brit spy thing, or should it be more like other contemporary action movies? If the former, they risk it dying of irrelevance, but if they go the latter route, they are up against myriad other franchises like Bourne, Salt, Mission Impossible etc.

The only prerequisits for Bond are that he be British and at least 40 - Bond is a Royal Navy Commander, a rank that takes many years of service to achieve. Whilst there have been some Commanders promoted in their late-30s, they are the exception rather than the rule.

Oh and for those who say you can't see Cumberbatch beating up bad guys, I suggest you watch the short film Little Favour