Being a Bond villain is no more of a joke than it is for an actor to take up the role of the heroic but cocksure spy. The villain has to be someone that can be genuinely menacing and yet in some cases suave enough that they’re not overtly terrifying, unless they’re playing the muscle, in which case they still need to able to spruce up. Some actors are just born for such roles while others might have to work at it a bit, but this list below is one compiled from a long line of actors that might be able to do it, but in the humble opinion of this writer could possibly match Bond for style, grace, and in some cases sheer aggression.
So here we go.
5. Guy Pearce
You might not think it but Guy Pearce can be a very creepy and very powerful character. In Brimstone he shows such a vindictive side of his nature that you can’t help but hate him the entire way through and forgive anything that Dakota Fanning’s character does just on basic principle. As far as villains go he’s kind of over the top, but that’s what is needed for a Bond villain, and he could fit the bill quite well.
4. Michael Shannon
If you compare Zod to the version that Terrence Stamp gave rise to the voice is a little odd, but the aggression is perfect. As a Bond villain he’d be best as a mad dog killer, someone that could slice you to ribbons after pumping you full of lead but still have the mental faculties to be smart about how he did it. Shannon would be a dangerous blend of physical prowess and animal instinct it seems like.
3. Ben Kingsley
Yes I know this shows Antonio Banderas but the main bad guy in the film is Ben Kingsley, and he’s great because he’s one of the perfect masterminds behind those that would serve him so willingly. He has the charisma and the mental fortitude to go the distance with Bond while never having to be in the same room as him. It would be a test of wills and intelligence as Sir Ben Kingsley took the field.
2. Gary Oldman
Gary Oldman is what you would call a gimmee for any villain role in any film really. He’s played the mad dog killer, the mastermind behind the gang, the calm and patient gentleman that knows how and when to strike, and the loose cannon that can just fly off the hook whenever he wants. As he’s gotten older he would likely be the hidden power behind an organization that’s meant to do something nefarious in the next Bond film, and that would be perfect.
1. Cillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy might seem like and odd choice since you could be thinking that he hasn’t earned his stripes for a movie like Bond just yet. But he’s got a couple of things going for him. One is that he’s the calm, psychotic type in the movies that could flip on a dime and become extremely dangerous. The other is that he’s just a creepy character when he’s acting, and should be able to match up with Bond fairly easily.
Those are my picks. Can you think of anyone else?
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