This time last year Activision made news by casting a new young actor as James Bond.
EastEnders actor Adam Croasdell has taken on the role of James Bond for the latest 007 video game.
The soap star, who plays Walford's Dr Al Jenkins, revealed that he was thrilled to be offered the part because he is keen to keep his career varied.
In an interview with BBC Asian Network, Crosdell confirmed: "Oddly enough I have just played James Bond in the new James Bond video game - how weird is that? I don't know what the future holds, but I'm always into varying up what comes my way, trying new things."
He continued: "I think video games and the making of that type of technology, being in a funny one-piece suit and being shot with 60 cameras, I think that's sort of the future.
"Andy Serkis did it in The Hobbit, and there's a new film Avatar which is James Cameron - it's all that sort of motion capture. I think it's the future, so I was fascinated to see how that would happen.
"I think in our lifetime it is going to swing very much into the realms of computerised environments and who knows, maybe there will be more of that."
Activision announced plans for the new Bond game in August. It is expected to be released next year.
One year later we have to ask whatever happened to Adam Croasdell? Activision might have changed their mind, although it does seem odd to have hired a new actor to develop the game then scrap all the work after the expenses involved in.
A little disappointing for those of us eager to see Bond return to his roots and had hoped a new actor in the Bloodstone video game might be a step towards that goal. However recasting the role was not completely out of bounds since Daniel Craig is Barbra Broccolis current choice for all things Bond. Although he is more Vladimir Putin than Sean Connery for our liking, however in Barbra Broccoli's defense love is blind. But never mind that old quarrel; it's water under the bridge. Well almost, if you catch my drift.
On the subject of James Bond Video Games there is one other question we have to ask; What Happened to Pierce Brosnan?
Yes, we know he was shamefully fired by Barbra Broccoli just two short years after success of Die Another Day and last appeared as Bond in the video game James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing (2003). This question concerning new Bond games may seem ignorant if not imprudent, it’s not. The video game that made an indelible mark on the world of James Bond and the video games GoldenEye has been reworked and reissued. However and this time using Daniel Craig’s likeness and voice. It’s OK go ahead and say it
“WTF!”
This is not the first time the Video Game Industry has tired to cash in on the nostalgia of the original Nintendo 64 GoldenEye game (see GoldenEye: Rogue Agent 2004). However this is beyond the pale. It seems greedy and scandalous for Judy Dench and Daniel Craig to be involved in this travesty when Pierce Brosna and Sean bean were not.
GoldenEye was Peirce Brosnan’s first Bond movie. Arguably the movie that saved the Bond franchise after the debacle that followed Timothy Dalton’s last outing as Bond License To Kill (1989). Removing Brosnan’s likeness from this new video game of his movie is unforgivable. To replace his image and role with Daniel Craig is an outright insult. When a video game entitled From Russia With Love was made Sean Connery’s voice and image was used. What changed? Brosnan seems the obvious choice, why would Daniel Craig a video game fan himself sully his reputation with this atrocity?
Whatever the answer it appears that the James Bond producers still have ill will and bad blood on their part towards Pierce Brosnan. What an attitude to have toward the man who made them a lot of money and secured the family business for the next two decades.
Daniel Craig’s involvement appears to be motivated by and perhaps limited to the pay day. Sad that one of Craig’s last appearances as James Bond will be forever remembered not a classic game rather as an impudent usurpation. A pity Daniel Craig decided to be involved with this remake of an iconic (Classic) James Bond game. New games created from scratch it is appropriate to use the current actor, but this a clear case of where being faithful to the original should have been strictly followed. Maybe some day Daniel will write a tell all autobiography and we will find out his arm was twisted to be involved with GoldenEye. We can hope so since this is one of the lowest blow a fellow actor can make.
"Accept no substitutes" wise words when they were first used in promotion of GoldenEye movie and fifteen years later are still words to live by. Hopefully this game will soon fail and be forgotten.
