Tabloids tout Ralph Fiennes for a role in Bond 23

Ralph Fiennes is being lined up as one of the stars of the next James Bond movie - reports the Daily Mail.

According to the paper, "his Hollywood representatives are in discussions with the producers and director Sam Mendes about a role in the film that so far is known only as James Bond 23. Mendes, who will direct Daniel Craig as Bond and Judi Dench as M, has spoken to Fiennes about ­taking on what has been described to me as ‘a darkly complex’ role."

"Fiennes is not interested in the usual run-of-the-mill action ­picture, but he was intrigued when he was told of Mendes’s ‘revolutionary’ plans for Bond 23."

‘It’s the first of a new generation of Bond films, and the ideas Mendes has push the film into darker territory where the characters are modern, mature and challenging,’ a film executive in Los Angeles connected to the production told the paper.

At the moment, the situation with Fiennes is purely at the ­discussion stage. Fiennes was approached because ‘the part is one of extreme complexity and only an actor of great ability and dexterity can take it on — and Ralph’s name is top of our list’.

The paper claims it’s not the same part that’s being talked about for Javier Bardem.

A couple of other major names are also being courted for roles in the picture.

The Mail claims that "at one point Kevin Spacey was spoken to about doing Bond 23, but he was alreadly gearing up to play Richard III, which Mendes is directing at the Old Vic from June 18."

Mendes and Fiennes are old friends. The actor led the director’s Royal Shakespeare Company production of Troilus And Cressida more than two ­decades ago. The play also ­featured Simon Russell Beale — who also may pop up in Bond 23.

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