Atkinson unhappy about ‘Bean meets Bond’ bid

Rowan Atkinson has criticised how the main character of his new film was labelled by marketing people.

The English actor and comedian told Austrian movie magazine Skip his famous TV character, Mr. Bean, and Johnny English had little in common in his opinion. He revealed: “I was shocked when the first ‘Johnny English’ film came out (in 2003).

“I read what a marketing manager has come up with to describe the film. It said ‘Bean meets (James) Bond’ which is, I think, a very daring and trite abbreviation. It’s certainly not totally wrong but not what we intended to create either.”

“Johnny English Reborn” is set to hit the big screens in Austria. Asked to describe the main character of the action comedy – which also features Gillian Anderson and Rosamund Pike in leading roles – Atkinson said: He is actually a rather kind person – which is nothing you could say about Mr. Bean. Johnny English certainly has more ambitions than capabilities. He is not as talented and skilful as the thinks he is.”

Atkinson has never tried to keep his admiration of sports cars a secret. The “Blackadder” star told Skip he enjoyed participating in the Ennstal Classic, a rally in the Austrian alps. “It was captivating,” Atkinson told the magazine.

Asked whether he received many traffic tickets over the years, Atkinson said: “I have to admit I got a few for speeding. (…) It’s hard not to get caught in Britain.”