The What if thread...M had been re-cast for CR 2006? page 60

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  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,025
    To be fair, the 60s films mainly focused on the strongest books, so it’s no surprise that that decade holds up the most compared to the other decades.
  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 4,110
    We know they can do it. We've just watched in real-time them develop, write and shoot an entire Bond film in the space of - what... 15 months? They started from scratch after Boyle.

    No reason at all they can't do the same in 24 months - just laziness... Purvis and wade should be thinking about new storylines and scenarios NOW. What Bond fan doesn't automatically do that around the clock?

    Purvis and Wade always assume that they’re writing their last one. They want to move on. It’s time they above else should.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,025
    I'm sure they could, but they're clearly moving at their own pace these days. Craig wanted a break and EON said "sure", when Cubby would have probably said "bye". Not that one is better than the other, as far as I'm concerned. Had there still been a two year wait starting with CR, we would have been having our eighth film by now. Does that upset me? To be honest, not really. I already have 24 films I can watch at my disposal, I'm not upset we don't have Bond 28 coming this year.
  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 4,110
    I'm sure they could, but they're clearly moving at their own pace these days. Craig wanted a break and EON said "sure", when Cubby would have probably said "bye". Not that one is better than the other, as far as I'm concerned. Had there still been a two year wait starting with CR, we would have been having our eighth film by now. Does that upset me? To be honest, not really. I already have 24 films I can watch at my disposal, I'm not upset we don't have Bond 28 coming this year.

    Plus, we (and EON) have 40 books with new material to use for entertainment.
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 4,965
    BT3366 wrote: »
    I’m always slightly astonished that Goldfinger’s premiere in September 1964 was just eleven months after FRWL’s one in October 1963. Eleven months to write and make Goldfinger. Those guys really had a work ethic back then.

    True, they did have a real work ethic, but at the same time, GF was largely studio-bound and not far from Pinewood for location work, save for some second unit stuff shot in in Florida and some work in Switzerland where Connery actually traveled. If anything, it proves once again that Ken Adam was the man with all the sets and the Fort Knox replica.

    You mean Cec Linder wasn't really standing in front of that KFC in Kentucky? LOL! Was that a paid product placement? :)

    Yes they had the strong novels at the start! When you think of the quality though DN, FRWL, GF and TB all released within 3 years (1962-1965) Add to it that Connery was able to star in other films while also shooting them. Very impressive indeed.

    I suppose LALD and TMWTGG are the arguments against rushing something out. TMWTGG suffered most likely from the rushed schedule to get one out. It caused the first three year gap in the series. Course they just copied YOLT basic plot and then copied it again for MR. :)
  • Posts: 1,680
    Boyle had a script , locations, had some characters casted and set pieces even were tore down apparently.

    Eon had an old unfinished Purvis and wade script and Craig still contracted when Boyle left, fukunaga and the rest I feel we’re put together in a hurry.

    Judging from the trailer we’re getting more of skyfall and Spectre with a hint of something new maybe.

    I think the plot is going to end up a mcgauffin and forgotten halfway thru , the film looks beautiful and Is polished looking this as well as the writing from phoebe will be the films stronger points
  • BennyBenny In the shadowsAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 14,874
    Jeez you’re starting to sound like a previous member of the forums.
    Let’s hope that isn’t the case @Safin_Unmasked
  • MinionMinion Don't Hassle the Bond
    Posts: 1,165
    We’re all thinking the same thing.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    edited January 2020 Posts: 8,025
    Tuck91 wrote: »
    Boyle had a script , locations, had some characters casted and set pieces even were tore down apparently.

    Eon had an old unfinished Purvis and wade script and Craig still contracted when Boyle left, fukunaga and the rest I feel we’re put together in a hurry.

    Judging from the trailer we’re getting more of skyfall and Spectre with a hint of something new maybe.

    I think the plot is going to end up a mcgauffin and forgotten halfway thru , the film looks beautiful and Is polished looking this as well as the writing from phoebe will be the films stronger points

    Yup
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, stick around if you want but a long term two year cycle is dead. If it’s a deal breaker it’s time to move on to pastures new.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,034
    RC7 wrote: »
    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, stick around if you want but a long term two year cycle is dead. If it’s a deal breaker it’s time to move on to pastures new.

    This.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,034
    Birdleson wrote: »
    RC7 wrote: »
    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, stick around if you want but a long term two year cycle is dead. If it’s a deal breaker it’s time to move on to pastures new.

    This.

    I think most of us can decide for ourselves when enough is enough. Let’s not forget the current title of the thread. I don’t think the fact that those days are gone is lost on anyone, hence the current title of the thread. I don’t think any of these scenarios are supposed to be likely, it’s more about impossible to unlikely wish fulfillment.

    I don't believe I claimed to think anything otherwise, @Birdleson :)
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    They were also relatively smaller budgets in the earlier films. Note that the length between films started to really widen after TB as the budgets got larger and larger. Since then, the shortest length between films was between LALD and TMWGG by 18 months (a year and a half)

    The same as TB-YOLT and DAF-LALD.
  • Last_Rat_StandingLast_Rat_Standing Long Neck Ice Cold Beer Never Broke My Heart
    Posts: 4,415
    I just read that DN, FRWL and GF was released in North America within 19 months of each other.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Birdleson wrote: »
    That often gets l relooked because we always discuss the films according to calendar year.

    Yes, and in the same vein you often read that the big gap from TMWTGG to TSWLM was unprecedented, when in reality it was just a month more than YOLT_OHMSS, not even a full month I think.
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 4,965
    Wow I always learn something in these discussions. Thanks @Thunderfinger for bringing up the fact that the TMWTGG and TSWLM weren't as long a gap as we thought. Thanks @Birdleson for pointing out that this thread is merely discussing what if scenarios. No need for us to bring reality into this fantasy! LOL!

    On that front, I think if they returned to two year release dates we'd see more stability of the crew. I also think you could improve the continuity. I wonder in this next film how they bring the general public up to speed after the long gap.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    edited January 2020 Posts: 8,025
    I feel like they may not need to recap too much, other than Bond is out of the service, has been living life with a woman in he’s in love with, and has bad beef with a previous villain who’s now imprisoned. I strongly suspect they will never bring up the foster brother angle because there’s enough conflict between the two over the last film that it doesn’t need to be a familial issue.
  • LeonardPineLeonardPine The Bar on the Beach
    Posts: 3,985
    thedove wrote: »
    Wow I always learn something in these discussions. Thanks @Thunderfinger for bringing up the fact that the TMWTGG and TSWLM weren't as long a gap as we thought. Thanks @Birdleson for pointing out that this thread is merely discussing what if scenarios. No need for us to bring reality into this fantasy! LOL!

    On that front, I think if they returned to two year release dates we'd see more stability of the crew. I also think you could improve the continuity. I wonder in this next film how they bring the general public up to speed after the long gap.

    It's funny, i said to my wife the other day that this film was a continuation of the events of SP, when Bond drove off at the end to retire with the love of his life...i got a puzzled look then "I don't remember that at all!"

    I asked her what did she remember?

    "Er..the day of the dead in Mexico..." :))
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,034
    thedove wrote: »
    Wow I always learn something in these discussions. Thanks @Thunderfinger for bringing up the fact that the TMWTGG and TSWLM weren't as long a gap as we thought. Thanks @Birdleson for pointing out that this thread is merely discussing what if scenarios. No need for us to bring reality into this fantasy! LOL!

    On that front, I think if they returned to two year release dates we'd see more stability of the crew. I also think you could improve the continuity. I wonder in this next film how they bring the general public up to speed after the long gap.

    It's funny, i said to my wife the other day that this film was a continuation of the events of SP, when Bond drove off at the end to retire with the love of his life...i got a puzzled look then "I don't remember that at all!"

    I asked her what did she remember?

    "Er..the day of the dead in Mexico..." :))

    Had the same conversation with my Mother the other day at lunch when she saw Swann's photo while looking through the Empire magazine.

    "I thought she left him, no?"
    "No, they drove off in the DB5 together. Remember?"
    "The DB5? Didn't that get blown up?"

    Mind you, she often confuses characters from Star Trek with those from Star Wars, and vice versa. So...
  • edited January 2020 Posts: 9,770
    In my honered opinion there is enough of Fleming unfilmed to give us a few films..

    I have said before the right writer can develop a great script from one throwaway line from fleming... for example Bond investigating the security of a base (which is why bond was in the seychilles islands in The Hildebrand Rarity) could make for an interesting real world plot... hell the plot of 007 in new york (bond having to tell a young female agent her bf is a double agent) could also be streteched into a 2 hour movie based on a good enough writer.

    so what does this have to do with bond being filmed every other year.. Well I feel like if we had a good creative writing team going back to fleming and taking the unused parts of the novels and turning them into films in their own right we should be able to at least do another 14 films one coming out every other year... if people don't believe me I would be more then happy to go through the novels and prove it...


    actually screw it I am bored at work so here with titles are what could easily be the next 14 bond films

    The Silver Phantom: A terrorist organization is smuggling Pirate gold and various other religious artifacts to fund terrorist activities (plot taken from Live and let die)

    The Hildebrand Rarity: Bond must investigate the safety of a base before a United Nations Summit meets there (plot somewhat borrowed from the short story but amped up)

    Risico: Bond is framed for murder and has to clear his name while both terrorist and agents are after him (plot also borrowed from The Hildebrand Rarity)

    The Diamond Smugglers: Bond investigates the Spangled Mob an organization who smuggles diamonds in order to pay for terrorist attacks (Plot taken from Diamonds are forever)

    A whisper of Hate: M asks Bond for help in Killing the man who kidnaped his daughter (plot taken from essentially For Your eyes only)

    The Property of A Lady: after the death of 2 agents carrying vital information 007 is dispatched to discover how they are being killed and who is killing them (Plot taken From the short story From a View to a Kill)

    My Enemies Enemy: Bond is brainwashed and sent to kill M (plot taken from The man with the golden Gun)

    Fork Left for Hell: Bond uncovers a plot to destroy the grain and Sugar crop industry (unused elemtes of The man with the golden gun)

    Garden of Death: Bond is tasked with killing Dr Gutham Von Shatterhand who uses his Garden of death to kill the locals (unused elements of You only live twice)

    007 In New York: Bond has 90 minute to stop a double agent from killing the president of the united states and an Mi6 agent. (adapted from 007 in new York but amped up a bit obviously)

    And that is 10 I could do more but I figure let someone else have some fun
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,025
    We kinda got “007 in New York” in QOS, it was only missing NYC and a full minute of Bond cooking scrambled eggs.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 5,978
    The punchline? It's been years since I read it.

    The difference to me is that the '60s still benefited from the studio system mentality, under which most of the principals (Maibaum especially, but also Broccoli, Saltzman, etc.) worked. The mentality was basically "Churn them out." So they had a Bond mini-studio during that era.

    But now the studio system (and sadly, Maibaum) is gone...and the studio shakeups have caused many of the delays. True, there is the Marvel stranglehold but that is a bit of an outlier. Couple that with star demands and prestige director scheduling, and here we are in 2020.

    I'd estimate that 3-year waits will be the norm, going forward. A new Bond in 2023, then the usual quick follow-up to cement his portrayal in 2025, then three years so 2028 and 2031 as he gets more and more popular and in demand for other films. That's presuming no studio upheaval.

    Or will the next Bond do only three films? If we're counting each Eon Bond's tenure...
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,034
    echo wrote: »
    The punchline? It's been years since I read it.

    The difference to me is that the '60s still benefited from the studio system mentality, under which most of the principals (Maibaum especially, but also Broccoli, Saltzman, etc.) worked. The mentality was basically "Churn them out." So they had a Bond mini-studio during that era.

    But now the studio system (and sadly, Maibaum) is gone...and the studio shakeups have caused many of the delays. True, there is the Marvel stranglehold but that is a bit of an outlier. Couple that with star demands and prestige director scheduling, and here we are in 2020.

    I'd estimate that 3-year waits will be the norm, going forward. A new Bond in 2023, then the usual quick follow-up to cement his portrayal in 2025, then three years so 2028 and 2031 as he gets more and more popular and in demand for other films. That's presuming no studio upheaval.

    Or will the next Bond do only three films? If we're counting each Eon Bond's tenure...

    With the current climate, it's very hard to predict what will happen. But I'd be happy with a three year break between entries. If (in relation to the purpose of the thread), we went back to two, I'm not sure the films would stand out as much in an over saturated market. Though, admittedly, even if it was two, they'd still feel more special than a Star Wars or a Marvel entry. But I don't think that sort of momentum would benefit the Bond films, quality wise. That extra year would make all the difference.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    edited January 2020 Posts: 5,978
    Eon really should be thinking about the next Bond actor. For all we know, they are.

    Say, worst case scenario, they pick an actor for B26 and the public doesn't like him (unlikely). Eon could woo Craig back for one more for B27 two years later, just like OHMSS-DAF. But they couldn't wait too long, given Craig's age...or maybe Craig, if they reboot, could be the new M?

    Still, I think Lazenby will always be a one-off in terms of casting "missteps." As Moore et al proved, the brand is now stronger than any one actor. That wasn't necessarily the case in 1969.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,025
    I highly doubt Craig would return after one actor’s film flopped. More likely they’d just try with another actor and see how that goes.
  • Posts: 631
    echo wrote: »
    A new Bond in 2023, then the usual quick follow-up to cement his portrayal in 2025, then three years so 2028 and 2031 as he gets more and more popular

    So four, perhaps five, more films before everything changes.

    After 2034 Ian Fleming’s novels will be out of copyright, and any film studio and tv channel can make a new version of any Bond novel they want, set in any period, with any actor on their books as Bond, with any Fleming villain and love interest they like.

  • Posts: 15,803
    Great post, @Risico007.
    I always loved those particular chapter titles: The Silver Phantom and Fork Left for Hell.
    My Enemy's Enemy is great as well.
    I'd substitute 007 in New York for the main title of the travelogue in which it appeared: Thrilling Cities. For some reason I always liked the title: Thrilling Cities.
    A couple more chapter titles I think would make great Bond film titles: The Elegant Venus and Seascape With Figures.
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    edited January 2020 Posts: 4,399
    getting back to releasing one every 2 years would be great.. but in this day and age i think it might be a bit unrealistic.. i think every 3 years is just right, like the gap between SF and SP... no more of this 4 to 5 year gaps - thats too long IMO..
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    Posts: 4,399
    echo wrote: »
    A new Bond in 2023, then the usual quick follow-up to cement his portrayal in 2025, then three years so 2028 and 2031 as he gets more and more popular

    So four, perhaps five, more films before everything changes.

    After 2034 Ian Fleming’s novels will be out of copyright, and any film studio and tv channel can make a new version of any Bond novel they want, set in any period, with any actor on their books as Bond, with any Fleming villain and love interest they like.

    the book's actual copyright and filming rights are 2 completely different things...

    no other studio would be able to take CR for example - the novel - and make their own James Bond movie.. the film rights to the character of James Bond, and any derivative property still belongs to EON/Danjaq and MGM..

    with the novel's copyright expiring, that means the book itself is up to be reprinted by anyone - and it's possible a film could be adapted from the material, but the names of the characters and everything there in would have to be changed - it's all rather messy..

    But Disney is pushing hard for something akin to a "forever copyright" because Mickey Mouse is set to become public domain in 2024 - so this will be very interesting to watch the results of - especially for us Bond fans.. because if Disney is successful at keeping Mickey from Public Domain, then it's possible a lot more organizations with iconic properties will try to follow suit.
  • RoadphillRoadphill United Kingdom
    Posts: 984
    echo wrote: »
    Eon really should be thinking about the next Bond actor. For all we know, they are.

    Say, worst case scenario, they pick an actor for B26 and the public doesn't like him (unlikely). Eon could woo Craig back for one more for B27 two years later, just like OHMSS-DAF. But they couldn't wait too long, given Craig's age...or maybe Craig, if they reboot, could be the new M?

    Still, I think Lazenby will always be a one-off in terms of casting "missteps." As Moore et al proved, the brand is now stronger than any one actor. That wasn't necessarily the case in 1969.

    Would Lazenby have been a casting misstep, had he not been so petulant? I think most would agree OHMSS is one of the shining lights of the series, and Lazenby played his part in that.

    Admittedly he wasn't a great actor, but he may have grown if he had continued.

    Anyway apologies for going off topic.
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