Sam Mendes to direct Bond 24?

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  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    I am all for Nolan just so long as we get a 2nd unit director to handle action. I don't like Nolan's camerawork when it comes to most of the action in his films, like in fight sequences. Sometimes everything feels too out of frame and not that dynamic or exciting when he is following action with the lens. Just my thoughts on it.
  • edited March 2013 Posts: 2,598
    Oh I see, good point. Although I feel he would do good things with the script. I wasn't thinking of the fight scenes, but the other action scenes I feel are good. Yes, the fight scenes are a bit close up and shaky.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,473
    That's how I feel. For the most part, he would be wonderful as a Bond director, but yes, a second unit director for action would be key.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    And the big question is if he would allow a 2nd unit. Nolan really likes to make it all his project and undertake every bit of the job when he chooses a film to direct. There is no doubt he would draw a stellar cast and really do wonders at the writing table (he would likely bring Jonathan along to help too), but as I have said, the shots of fist fights in his films aren't that impressive to me. I would like to see more variety in his camera work, where we get more faraway shots where everything doesn't look so cramped and where the action doesn't constantly get carried out of frame because of it. He is a genius with a talent for setting up breathtaking shots, so I think he has what it takes to shoot some very compelling action that delivers not only great cinematic beauty but also transmits that brutality Craig's Bond has to our eyes from off the screen.

    Another thing to consider if he is chosen is who his DP will be. Pfister is now moving on to directing, so I wonder who Nolan is using now. He has a Sci-Fi film in the works, and his new DP is likely attached to that, I would wager.
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    Posts: 4,399
    Bounine wrote:
    Oh I see, good point. Although I feel he would do good things with the script. I wasn't thinking of the fight scenes, but the other action scenes I feel are good. Yes, the fight scenes are a bit close up and shaky.

    my problem with Nolan's writing, is that sometimes i think he likes to prove how smart and complex he is, by cramming so much into the plot of his stories that it starts becoming hard to follow at times - not all the time, but sometimes..

    and yes, he can't shoot action to save his life... Mendes being a first timer to action handled it very well... Nolan has had 4 cracks at it, and still really can't seem to grasp it entirely.. he handled it alright with Inception at times, but in his Batman trilogy, it was pretty much garbage.

  • StrelikStrelik Spectre Island
    edited March 2013 Posts: 108
    I think you're all missing a trick here. EON ought to offer the next film to Stuart Baird. He's not only a damn good editor, he has directed some big films and REALLY wants to do a Bond.
    I respectfully disagree. Although Stuart Baird is a great editor, he is an uninspired director. The only three films he has directed have all been mediocre in quality: U.S. Marshals, Star Trek Nemesis, Executive Decision, etc. In my personal opinion, Baird is your standard, generic action director who would have been more suitable for the later Pierce Brosnan era of Bond (i.e. TWINE, DAD, etc).
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    edited March 2013 Posts: 4,399
    Strelik wrote:
    I think you're all missing a trick here. EON ought to offer the next film to Stuart Baird. He's not only a damn good editor, he has directed some big films and REALLY wants to do a Bond.
    I respectfully disagree. Although Stuart Baird is a great editor, he is an uninspired director. The only three films he has directed have all been mediocre in quality: U.S. Marshals, Star Trek Nemesis, Executive Decision, etc. In my opinion, Baird is your standard, generic action director who would have been more suitable for the later Pierce Brosnan era of Bond (i.e. TWINE, DAD, etc).

    agreed.. it would be a down grade in the quality in which these 3 Craig films have been shot, as i dont see his artistic vision matching what we have seen thus far... i think EON are more interested in finding auteurs now, more than your standard run of the mill action directors.
  • Posts: 12,837
    Shardlake wrote:
    Lets face it only Bond fans champion Glen, he's a nice bloke but he's never going to get any prizes for originality or style, although I'm forgetting some of you want nothing particularly special as long as we have our boxes ticked and the cliches are all intact.

    No, some of us don't mind having a lesser known director as long as the film is good.

    Personally I'd rather have another Glen then another arty farty director who turns up, makes one movie then leaves.
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    Posts: 4,399
    Shardlake wrote:
    Lets face it only Bond fans champion Glen, he's a nice bloke but he's never going to get any prizes for originality or style, although I'm forgetting some of you want nothing particularly special as long as we have our boxes ticked and the cliches are all intact.

    No, some of us don't mind having a lesser known director as long as the film is good.

    Personally I'd rather have another Glen then another arty farty director who turns up, makes one movie then leaves.

    i'll take an 'arty farty' film with style over the near lifeless drab that Glen put on screen on a regular basis..
  • Posts: 820
    Well it would good but we have to accept it. I hope they get someone soon & confirmed.
  • Posts: 12,837
    HASEROT wrote:
    Shardlake wrote:
    Lets face it only Bond fans champion Glen, he's a nice bloke but he's never going to get any prizes for originality or style, although I'm forgetting some of you want nothing particularly special as long as we have our boxes ticked and the cliches are all intact.

    No, some of us don't mind having a lesser known director as long as the film is good.

    Personally I'd rather have another Glen then another arty farty director who turns up, makes one movie then leaves.

    i'll take an 'arty farty' film with style over the near lifeless drab that Glen put on screen on a regular basis..

    Glen could've done with a bit more style but I think overall he made great movies. I thought OP was brilliant, FYEO was good and the Dalton films are my favourites.

    Like I said, we need John Glen v2 with a bit more visual flair.
  • Glen just reeked of mediocrity to me. In fact, I think John Glen v2 is exactly what we don't need. I think the series needs to continue in the vein of Casino Royale, Skyfall, and to an extent, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, by making films with strong character drama and style to complement the action. I think it's what made those films successful. A by the numbers, run of the mill action adventure just won't cut it, and as long as Craig is the leading man, I don't see it happening that way.
  • Posts: 1,407
    Remember when Roger Mitchell was in negotiations to do QOS? I've never seen any of his films, would he be a good choice if EON was maybe still interested in him?
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    edited March 2013 Posts: 4,399
    Glen just reeked of mediocrity to me. In fact, I think John Glen v2 is exactly what we don't need. I think the series needs to continue in the vein of Casino Royale, Skyfall, and to an extent, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, by making films with strong character drama and style to complement the action. I think it's what made those films successful. A by the numbers, run of the mill action adventure just won't cut it, and as long as Craig is the leading man, I don't see it happening that way.

    exactly... i enjoy the Glen films, especially his last 2 more than his first 3.. but there was a definite drop off in style when he took over.. everything seemed to 'grey' - it might not make sense, but there didn't seem to be a grand scope of color.. not that a film needs it, but there just didn't seem to be any richness to his choice of color palette, much less his shot selection... you look at the films from DN thru to MR, there is a style and richness about them.. FYEO coming after MR looked as colorless as a cadaver - now, the film itself was better lol.. but the style was just severely lacking - even during the Brosnan era at times.. the films just kind of ran together in style and nothing stood out....

    that is partly why i am enjoying the Craig era so much, they seem to have brought back a sense of style and visual panache that had been severely lacking for quite a long time.

  • Posts: 12,837
    Is John Mctierman still making movies? I'd love a Bond film from him.

    My dream Bond film would be an 80s Dalton film with him directing and Guns n Roses doing the theme song.
  • HASEROT wrote:
    Glen just reeked of mediocrity to me. In fact, I think John Glen v2 is exactly what we don't need. I think the series needs to continue in the vein of Casino Royale, Skyfall, and to an extent, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, by making films with strong character drama and style to complement the action. I think it's what made those films successful. A by the numbers, run of the mill action adventure just won't cut it, and as long as Craig is the leading man, I don't see it happening that way.

    exactly... i enjoy the Glen films, especially his last 2 more than his first 3.. but there was a definite drop off in style when he took over.. everything seemed to 'grey' - it might not make sense, but there didn't seem to be a grand scope of color.. not that a film needs it, but there just didn't seem to be any richness to his choice of color palette, much less his shot selection... you look at the films from DN thru to MR, there is a style and richness about them.. FYEO coming after MR looked as colorless as a cadaver - now, the film itself was better lol.. but the style was just severely lacking - even during the Brosnan era at times.. the films just kind of ran together in style and nothing stood out....

    that is partly why i am enjoying the Craig era so much, they seem to have brought back a sense of style and visual panache that had been severely lacking for quite a long time.

    Glen just lacked creativity IMO, he didn't really come across as a natural talent at director like Terrence Young, Guy Hamilton, Sam Mendes, heck even Marc Forster (as disappointing as Quantum of Solace was.)
  • edited March 2013 Posts: 11,119
    Well, I put down my list already:
    --> Christopher Nolan ('The Dark Knight', 'Inception', 3 Oscar nominations)
    --> Paul Greengrass ('The Bourne Ultimatum', 1 Oscar nomination)
    --> Danny Boyle ('Sunshine', '147 Hours', 3 Oscar nominations of which 1 Win)
    --> Tom Hooper ('The King's Speech', 1 Oscar nomination of which 1 Win)
    --> Guy Ritchie ('Rock'n'Rolla', 'Snatch')
    --> Matthew Vaughn ('Layer Cake')
    --> Martin Campbell ('Casino Royale')
    --> David Fincher ('The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo', 2 Oscar nominations)
    --> Brad Bird ('Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol', 4 Oscar nominations of which 2 Wins)
    --> J.J. Abrahms ('Mission: Impossible III', 7 Emmy nominations of which 2 wins)

    But now this website, FirstShowing.net, comes up with their TOP 5 of directors http://www.firstshowing.net/2013/top-5-directors-perfect-to-replace-sam-mendes-on-james-bond-24/. Compared to my list they added directors:
    --> Alfonso Cuaron ('Harry Potter', 3 Oscar nominations)
    --> Steven Soderbergh ('Ocean's Eleven', 3 Oscar nominations, 1 Oscar Win)
    --> Rupert Wyatt ('Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes')
    --> Joe Wright ('Atonement', 1 Golden Globe nomination)

    Also mentioned are:
    --> Joe Cornish ('Attack The Block', 1 BAFTA nomination)
    --> Steve McQueen ('Shame', 'Side Effects', 2 BAFTA nominations)
    --> David Yates (also 'Harry Potter', 5 BAFTA nominations of which 3 Wins)

    I really don't mind Guy Ritchie actually. I loved his movies 'Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels', 'Snatch' and 'RocknRolla'. Allthough he is working as director on the rebooted 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' now, I think it's easier to kidnap him during post-production of this film. Still, it means that if EON goes ahead with Guy Ritchie, a Bond 24 premiere might only happen in late 2015/2016.

    If Guy Ritchie can't come onboard of Bond 24, then he might recommend Steven Soderbergh. He was the initial choice of WB to direct the rebooted 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'. But negotiations were ended due to creative conflicts and then Guy Ritchie stepped in. So if not Guy, then please opt for Steven Soderbergh, who also directed the fantastic, multi-layered 'Traffic' and for which he won the 'Best Director' Oscar.....exactly one year after Sam Mendes won the same Oscar :-).

    Hmm, I make a TOP 3 now, based on realistic chances:
    01) Steven Soderbergh
    02) Guy Ritchie
    03) Christopher Nolan
  • Lets get Guy Hamilton back. I'd love to see Daniel Craig's Bond team up with J.W. Pepper.
  • SandySandy Somewhere in Europe
    Posts: 4,012
    Is John Mctierman still making movies? I'd love a Bond film from him.

    My dream Bond film would be an 80s Dalton film with him directing and Guns n Roses doing the theme song.

    The last I heard from him unfortunately involved serving some jail time ;))
  • Posts: 11,119
    Sandy wrote:
    Is John Mctierman still making movies? I'd love a Bond film from him.

    My dream Bond film would be an 80s Dalton film with him directing and Guns n Roses doing the theme song.

    The last I heard from him unfortunately involved serving some jail time ;))

    I think, especially after Sam Mendes' 'Skyfall', Bond deserves a better director than an ex-convict and ex-Die Hard-director.
  • edited March 2013 Posts: 12,837
    When does he get out?

    Although I'd love a Bond movie from Mctierman I'd like him to do Die Hard 6 more than anything, to make up for the travesty that was the 5th movie.
    Sandy wrote:
    Is John Mctierman still making movies? I'd love a Bond film from him.

    My dream Bond film would be an 80s Dalton film with him directing and Guns n Roses doing the theme song.

    The last I heard from him unfortunately involved serving some jail time ;))

    I think, especially after Sam Mendes' 'Skyfall', Bond deserves a better director than an ex-convict and ex-Die Hard-director.

    Not sure why his personal life would affect him as a director in the future, and what's wrong with Die Hard?

    He also made The Hunt For Red October so he has some experience with spy films.
  • edited March 2013 Posts: 115
    Hmm, I make a TOP 3 now, based on realistic chances:
    01) Steven Soderbergh
    02) Guy Ritchie
    03) Christopher Nolan

    I wouldn't call Soderbergh realistic. He has stated very clear that Side Effects was his last movie for the big screen.
    According to Jude Law at Graham Norton show it sounds like he's serious this time
  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    Posts: 4,442
    Shekhar Kapur
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    But i stil think David Yates, Matthew Vaughn, John Madden, Alfonso Cuarón or Guillermo del Toro made the biggest change.
  • Posts: 372
    Why so many comments about Nolan directing Bond 24. He has already made it quite clear he would only come onboard at a certain point in time, which everyone seems to take as meaning that when a new Bond actor is cast. As Craig is on for 2 more there is zero chance of Nolan directing before then. People also seem to be missing one important fact when they talk about waiting four years or so for next film. Bond doesnt age, sadly the actor playing him does. Remember when critics complained about Moores age in his last films. If we want Craig to continue they have to stick to a certain time frame for making his movies
  • edited March 2013 Posts: 1,021
    M_Balje wrote:


    But i stil think David Yates, Matthew Vaughn, John Madden, Alfonso Cuarón or Guillermo del Toro made the biggest change.

    John Madden is a good choice. He's an Oscar nominated director and has directed a number of thrillers. His last film even had a score by Thomas Newman (he could bring him back) and featured Judi Dench..even though she won't be around for Bond 24.

  • SandySandy Somewhere in Europe
    Posts: 4,012
    M_Balje wrote:


    But i stil think David Yates, Matthew Vaughn, John Madden, Alfonso Cuarón or Guillermo del Toro made the biggest change.

    John Madden is a good choice. He's an Oscar nominated director and has directed a number of thrillers. His last film even had a score by Thomas Newman and featured Judi Dench..even though she won't be around for Bond 24.

    John Madden is in fact a wonderful director, but I'm not sure how well he handles action, not that it matters considering how well Mendes has dealt with it in SF with little previous experience in that area.
  • This trailer gives a sense of his style within the thriller genre...

    I forgot that this film also has music by Thomas Newman (as does The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)...It even features Mr White!

  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    Hmm, I make a TOP 3 now, based on realistic chances:
    01) Steven Soderbergh
    02) Guy Ritchie
    03) Christopher Nolan

    In what sense are they realistic? Soderbergh said he's taking an indefinite break from movie making, Ritchie is making U.N.CL.E. and Nolan, aside from being the biggest director on the planet, is developing Interstellar along with various DC properties.

  • Posts: 11,119
    RC7 wrote:
    Hmm, I make a TOP 3 now, based on realistic chances:
    01) Steven Soderbergh
    02) Guy Ritchie
    03) Christopher Nolan

    In what sense are they realistic? Soderbergh said he's taking an indefinite break from movie making, Ritchie is making U.N.CL.E. and Nolan, aside from being the biggest director on the planet, is developing Interstellar along with various DC properties.

    People forget one important thing here. True, I know your facts. But as 'Skyfall' has become the 1.1 Billion Dollar Bond, there is more space for some longer negotiations between EON and the above directors. Money in the end can be kind of decisive. But let's see......
  • edited March 2013 Posts: 3,333
    I think you've exposed the fundamental flaw in your obsession with big name directors, @Gustav - that being that the majority of them are either going to be tied up with their own green-lit projects or will not be interested in having Bond on their CV as pointed out by other members on previous posts. And also, if money is such a decisive factor then why hasn't Sam Mendes signed to do Bond 24?
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