Where does Bond go after Craig?

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  • AntiLocqueBrakesAntiLocqueBrakes The edge
    Posts: 538
    fjdinardo wrote: »
    EON should already be working on ideas where to take Bond after Craig.

    How long does it usually take to figure out the next Bond?
  • Posts: 3,333
    I'd also switch out Vesper Lynd as Bond's early love interest for Galatea "Gala" Brand from Moonraker.

    The 60s wouldn't work as that would make Bond 80+ now. A retired Bond has no real legs as the actor could die in real life before a sequel even got made. I also don't think it would be a big draw with the young market.
  • edited October 2021 Posts: 12,837
    bondsum wrote: »
    Antster007 wrote: »
    Denbigh wrote: »
    The problem with doing a period piece, which would be pretty cool, is that EON would run the risk of isolating general audiences and even some fans, especially because EON have reached a point now where they need to freshen things up for general audiences and fans alike, and to me, doing a period piece would be the opposite of that.

    The problem that EON faces with a continuation of the Modern Bond, is societal changes. You limit what you can do with the character.
    Those societal changes will still be present even if they set the movie in the 40s or 50s, just seen through today's political lens and adjusted for it. I also believe it would bring an end to these movies being co-funded by product placement, unless you happen to have a thing for vintage phones and now defunct brands.

    Personally, I still think they will delve a little deeper into Bond's orgin story for B25 and start him off as a young Royal Marine commando in present day and follow his derring-do maritime missions. Maybe start it off in the sub-zero Arctic or tropical Caribbean and Mediterranean, which reflects their actual commando training, and have him part of the evolution of the Royal Marines into the Future Commando Force, returning to the original concept of commandos as elite raiders from the sea. Or maybe they use ‘throwbots’—lobbed over walls, through windows and open doors to give marines an idea of what’s inside. All these missions can happen before he's been singled out by Admiral Miles Messervy to join his new Double O division by the end of the movie. Of course, by involving the Royal Marines it's going to involve present-day politics and some real life situations. They will have to skip the whole Vesper story going forwards and introduce new women and adversaries in his life. But if they can pretend a 57-year-old Bond didn't die in AVTAK when he died much younger in NTTD, or that Blofeld was his step brother, then they can erase Vesper completely out of the new timeline.

    Of course they could still go the same route as they did with Dalton and Brosnan, but these new introductions brought their own problems and stagnation further down the road.

    I do think this would be the way to do it, if they wanted to do another origin story. Go back even further and explore Bond’s military service. It’d be a pretty fresh and unique direction. I wasn’t sure we needed another origin story, but Bond’s military service is fertile ground that I’ve always been curious about. Also lets them cast an actor young enough to build a new series around, without asking us to buy a fresh faced late 20s/early 30s year old as a 00 (I do like some of the suggestions this time round, but christ they all look so young haha). It’d give them a chance to literally grow into the role, and keep their era very varied. Could be an interesting approach.

    The only thing I can see working against this idea is that the new video game is apparently an origin story, with a new Bond. Would they want two Bond origin stories coming out around the same time, or within a year or two of eachother? But I guess EON have never seemed too bothered about that side of things to be fair, so maybe it wouldn’t factor in.
  • EinoRistoSiniahoEinoRistoSiniaho Oulu, Finland
    Posts: 73
    bondsum wrote: »
    I don't think there should be any references to the events which took place within Craig era. The new Bond should be a clean slate like Connery in Dr. No.
    A clean slate is the way they're going to go with Bond 26. Yes, it'll be another orgin story told slightly diffrently. Whether that's with Bond starting out as a young Royal Marine commando and ending up with him joining a discrete area of MI6 is anybody's guess, but it'll be a totally new journey told from scratch.
    I don't think we'll get another origin story. The next Bond is already 007 and has been for a while. M, Q, Moneypenny and Tanner are all at place as well. They've already done the first Fleming novel as a origin story with Craig. I don't think they'd recycle that so soon. I am expecting something like TB or TSWLM.
  • Posts: 7,500
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I think it is time to finally make reasonably faithful adaptations of the novels MR and TSWLM. At this point I would go ahead reuse the titles, but that can be changed if necessary. What a great way to start a new actor's run. I'd also like to see a back to back YOLT/TMWTGG combo, but since NTTD just kind of quarter way did the first half of that (it irks me, go all in or don't do it), that will probably have to wait a coupe of decades. Or at least to the finale of the next guy's run.

    How would you go about fitting TSWLM into a modern action film?
  • Posts: 7,500
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I wouldn't. Personally, that doesn't concern me at all. I'm, just telling g you what I would like to see. But, if this has a realistic chance of happening, yes, that would have to be addressed. They could always flesh it out a la CR. I would definitely condense the first two thirds to a great degree, then expand Bond's side adventure trailing SPECTRE (which sounds cool, but is only touched on briefly in the novel) to a significant aspect of the early story.

    Actually, there's an idea. The first half intercuts Vivian's adventure with Bond's mission, only in this version and gets equal time. The second half is the two of them dealing with the thugs.

    The only way I could see it work is if they include it in a bigger plot. Let's say Bond stumbles by a helpless girl, saves her and discovers she has an important clue that moves the story forward. Or something like that... I don't think you can make a modern action flick and have the plot revolve around saving one girl from some baddies.

    However it would give them an excuse to go to Canada, something I would love to see.
  • sandbagger1sandbagger1 Sussex
    Posts: 686
    jobo wrote: »
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I wouldn't. Personally, that doesn't concern me at all. I'm, just telling g you what I would like to see. But, if this has a realistic chance of happening, yes, that would have to be addressed. They could always flesh it out a la CR. I would definitely condense the first two thirds to a great degree, then expand Bond's side adventure trailing SPECTRE (which sounds cool, but is only touched on briefly in the novel) to a significant aspect of the early story.

    Actually, there's an idea. The first half intercuts Vivian's adventure with Bond's mission, only in this version and gets equal time. The second half is the two of them dealing with the thugs.

    The only way I could see it work is if they include it in a bigger plot. Let's say Bond stumbles by a helpless girl, saves her and discovers she has an important clue that moves the story forward. Or something like that... I don't think you can make a modern action flick and have the plot revolve around saving one girl from some baddies.

    However it would give them an excuse to go to Canada, something I would love to see.

    I think it could work, if you the film start with a mission where Bond gets badly hurt and is sent to recuperate on holiday... and there he meets the woman, gets involved, but is hampered by his injuries and lack of gadgets/support.

    The thing is, it does deviate from the basic Bond formula of multiple international locations, Q, Moneypenny, and M (except at the beginning), and multiple romantic interests. I'd be all for it, a smaller, more intimate Bond film with smaller stakes, but would the general public turn up for it? Would Eon take that risk? A film where the heavy lifting is done primarily by the writers, and where the stunts and set-pieces come second? I don't know. I'd really like the scripts to be tighter and feature more subtlety, but would others? Difficult to tell, until someone actually ponies up the money and takes that risk.
  • Posts: 7,500
    jobo wrote: »
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I wouldn't. Personally, that doesn't concern me at all. I'm, just telling g you what I would like to see. But, if this has a realistic chance of happening, yes, that would have to be addressed. They could always flesh it out a la CR. I would definitely condense the first two thirds to a great degree, then expand Bond's side adventure trailing SPECTRE (which sounds cool, but is only touched on briefly in the novel) to a significant aspect of the early story.

    Actually, there's an idea. The first half intercuts Vivian's adventure with Bond's mission, only in this version and gets equal time. The second half is the two of them dealing with the thugs.

    The only way I could see it work is if they include it in a bigger plot. Let's say Bond stumbles by a helpless girl, saves her and discovers she has an important clue that moves the story forward. Or something like that... I don't think you can make a modern action flick and have the plot revolve around saving one girl from some baddies.

    However it would give them an excuse to go to Canada, something I would love to see.

    I think it could work, if you the film start with a mission where Bond gets badly hurt and is sent to recuperate on holiday... and there he meets the woman, gets involved, but is hampered by his injuries and lack of gadgets/support.

    The thing is, it does deviate from the basic Bond formula of multiple international locations, Q, Moneypenny, and M (except at the beginning), and multiple romantic interests. I'd be all for it, a smaller, more intimate Bond film with smaller stakes, but would the general public turn up for it? Would Eon take that risk? A film where the heavy lifting is done primarily by the writers, and where the stunts and set-pieces come second? I don't know. I'd really like the scripts to be tighter and feature more subtlety, but would others? Difficult to tell, until someone actually ponies up the money and takes that risk.

    That's the thing. We would be up for it because we know the significanse, normal moviegoers expecting an action packed blockbuster would wonder why on earth they decided one girl out in the woods should take center stage. I honestly think it is completely unrealistic.
  • sandbagger1sandbagger1 Sussex
    Posts: 686
    It probably is. And the me that enjoys watching Goldfinger and comic-book movies is at odds with the me that reads le Carré and rewatches Edge of Darkness every few years. We want the franchise to be more sophisticated and subtle, but we still want it to be fundamentally Bond, and at this stage I'm not sure we as a group can come up with a consensus as to what exactly that is.
  • HildebrandRarityHildebrandRarity Centre international d'assistance aux personnes déplacées, Paris, France
    Posts: 467
    We should ask first who's returning for Bond 26. Here's my own speculation.

    Barbara Broccoli: definitely
    Michael Wilson: unlikely
    Daniel Craig: nope
    Ralph Fiennes, Naomi Harris, Ben Whishaw and Rory Kinnear: unlikely, but they may transplant one of them in a new continuity, just as they did for Judi Dench

    Cary Joji Fukunaga: could go either way
    Martin Campbell: would definitely be interesting, but he'd be at least 80 by the time Bond 26 is released. Unlikely
    Hans Zimmer: likely
    Purvis and Wade: could go either way. They have survived so many crises that they're basically the cockroaches of this franchise. As soon as something goes wrong, they get called back.
    Phoebe Waller-Bridge: was invited by Craig, but she seems to have adjusted rather well, up to the point she got a proper credit. Likely.
    Daniel Kleinman: could go either way. The titles for NTTD looked like his swan song
    Mark Tildesley: could go either way. But they also have Dennis Gassner (who's in his 70s)
  • Posts: 12
    There’s a lot of possibilities, the Gardner books( although they are very eighties) the newer novels? Going back to the classic spy thriller? But I’m sure it’s going to be a wonderful surprise.
  • DrinmanDrinman New York
    edited October 2021 Posts: 40
    I always had this idea kicking around in my head about bond being assigned to go undercover and become employed at a villain's lair. Like how we always wonder where the hell do these supervillains get these hundreds of technicians, monorail drivers, security guards, etc... Do they work 9-5? Do they have medical benefits? What's in it for them?
  • Posts: 7,500
    We should ask first who's returning for Bond 26. Here's my own speculation.

    Barbara Broccoli: definitely
    Michael Wilson: unlikely
    Daniel Craig: nope
    Ralph Fiennes, Naomi Harris, Ben Whishaw and Rory Kinnear: unlikely, but they may transplant one of them in a new continuity, just as they did for Judi Dench

    Cary Joji Fukunaga: could go either way
    Martin Campbell: would definitely be interesting, but he'd be at least 80 by the time Bond 26 is released. Unlikely
    Hans Zimmer: likely
    Purvis and Wade: could go either way. They have survived so many crises that they're basically the cockroaches of this franchise. As soon as something goes wrong, they get called back.
    Phoebe Waller-Bridge: was invited by Craig, but she seems to have adjusted rather well, up to the point she got a proper credit. Likely.
    Daniel Kleinman: could go either way. The titles for NTTD looked like his swan song
    Mark Tildesley: could go either way. But they also have Dennis Gassner (who's in his 70s)

    I would be sad if Whishaw doesn't continue. I think he is perfect as Q and I have really grown fond of that character! It creates no continuity issues for me if he is in B26, but later discussions have made me realize some Bond fans put more emphasiz on continuity than I thought... Would it bother people here if Whishaw returns for B26? I am genuinly curious?
    Drinman wrote: »
    I always had this idea kicking around in my head about bond being assigned to go undercover and become employed at a villain's lair. Like how we always wonder where the hell do these supervillains get these hundreds of technicians, monorail drivers, security guards, etc... Do they work 9-5? Do they have medical benefits? What's in it for them?

    Nothing. They are visionaries! Like me >:)
  • MinionMinion Don't Hassle the Bond
    Posts: 1,165
    Drinman wrote: »
    I always had this idea kicking around in my head about bond being assigned to go undercover and become employed at a villain's lair. Like how we always wonder where the hell do these supervillains get these hundreds of technicians, monorail drivers, security guards, etc... Do they work 9-5? Do they have medical benefits? What's in it for them?
    So, book accurate Moonraker then?
  • Also, I like how DN starts with M mentioning he spent 6 months in hospital just before the events of the film. Why not have something like that (not as a reference to the Craig era or anything), but Bond comes out of hospital from a mission gone wrong and then is given either an a) easy assignment that turns out to get more complicated and far more difficult than first thought, or b) a suicide mission to see if he's got anything left after hospitalisation. He could then still be a younger Bond but also feature variations on the novel's later missions.

    That's definitely the best road to go IMO: it's a catchy starting point that avoids the origin story while allowing the series to have a young and fresh Bond. I still think that this starting point can be preceded by a PTS that adapts the opening chapters of TMWTGG. In such case, your second idea seems more relevant, but the easy assignment could still work.
  • Posts: 299
    echo wrote: »
    Unless we're going to get a
    cheesy Bond didn't really die/here's your beginning of the TMWTGG novel, Eon pretty much has to reboot after this one. Not only is he dead, so is his greatest ally and greatest adversary.

    Just no Vesper (and of course no Madeleine--although they've effectively written her off), please. I love CR, Green, and all of it, but it's been 15 years and I don't want the next Bond to have that baggage.
    In my critical mind, I know muddying the waters like that would be a mistake, but in a way, I would love it if they did the TMWTGG opening as the PTS with the new actor without making clear whether this is supposed to be a direct continuation or a completely new universe.
    There's also, of course the problem that all of the fantastic ways of trying to find out whether he is the real 007 that Fleming set up in the novel would have to be transposed to the 21st century, but I really think they could have some fun with that.
    And having MI6 be sceptical of the "new" guy and sending him on a suicide mission to prove himself would also be fun given the meta context of a new actor having to prove himself to the audience.

    I liked this idea. It means that we could still have the same continuity started with Craig but with new actor as 007. Also Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw and Naomie Harris could return as M/Mallory, Q and Miss Moneypenny.
  • Posts: 3,273
    jobo wrote: »
    I really don't get it when some members argue the ending of NTTD is bad because...
    killing off Bond leaves the general audience confused, for then to go on to say they should have faithfully adapted the ending of YOLT and followed it up with TMWTGG. It makes no sense. Imagine the reaction if the film ended with a confused Craig going off to Russia with amnesia? As much as I like both novels, I honestly think they should never be faithfully adapted. The way they incorporated YOLT into NTTD was done just right in my opinion.

    What is there you don't get? Why should it never be faithfully adapted? It would have been a far better ending than what we got instead.
  • Posts: 3,273
    jobo wrote: »
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I think it is time to finally make reasonably faithful adaptations of the novels MR and TSWLM. At this point I would go ahead reuse the titles, but that can be changed if necessary. What a great way to start a new actor's run. I'd also like to see a back to back YOLT/TMWTGG combo, but since NTTD just kind of quarter way did the first half of that (it irks me, go all in or don't do it), that will probably have to wait a coupe of decades. Or at least to the finale of the next guy's run.

    How would you go about fitting TSWLM into a modern action film?

    Easily. As an introduction scene to the new Bond girl (in this case Viv Michel). About to be raped at a closed down motel, Bond steps in to rescue her and kills the 2 nasty gangsters in the process.

    Next.

  • Posts: 7,500
    jobo wrote: »
    I really don't get it when some members argue the ending of NTTD is bad because...
    killing off Bond leaves the general audience confused, for then to go on to say they should have faithfully adapted the ending of YOLT and followed it up with TMWTGG. It makes no sense. Imagine the reaction if the film ended with a confused Craig going off to Russia with amnesia? As much as I like both novels, I honestly think they should never be faithfully adapted. The way they incorporated YOLT into NTTD was done just right in my opinion.

    What is there you don't get? Why should it never be faithfully adapted? It would have been a far better ending than what we got instead.

    Everyone to their own, but for me, Craig's last film ending with him
    getting amnesia and stumbling on to Russia would be a frankly disasterous idea...

    jobo wrote: »
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I think it is time to finally make reasonably faithful adaptations of the novels MR and TSWLM. At this point I would go ahead reuse the titles, but that can be changed if necessary. What a great way to start a new actor's run. I'd also like to see a back to back YOLT/TMWTGG combo, but since NTTD just kind of quarter way did the first half of that (it irks me, go all in or don't do it), that will probably have to wait a coupe of decades. Or at least to the finale of the next guy's run.

    How would you go about fitting TSWLM into a modern action film?

    Easily. As an introduction scene to the new Bond girl (in this case Viv Michel). About to be raped at a closed down motel, Bond steps in to rescue her and kills the 2 nasty gangsters in the process.

    Next.

    Yes, that is basically the version I suggested myself. But it's nice to see we agree that it's not suitable as the climax of a modern Bond movie.
  • Posts: 3,273
    jobo wrote: »
    jobo wrote: »
    I really don't get it when some members argue the ending of NTTD is bad because...
    killing off Bond leaves the general audience confused, for then to go on to say they should have faithfully adapted the ending of YOLT and followed it up with TMWTGG. It makes no sense. Imagine the reaction if the film ended with a confused Craig going off to Russia with amnesia? As much as I like both novels, I honestly think they should never be faithfully adapted. The way they incorporated YOLT into NTTD was done just right in my opinion.

    What is there you don't get? Why should it never be faithfully adapted? It would have been a far better ending than what we got instead.

    Everyone to their own, but for me, Craig's last film ending with him
    getting amnesia and stumbling on to Russia would be a frankly disasterous idea...

    jobo wrote: »
    Birdleson wrote: »
    I think it is time to finally make reasonably faithful adaptations of the novels MR and TSWLM. At this point I would go ahead reuse the titles, but that can be changed if necessary. What a great way to start a new actor's run. I'd also like to see a back to back YOLT/TMWTGG combo, but since NTTD just kind of quarter way did the first half of that (it irks me, go all in or don't do it), that will probably have to wait a coupe of decades. Or at least to the finale of the next guy's run.

    How would you go about fitting TSWLM into a modern action film?

    Easily. As an introduction scene to the new Bond girl (in this case Viv Michel). About to be raped at a closed down motel, Bond steps in to rescue her and kills the 2 nasty gangsters in the process.

    Next.

    Yes, that is basically the version I suggested myself. But it's nice to see we agree that it's not suitable as the climax of a modern Bond movie.

    No, there isn't that much material for a climax. Its great for an adapted short story and used as the basis for a script, a bit like how the beginning of TLD is used.
  • Personally I thought ending of NTTD was superb and very powerful. Too balls to do that.
  • edited October 2021 Posts: 3,333
    Some really good suggestions here. Please keep them coming. I will add that Eon didn't reboot the series with Craig to then revert back to what immediately preceded it. Eon will use this once-in-a-while golden opportunity to create something different going forwards, but still retain something that is essentially Fleming's Bond. Personally, I like the inclusions of either Viv Michel, Gala Brand or a recurring Mary Goodnight in the new timeline.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited October 2021 Posts: 12,459
    As everybody by now knows, I love NTTD and value it as a fitting finale for Daniel Craig's Bond. Moving forward, we have a wide open field of what to do with Bond. There is no need to have another origin story based on Casino Royale. Plus, I don't think that one could be topped and it is still too recent for that. I think have Bond be seasoned at least somewhat. I like the idea of starting him in the military, but I like better not giving him a full origin story beginning in any way. So I prefer that he has been a 00 for a couple of years at least. Just get a great, exciting story and drop him in it. Different actor, different tone. And I do hope it is a good actor as well as someone with natural charisma (nobody mentioned so far appeals to me).

    I also think it would be a mistake to have any of the current MI6 crew return for the next one, including Q (and I love Ben in that role.) I say that because they are indelibly linked to Craig's Bond. And with that stamped on the viewers' minds quite clearly, I think it would hinder rather than help move the next film forward. Bond 26 should definitely be its own story, different Bond. I personally do not see how they could update Moonraker (the novel) to be an interesting, viable modern Bond movie. I don't care to see another YOLT, certainly not closer to the novel. In some other stream of Bond films, I could enjoy a period set; but it just won't happen.

    You can bet that Barbara and Michael have already thought about this and more. Maybe not in depth till the last year (remember this film finished production awhile ago) but they are keenly aware and want the franchise to continue. Cary has even given them some ideas of how to move the Bond films forward with the next movie. Oh to have been a fly on the wall for that chat. B-) I'm not worried about the future of Bond movies, but I am curious. 2022 will be intriguing. The only thing I feel sure about is it should be a fresh start all around, no returning actors.
  • ImpertinentGoonImpertinentGoon Everybody needs a hobby.
    Posts: 1,351
    Yeah, maybe this is common knowledge, but I just listened to an interview with Fukunaga where he said that the original talks he had with Barbara Broccoli were about rebooting the series after Spectre. And he talks about Nolan's Batman being a touchstone for that. Then Daniel decides to come back and they shelve the reboot and go with Boyle. After he drops out Cary got into contact again but this time for the last Craig of course.

    So a) they were at the very least taking meetings about a full reboot after SP and b) Cary has spent some time thinking about that. Now obviously it's years later, we have the film that we have, which surely changes the outlook, even if they were considering a full reboot before, so not a lot to interpret into here, but I still found it interesting that that was where they were at after SP.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,459
    Yes, that is interesting. Thanks.
  • VenutiusVenutius Yorkshire
    Posts: 2,895
    Full reboot. No carryovers. No origin story. Bond on a mission, firing on all cylinders, at the full height of his powers from the off. Like a bullet from a gun, as Forster said.
  • Posts: 3,333
    Moving forward, we have a wide open field of what to do with Bond. There is no need to have another origin story based on Casino Royale. Plus, I don't think that one could be topped and it is still too recent for that.
    Agreed. I don't think an origin story has to include the CR story, but it can include how Bond was first singled out from the special forces by MI6 to join the Double O division, rather than him gaining the rank by a double kill seen in the PTS of CR. It's this "wide open field" that I'd like us to explore more in depth, especially those that are still familiar with Fleming's source material and can recall the parts that haven't been touched upon in a movie so far. Of course, Fleming's material was tied to a particlar time period so it would also need to be brought bang up to date.
  • HildebrandRarityHildebrandRarity Centre international d'assistance aux personnes déplacées, Paris, France
    Posts: 467
    It's likely that they'll go that way. Besides, the production cycle isn't the same as twenty years ago, when they could release a film every couple of years. They have issues coming up with a good script, finding new locations, etc. in such a short span and they're at the mercy of every potential issue like a writers strike or the lead being hurt.

    Just as they gave up trying to make a film two years in a row after TMWTGG, they gave up about the idea of making one every two years after QoS, especially as long gaps tended to benefit the quality of the next film (GoldenEye, CR, Skyfall). I think it was the boss of MGM who explained after Spectre that the next one should take three or four years.

    Which is also why it would be a waste of time to have the new lead in another origins story. It's been already done in CR, and it would be hard to top that. In the best case scenario, the new fellow will be able to shoot from three to five films. Besides, the origins story was one of the things that made The Amazing Spider-Man (the Andrew Garfield reboot) so boring, especially as the first Spider-Man with Tobey Maguire had been made just 10 years earlier.
    So, give the guy more space, have some stories related to SPECTRE and Blofeld, some others not, and take advantage of the much wider range of emotions that Craig brought to the part.
  • edited October 2021 Posts: 3,333
    Just for the record @HildebrandRarity. It was only 1 year apart between LALD and TMWTGG not 2 years. And the reason for the hiatus between TSWLM and TMWTGG was down to legal conflicts between Saltzman and Broccoli. Once they were resolved, MR was released within the same 2-year cycle as was FYEO, Octopussy, and AVTAK. But I get your point about Bond post TLD being somewhat directionless.

    No offence to those saying just repeat the exact same formula as GR or GE for Bond 26 and that's all there is to it. It's pretty much guaranteed that's what they won't be doing. As @4EverBonded pointed out in his above post, Fukunaga had already had discussions about a future reboot and how to approach it before Craig was lured back one last time for NTTD. Christopher Nolan has also said he has a different approach for a reboot but refused to divulge any details, wanting to keep his cards close to his chest. If these discussions were simply along the lines of repeat the exact same formula, then there would be no real need to discuss it with different directors as it would just be a gun-for-hire appointment. You need to think outside of the box for Bond 26.
  • HildebrandRarityHildebrandRarity Centre international d'assistance aux personnes déplacées, Paris, France
    Posts: 467
    bondsum wrote: »
    Just for the record @HildebrandRarity. It was only 1 year apart between LALD and TMWTGG not 2 years. And the reason for the hiatus between TSWLM and TMWTGG was down to legal conflicts between Saltzman and Broccoli. After they were resolved, MR was released within the same 2-year cycle as was FYEO, Octopussy, and AVTAK. But I get your point about Bond post TLD being somewhat directionless.

    That's what I wrote about TMWTGG. During most of the sixties, due to having a lot of material to work from the original novels and the films being technically much less complicated to make (they can't use rear projection anymore...), they could produce one entry a year. Then, after Thunderball, the audiences were eager for high production values, or exotic settings that hadn't been shown yet, stories also required more work, they had to work with different leads for a few films in a row, and they mostly adopted a two-year production cycle starting with You Only Live Twice. TMWTGG was the only attempt to put together a film within one year (I assume it was because Saltzman and Broccoli had a deadline to honour with some investors), and it was poorly received. It felt formulaic and rushed, and it's obvious that, even without the legal issues, TSWLM wouldn't have been made in 1975.

    The two-year cycle remained more or less the rule for three more decades, except for the gaps caused by various legal issues or the occasional delay. But it wasn't sustainable anymore by the time QoS was released. And most of the films that had taken at least three years to make (if we except Die Another Day) had been much better received than the films developed in less time.

    It will be interesting to see what can be done with a new lead, stable financial backing from Amazon and full adaptation rights over the franchise (scripts don't need anymore to be scrubbed by some legal team to be sure they don't infringe on elements owned by Kevin McClory). But some bottlenecks remain. It's hard to come up with some original story that sounds true to the spirit of the franchise. The part takes a much heavier toll on the body of the lead actor than it did a few decades ago, in the days when Roger Moore nearly had a fork double to eat his greens. It can take years of negotiations to secure an exotic site, etc.
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