Duncan Jones

[MacGuffin]

'Moon' Helmer Duncan Jones' Next Project Is Biopic Of 007 Creator Ian Fleming, Film Shoots This Year
Source: Playlist

Duncan Jones is a man who's had his fair share of suitors. The one-time commercials helmer made one of the most exciting directorial debuts in recent memory with 2009's "Moon," and followed it up with last year's hugely enjoyable sci-fi thriller "Source Code," a film that managed to be a pretty modest little hit ($150 million worldwide on a $30 million budget. And as such, he's been courted for some pretty major Hollywood projects, taking meetings to direct "Man Of Steel," "The Wolverine" and "The Hunger Games" sequel "Catching Fire," but ultimately not taking any of them. Indeed, things have been quiet on the Jones front: the actor's been developing passion project "Mute" and an secret sci-fi project inspired by "Blade Runner," but all we've seen from him in the last year was a commercial for a bank.

But now there's firm word on what Jones' next film will be, and it's not only a surprise, but also a new kind of picture from the director. Jones' fan-site Man Made Movies has a press release that reveals that the director is attached to direct a biopic of Ian Fleming, the wartime intelligence officer who would later create the most famous spy in fiction, James Bond, with his 1953 novel "Casino Royale," and across thirteen subsequent books. The currently untitled film is based on Andrew Lycett's biography "Ian Fleming: The Man Behind James Bond," and will be a 'period action film' that shows that Fleming's adventure weren't that far away from that of Bond's.

Jones says in the press release that "Fleming lived through one of the most perilous periods in world history, in a position that allowed him a unique vantage point of all the players, all the stakes.  He witnesses true heroism first-hand.  And he saw the evil men could do.  Then, when the war ended, he went off to write fiction. The essential question for me is; where did Ian Fleming end and Bond begin?" It's unclear from the release who's writing the script, but a little digging reveals it's by Matt Brown (who also penned a script about bodyguard Two-Gun Cohen for Doug Liman),, and the project has the full approval of the Ian Fleming Estate. K5 Films (the upcoming Gaspar Noe pic "The Golden Suicides") are producing along with PalmStar Media ("Celeste and Jesse Forever") and Jones' Liberty Films.

There have been other attempts to bring Fleming's life to the screen before now, with one take set up at Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way production company, but the idea of Jones stepping away from sci-fi for the first time for a based-in-fact wartime espionage thriller is enough to convince us that this is likely to be the definitive take. The involvement of Fleming's estate does make us a little concerned that it could turn out to be a hagiography, but we trust he director not to pull his punches. Casting is currently underway (Michael Fassbender, anyone?) and shooting is planned to be underway befoe the year is out. .

[Robyn]

(Michael Fassbender, anyone?)

Yes, please!

[MacGuffin]

'Warcraft' Movie Lands 'Source Code' Director (Exclusive)
Duncan Jones is taking on Legendary Pictures' adaptation of the popular video game universe.
Source: THR

Duncan Jones is making the jump to big-budget tentpole movies, signing on to direct Warcraft, Legendary Pictures' live-action adaptation of Blizzard Entertainment's video game universe.

Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni are producing for Legendary along with Blizzard and Atlas Entertainment's Charles Roven and Alex Gartner.

Taking an almost kitchen-sink approach to fantasy, Warcraft, which has grown to be one of the most popular multiplayer online role-playing games out there, is part fantasy, part science fiction and — depending on the game you're playing — includes elements such as dragons and orcs, zombies and werewolves, and aliens and spaceships.

Legendary is keeping its script, written by Charles Leavitt, under wraps. The Warner Bros.-based production and finance outfit is eyeing a fall 2013 start and a 2015 release.

Jones' producing partner, Stuart Fenegan, will executive produce while Chris Metzen will co-produce for Blizzard.

Warcraft  is a big jump up in terms of scope and scale for Jones, the filmmaker son of David Bowie known for his thoughtful sci-fi work.

Jones (CAA, Independent Talent Group, Bloom Hergott) made his feature debut writing and directing 2009's Moon, the well-regarded low-key indie sci-fi drama that starred Sam Rockwell and cost about $1 million to make. He followed that up with Source Code, Summit's 2011 time-travel thriller that starred Jake Gyllenhaal and cost about $35 million to make. Warcraft is expected to have a budget north of $100 million.

Roven most recently produced  The Dark Knight Rises  and is a producer on Man of Steel, both of which involved Legendary. Atlas is in pre-production on David O. Russell's follow-up to Silver Linings Playbook, an untitled project that will star Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner. Production begins this March.

Legendary is prepping for the July 12 release of Guillermo del Toro's monsters vs. mechas tentpole Pacific Rim.