Skyfall - Bond 23

[Stefen]

Haha.

[Gold Trumpet]

that has almost nothing to do with the directors.  that's the mission impossible franchise where tom cruise just hands the movie to each director (which, for better or worse, is cool on his part).  Bond's always been at the mercy of the producers.

Yes, and now the producers are saying they want to introduce new blood and inspiration into the franchise. Quantum of Solace couldn't have been made twenty years ago, but the producers allowed Marc Forster to explore his visual concepts and have it impact the story. Forster says when he entered the project, the script wasn't fully developed so he was given a lot of room to work with the story, filmmaking and characterization.

It doesn't mean that future Bonds will copycat Quantum, but that the series now has a chance to be ever changing. Even though the stories will still be about a spy in danger and doing exciting things, they could look like a lot a different things. Considering of how much Pixar has advanced typical children's stories and Harry Potter the fantasy story, the range of variety could be pretty great.

[pete]

what visual concept?  and the script that he finished was boring as hell.  the gimmick is a dud because what does the guy who directed Monster's Ball know about making an exciting movie?  it's a gimmick, in my opinion, that started with Ang Lee doing Crouching Tiger.  Then China started a long trend of financing action and fantasy films by recognized arthouse directors.  most of which ended up like The Hulk.
in the US too, visionary indie directors have been tapped by well-intentioned producers that result in movies as mediocre as the first feature by any studio lackey.  Pineapple Express comes to mind.
The people that are tapped for Harry Potter, Bourne, and the MI series are directors that have been given more control (or deailng with fewer people) and also have had more of a track record with the material.  but who knows, maybe mendes will do fine.  maybe QofS would be like the second bourne which was weak and incoherent and mendes will be bourne ultimatum.
respect the genre.  not everyone can defy it.

[Derek]

Delayed indefinitely, officially.


http://chud.com/articles/articles/23428/1/JAMES-BOND-FINALLY-DEFEATED/Page1.html

[Gold Trumpet]

Disappointing. The hope was that they had suitors who would try to outmatch each other early on to get hold of MGM and make sure projects like Bond would still be on schedule. Even Miramax is being fought over where a deal could be imminent.

[modage]

'Bond 23' Directed By Sam Mendes & Written By Peter Morgan Officially Canned
Source: ThePlaylist

We can't really say we're all too surprised, but the news is circulating that EON Productions have officially axed "Bond 23."

News for "Bond 23" certainly didn't look good when earlier this year EON announced that they had "suspended development" on the film due to the financial woes at MGM. However, the latest news is that the next installment, which was originally slated to be directed by Sam Mendes and based on a script by Peter Morgan has been canned.

While Harry Knowles has an aneurysm over the news, really it's not all that shocking. Keeping a movie in active development costs money, and it was only a matter of time before EON would be forced to completely halt movement on the film. With MGM still seeking debt relief and sorting out their next steps, it seems all their eggs are in "The Hobbit" basket with a presumed January start being eyed. We doubt they have enough money in their already empty purse to try and navigate bringing Bond back to the big screen too.

EON grimly states "We do not know when development will resume and cannot comment further at this stage" and really, until the MGM situation is resolved, Bond won't be back. The studio owns partial rights to the franchise and EON will have to wait until MGM gets bought out or miraculously sorts out their situation and gets back in business. But either scenario will not happen any time soon, and certainly, their major priority is get to the camera ready "The Hobbit" rolling first.

It's not known yet if when making a Bond movie becomes viable again if any of the talent will be back but it will be a shame if Daniel Craig, an absolutely cracking Bond, will only get two films as 007 under his belt.

[MacGuffin]

Fate of James Bond hangs in the balance
Barbara Broccoli doesn't want to work with "assholes"
Source: Hollywood Reporter

The "James Bond 007: Blood Stone" video game event in London this month had all the class and splash one would expect from the world's most elegant spy.

Guests sipped champagne in the historic former church venue One Marylebone and inspected pieces of Bond memorabilia including Oddjob's hat from "Goldfinger" and Jaws' famous teeth. The event even featured a video game Bond girl in a stunning black evening dress, the Brit songstress Joss Stone who belts out the game's theme song.

However impressive the Activision launch, big questions about the historic franchise loomed. Longtime Bond producer Michael G. Wilson touched on these unspoken questions from the podium.

"I wish we were launching a movie," he quipped, bringing laughter from the audience.

It was a rare public comment and an even rarer moment of mirth in the drawn-out James Bond-MGM saga, which has left the faithful feeling shaken. In April, Wilson and his half sister and fellow Bond producer, Barbara Broccoli, announced that development of the next 007 feature, known as "Bond 23," was suspended "indefinitely."

The baddie who finally managed to knock Bond out of commission? Financial woes at MGM, which owns rights to Bond but is saddled with a crushing $4 billion in debt. Although no one doubts that Bond will be back, questions remain about where the next pic will find its financing and whether the open-ended delay will slow the momentum the franchise had rediscovered on the rugged shoulders of Daniel Craig.

The topic fascinates the legions of Bond fans as well as industry insiders.

"It's a business problem that will be solved, and then Bond will be back," said director Phillip Noyce, whose Bond-esque thriller "Salt" took in $36 million domestically during the weekend. "There's still a lot of hunger out there for the Bond story."

But Bond appears to be left out in the cold as MGM debtholders extended a deadline to get the studio's financial house in order to Sept. 15. Broccoli and Wilson declined comment but are said to be deeply concerned about the effect of an indefinite delay.

"They're completely panicked that if they go five, six years without a Bond movie, it'll be over," a former MGM insider said. "They don't want to kill the golden goose."

According to the source, Broccoli is hoping for a sale to Time Warner. But TW's $1.5 billion bid for the studio in May, though the highest fielded, is well below what MGM expected. And potential companies still in the hunt -- Spyglass Entertainment, Summit Entertainment and Lionsgate -- apparently are not on the scale that would satisfy the Bond producers.

"Bond's the entire yearly production budget for Lionsgate, and you've got Carl Icahn saying they're spending too much money," the former MGM insider said. "These (prospective MGM buyers) freak them out. (But) all they can do is work behind the scenes to get what they want."

Broccoli and Wilson also continue to push for Sony Pictures Entertainment to be involved. That company was behind the production, marketing and distribution of 2008's "Quantum of Solace."

"They want to continue with Sony since Sony spends," the source said.

Naturally, Broccoli and Wilson have long been protective of the family legacy. Broccoli set the tone during her first meeting with Sony's top brass at a London club before they moved forward with "Quantum." At a dinner also attended by Howard Stringer and Michael Lynton, Sony Pictures chief Amy Pascal asked Broccoli to describe traits she liked and disliked in studio executives.

"Barbara said, 'We generally like studio executives, but we don't like assholes like John Calley,' " the source said. "Howard Stringer finally cut her off. It was the most awkward moment. ... (But) it was her way of firing a shot across the bow."

Bond himself would have been impressed.

Although a delay might be worrisome, the nearly 50-year-old movie franchise not only has kept its mojo through a steady stream of reinventions but also has rebounded despite similar previous pauses. Bruce Feirstein, a frequent 007 screenwriter who recently completed the complex video story behind "Blood Stone," recalls that there was a six-year wait before switching Bonds from Timothy Dalton to Pierce Brosnan for 1995's "GoldenEye," a film whose screenplay he worked on. The film went on to gross $352 million worldwide.

"The franchise never lost its luster during that period," Feirstein noted.

"GoldenEye" casting director Pam Dixon recalled excitedly telling director Martin Campbell that her young son didn't know who Bond was. To her, that meant a chance to give the franchise a real reboot. "The long break was a plus in that instance," she says.

"Bond 23" was moving forward on the heels of more than $1 billion in worldwide grosses from "Casino Royale" (2006) and "Quantum of Solace." Craig's addition to the team was a stroke of genius that came after Broccoli viewed Matthew Vaughn's "Layer Cake." MGM had asked her to watch the film because Vaughn was under consideration to direct, but Broccoli noticed another talent.

"Barbara said, 'I really like this guy, Daniel Craig,' " the source said. "We were horrified. We liked Eric Bana, Hugh Jackman. To her credit, she thought (Craig) was a great actor, had this magnetism. We wanted to do one more with Pierce (Brosnan). ... (The producers) are generally cautious, but they are capable of doing bold strokes."

Craig was ready to roll into action again with "Bond 23," and Sam Mendes was in discussions to helm the project, which was due out next year.

Craig has been the good soldier during the delay, standing behind his April statement in which he said he was looking "forward to production resuming as quickly as possible."

As 007 sits on the sidelines, Bond hardly is the only game in town. The spy marketplace is filled with competing secret agents crowding multiplexes, and those are in competition with the slew of comic book characters seeking a big slice of Bond's audience.

Tellingly, Dixon and Campbell teamed on the upcoming DC Comics creation "Green Lantern."

"Right now, comic book franchises are so popular," Dixon says. "Who knows where we are going to be when we see the next Bond? These are very uncertain times."

Said Feirstein: "I'm not worried about 007. There's a line at the end of every movie which we used in the video game: It's that James Bond will return. ... It's been true for 50 years. A hiccup like what's going on at MGM is not going to change that."

[MacGuffin]

'James Bond 23' Release Date Set For November 2012
Source: MTV

By now, you've probably heard all about how the woeful financial struggles of once-powerful studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer have been holding up the works on future James Bond movies (it owns the rights to the 007 franchise). Well, good news -- on Wednesday, MGM rejected a takeover bid by Lionsgate and billionaire Carl Icahn... and instead filed for bankruptcy! That may not sound like the peachiest news, but in doing so MGM has effectively wiped $4 billion in debt off its plate and set in motion a complicated financial restructuring that will allow it to continue to make movies, including the soon-to-be-in-production "The Hobbit"... and more James Bond flicks!

According to Bloomberg, in submitting the bankruptcy claim, MGM charted its plans for the coming years, and chief among them was assigning a release date to the long-awaited follow-up to 2008's "Quantum of Solace." The next 007 film -- for now let's call it "James Bond 23" -- is slated to hit theaters in November 2012.

But before you go hopping in your Aston Martin for a victory lap, be warned that the good news doesn't stop there. MGM also stated that it plans to release a new Bond flick every second year thereafter.

What's more, the fact that "Bond 23" has its Goldeneye on a November 2012 release means that Daniel Craig will likely return to the role he gave a new, darker edge to in 2006's "Casino Royale" and '08's "Quantum of Solace." There had been concerns that MGM's financial problems could leave the James Bond franchise to wallow in limbo for years, making the now 42-year-old Craig too old to return. Whether he'll be back for more than the next installment remains to be seen, though he does have a five-Bond-picture deal in his back pocket. Also up in the air is whether "American Beauty" and "Road to Perdition" helmer Sam Mendes, who had been attached to direct "Bond 23," is still on board. Either way, there are (fingers crossed) only two more years until the next Bond flick... and we can take a quantum of solace in that.

[MacGuffin]

Date is set for 007 film return
Source: Los Angeles Times

James Bond fans holding their breath about the fate of the superspy franchise can exhale a little. MGM and Sony have announced a deal under which the companies will co-finance and release the next two Bond pictures. After numerous false starts, the deal will return Daniel Craig to the screen as the suave if tortured hero on Nov. 9, 2012. (Sam Mendes will direct the new picture, which could also star Javier Bardem in the villain role.) The companies will share financing costs, and Sony will release the movie in all but a few select worldwide territories; MGM will release the film in the remaining territories. A second film, known informally as Bond 24, will also fall under the new deal. Details of that are still a ways off, but the deal announced Wednesday offers hope that there will be fewer snags and delays than have afflicted Bond 23. MGM financial issues and other obstacles have led to a long gap between films. The last Bond movie, "Quantum of Solace," was released in 2008.

[MacGuffin]

Is Naomie Harris Headed To 'James Bond 23'?
Source: The Playlist

After breaking through in 2002 in Danny Boyle's "28 Days Later," Naomie Harris seems poised for big things. She's landed roles in a number of Hollywood movies including a couple "Pirates Of The Caribbean" films, "Miami Vice," "Street Kings," "Ninja Assassin" and most recently (and notably), had a role in the critically acclaimed "The First Grader." Earlier this year, she was briefly rumored for a part in the currently delayed "The Dark Tower" mega franchise but another blockbuster series appears to be interested in the actress. Shadow & Act has revealed that an item first dropped in the Brit tabloid rag News Of The World may actually have some substance behind it. The paper reported that Harris "will be Daniel Craig's sexy sidekick in the soon-to-be filmed new 007 movie" but the actress herself is playing the cards a bit more close to the chest. In UK interviews for "The First Grader," she has confirmed she has been talking with "James Bond 23" producers but wouldn't reveal for which role or even if she will take it or if she's been offered the part. Harris is a great talent and we'd hate to see her kind of wasted in a rote Bond girl role, but if it's a meatier female character she'd be a great addition to the cast. But, as it usually goes with Bond franchise, more names will start being tossed around as casting gears up. Filming is expected to start this fall with Sam Mendes directing. The still untitled "James Bond 23" will hit U.K. cinemas first on October 26, 2012 with a U.S. release following on November 9, 2012.

[MacGuffin]

Naomie Harris Will Play Moneypenny In 'Bond 23,' Javier Bardem & Ralph Fiennes Locked In
Source: Playlist

For the most part, the Daniel Craig-era of Bond has left behind many of the franchise's most familiar tropes: aside from Judi Dench as MI6 head honcho M, and the CIA agent Felix Leiter played by Jeffrey Wright, it's a been a fresh start: no Q, no Blofeld, no SPECTRE, no gadgets. It worked out nicely in "Casino Royale," not so well in "Quantum of Solace," and now it appears that at least one classic Ian Fleming-created character is going to appear in the latest, Sam Mendes-directed entry in the series, currently known only as "Bond 23."

It's been rumored for some weeks now that actress Naomie Harris, who came to fame in Danny Boyle's "28 Days Later" before going on to "Miami Vice" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" and its sequel, was circling a role in Mendes' film, and the actress confirmed that discussions had taken place. Now, Baz Bamigboye reports that Harris is in the very final stages of talks, and that she'll be playing a familiar figure: Moneypenny, M's assistant at MI6, who's flirted with Bond across twenty separate films. Lois Maxwell, Caroline Bliss and Samantha Bond have all officially played Moneypenny over the years (with Barbara Bouchet and Pamela Salem taking the mantle on in unofficial Bond flicks, 1967's "Casino Royale" and 1983's "Never Say Never Again"), but Harris is certainly a strong choice—indeed, we hope that casting such a terrific actress means that the character will have more to do than sit behind a desk and drop innuendo. Considering that the character tends to span multiple films, it's likely that Harris will be tied to a multi-film contract: perhaps the reason negotiations have been so protracted.

Bamigboye also suggests that the film has locked two other top actors in: both Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes were said to be circling parts earlier in the year, Bardem confirming that his was the villain, and Fiennes' said to be "darkly complex," and Bamigboye suggests that the pair are both officially set. It presumably helps matters that Bardem's other big-budget suitor, "The Dark Tower," collapsed, as there likely would have been a scheduling conflict. All in all, things are shaping up nicely here: it's certainly the starriest, most credible Bond flick in years. We'll find out if Mendes can handle the thrills as well as the actors when the film, which will shoot later in the year, hits theaters on November 9th, 2012.

[MacGuffin]

Is 'James Bond 23' Titled 'Carte Blanche'?
Source: Playlist

Granted, this is pulling a few disparate pieces together and making them stick and it could all amount to a big coincidence or red herring of sorts, but the guys over at Bleeding Cool have put together a compelling case nonetheless that the still untitled "James Bond 23" may in fact be named "Carte Blache." So, let's so through the evidence shall we?

Exhibit A: Serbian paper Blic recently revealed that homegrown cellist Jelena Mihailovic will write the opening score to the forthcoming "James Bond 23." How did she get the gig? According to paper, she performed at Cannes in May and blew away the producers and director Sam Mendes who immediately gave her "a chance to write the opening score for the new James Bond film, entitled Carte Blanche.'" Wait. Maybe that's just a bad translation. Maybe they meant she would have carte blance to come up with the music for the movie. Maybe...but let's go to the next clue shall we?

Exhibit B: Author Jeffrey Deaver has penned the 37th Bond book which just hit shelves in June and it's called, you guessed it, "Carte Blanche." But wait, there's even more. In the midst of the extensive plot summary on Wikipedia is this juicy bit: "[Bond] starts his assignment on the outskirts of Novi Sad in Serbia where an Irish sapper-turned-enforcer named Niall Dunne is planning to derail a train carrying three hundred kilograms of methyl isocyanate, dumping it into the Danube. Bond is able to prevent the catastrophe by derailing the train himself at a much safer place along the line. He is unable to detain Dunne, who kills Bond's Serbian contacts in the course of his escape."

Exhibit C: Just last week, reports surfaced out of the India—one of the proposed shooting locations (though that may change to South Africa)—that filmmakers were looking to film a massive train sequence. So do all of these dots connect?

Maybe. Certainly, the James Bond franchise isn't shy of terrible names for their movies (seriously, "Quantum Of Solace" was an awful—we still don't know what that means) and this all seems to make a pretty good case for "Carte Blanche" (not exactly the greatest title, though we suppose there is some kind of French elegance to it). We probably won't know for sure until the tightlipped producers decide to spill the beans when they're good and ready, but will filming set to begin this fall, official news should be forthcoming in a torrent.

Of course, if this is true, we reckon Deaver was likely working in tandem with screenwriter Patrick Marber ("Closer," "Notes on a Scandal") as the script and story was being developed. So far, Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris and Judi Dench are set to star in the in the film that will theaters on on November 9th, 2012.

[Pubrick]

most of the people who watch these movies had a hard enough time pronouncing Quantum of Solace correctly (Quantum of Solaris was a popular one).

they're gonna call this one Cate Blanchett.

[Sleepless]

Granted, this is pulling a few disparate pieces together and making them stick

Isn't every Playlist article?

[MacGuffin]

Javier Bardem inked as new villain to Daniel Craig's James Bond
Source: LA Times

Now that Javier Bardem has had time off to be a new dad, he's headed back to work being bad: The actor has been cast as Daniel Craig's nemesis in the new James Bond film.

Bardem, last seen in "Eat Pray Love" with Julia Roberts, will join Craig and director Sam Mendes for the next flick in the spy franchise. With the working title "Bond 23," the movie is set for a November 2012 release. Judi Dench will be back as M, with Naomie Harris on board as Moneypenny.

"I am very excited. My parents took me to watch the movies and I saw all of them," Bardem said recently on "Nightline" (see the interview, below). "So to play that is going to be fun."

Sadly, the fact that he's been cast was about all he could reveal, despite having had his eye on the role since earlier this year. "They chose me to play this man, but I cannot give you many details," he said.

But never fear -- the Internet is forever! "They're changing the whole thing, the whole dynamic," Bardem told Awards Tracker in February. "I'd be playing Bond's nemesis, yes, but it's not that obvious. Everything is more nuanced. It's very intriguing."

Bardem is of course pretty good at playing the bad guy -- so much so that his turn as Anton Chigurh in 2007's "No Country for Old Men" scored him a supporting actor Oscar. He and Penélope Cruz -- who got married in July 2010, with her rep denying at the time that the actress was pregnant -- welcomed a baby boy in January.