Bond 23 on hold due to MGM sale
- Thread starter Captain Craig
- Start date
A guy called Kevin McClory helped Fleming with some of the novel that became Thunderball. He later brought a lawsuit, claiming that he had effectively helped Fleming create the cinematic template for Bond and should be allowed some control over the cinematic rights.
The court didn't agree with him on the former but said that he had the rights to remake Thunderball. This was initially going to be shot in the 1970s, with a Len Deighton script, but ultimately became NSNA, released the same year as the 'official' Bond movie, Octopussy. McClory also was ruled to have created SPECTRE and Blofeld, which is why they haven't been used in 007 movies since - though it is clearly meant to be Blofeld at the start of For Your Eyes Only.
McClory tried again to get the cinematic rights to Bond in the 1990s and also to remake Thunderball/NSNA again; at one stage, there was talk of a remake called Warhead 2000, with Dalton as Bond, Connery as Blofeld and Lazenby as an assassin. Then Sony were supposed to be doing their rival version of Bond, with Liam Neeson in the role (even though he declined the chance to replace Dalton). However, this was all nixed and the end of the various pieces of litigation (McClory dying during it all) was that Eon & MGM finally won the rights to the one Bond novel they'd never bothered buying, namely Casino. However, they still don't have the rights to SPECTRE and Blofeld.
I cannot remember the name of the follow-up Bond novel I read where the antagonist organization was SMERSH.
^^^
To be more precise, McClory and Fleming came up with an original screenplay featuring Bond, which Fleming later turned into a novel (without McClory's permission or participation), namely Thunderball, when the screenplay didn't get produced. McClory sued and won damages and the film rights to the novel. EON made a deal with McClory whereby they produced Thunderball in conjunction with him, with McClory getting the producer credit and retaining the right to remake the film once 10 years had lapsed after its release.
SMERSH was introduced in Casino Royale, the first Bond novel.
To be more precise, McClory and Fleming came up with an original screenplay featuring Bond, which Fleming later turned into a novel (without McClory's permission or participation), namely Thunderball, when the screenplay didn't get produced. McClory sued and won damages and the film rights to the novel. EON made a deal with McClory whereby they produced Thunderball in conjunction with him, with McClory getting the producer credit and retaining the right to remake the film once 10 years had lapsed after its release.
SMERSH was introduced in Casino Royale, the first Bond novel.
The film is not on hold. They are gearing up to start late this year for a 2011 release (as was always the plan).
Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition) will direct.
Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition) will direct.
Seems to me that Fleming approved of the evolution of this character from "just read it" Bond and into cinematic Bond we've known over 3 decades with a bit more zest. To the point he collaborated on the characters evolution. Found that interesting.
Your counter link for a source its not on hold per the link in the OP??
^^^
The unproduced screenplay Fleming and McClory collaborated on was written in the late 1950s, before any Bond feature films were produced.
Here's the news mentioned above (from The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision blog):
The unproduced screenplay Fleming and McClory collaborated on was written in the late 1950s, before any Bond feature films were produced.
Here's the news mentioned above (from The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision blog):
^^^^Thanks for the confirmation. I didn't have a link, I just heard it from a friend who works at an agency and gave me a heads up.
Sam Mendes is an excellent choice, if true. American Beauty and Road to Perdition were exquisite films. Let's hope the news of Bond 23 being fast-tracked are true and that the possible sale of MGM doesn't affect the progress of the film.
Heck yes. I own Road to Perdition. He'd do a great job and would be working with Daniel Craig again.
Wait...maybe I missed it. When the hell did everyone turn on Daniel Craig? I remember pretty much nothing but love for Casino Royale when it came out. It was a breath of fresh air into a series that had turned sour for many years. Granted, QoS left something to be desired, but that was the fault of the script, not Craig. Are people just hating on him because it's trendy to dislike popular things?
I thought Craig was pretty cool. My favorite Bond is still Brosnan, though. (Tomorrow Never Dies is my favorite Bond film of all time)
Brosnan would have been better as Bond had NBC granted him some leeway in his Remington Steele contract.
The word TREK BBS forum must give that away
. QOS was an "ok" Bond movie, which is better on a 2nd rewatch. I like Daniel Craigs bond and I like the fact we have less gadgets and shagging because I seeing Die Another Day the other week I got so tired of it all.Craig is signed up to do 1 more movie after this if memory serves correct.
I did not get to see Casino Royale or QoS until some months after they were released because I waited for the respective Blu-Rays.
My opinion on both has been very consistent. I'm saying the same things about them now as I said then.
Zap2It, the entertainment website run by Tribune Media, reports that Mendes is only in talks to direct Bond 23, and it states that, while a summer launch for production is still planned, it may be delayed because of the sale:
http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2010/01/james-bond-23-woos-sam-mendes.html
Considering how well Quantum did at the box office (bashers can harp all they like, but it was still one of if not the best-performing Bond of all time) I'd seriously doubt whoever buys MGM will pull the plug.
Alex
http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2010/01/james-bond-23-woos-sam-mendes.html
Considering how well Quantum did at the box office (bashers can harp all they like, but it was still one of if not the best-performing Bond of all time) I'd seriously doubt whoever buys MGM will pull the plug.
Alex