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James Bond 24 now greenlit too...

C.E. Evans

Admiral
Admiral
Earlier this year, it was announced that James Bond 23 had been greenlit, now there are reports that a deal has been struck for James Bond 24 as well
http://www.deadline.com/2011/04/tol...-with-sony-pictures-that-includes-james-bond/
Deadline.com said:
LOS ANGELES, CA., April 13, 2011 - Sony Pictures Entertainment will remain in the James Bond business after reaching an agreement with MGM to co-finance and theatrically market and distribute Bond 23 worldwide, it was announced today by MGM Co-Chairmen and Chief Executive Officers Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum and Sony Pictures Chairman and CEO Michael Lynton and Co-Chairman Amy Pascal. Sony will release the next film in this iconic franchise on November 9, 2012 throughout the world except for select International territories, where MGM will directly oversee distribution.

Sony Pictures and MGM look forward to Sony Pictures co-financing and distributing Bond 24 on a similar basis.
 
I'm glad to see Sony/MGM are still involved. I'd hate to see "the set" broken up. Just ask Pink Panther fans who will never be able to enjoy a complete box set of Clouseau films because one of them is owned by another company.

Having a green light for Bond 24 is also a good thing. Hopefully this might mean a shorter interval between the two films. Actually, if they can shoot two Potter films at once, I'm sure they could probably shoot two Bonds together and allow us one in 2012 and one in 2013 - after all, the first few Bond films were annual releases.

Alex
 
I'mI'm sure they could probably shoot two Bonds together and allow us one in 2012 and one in 2013 - after all, the first few Bond films were annual releases.

Indeed, right up until The Living Daylights (1989) they were released every two years. There was then a 6 year gap caused by legal disputes and the next 3 came in two year intervals (1995, 1997, 1999). Die Another Day didn't come out until 2002, breaking the pattern, while Casino Royale took 4 years to hit cinemas, with QOS reverting to 2 year gap. MGM's financial problems stopped Bond 23 from being released according to plan.

So, really moviegoers over the last 2 decades have been quite unlucky in terms of how long we've had to wait to see our Bond movies. Having said that, I'm not sure an annual release is a good idea; the Potter movies had existing works to base their scripts on, so they're the exception rather than the rule. For most movie series, it's very difficult to maintain the quality required to release a movie every year. and personally, I'm not a fan of these cliff-hanger movies that keep you waiting 6 - 12 months to see the next one to find out what happens next.
 
I'mI'm sure they could probably shoot two Bonds together and allow us one in 2012 and one in 2013 - after all, the first few Bond films were annual releases.

Indeed, right up until The Living Daylights (1989) they were released every two years. There was then a 6 year gap caused by legal disputes and the next 3 came in two year intervals (1995, 1997, 1999). Die Another Day didn't come out until 2002, breaking the pattern, while Casino Royale took 4 years to hit cinemas, with QOS reverting to 2 year gap. MGM's financial problems stopped Bond 23 from being released according to plan.

So, really moviegoers over the last 2 decades have been quite unlucky in terms of how long we've had to wait to see our Bond movies. Having said that, I'm not sure an annual release is a good idea; the Potter movies had existing works to base their scripts on, so they're the exception rather than the rule. For most movie series, it's very difficult to maintain the quality required to release a movie every year. and personally, I'm not a fan of these cliff-hanger movies that keep you waiting 6 - 12 months to see the next one to find out what happens next.
One can argue that even at the pace they DO release James Bond movies, there have been occasions where the writing has suffered. While I love the James Bond franchise, I'm content with a movie once every few years.
 
Not surprising. Won't Craig's current contract expire after Bond 24?

Actually his original contract was for three, so you could see a new Bond in 24. But he's enjoing it, so I think if they have 24 soon enough after 23 he'll stay for that - and if they're smart they'll try to put out 24 in 2013, as it's the 60th anniversary of Fleming's novels...
 
^ I think he signed a five-film contract.

Nope, it was 3.But I imagine there's an option for either one or two more.

I think the original contract was for 3, but he signed up for more.

http://commanderbond.net/4628/details-of-daniel-craigs-new-007-contract-emerge.html

http://www.bittenandbound.com/2007/10/29/daniel-craig-extends-james-bond-contract/

From those I'd say that he took up the pre-existing option for two more after CR came out, then. So that makes "four more" from the date of the article
 
^That makes me happy. I jumped onboard the Bond bandwagon because of Daniel Craig, and I'm not sure whether or not I would stick around after he leaves Bond.
 
^Craig's an awesome Bond--in fact, he's by all acounts the Bond closest to the novels--more emotionally driven, vulnerable to pain, more akin to anger--and more cruel to his enemies.

Not surprising. Won't Craig's current contract expire after Bond 24?

Actually his original contract was for three, so you could see a new Bond in 24. But he's enjoing it, so I think if they have 24 soon enough after 23 he'll stay for that - and if they're smart they'll try to put out 24 in 2013, as it's the 60th anniversary of Fleming's novels...

Hmm...just hope they won't "force" anything in the "aniversery" tribute--like they force-fed Die Another Day with tributes....

That being said, if Bond 23 were to show Craig's Bond becoming more sofisticated, refined, and debonair...perhaps Bond 24 would bring a kind of closure to the "Bond origins" concept--so that at last, he is in no uncertain terms "Bond. James Bond."

Hmm...perhaps in Bond 24...he encounters the head of Quantum--a balding figure with a white cat....
 
One can argue that even at the pace they DO release James Bond movies, there have been occasions where the writing has suffered. While I love the James Bond franchise, I'm content with a movie once every few years.

Yeah, but if you consider that From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, and Thunderball were made back to back, released less than a year apart, and are today still considered all-time classics, with Russia (which came out only about 6 MONTHS after Dr. No, if I recall) still considered the gold standard, I don't think the length of time between films should have any bearing on the quality. It's not as if these guys don't know how to write James Bond - he's not a new character and there's still a couple dozen novels (if one includes the Kingsley Amis, John Gardner and Ray Benson books) from which plotlines and characters can be lifted if they get stuck.

Problem with Moonraker was it was an attempt by the studio to make Bond into a Star Wars clone. And A View to a Kill was hampered by the fact its star had gone one film too many and the creative team behind the films had also done one film too many. If they get people in with a fresh approach and fresh enthusiasm -- just like the writers for the first few Bonds (one of whom by the way was a woman - Johanna Harwood co-wrote Dr. No and From Russia with Love; and they also hired Roald Dahl to write You Only Live Twice, which remains a very odd choice) -- there's no reason why they couldn't do a film a year.

Alex
 
I'm actually reading Moonraker right now--and frankly, I could REALLY see the original tale working as a Daniel Craig film.

As the first third of the book involves both M and Bond facing the villain in a London casino/club--and Bond's assignment basically being based off of a "hunch" on M's part--it could show more "growth" in regards to the two character's cameraderie.

Also, the "idea" of a super-missile could easily be written for today, what with the instability in the Middle East right now....
 
[Yeah, but if you consider that From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, and Thunderball were made back to back, released less than a year apart, and are today still considered all-time classics, with Russia (which came out only about 6 MONTHS after Dr. No, if I recall) still considered the gold standard, I don't think the length of time between films should have any bearing on the quality. It's not as if these guys don't know how to write James Bond - he's not a new character and there's still a couple dozen novels (if one includes the Kingsley Amis, John Gardner and Ray Benson books) from which plotlines and characters can be lifted if they get stuck.

It was a different era though. There were fewer blockbusters and franchises around and thus less competition. And as I said before, they were working from novels and didn't have to come up with original stories. I don't think the Amis, Gardner and Benson books would cut it for most audiences now.

Besides, it's not just a matter of stories. There are locations to consider, actors' availability, casts, crews, SFX teams. The Potter series signed up all their actors, most of whom appeared in the bulk of the movies and by and large they were filmed on or around the same locations. You can't do that with Bond. You don't have recurring villains in most modern Bond movies and globe-trotting locales are expected; you couldn't set them all in the same area, like Potter.
 
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