^ was something about 2 studios both releasing Bond fliks withing months of each other or something of the like
Was it the rights to THUNDERBALL that caused MGM to lose the rights to the name SPECTRE? That whole legal issue was the mess that lead to Never Say Never Again. I seem to think so but I'm not sure.
Was it the rights to THUNDERBALL that caused MGM to lose the rights to the name SPECTRE? That whole legal issue was the mess that lead to Never Say Never Again. I seem to think so but I'm not sure.
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.
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.
^^^
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 ...
Your counter link for a source its not on hold per the link in the OP??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.
It's Mendes. Sam Mendes.
The British helmer is in negotiations to direct the 23rd installment of the venerable James Bond franchise.
Production is being fast-tracked and could begin as early as June with an eye toward a 2011 release. Plans for the film are moving forward despite a possible sale of MGM. Sony co-produced and distributed the most recent installment of the 007 series with MGM.
Bond regulars Neal Purvis and Robert Wade are writing, along with "Frost/Nixon" scribe Peter Morgan. Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli are producing. Daniel Craig will reprise his role as 007.
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.
I thought Craig was pretty cool. My favorite Bond is still Brosnan, though. (Tomorrow Never Dies is my favorite Bond film of all time)
Are people just hating on him because it's trendy to dislike popular things?
Craig is signed up to do 1 more movie after this if memory serves correct.
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?
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