The James Bond Film Discussion Thread (With Bonus Lazenby!)

[Starkers]

I see Barbara and Michael will retain co-ownership, whether that means they may have some level of input, an occasional veto perhaps, or whether it just means they'll just continue to bank the cheques and that's it, I don't know.

It has felt like they burned out a while back and I can't blame them, it must be a difficult beast to wrangle at times and if they have fallen out of love then better to step away than continue to trudge on because they're clearly not happy. Plus whilst Barbara isn't that old (she's only ten years my senior so definitely not that old!) she is in her mid 60s and clearly has other interests, and Michael is 83 so he's due a retirement!

On the plus side Amazon will want to get some Bond content out there sooner rather than later, I guess the downside might be a Moneypenny series and a Q sitcom...I jest (or do I?)

I'm not totally opposed to a TV series alongside the films- a period 1950s Bond on the TV whilst we get something bang up to date in cinemas isn't a terrible idea. Plus their record with existing source material isn't awful. I've never seen the Ryan or Reacher shows but understand they're quite faithful? And whilst I'm not the biggest fan of the LOTR series (still haven't started on the second season) it again feels relatively faithful and certainly not a complete blasphemy.

Do we think there's any chance they might dispense with the films and make 007 strictly small screen from now on?

 

[cardinal biggles]

Covid basically wrecked the traditional blockbuster cinema distribution model; Netflix and other services had been chipping away at going to the movies for years, but locking everyone down for months on end took a sledgehammer to it. We've seen that people will still turn out for the right thing (Inside Out 2, Deadpool & Wolverine, Moana 2 and Wicked last year; the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon and Super Mario in 2023), but so many movies that previously would have been huge have underperformed, including a string of Marvel movies, the last Indiana Jones film, and Fast X. Bond is still unique enough that people might show up in droves, especially to see whoever finally gets cast as 007, so I could see Amazon/MGM taking a two-pronged approach. But yeah, Bond-related series on Amazon Prime are just around the corner.

 

[Captaindemotion]

I see Barbara and Michael will retain co-ownership, whether that means they may have some level of input, an occasional veto perhaps, or whether it just means they'll just continue to bank the cheques and that's it, I don't know.

It has felt like they burned out a while back and I can't blame them, it must be a difficult beast to wrangle at times and if they have fallen out of love then better to step away than continue to trudge on because they're clearly not happy. Plus whilst Barbara isn't that old (she's only ten years my senior so definitely not that old!) she is in her mid 60s and clearly has other interests, and Michael is 83 so he's due a retirement!

On the plus side Amazon will want to get some Bond content out there sooner rather than later, I guess the downside might be a Moneypenny series and a Q sitcom...I jest (or do I?)

I'm not totally opposed to a TV series alongside the films- a period 1950s Bond on the TV whilst we get something bang up to date in cinemas isn't a terrible idea. Plus their record with existing source material isn't awful. I've never seen the Ryan or Reacher shows but understand they're quite faithful? And whilst I'm not the biggest fan of the LOTR series (still haven't started on the second season) it again feels relatively faithful and certainly not a complete blasphemy.

Do we think there's any chance they might dispense with the films and make 007 strictly small screen from now on?

It is hard to imagine that Amazon would jettison 60 years of cinematic history but OTOH streaming seems to be its main thang and they might be very happy to have something else to sit beside LOTR, Reacher, Jack Ryan etc.

Like yourself, I would be happy with a big screen 007 adventure every other year and some form of small screen filler on alternate years, be that period-adaptations of the books (or Horowitz novels etc), standalone films with alternating actors or even new vehicles for Pierce or Tim. But I suspect an expanded universe in the vein of the adventures of other 00 agents is more likely.

 

[Turtletrekker]

Coming soon from Amazon, the live action remake!

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[Skywalker]

I'm expecting a movie or show about the origins of the 00 Section to be greenlit in the near future.

 

[Starkers]

Suspect even at best we won't get a film every 2 years, I could live with every three years!

As for shows a lot will depend how good they are and how many of them there are. A film every three years with a really well made show in between isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if they dilute the brand to make as much money as possible ala Disney, and we get three spin off shows a year, then I'll be royally hacked off, even if one of those shows is Andor levels of great.

 

[Starkers]

I'm expecting a movie or show about the origins of the 00 Section to be greenlit in the near future.

Again it isn't necessarily a terrible idea.

 

[UssGlenn]

Movie # 25 and the onscreen death of the main character is a solid spot to go out on. Now is the least controversial time to do a hard reboot. (Though you could argue the Craig era was already one). Hey Amazon, my suggestion is always to go with period pieces with properties like this.

 

[The Wormhole]

I've never seen the Ryan or Reacher shows but understand they're quite faithful?

While I love the Jack Ryan show, I wouldn't really call it "faithful" to the novels. The show definitely does its own thing, and that's okay. That said, tone-wise it is very similar to the Jack Ryan Jr. novels (that's novels which follow the adventures of Jack Ryan's adult son, just so we're clear).

I've never watched the Reacher show, and indeed I've only read the first two novels, which I wasn't really impressed with. Still, I will give Amazon points for casting an actor in the role who at least matches the physical description of the character in the novels a lot better than Tom Cruise did in the movies.

 

[UssGlenn]

Criticism over the Rings of Power aside, I've been reasonably pleased with their output, what I've seen of it.

 

[oktay]

They will definitely turn it into a cinematic universe with 3 spin off movie series and a tv show.

 

[oktay]

Jeff Bezos Crowdsourcing Next James Bond? Amazon Chief Asks Fans Who Should Be 007

Minutes after Amazon MGM Studios took creative control over James Bond, Jeff Bezos asked followers who should play 007.

deadline.com

 

[Tallguy]

James Bond from the company that rescued and continued The Expanse and did a good job with it (and then, sadly cancelled it) isn't the worst thing.

If Legacy Bond is still a thing in the public consciousness (including the Craig films), what is it to people? Who is this valuable to?

 

[oktay]

James Bond from the company that rescued and continued The Expanse and did a good job with it (and then, sadly cancelled it) isn't the worst thing.

The Expanse wasn't cancelled. It just ended after season 6. The one who ended it was probably the show's original creator, Alcon Television Group.

 

[Daddy Todd]

I've long thought faithfully adapting the Fleming novels & stories as a period TV series would be a great way to go. John Griswold's book would be the resource for a project like that.

 

[UssGlenn]

If Legacy Bond is still a thing in the public consciousness (including the Craig films), what is it to people? Who is this valuable to?

It's still got massive name recognition. All it takes is one good/hit film to bring the property back. Laying fallow for a while also avoids burnout (cough*Star Wars*cough).


A true Bond prequel could be fun. Show him in the Navy during WWII. With Cameos from fictionalized Christopher Lee and Ronald Dahl.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Here's a friendly reminder that Bond enters public domain in most of the world in a decade.

You're welcome.

 

[HIjol]

So the World Will Finally Be Enough?

 

[Captaindemotion]

Jeff Bezos Crowdsourcing Next James Bond? Amazon Chief Asks Fans Who Should Be 007

Minutes after Amazon MGM Studios took creative control over James Bond, Jeff Bezos asked followers who should play 007.

deadline.com

We have the opportunity to do something very funny, folks.

Here's a friendly reminder that Bond enters public domain in most of the world in a decade.

You're welcome.

That could be very interesting though the makers would presumably not be able to do anything that had been created by or for the films. Something like the Kevin McClory situation with Blofeld etc.

Of course, I bet that crowd who’ve made horror versions of Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh etc will be first out of the traps.

 

[the G-man]

Of course, I bet that crowd who’ve made horror versions of Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh etc will be first out of the traps.

God, I hate those people. Do something creative.