Amazon MGM acquired creative control over 007

For now it seems Cuarón is a hopeful choice with potential then. Fingers crossed.

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For what it’s worth I think he directed the best Harry Potter film.

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I’ve been saying for almost ten years that Barbara would relinquish control, and that she wasn’t interested in making Bond films anymore - particularly if it didn’t involve working with Craig.

Acting as if there was no worthy successor was odd when there were so many actors around, and could only have been because she didn’t want to make a film at all.

Whether continuing with Craig was easier because it didn’t involve an exhausting reinvention or whether - as outsiders often hint - because she was fond of Craig to the point of being in love with him (!), the result was the same. She wanted to do something else with the last dozen years of her career.

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I’m all for something more fantastical but I think it’s important there’s a sense of danger. Danger makes the character exciting. He’s someone who takes risks, takes things head on and always with style. I think Cuaron could bring the Bond world alive with a moody atmosphere where appropriate. I remember Hogwarts feeling alive and mysterious in Azkaban.

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Which outsiders? Please be specific.

People on Twitter. I don’t take that kind of thing too seriously, though, hence the exclamation mark.

Social media, often a tricky source…

I think what’s been going around are rumours about Broccoli dating Craig (as supposedly she dated Dalton). Since none of us have been present we cannot say either way, much less speculate on how people claiming this stuff came to their insights. Plus, there’s dating and there’s being a serious item - and the one doesn’t necessarily mean the other.

What we can observe, however, is how Eon (which is more than just Barbara Broccoli) was extremely fond of the working relationship with Craig and loath to face the prospect of having to find a new Bond. I believe Broccoli even said so in an interview IIRC.

And this is actually not so strange for the company culture of Eon House: as far as we know they asked back most directors they worked with since GOLDENEYE. They asked back Jesper Christensen and Christoph Waltz (in spite of both going on record not all that favourably). Even old Eon asked back Moore at least once too often. And offered Lazenby a huge contract in spite of being not exactly easy to work with.

If we look at it from that angle, sticking with Craig and not having a penchant for scouting and developing a fresh talent in the role is perhaps less a rumoured personal fad than the side effect of what Eon has always been: a family business that doesn’t lightly let outsiders in. But once you’re in, they stick with you for a considerable distance. Longer perhaps than current business customs would advise.

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That’s putting it mildly…

Yl5QaS

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I invoked Twitter as a way to frame the breadth of options that get talked about - and how it came to the same result: Barbara didn’t want to make more.

Twitter is only representative for one option.

I don’t like Twitter either, but my point was whatever reason people talked about it came to the same result.

I’m seriously debating deleting my Twitter account. However, I have met some nice people (several Bond alumni, in particular) so we’ll see what happens.

Some of the repeated Bond arguments I’ve noticed, on all social media.

Every writer of all Bond media. Purvis and Wade are of course the most mentioned. Even Richard Maibaum has gotten some (sometimes fair, due to his ego), criticism. The continuation novel writers get it bad, as a lot of them are open on social media about their Bond time. Thankfully, most have been nice to me. Sebastian Faulks and Charlie Higson have been a bit rude.
PB was let go because his films were so bad. His movies have their fair share of good and bad moments, but his legacy will always be respected.
Barbara loves Daniel story. They are both to blame for the Amazon takeover. These two get mentioned a lot.

There are a number of similar arguments. That’s also general fandom. I like to think we are more respectful of each other here.

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That’s interesting. Social media is a bit like writing fan letters in that you’re able to correspond.

What did Higgins and Faulks say there was rude? You would think they’d be more thick skinned.

Sebastian Faulks was non responsive, even when other Bond fans liked DMC. Charlie Higson was rude when I told him that Young Bond was underrated. He said that they sold enough books to be not underrated. It came off as a bit rude and egotistical in my eyes.

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Yeah, that sounds a bit off of Higson. Saying something is underrated is not a criticism, it just means it isn’t getting the praise it deserves. Even if there’s lots of praise already, there should be more.

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I don’t think the formal announcement has been posted here yet. Just saw this on the Official James Bond Facebook Account:

Amazon MGM Studios have announced that Amy Pascal and David Heyman will produce the upcoming James Bond film.

“James Bond is one of the most iconic characters in the history of cinema,” said Amy Pascal and David Heyman. “We are humbled to follow in the footsteps of Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson who made so many extraordinary films and honoured and excited to keep the spirit of Bond very much alive as he embarks on his next adventure.”

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I find it interesting that they’ve said “film” and not “films”

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It does not have to mean they are contracted only to produce one. Although, in this business, success is fickle.

In any event, Amazon chose well respected and capable people. Kudos for that.

Now get that casting going.

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They’ve got experience and good and successful movies under their belt. The future might be very interesting for 007.

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