- Yes
- No
- No particularly strong view either way
0 voters
Good idea, Jim! Interesting to see how this poll pans out.
I think that although saying no to Boyle would seem to many like looking a gift horse in the mouth, itās no small gamble to hand over the reigns to an auteur with real clout and respect in the business. Itāll be that much harder for Eon to impose their views should they differ from Boyle.
Of course Boyle seems to be a real gent with his heart firmly in the right place (in that his choices come from a desire to make the best movie, rather than to exercise his omnipotence). But whatever they all believe going in, opinions will inevitably differ at some point and I imagine that Boyle is a formidable mind to change.
So I see this as a brave choice by Eon and I applaud it. It shows theyāre willing to take risks and indeed Produce (facilitate the needs of the talent), rather than micro-manage. You donāt hire Boyle if you intend to micro-manage.
So even if the risk doesnāt deliver, I prefer them trying to do the right thing, rather than the safe thing. And having said that, Boyle has never made a dull movie and I very much doubt Bond 25 will be his first.
2 Likes
It really comes down to how much of a risk or departure this brilliant idea they supposedly have for the script actually ends up being. Most likely, thereās nothing more to it than just the type of hyperbole we usually hear when announcements like these are made, and weāre really just in store for another run-of-the-mill, trust-issue filled Bond film where Bond and M must learn to trust each other all over again.
While I have no particularly strong presupposition either way, I certainly hope that itās more than hyperbole. I have personally decided to choose optimism over cynicism about it.
2 Likes
Thatās what Neville Chamberlain decided 
1 Like
I havenāt got very strong views on what kind of choice Boyle ultimately will turn out to be. Going by the mere facts heās very able, a craftsman and an artisan in his profession with a number of modern cult classics in his CV. Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe, Emmy - itās not exactly a mystery why heās Eonās choice, also since heās got a reputation for shooting on schedule and making it look impressive even on much leaner budgets than Bond will allow.
In a couple of years it might be Alex Garland at the helm of BOND 2X. Might have been even now, only Boyle brings the prestige and that certain award appeal Eon is looking for. And, supposedly, that idea that convinced Eon to give up on their previous script efforts. Weāll see what weāll see. Iām hoping for the best.
2 Likes
Iām a big fan of his 2 movies (as I was of his novel the beach). But theyāre very tight, focused films. Heāll need to prove he can handle a bigger canvas before heāll get the Bond gig.
But I sincerely hope that happens - heās a genuine talent - an eye for the visceral as well an interlect capable more than just scratching the surface of big ideas.
1 Like
I want to say yes, because Boyle is a good director and Iāve almost loved every film heās done. Yetā¦I donāt want him directing Bond like Rian Johnson did for Theā Last Jedi. I donāt want political correctness infesting into the world of James Bond and the reason why Iām nervous was because of Boyle allegedly saying soā¦or if it was a rumour then Iāll be happily mistaken.
In the end Iāll just wait and see, but Iām cautious.
A recent interview with Karl Urban says that Garland technically directed Dredd.
http://collider.com/alex-garland-directed-dredd-says-karl-urban/#images
In which case Iām all for for him directing Bond.
1 Like
Dread was fantastic: Die Hard meets The Raid.
Still, though, itās not a big canvas - another confined-space action thriller, rather than the spiralling nature of a Bond travelogue.
But is a massive boost for Garlandās chances of doing Bond should he ever wish too.
1 Like
That doesnāt bother me. If anything, James Bond could be taught a thing or two about political correctness. Apparently unlike most, I actually much preferred The Last Jedi to The Force Awakens. At least, TLJ dared to be different and not a shameless remake playing to nostalgic fanboys.
1 Like
Iāve been very surprised how all the TLJ fans have called those who didnāt like it āfan boysā, as though itās a perjorative term. Itās like a memo went round or something. If you liked The Last Jedi, surely youāre a fan boy too?
50ās hang over I think, the association that anyone with a liking for fiction over sport is George McFly. Iām one of those wierd freaks who liked both and donāt feel the need to angrily hate something (and write long winded posts why) so as to like something else.
It wonāt be, but what if Boyleās āexciting ideaā was bringing Vesper back from the dead - she was Bunt all along?
It would tie into Eonās existing bad idea of retro-fitting Craigās first 3 bond movies to be part of Blofeldās big plan.
How she survived drowning (or god forbid she has a twin) stretches credulity beyond breaking, but, again they already did that with spectres above mentioned finale reveal.
I donāt want and donāt imagine this is boyles plan - just inspired to speculate wildly by the pic of Boyle and green
I think this wouldnāt solve the previous impasse, would just worsen it. If bringing back dead people it should be White, maybe by revealing the one who killed himself in front of Bond was a double set up forā¦reasons.
But overall Iād prefer if they left that whole complex well alone. Digging deeper wonāt reveal whatās simply not there, a well-thought solid story. If I were in Boyleās place Iād tackle BOND 25 as if it was entirely standing on its own, no thought for past or future.
Cr, and QOS do fit in without retcon, even at the time (10 years ago now) people on old CBN where discussing how Quantum is blatantly what you call Spectre when you donāt want sued. The āretconā only comes in Silva being part of it, one not needed as Skyfalls ending reigniting CR and QOS plot thread was enough. My feeling is to let Boyle do what he wants, if he wants to connect it to the other 4, fine, if he doesnāt thatās fine too. Itās his film.
Side note - can we stop using the āgreat ideaā quote, no one has actually ever said it, but I know it will be used in November 2019 for peopleās āhot takesā on the film.
Every director who wants to do a film will have a certain vision of it - hopefully. I doubt BOND 25 will be measured on a fabricated sound bite, simply because the film itself will be discussed once it hit the screens. If it wasnāt made, for whatever reasons, then weād no doubt keep coming back to this and speculate what it could/would/should have been that was possibly going through Boyleās head, much like Tarantinoās vintage Casino Royale pitch keeps popping up.
āIād rather slit my wristsā
My youngest son was just born when that was said. Heās now starting school. That quote still turns up.
This Boyleās idea quote didnāt actually get said and has survived enough to be placed in many articles talking about Bond 25 for months now. Iām just asking that we donāt encourage erroneous quotes into becoming internet āfactsā.
I agree completely. But in the spirit of high speculation my point was that the ret-con in spectre was so blatantly hacked on that theyāre obviously open to this kind of attention seeking āstunt-writingā. Theyād certainly get headlines for bringing back Green.
Btw, I put āexciting ideaā in inverted comments because Iām aware this isnāt a direct quote. Apols if thatās the wrong punctuation for the job.