Nothing we didn’t already know really, but I’m nourishing myself on scraps here. Dying to find out what’s going on director-wise!
Speaking of Demange, his latest, “White Boy Rick”, is not off to a good start, with mixed-to-negative reviews from “Variety” and “Indiewire”. If this was supposed to be his transition to Hollywood features, it looks like it may not pan out. This would probably increase the urgency for him to accept Bond 25, while it could conversely cause the producers to reconsider.
Two things that truly need to happen once Daniel Craig leaves, to make James Bond fresher. First get rid of Purvis and Wade. See my previous posts, for my opinions. Second, hire a action director, no more artsy drama directors.
P.S. Where I get controversial: start adapting books not by Ian Fleming. I would rather that happen with new writers than a “original” screenplay by Purvis and Wade. I would say start with Colonel Sun, but P & W have already butchered the good material with it. My list for adaptations in no particular order. For Special Services, Icebreaker, Nobody Lives Forever for John Gardner. The Union Trilogy as a whole shot for one actor, filmed if possible, back-to-back-to-back style together. Also The Man With The Red Tattoo, all by Raymond Benson. Even though they aren’t liked much, Devil May Care and Solo for the ending of a James Bond, but made modern. For a reboot, I would start with Carte Blanche. It’s a good place for a new cinematic Bond to start. Sorry about my rambling, I didn’t expect to go this far with this post. My opinions, at this point for me any writer for James Bond is fresher than Pervis and Wade. Take a chance EON!
Agreed.
So, Purvis & Wade have had their hands in…
1999 The World Is Not Enough
2002 Die Another Day
2006 Casino Royale
2008 Quantum Of Solace
2012 Skyfall
2015 Spectre
Aren’t we deserving of another point of view?
P.S. Or, shall we wait until Craig finally capitulates and we move on from there? A sort-of new-everything line of thinking.
Not at all. The subject matter of the film expectedly draws different opinions. Demange made choices that not everyone agrees with, but he did direct McConnaughey in a way that he is talked about getting award noms.
Apart from that, Martin Campbell did many films before GOLDENEYE that the critics did not like. So did all the other directors who made Bond films - or films at all.
EON most definitely saw Demange´s film early and loved it in order to make him a favorite to direct BOND 25.
So, no John Logan, Paul Haggis and all the other writers then who butchered P&W´s work in subsequent drafts?
SAF, my liege…
Precisely, In short, gimme a whole new set of writers for a whole new 007.
I agree - I would love to see new writers, too. Not because I consider P&W bad Bond writers. Just because they had their… well… six?
I see what you did there ![]()

One of my favourite lines. For all of the latest era’s grittiness I wonder if they’d have Bond kill in such cold blood.
Then again, Craig’s second kill in the PTS of CR is pretty cold blooded. But somehow Connery’s manner and the writing/direction are ’considerably’ more effective at portraying this cold edge in Dr No (a stand out moment in an otherwise urbane movie - well, that and Dr No’s policeman jibe at Bond).
Preferably I’d like every Bond movie to remind us he’s a professional with a “you’ve had your six” moment. Though I’m now looking forward to all the moments you chaps will remind me of in every single Bond movie 
I get what you mean. The “Waste of good Scotch” moment in Skyfall is the only comparable moment I can think of in regards to Bond being completely cold, but even there the threat on Bond’s life is implicit.
As much as I would like fresh blood in the writing pool, the Purvis & Wade presence reminds me of another staple in that pool in Bond’s past, Richard Maibaum.
With less the charm and less the memorable villains of his scripts. Even he took breaks.
Dr No is a monkey!
Getting new writers probably is the only way to prove that P&W were actually good for Bond.
Very good moment. I wonder, however, whether this shows Bond´s coldness or whether he tries to prove to Silva that he cannot be manipulated. The first time was the touching, the second time is showing that Severine´s death does not matter to him.
I think it actually does matter to him. Otherwise he would not have aimed his shot away from her.
Agreed. “Never let them see you bleed.”
Probably the latter, but I think all of Bond’s coldness is always this to some degree, a forced detachment so he can do his job, we then occasionally get a peak behind the mask such as when Vesper and Tracy die, or when Felix is mutilated.
