Exactly. Just start a new story unburdened by the past without any winking to previous continuity. Nothing more fancy than that. The “but he died in the last one” talk is both annoying and irrelevant. We weren’t talking about what happened to Jinx in Casino Royale.
I really like RO. TFA was too safe. TLJ would’ve been better as the final film and TROS was just a dumpster fire. For a connected story the planning was a mess and the moment is now gone.
The planning thing was a blatant lie Lucas told.
Another area where Bond has an advantage as continuity doesnt really matter outside Craig’s era and even there they would happily drop it if it was in the way of what they wanted to do.
At this point, it’s almost a blank canvas for Amazon. They can and must set the tone for everything to come.
Therefore they will start with a very young Bond becoming the Bond they want to establish as the new reality, so that at some point the EON era will be in the rearview so much that audiences will snigger at the old-fashioned ridiculousness of it.
That’s Bond though. Each stage is a time capsule which is nice. One of the reasons I’m against a period setting.
It baffles me that 20 years after Casino Royale, there are people who still don’t seem to grasp the concept of reboots.
It’s certainly a safe bet to alienate the old audience and put all their money into an effort of winning a new one within one or two attempts (maybe three, they’ve got the money), and if it doesn’t work, hand it all over to Disney. *irony off*
I hope that NTTD won’t go down in history as “still the best way to kill off James Bond”
James Bond being turned into a dog would be a twist…
A post from Deadline reporter Justin Kroll:
“After talking to a number of reps who will likely have actors in the mix for Bond, there isn’t much to add other then all of them saying the chances of us having our guy by Labor Day is highly unlikely.”
Figures. If they are starting now with screen tests it’s likely still an open race and just looking at all the footage, discussing it with the producers and Villeneuve may take weeks, possible recalls not included.
Still better than if they were in the middle of location shooting full steam ahead and got grounded by a pandemic/war/stock-market meltdown…
I’m certain all the NDA’s have been signed for anyone in the running.
Having sat in on a number of casting sessions over the years, they’ll start with simple reads of existing bits.
Then, based on that, there will be second round of those. After that, the list will be shortened.
Then, following that, probably some photo shoots trying check out if any of the contenders have “the look”.
Then will come the actual screen tests.
Finally, there may be a final test or tests.
After that, the powers that be will make their decision.
I’m thinking late August, but maybe longer.
The wheels are in motion though.
Right then! Carry on!
Villeneuve will currently be in post for DUNE 3, afterwards embarking on a world wide press tour.
Yes, he can look at casting tapes and footage, but let’s be realistic: a ton of people deciding on the actor will be sitting at that table, and nobody will want to say anything decisive unless Bezos and his Mrs. will give their order.
That will take months.
And I still believe that Villeneuve at some point will step down for, um, scheduling reasons.
I think he’s “All in” unless there’s a major shift in the direction of things.
I am not convinced this will be the case at all. I seriously doubt good people like Villeneuve, Pascal and Heyman would be a part of this if they thought that they had no role in the selection process other than carrying out the orders of the Bezos. While you know far more about the industry and dealing with Amazon than I do, I am pretty sure Villeneuve, Pascal and Heyman know a lot too, and joined the production with their eyes open.
I remain optimistic based on the quality of what I have seen on Prime over the last 10-12 years. My guess is Bezos did not interfere with those productions. Perhaps my optimistism is misplaced. Let’s see what happens and not criticize folks for mistakes they have yet to make.
Sure thing that Villeneuve, Pascal and Heyman can throw their weight around - but these casting decisions always come down to the big honchos who nod or veto. Afterwards, the creatives will fall in line because they have to or quietly step away.
Bezos certainly might not have interfered with every big Amazon production (although I understand the mega-budgeted and supposed prime crown “The Rings of Power” did get some, uh, feedback…).
But Bond will be personal for him. He ordered to pay out EON. He wants this to be a huge success, and if it self-explodes through bad reviews and lackluster box office it will be him with all the egg on his face. Also, if the rumor mill is not too far from the facts, the Mrs. wants to be involved in the decision making.
Which is not uncommon. I have personal experiences of situations in which casting and, unfortunately, even story development decisions were also influenced by spouses and, yeah, executives´ children.
So go figure…
I suppose Bezos can be quite hands-on in the Amazon Studio business when he’s got a personal interest. Buying The Expanse and financing another three seasons supposedly was mainly a decision based on Bezos’ being a fan of the show (and the books? I don’t know). Currently Prime is doing a good job with various shows, not all of them outstanding but certainly delivering solid entertainment fodder with decent production standards.
Reacher did very well to introduce just that bit of absurd humour the books lack and the show is better for it. And The Boys, while it likely wouldn’t be picked up as a new show these days, is actually every bit as critical and making fun of the fascist cult like the original (where the comic book hardly could imagine the extent of corruption we’re by now used to). That this show has been allowed to finish its run now proves not all decisions are made by madness and unspeakable corruption.
However, Bond is of course another league altogether and it would be naïve to assume this gig wasn’t the one project the top brass and boss himself want to be updated on regularly. That much is probably not different from the old MGM/Eon days.
The real difference is, today Pascal and Heyman cannot push their own creative decisions through against Amazon. They may be left alone - mostly - but then they may not. It depends on the situation, the working environment, the vibe…
I agree that neither Pascal/Heyman nor Villeneuve would be involved with BOND 26 if they were not confident to be able to work independently and largely without disruptions. However, what the actual production will face entirely depends on how things work out.
This is the case with most ‘normal’ productions where everyone in the food chain is very aware it’s indeed a food chain…
Didn’t it happen once that EON signed someone to play Bond, and a big honcho vetoed the choice, and they had to sign another actor, while still honoring the contract of the first one?
Trying to remember. . .
And the head honcho gloated for decades to come despite not fulfilling his end with the actor in question.
He was intensing on adapting Macbeth i gather.
Indeed, let’s not forget: even the Broccolis couldn’t just do as they please for the longest time. Only once the bank accounts were sufficiently swelled up it was really Barbara Broccoli’s (and MGW’s) creative control. Before that MGM was able to strangle any unwelcome decisions via the budget.
Yes, but Polanski beat him to the punch. I am working on an article about Marlene Dietrich now, and there instances where she was contracted for x movies, only did y, but still received all the money. Seems it is perennial behavior in Hollywood.
Interesting. I’d have thought that they’d start with the head shots, only calling in people who have the right look.