MGM announces Bond 23 for November 2012

[John Johnson]

It’s not set in stone, but MGM has announced that new James Bond films starting with Bond 23 may be released every second year starting in November 2012 according to Bloomberg. Right now MGM is only wanting to own 50 percent of Bond 23 with an equal partner paying all of the production costs. Further 007 adventures would be wholly owned and funded by MGM.

Before any of this occurs though MGM must first go through bankruptcy which it recently filed for, and take care of its obligations for Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit. MGM announced that they’ve already paid $20 million to fund production of the two films and estimates that they may be required to pay $275 million total.

Still unknown is whether MGM plans to continue to distribute the James Bond films. Much speculation has been made saying they won’t which could open a battlefront for distribution rights to the lucrative series. Columbia Pictures, Warner Bros, Fox, and Paramount are said to already be in contention.

http://commanderbond.net/12569/mgm-anno ... -2012.html

[Monterey Jack]

MGM would be fumbling the marketing opportunity of a lifetime by not having a new James Bond movie in theaters to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 007 film franchise. Beg, borrow or steal, but make it happen.

[Eric W.]

MGM would be fumbling the marketing opportunity of a lifetime by not having a new James Bond movie in theaters to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 007 film franchise. Beg, borrow or steal, but make it happen.

Definitely. It'll be unforgivable if they don't.

[John Johnson]

Long-time Bond composer, David Arnold, recently commented to Film Music Magazine about the status of Bond 23 and what ideas he may have for the film saying, “I haven’t thought about it yet. We only just got the news that we’re back on. But ‘there’s many a slip twixt cup and lip’ So I will keep quiet until I get a script and then start writing ideas. I just hope the next one is as good as my favorites, as I think everyone does. And I’m always interested in what Daniel Craig brings to the part. But like most things with movies, if it ain’t on the page etc… All I can say is that I’m looking forward to a great script for it, alongside every other Bond fan in the world!”

Also Kate Winslet confirmed to The Daily Mail that Mendes is still on for Bond 23. “Sam is doing the next Bond film, all being well, and we’ll all be in England if that happens. It’s such a massive commitment for him and it’s not fair for him to commute backwards and ­forwards to New York from ­London. It would be impossible. The children will be there with me.” Winslet also told the Daily Mail that Mendes and Bond producer Barbara Broccoli have already had meetings over casting. It should be taken with a pinch of salt, but the article also claims Broccoli saw the play Deathtrap twice to see Simon Russell Beale.

http://commanderbond.net/12690/bond-23- ... rward.html

[AndyDursin]

Just let it be a return to form and not another QUANTUM OF SOLACE. The cab driver we had last night had the DVD spinning on a TV on his dashboard and I'd forgotten just how utterly mediocre that film was, not to mention a lousy Bond movie.

[mkaroly]

Just let it be a return to form and not another QUANTUM OF SOLACE. The cab driver we had last night had the DVD spinning on a TV on his dashboard and I'd forgotten just how utterly mediocre that film was, not to mention a lousy Bond movie.

After reading the majority of the Bond books (I'm still working on the last three), I actually appreciate QoS more now than I did when I first saw it (and I gave it high marks then). While certainly not being a spot-on rendition of the Bond character of the books, I think both CR and QoS have represented the Bond character well (at least for me) and the story arc up to this point has entertained me. Granted, the Bond films have visually become more like the BOURNE films, but the torture scenes in CR were right out of the book; QoS gets Bond past his Vesper thing, and Camille had more dimension as a character (like some of the females in the books with sordid pasts) as opposed to just being a dopey bimbo.

I am looking forward to the next film; I hope Bond doesn't go back to being a "super-spy" (a la Brosnan era Bond) with an arsenal of gadgets (an invisible car??? Ridiculous.), and I hope Bond doesn't go back to being a wimpy, stagnant smart-a** (a la Moore era Bond). Some balance would be nice...a little more humor and a gadget or two that aren't ridiculously laughable (again, an "invisible" car gives Bond too much of an advantage and is really silly) would be fine by me. Be smart about it and finish out this "trilogy" with a good movie...I'll be happy with that!