Bond 21 delayed

[bozzy]

MGM's 007 plans shaken up
Thu 30 September, 2004 07:01

By Liza Foreman

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - MGM, which is in the process of being sold to a group headed by Sony Corp., has insisted on a business-as-usual stance, but that business no longer involves the immediate production of a new James Bond movie.

The studio confirmed on Wednesday that it has put the development of a new instalment of its most important franchise on hold.

As a result, the movie, which had been billed simply as "Bond 21" and was scheduled for release November 21, 2005, will not be hitting theatres in its traditional November slot as originally planned.

According to an MGM spokesperson, the studio made the decision because it has not yet found a director for the film. Sources familiar with the situation said that the producers plan to meet next month to decide whether to aim for a summer 2006 or November 2006 release date.

The five months of negotiations that preceded the Sony deal also are said to have affected the development of the film because during that period, executives were unable to move forward on the project.

Typically, the studio's Bond films go into production in January or February of the year in which a November release is planned, but to do that, a director has to be on board by the end of the previous summer.

A steady flow of directors' names has been associated with the assignment, with Paul McGuigan, who directed MGM's recent "Wicker Park," understood to be the first choice of producers.

There also has been speculation that Pierce Brosnan will not resume the role of James Bond, which would necessitate recasting. MGM was unable to confirm that possibility.

[Zing!]

Breaking News! Bond 21 on Hold, MGM Confirms No Bond in '05

Variety reports failure to sign director and actor as cause

Written by John Cox (29 Sep, 2004, 22:40)


The industry trade paper Variety is reporting tonight that plans to release Bond 21 in 2005 have been scrapped. MGM has confirming that the studio and Eon Productions have not yet been able to find a director for 007's next adventure, nor has an actor has been locked in to play James Bond.

The five months of negotiations that preceded the sale of MGM to Sony Corp also are said to have affected the development of the film because during that period executives were unable to move forward on the project.

The studio is now said to be looking to release Bond 21 sometime in 2006 when the MGM label would operate under its new parent Sony Corp. The studio has yet to decide whether the now-postponed Bond pic would be released in summer 2006 or in the franchise's traditional November berth. Sources familiar with the situation said that the producers plan to meet next month to decide whether to aim for a summer or November release. One factor in setting a date is Paramount's Mission: Impossible which has a third installment planned for 2006 as well.

The failure to land a director means a mid-January start date would be tough to meet, making the previously planned Nov. 18, 2005 release a difficult, if not impossible, target to hit. MGM and Eon were cutting things close this time around, and had hoped to tap a helmer by the end of September, but they were not able to close a deal.
Variety reports the studio was high on several names, including Guy Ritchie's longtime producing partner Matthew Vaughn (Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), who recently made his feature directing debut on the British crime thriller Layer Cake, which Sony Pictures Classics is distribbing. Another was Paul McGuigan, who directed MGM's most recent release, Wicker Park.



Those prospective choices would have fit well with the potential direction of the next pic. While producers are keeping under wraps the next pic's script, by scribes Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, the plot is said to revisit the grittier spy elements of earlier Bond pics, and to stray from the effects-packed entries of late.

Either way, the delay now gives MGM and Eon more time to not only find a director but also to secure an actor to play 007. Variety reports that no offer has yet been made to any actor. Pierce Brosnan, who has said he'd be interested in returning for a fifth outing, hasn't been approached by the producers.

Eon is considering introducing a new actor as Bond, but one sticking point could be gross participation. No actor has ever received a percentage of the gross for playing James Bond, which could keep some high-profile names from putting on the spy's tuxedo.

Ewan McGregor, Hugh Jackman, Dougray Scott, Orlando Bloom, Clive Owen, Ioan Gruffudd, Eric Bana and Gerard Butler, among others, have reportedly been named candidates at one time. But producers are also considering the option of making the series appeal to younger audiences with a more youthful Bond.

The movie news site Dark Horizons (who scooped Variety by several hours) has reported that MGM is considering moving their new Pink Panther film starring Steve Martin into Bond 21's November release slot.

[bozzy]

Originally posted by Zing!
Breaking News! Bond 21 on Hold, MGM Confirms No Bond in '05

Variety reports failure to sign director and actor as cause

Written by John Cox (29 Sep, 2004, 22:40)


The industry trade paper Variety is reporting tonight that plans to release Bond 21 in 2005 have been scrapped. MGM has confirming that the studio and Eon Productions have not yet been able to find a director for 007's next adventure, nor has an actor has been locked in to play James Bond.

The five months of negotiations that preceded the sale of MGM to Sony Corp also are said to have affected the development of the film because during that period executives were unable to move forward on the project.

The studio is now said to be looking to release Bond 21 sometime in 2006 when the MGM label would operate under its new parent Sony Corp. The studio has yet to decide whether the now-postponed Bond pic would be released in summer 2006 or in the franchise's traditional November berth. Sources familiar with the situation said that the producers plan to meet next month to decide whether to aim for a summer or November release. One factor in setting a date is Paramount's Mission: Impossible which has a third installment planned for 2006 as well.

The failure to land a director means a mid-January start date would be tough to meet, making the previously planned Nov. 18, 2005 release a difficult, if not impossible, target to hit. MGM and Eon were cutting things close this time around, and had hoped to tap a helmer by the end of September, but they were not able to close a deal.
Variety reports the studio was high on several names, including Guy Ritchie's longtime producing partner Matthew Vaughn (Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), who recently made his feature directing debut on the British crime thriller Layer Cake, which Sony Pictures Classics is distribbing. Another was Paul McGuigan, who directed MGM's most recent release, Wicker Park.



Those prospective choices would have fit well with the potential direction of the next pic. While producers are keeping under wraps the next pic's script, by scribes Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, the plot is said to revisit the grittier spy elements of earlier Bond pics, and to stray from the effects-packed entries of late.

Either way, the delay now gives MGM and Eon more time to not only find a director but also to secure an actor to play 007. Variety reports that no offer has yet been made to any actor. Pierce Brosnan, who has said he'd be interested in returning for a fifth outing, hasn't been approached by the producers.

Eon is considering introducing a new actor as Bond, but one sticking point could be gross participation. No actor has ever received a percentage of the gross for playing James Bond, which could keep some high-profile names from putting on the spy's tuxedo.

Ewan McGregor, Hugh Jackman, Dougray Scott, Orlando Bloom, Clive Owen, Ioan Gruffudd, Eric Bana and Gerard Butler, among others, have reportedly been named candidates at one time. But producers are also considering the option of making the series appeal to younger audiences with a more youthful Bond.

The movie news site Dark Horizons (who scooped Variety by several hours) has reported that MGM is considering moving their new Pink Panther film starring Steve Martin into Bond 21's November release slot.

This report is full of false facts.

[Zing!]

Originally posted by bozzy
This report is full of false facts.

Gee, thanks for clarifying your point. I understand completely now...

:rolleyes:

[quoth_the_raven]

It could be lack of sleep, but I feel this is the beginning of the end...I know I'm not alone in that view either.

*sighs* I hope it is just lack of sleep...

[Zing!]

I know what you mean - it doesn't look good for Bond. At the very least we're going to have a bit of a dry spell like when Dalton left the franchise. I find it hard to believe that Sony would pass up a chance to make a Bond movie in 2007 - with it's built-in marketing, but if 2006 is the target year for the next Bond, it doesn't seem likely that they'd do Bond movies in back to back years, although it COULD happen. I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see the next Bond film pushed back to 2007, which obviously takes Brosnan out of the picture as he is already too old in many people's minds.

[bozzy]

Originally posted by Zing!
I know what you mean - it doesn't look good for Bond. At the very least we're going to have a bit of a dry spell like when Dalton left the franchise. I find it hard to believe that Sony would pass up a chance to make a Bond movie in 2007 - with it's built-in marketing, but if 2006 is the target year for the next Bond, it doesn't seem likely that they'd do Bond movies in back to back years, although it COULD happen. I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see the next Bond film pushed back to 2007, which obviously takes Brosnan out of the picture as he is already too old in many people's minds.

You are so wrong again. Many people don't feel Brosnan too old for the role! In fact, the majority are for Brosnan reprising the role one more time!

Of course if the film is pushed back to 2007, then he may be a bit too old. If it is 2006 and they make a good film, then he should be on board for a good swan song he so deserved, because under the MGM regime, he is sort of deprived of a real good movie and were saddled with blah material and talent.

[bob]

This is a good topic, but I'm funneling all of the news and questions about Bond 21 into quoth_the_raven's Official Bond 21 Thread.

Thanks.