Bond 24 to be released within 3 years - MGM

Quote :

(Reuters) - Movie studio MGM said on Tuesday it expects to release the next James Bond movie within three years, and hopes to announce soon a new director after Sam Mendes decided to move on.

In a conference call with investors, MGM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gary Barber said the studio was developing the screenplay for the next, 24th movie in the 50-year-old franchise about the British secret agent.

"We are very excited about the franchise, we look forward to announcing a director soon," Barber said.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/03/19/uk-jamesbond-idUKBRE92I1AP20130319

Did I miss something? I thought they'd already confirmed a 2014 release yonks ago.

Well, I guess now it's either 2014 or 2015.

CJB wrote:

Did I miss something? I thought they'd already confirmed a 2014 release yonks ago.

Yeah, there was definitely something mentioned about them wanting to get back to the every-2-years release schedule.

In 2010, when MGM was in bankruptcy, the company filed a business plan with the court. It included getting the Bond movies back on an every-other-year schedule, saying Bond 23 would be out in 2012, Bond 24 in '14 and Bond 25 in '16.

By November of 2012 (on an investor call; I listened to a replay of it on the MGM Web site), the CEO said he was "hopeful" they could get Bond 24 out in 2014 but that it'd be out in 2015 at the latest. He also said they wanted to be sure the script was good before filming.

This week, the CEO used the "within three years" language (I listened to that call's replay also). Personally, my guess is he wants to be less specific. Also, with greatly improved finances and two Hobbit movies lined up with specific release dates, there's perhaps a bit less need to get Bond 24 out in '14. Also, Eon (Barbara Broccoli in particular) has chafed at having to commit now to a 2014 release date. So MGM has incentive not to publicly talk about a 2014 release date (if that's still a possibility) at this time.

But if you took the CEO's words from this week literally, Bond 24 might not be out until March 19, 2016. Some of the entertainment blogs (not the Reuters story linked above) have gone crazy with that, saying Bond 24 has been delayed until 2016. One of them, called Whatculture!, said there was no writer attached to Bond 24 (not true).

CJB wrote:

Did I miss something? I thought they'd already confirmed a 2014 release yonks ago.

A Sony executive told that to executives of theater chains. Barbara Broccoli and Daniel Craig, in an interview, in effect said the guy didn't know what he was talking about. (Which probably didn't make Sony happy to have a business partner publicly diss one of their people but in those situations it's best to not comment publicly.)

The most interesting thing about this statement is that Barber says they're looking forward to "announcing a director soon."

That implies they've already found someone.

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Well, I guess now it's either 2014 or 2015.

Or 2016 (going by the "within three years" bit, and even that is only a "hope").

For what it's worth (i.e. nothing), my hunch is 2015. 2014 seems a bit.... soon.

I took the "within three years" bit as in being within three years between SF and Bond 24.

Ben Wishaw confirmed that they'll be starting this year. The "three years" bit is just EON and MGM covering bases with the investors. 2016 is the worst case scenario.

Loomis wrote:

Perilagu Khan wrote:

Well, I guess now it's either 2014 or 2015.

Or 2016 (going by the "within three years" bit, and even that is only a "hope").

For what it's worth (i.e. nothing), my hunch is 2015. 2014 seems a bit.... soon.

I took "within three years" to mean within three years of SF's release rather than three years from now. Perhaps I was wrong.

I wouldn't be disappointed if it's 2015. It would be demanding to expect a new Bond film to be ready for release in 18-19 months from now. Let the screenplay cook a little, let the production crew assemble, let the logistics work out, and we can have as well-made a film as Skyfall.

The only thing that strikes at me is how Babs and MGW claimed they had no idea on who they'd get to direct. A week later, Barber is saying a director will be announced soon. Is MGM trying to force a choice on EON?

Get Manhunter to write the screenplay. All our prayers will be answered.

GeneralGogol wrote:

I wouldn't be disappointed if it's 2015. It would be demanding to expect a new Bond film to be ready for release in 18-19 months from now. Let the screenplay cook a little, let the production crew assemble, let the logistics work out, and we can have as well-made a film as Skyfall.

The only thing that strikes at me is how Babs and MGW claimed they had no idea on who they'd get to direct. A week later, Barber is saying a director will be announced soon. Is MGM trying to force a choice on EON?

I'm also okay with a 2015 release if it means a significantly better final product. 2016, however, would be a bit much.

And I daresay we can take most pronouncements at this point with a grain of salt. Micolli will lie or blunder through their collective teeth if there's no legal sanction hanging over their heads, and journalists like Barber (he is a journalist?) care more about making dramatic pronouncements than being right.

I wouldn't mind 2015. But if that is the case, I think that it would have to be Craig's final outing. I just can't see him doing a 5th if they follow that time frame. Craig would be in pretty bad shape by 2018.

With that said, I like the vagueness. It is better to be vague than promising something and not deliver. I hope they take their time and make a good film and put it out when they are ready instead of rushing it.

Remember Quantum of Solace? They were so excited about Craig's success in CR, the original release date for QoS was May 2008. Only a year and half after Royale came out. Of course, it got delayed... but I think the whole scramble and rush to make it really hurt that film.

I think we are getting to the point where it seems like the Bond films are going to be put out every three years now. The films are just too big and too expensive to make. Filmmaking has changed dramatically since the 70's and 80's and I don't know if that every other year schedule is tenable anymore.

With that said, I'd much rather have a 3 year gap and get films like Casino Royale and Skyfall than every other year and get TND and TWINE.

I'm a little surprised that they plan on announcing a director soon. Perhaps Babs and Michael had an inkling that Mendes was going to walk.

dr. strangelove wrote:

I'm a little surprised that they plan on announcing a director soon. Perhaps Babs and Michael had an inkling that Mendes was going to walk.

I'm sure they knew he was no sure thing, flabbergasted protestations notwithstanding.

Perilagu Khan wrote:

I'm also okay with a 2015 release if it means a significantly better final product. 2016, however, would be a bit much.

And I daresay we can take most pronouncements at this point with a grain of salt. Micolli will lie or blunder through their collective teeth if there's no legal sanction hanging over their heads, and journalists like Barber (he is a journalist?) care more about making dramatic pronouncements than being right.

I think they need to shoot Craig's last two films at the same time. It would help keep costs down financially, and the aging process would be negated, somewhat. Basically, we're looking at 2015. Hopefully the summer of 2015, but probably Holiday 2015. I think the reference to "within 3 years" was clearly meant to mean '3 years from the time SKYFALL debuted", so we're really looking at about 2.5 years, not a full 3 years. And I think they're pushing it back to 2015 because they might have been caught off guard with Mendes not returning. In order to top what Mendes has done, they're going to have to conduct a very thorough screening process to get the right director and the right story and the right cast. So yeah, there's no sense in rushing it out, but once they do get the people in place, I think it should be for a 2 film deal. Whoever signs on to direct BOND 24 should also direct BOND 25, and one should come out in 2015, and then one in 2016 and that'll be the feather in Craig's cap and he'll have been in the role for 10 years and able to move on. SONY wants SKYFALL 2.0, not QUANTURD OF SOLACE 2.0, so they have to be very careful.

You don't want Craig overstaying his welcome, and you dont' want him getting to the point where he physically no longer looks like a realistic James Bond (just like when Harrison Ford stayed on too long as Indiana Jones).

I'd enjoyed SKYFALL a lot, but I don't want SKYFALL 2.0.

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Perilagu Khan wrote:

I'm also okay with a 2015 release if it means a significantly better final product. 2016, however, would be a bit much.

And I daresay we can take most pronouncements at this point with a grain of salt. Micolli will lie or blunder through their collective teeth if there's no legal sanction hanging over their heads, and journalists like Barber (he is a journalist?) care more about making dramatic pronouncements than being right.

I think they need to shoot Craig's last two films at the same time. It would help keep costs down financially, and the aging process would be negated, somewhat. Basically, we're looking at 2015. Hopefully the summer of 2015, but probably Holiday 2015. I think the reference to "within 3 years" was clearly meant to mean '3 years from the time SKYFALL debuted", so we're really looking at about 2.5 years, not a full 3 years. And I think they're pushing it back to 2015 because they might have been caught off guard with Mendes not returning. In order to top what Mendes has done, they're going to have to conduct a very thorough screening process to get the right director and the right story and the right cast. So yeah, there's no sense in rushing it out, but once they do get the people in place, I think it should be for a 2 film deal. Whoever signs on to direct BOND 24 should also direct BOND 25, and one should come out in 2015, and then one in 2016 and that'll be the feather in Craig's cap and he'll have been in the role for 10 years and able to move on. SONY wants SKYFALL 2.0, not QUANTURD OF SOLACE 2.0, so they have to be very careful.

You don't want Craig overstaying his welcome, and you dont' want him getting to the point where he physically no longer looks like a realistic James Bond (just like when Harrison Ford stayed on too long as Indiana Jones).

Insistance upon a two-year deal would probably narrow the list of candidates unacceptably. Finding a top-notch director to helm one Bond film is difficult. Finding one who will commit to two may be virtually impossible.

The longer the delay, the better! It reduces the chance of another Daniel Craig film following, or at the very least wipes out the possibilty of a Craig-Bond #6. A long delay till 2016 though could very well kill a Craig-Bond #5. Fingers crossed!.

Something about 2014 seems ... optimistic to me. Honestly, I'd rather let everything have time to cool off after Skyfall rather than rushing to get something out next year to capitalize on its name.

inb4SkyfallRises

tiffanywint wrote:

The longer the delay, the better! It reduces the chance of another Daniel Craig film following, or at the very least wipes out the possibilty of a Craig-Bond #6. A long delay till 2016 though could very well kill a Craig-Bond #5. Fingers crossed!.

Be careful what you wish for.