82 replies to this topic

[Loomis]

According to the "James Bond 21 - September Report" (courtesy of one Cindy Macdonald) posted today on MI6, BOND 21 is still on track for a November 2005 release, although it now seems likely that shooting will start around Easter and not in January. Talk about cutting it fine, eh?

If current negotiations go well, Brosnan will return. If they don't, James Purefoy is tipped to play 007. "MI6 regulars" - presumably Judi Dench, John Cleese, Samantha Bond and Colin Salmon - have been approached. Pinewood will be used.

Two directors are under consideration, one of whom is rumoured to be Stephen Frears, who would have been the director of JINX.

[Martin Mystery]

If it's between Brosnan and Purefoy, I hope Pierce will return.
-Then Clive Owen can take over in 2007 - huh, Loomis?

[Seannery]

The interesting thing is that the AJB insider Pierce-B said something similiar late last night. He said that Pierce Brosnan has agreed "in part" to star in the next Bond. And this morning Cindy Mcdonald says much the same. Pierce-B also very recently has mentioned that filming was to begin in April or was it March but anyway the same Easter period Mcdonald talks about.

This is the second time mi6 and Pierce-B have come up with similiar proclamations almost at the same time. Coincidence? Doesn't seem likely.

My question is who is following who? Could Pierce-B know Cindy or someone at mi6? Could he be jumping the gun on them? Or could they be getting clues or leads from him?

[Loomis]

If this is true (a big "if", natch), then I'll probably catch up with BOND 21 on DVD. Brosnan, Dench, Bond and Salmon returning? Ugh. A super-rushed production in order to meet a November deadline? That's another . The one ray of hope is that Frears might direct, which could lead to a pretty good film; otherwise, the news is all bad (IMO).

[zencat]

The interesting thing is that the AJB insider Pierce-B said something similiar late last night.  He said that Pierce Brosnan has agreed "in part" to star in the next Bond.  And this morning Cindy Mcdonald says much the same.  Pierce-B also very recently has mentioned that filming was to begin in April or was it March but anyway the same Easter period Mcdonald talks about.

This is the second time mi6 and Pierce-B have come up with similiar proclamations almost at the same time.  Coincidence?  Doesn't seem likely.

My question is who is following who?  Could Pierce-B know Cindy or someone at mi6?  Could he be jumping the gun on them?  Or could they be getting clues or leads from him?

That's a good point, Seannery. There's never anything new or revelatory in these reports by Cindy, they are more summations of what already out there. However, she weeds out a lot of nonsense and presents what is most-likely fact and that's valuable in itself. As you said, the two big bits of info here, Pierce maybe back and an April shoot, came from Pierce-B. Believe me, when the next Bond is announced -- and if it's Pierce -- I will find out if there was any truth to James Purefoy, and hopefully that will tell us whether or not Pierce-B was/is for real and should be listened to as production begins.

[Loomis]

There's never anything new or revelatory in these reports by Cindy, they are more summations of what already out there.

Not sure that Pierce-B mentioned this business of a shortlist of two directors (and the Frears rumour, although after JINX one doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to cite him as a potential director of BOND 21). Then again, I haven't followed his posts on AJB very closely, so he may, in fact, have done that.

Oh, and if any staffers want to read this MI6 piece, let me know in this thread and I'll PM copies.

[zencat]

There's never anything new or revelatory in these reports by Cindy, they are more summations of what already out there.

Not sure that Pierce-B mentioned this business of a shortlist of two directors (and the Frears rumour, although after JINX one doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to cite him as a potential director of BOND 21). Then again, I haven't followed his posts on AJB very closely, so he may, in fact, have done that.

Oh, and if any staffers want to read this MI6 piece, let me know in this thread and I'll PM copies.

Stephen Fears as a possible director is something that Greg Bechtloff reported in the last issue of 'OO7' (and something we've all talked about here before). Greg says it's not based on any inside knowledge, just a good educated guess based on Jinx. I expect that's the same here.

If there are really two names and she knows them, I would have rather heard the second name. But it's also possible she's careful to just report things that she knows have been reported before. She doesn't want to be a source, just someone who intelligently disseminates the info and summarizes what is "known." She does a good job.

Oh, and thanks for the offer of the PM, Loomis, but we've all been unblocked.

[Seannery]

[quote name='zencat' date='21 September 2004 - 16:41'] [quote name='Seannery' date='21 September 2004 - 08:04'] The interesting thing is that the AJB insider Pierce-B said something similiar late last night.

[Jack Bauer]

I still don't believe anything until I read it as confirmed.

[Seannery]

I still don't believe anything until I read it as confirmed.

That's always a good policy.

[Qwerty]

I agree with Jack Bauer, one can say this sounds like a good idea, or believe it will happen, but there's nothing until it actually does.

Still not sure about Purefoy.

[Pussfeller]

How is this interesting? It sounds like they're trying to make it as boring as the last film.

[Qwerty]

How is this interesting? It sounds like they're trying to make it as boring as the last film.

Well that really didn't tell a whole lot of confirmed details of what the next film will be like, so nothing is completely official yet.

[Athena007]

I'm so sick of the rumors, and things flying around -- I've started ignoring all the "news.

[DLibrasnow]

New Bond movies always have rumors floating about. The internet just exaggerates them now.

[Athena007]

I guess I usually have stayed away from it all, so it seems more extreme now not only because of the internet but because I'm "involved" [with CBn] now. That's it... no more Internet!

kidding.

[crashdrive]

And Stephen Fears as a possible director is not news to anyone who read Greg Bechtloff's Bond 21 report in the last issue of 'OO7'.

Well, in case anyone failed to notice; Frears has been my first choice in my 'Pick Your Bond 21 Director' list (see link in my signature) for a year and a half now. As for Purefoy, I still can't see it. I really hope Brosnan will return, because I believe EON will make a big mistake by casting Purefoy (who incidentally is also in my 'Most Likely Bond Candidates' list since february).

[Bond Bug]

Not shifting the November date: I believe and always have believed that.

Shooting in Easter and a tight production schedule would be consistant with fitting in around Brosnan if he was coming in from the cold and had to fit Bond in between other commitments (or the same might be so for another actor: eg Jackman).

However, this does not fit with Pinewood allegedly being booked in January. Yes the sets need to be built, but that's not going to take until Easter. The Prague factor may have a bearing, but I think that's very unlikely.

Purefoy? I just can't see it. Jackman yes! Brosnan yes! not Purefoy.

[zencat]

[quote name='Athena007' date='21 September 2004 - 13:47'] I'm so sick of the rumors, and things flying around -- I've started ignoring all the "news.

[Simon]

Oh, and thanks for the offer of the PM, Loomis, but we've all been unblocked.

Sorry, what does that mean???

[Athena007]

Oh, and thanks for the offer of the PM, Loomis, but we've all been unblocked.

Sorry, what does that mean???

"Inner" site to site politics, not really something we should get into right now.

[Bond Bug]

it's starting to mutate into an incestuous fan world were suddenly some guy on the AJB boards who claims to be an insider is now our "official" spokesman. It's ridiculous.

We are all very sad people! But it has kept us off the streets!

[Joyce Carrington]

We are all very sad people! But it has kept us off the streets!

Yes, since about February.

[Alex Zamudio]

I agree with Zencat and Athena, I'm so tired, bored and exhausted from all these rumors! but I still check Cbn everyday after work, or in the night expecting some cool news!
So even though I'm hating all this "info nightmare" I must say I'm addicted to all this Bond 21 nonsense!

Didn't this Cindy girl said that Bana was very close to being Bond?? or she said another guy, i don't remember, I could be wrong, but in my mind her info is never something to write home about...

About this "insider" from AJB, I remember how cool we thought his info was for DAD, I don't know, he could be legit, or maybe he lost his job at EON or MGM, and now he is just pulling our leg!!

Cheers!

Edited by Alex Zamudio, 22 September 2004 - 06:40 AM.

[zencat]

Didn't this Cindy girl said that Bana was very close to being Bond?? or she said another guy, i don't remember, I could be wrong, but in my mind her info is never something to write home about...

It was Heath Ledger.

[Qwerty]

Didn't this Cindy girl said that Bana was very close to being Bond?? or she said another guy, i don't remember, I could be wrong, but in my mind her info is never something to write home about...

About this "insider" from AJB, I remember how cool we thought his info was for DAD, I don't know, he could be legit, or maybe he lost his job at EON or MGM, and now he is just pulling our leg!!

Cheers!

And then this inside from AJB is saying Purefoy if not Brosnan?



Dizzying rumors, far too many, but I guess I'm still checking them.

[Loomis]

it's starting to mutate into an incestuous fan world were suddenly some guy on the AJB boards who claims to be an insider is now our "official" spokesman. It's ridiculous.

LOL! Great post, zencat. Yes, this endless rumour-mongering is a pain, but who among us can say he's free from sin in this respect? I, too, wouldn't mind a CBn "ban" on rumour stories, but even if staffers decided not to make main page items out of each and every piece of gossip, how could members be prevented from creating rumour threads?

Actually, the lack of news doesn't worry me (hey, Eon isn't obliged to keep us in the loop) so much as the strong suspicion that BOND 21 won't be anything to really look forward to.

As Martin Aston pointed out on another thread the other day, Sony can afford to take its time developing a really terrific BOND 21, since that studio has other successful franchises (such as SPIDER-MAN) to keep things ticking over.

So, then, why rush BOND 21 into cinemas in November next year, working at breakneck speed? And if these Prague rumours are true (admittedly, though, they seem to have been discredited), it looks as though not only are they going to do a rush job, but they're also planning to make the thing on a shoestring.

Look, a Bond film next winter would be very nice, but I'd far rather wait longer and be rewarded with a lavish, globe-hopping 007 epic. Audiences won't forget about James Bond if they don't see BOND 21 next year - they'll still be around to welcome his return in 2006, 2007, or whenever. I want them to take their time and do it properly.

Also, I don't want Brosnan to return. We've been expecting a new Bond actor for months now - be rather a let-down not to get one, no? I want BOND 21 to be the start of an exciting new chapter, not the concluding part of the Brosnan era. Besides, an actor returning to the role of 007 purely for a colossal paycheque = dross. Do we want another DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER? Another A VIEW TO A KILL?

Then again, Purefoy doesn't strike me as an exciting choice for Bond. At all.

Here's what they should do: take their time. Postpone BOND 21 for a year or two. Let's assume that the script that's been written by Purvis and Wade is good. I know a lot of people will snigger at that notion, but let's be magnanimous and assume it's a fine piece of work. Right. Well, however good that screenplay is, I'm sure it could be improved. I'm sure there are some plot holes, awful lines of dialogue, etc. that could be ironed out. Send it out to other writers. Make sure that plenty of time is spent honing and polishing it.

Hire Clive Owen or Hugh Jackman to play Bond. No one else will do. Wave as much money at those guys as it'll take for one of them to sign on the dotted line. Forget the "cheap and cheerful" candidates - in this life, you get what you pay for.

Take your time, and make BOND 21 something to really write home about, and not "just another Bond film".

I'm very fond of DIE ANOTHER DAY (for some reason - don't think I don't understand all the criticisms of it), but I feel my fandom slipping away. Crikey, 2002 now almost seems like part of a golden age of Bondage, for crying out loud! A new Benson in the shops and a new film in cinemas! An embarrassment of riches!

Ah, the good old days!

Just kidding. Seriously, though, with the Bourne franchise out there, BOND 21's gonna have to be something really special. zencat, you write: "As fans, we are now way beyond the stage where it's fun to discuss rumors anymore." I'd amend that to: "As fans, we are now way beyond the stage where it's fun to be a fan anymore."

[SnakeEyes]

Wow, great! All the elements of the recent 007 films I hate the most slated to return.
Looks like it's a sure fire hit I have to see!


Not.

[Lady Rose]

We've never NOT had official news by now, and it's starting to mutate into an incestuous fan world were suddenly some guy on the AJB boards who claims to be an insider is now our "official" spokesman. It's ridiculous.

LOL ............... We will all be logging onto WWW.CBnAJBMKKBBMI6. COM soon

[Slaezenger]

If this is true (a big "if", natch), then I'll probably catch up with BOND 21 on DVD. Brosnan, Dench, Bond and Salmon returning? Ugh. A super-rushed production in order to meet a November deadline? That's another . The one ray of hope is that Frears might direct, which could lead to a pretty good film; otherwise, the news is all bad (IMO).

...Regarding your aside about a "super rushed production," interesting that one of Frear's Bios opens this way:

"Known for making provocative, stylized, and _tightly budgeted films_ about people living on society's social and/or sexual fringes, British director Stephen Frears is renowned as one of his country's most vibrant and recognizable filmmakers. Regarding his tendency to make films that branch into unfamiliar territory, Frears has said that he likes "making films about different cultures...I'm interested in things that I've never encountered before. I try to put myself in the audience's position."

If he were directing a more character driven film like Casino Royale, he and the production window would seem to make perfect sense...


Slaezenger

Edited by Slaezenger, 22 September 2004 - 02:45 PM.