24 replies to this topic

[Gobi-1]

"I've just given Fleming's Bond another chapter."

Sebastian Faulks discusses 'Devil May Care', Daniel Craig and the dangers of self-parody

Entertainment Weekly's Popwatch Blog has posted an interview with Sebastian Faulks.

http://popwatch.ew.c...g-the-late.html

[quote]The name's Faulks, Sebastian Faulks
Jul 13, 2007, 05:04 PM | by Gregory Kirschling

During the late '80s and early '90s, in the throes of a fanatical preteen James Bond obsession, I started reading Bond novels when I got tired of watching the movies over and over. I dutifully made my way through a few of the Ian Fleming originals

[stamper]

I like this guy. Consider one sale already done.

[Santa]

Indeed. He's saying all the right things to get me excited.

[Blofeld's Cat]

The IFF would be a little miffed at the film franchise being mentioned in the Q&As.

[Santa]

The IFF would be a little miffed at the film franchise being mentioned in the Q&As.

It's unrealistic to expect it not to be, I reckon.

[Blofeld's Cat]

The IFF would be a little miffed at the film franchise being mentioned in the Q&As.

It's unrealistic to expect it not to be, I reckon.

Well, of course. But IFF still wouldn't like their "new toy" being associated with "that other mob".

[Blofeld's Cat]

Oh shoot!

Of course I mean IFP and not IFF.

[Orion]

Definitly buying this book now.

[David Schofield]

I am being overly picky or am I not the only one who gets annoyed about the insertion that Devil May Care follows on from Octopussy an dthe Living Daylights?

Though these stories were published in 1966, they were written well before that time and set in 1960 and 1961 respectively.

[marktmurphy]

So he has written using Fleming's style; quite interesting- I couldn't decide if that was a good thing or not, but I suppose for a one-off it makes sense. If it was a new writer setting out on a new series I don't think that would be a good idea, though.

[stamper]

Yeah, that octopussy mention is not to confuse the press.

The journalists would not understand that Octopussy is old short stories put together, they just figure it was the last Fleming novel published.

Or course it's fair to assume the new novel will follow on the heels of MWTGG.

[Loomis]

[quote name='Gobi-1' post='755218' date='14 July 2007 - 04:00']Any chance Devil May Care could be Daniel Craig's next 007 movie?
Well, it

[Jackanaples]

Wow. I am very keen to read this now. It sounds like a James Bond novel to place on my shelf next to the books authored by Fleming, Amis, and Higson.

[Harmsway]

Any chance Devil May Care could be Daniel Craig's next 007 movie?
Well, it's a possibility.

Faulks must know that this is extremely unlikely, for a number of reasons, not least because his (ageing) Bond is set in the 1960s and the Craig era isn't. Broccoli and Wilson giving DEVIL MAY CARE the thumbs up is very nice, but it certainly doesn't mean that they're poised to make it as a film.

Sure. Given EON's reaction to continuation novels in the past, they don't seem keen to be making any of them. That said, there's a first for everything. Just like a blonde James Bond. And if Babs really did like it like it, I don't think it would that unlikely.

And I don't think the 1960s setting means anything. Like some of the Fleming novels, it may be adaptable to current days without much hassle, even if some minor details have to change. After all, it's not like CASINO ROYALE was written in the last twenty years.

[MarcAngeDraco]

Very much looking forward to May 28,2008...

[Loomis]

Any chance Devil May Care could be Daniel Craig's next 007 movie?
Well, it's a possibility.

Faulks must know that this is extremely unlikely, for a number of reasons, not least because his (ageing) Bond is set in the 1960s and the Craig era isn't. Broccoli and Wilson giving DEVIL MAY CARE the thumbs up is very nice, but it certainly doesn't mean that they're poised to make it as a film.

Sure. Given EON's reaction to continuation novels in the past, they don't seem keen to be making any of them. That said, there's a first for everything. Just like a blonde James Bond. And if Babs really did like it like it, I don't think it would that unlikely.

And I don't think the 1960s setting means anything. Like some of the Fleming novels, it may be adaptable to current days without much hassle, even if some minor details have to change. After all, it's not like CASINO ROYALE was written in the last twenty years.

True, but CASINO ROYALE had classic status, and was for years the only Fleming title that was beyond Eon's reach. It was The Novel That Started It All™, and the natural, iconic choice for a series reboot.

It's possible that DEVIL MAY CARE will be adaptable "without much hassle", but unless it tells an absolutely brilliant story (I expect it to be an exceptionally well-written and hugely enjoyable book, but I doubt that the actual plot will be anything extraordinary or groundbreaking), and unless it becomes a such a runaway bestseller, a la THE GODFATHER, JAWS or THE DA VINCI CODE, that a film adaptation becomes a natural response to overwhelming public demand (again, doubtful), I don't see why Eon would bother. Cheaper and easier to develop an original story for a film.

Of course, if Babs really has fallen in love with DEVIL MAY CARE, then I guess all bets are off, but for various good reasons it would seem sensible for the moment to take any rumours of a film adaptation with a massive grain of salt.

[Harmsway]

[quote name='Loomis' post='755326' date='14 July 2007 - 11:38']True, but CASINO ROYALE had classic status, and was for years the only Fleming title that was beyond Eon's reach. It was The Novel That Started It All

[Loomis]

I've never heard EON comment on a continuation novel before.

Me neither. And it's surprising that Broccoli and Wilson should have been given advance copies (or maybe that's some kind of legal requirement under whatever murky-to-outsiders relationship the Bond film people may have with IFP).

[marktmurphy]

Given EON's reaction to continuation novels in the past, they don't seem keen to be making any of them. That said, there's a first for everything. Just like a blonde James Bond. And if Babs really did like it like it, I don't think it would that unlikely.

Yes, of all of the new books (Aside from perhaps the Young Bond, which seem more likely to be made into films because they're a bit more separate), this one does seem to be one which could actually be adapted at some point if it's deemed up to it. As you say, it's the only time Eon have passed judgement publicly on a new Bond novel, and Faulks has had his novels adapted before- and why should there be a difference between adapting Charlotte Gray for the screen and adapting Devil May Care?
If the publicity surrounding Faulks' taking up the Bond mantle is anything to go by, this book could be very big news and very successful when it is released- perhaps the public will be asking for an adaptation in the way of Da Vinci Code or Harry Potter..? Certainly even from that interview it seems clear that interest in the newly invigorated Fleming-flavoured and suddenly artistically credible film series with Craig is becoming mixed in with interest in the newly invigorated Fleming-flavoured and suddenly artistically credible book; perhaps people will expect them to mix together. After all, I've been seeing the 1950s-set Casino Royale novel on the bestsellers wall at Smith's with Daniel Craig's mush on the cover for the last six months...

[Harmsway]

If the publicity surrounding Faulks' taking up the Bond mantle is anything to go by, this book could be very big news and very successful when it is released- perhaps the public will be asking for an adaptation in the way of Da Vinci Code or Harry Potter..? Certainly even from that interview it seems clear that interest in the newly invigorated Fleming-flavoured and suddenly artistically credible film series with Craig is becoming mixed in with interest in the newly invigorated Fleming-flavoured and suddenly artistically credible book; perhaps people will expect them to mix together. After all, I've been seeing the 1950s-set Casino Royale novel on the bestsellers wall at Smith's with Daniel Craig's mush on the cover for the last six months...

It's a big if, but if it happens, I bet we can expect to see a DEVIL MAY CARE adaptation in the future.

[tdalton]

If the publicity surrounding Faulks' taking up the Bond mantle is anything to go by, this book could be very big news and very successful when it is released- perhaps the public will be asking for an adaptation in the way of Da Vinci Code or Harry Potter..? Certainly even from that interview it seems clear that interest in the newly invigorated Fleming-flavoured and suddenly artistically credible film series with Craig is becoming mixed in with interest in the newly invigorated Fleming-flavoured and suddenly artistically credible book; perhaps people will expect them to mix together. After all, I've been seeing the 1950s-set Casino Royale novel on the bestsellers wall at Smith's with Daniel Craig's mush on the cover for the last six months...

It's a big if, but if it happens, I bet we can expect to see a DEVIL MAY CARE adaptation in the future.

I wouldn't be too surprised if they adapted Devil May Care as an official entry in the series. I think that it could work as a film to be released in 2012, which I believe is the 50th anniversary (I think) of the film franchise. It could potentially be done that way as a one-off type of Bond film, as it would fall after the supposed departure of Daniel Craig in 2010 after Bond 23. Perhaps it could be done featuring one of the previous contenders for the role around the time of the selections of either Brosnan or Craig.

[Simon]

DMC storylines and their adaptability, notwithstanding, the precedent has yet to be set for any continuation novel to be adapted. (No big news there then)

Colonel Sun was a Fleming style book with (as yet) no murmurs of adaptation.

And still, isn't it cheaper to get an original script than to pay for a title and a script? I believe this is the stated reason for not having used any of the continuation titles. So while this remains to be the case, I doubt this will be adapted. (In my lifetime, to provide some quantitative measure)

[OmarB]

I love this guy now! That interview was a great read, great find man!

He's starting from exactly where I would have wanted him to. Though I'm always of two minds on the whole issue. You either keep Ian's continuity or you take all that makes the character and start your own continuity.

Some people have problems with new continuities but I'm a DC Comics fan so in my head I can have hundreds of universes with the same characters but different circumstances. Oh, and if you are into separate continuities with the same characters I would recommend DC's "Crisis On Infinite Earths" "Identity Crisis" "Infinite Crisis." All are available in trade paperback and all tell powerful stories of alternate versions of the same people. What would send the Superman or one universe out on a vendetta against the Superman of our world, how has one universe identical to ours attain world peace while we have not. It's things like reading those books that make the authors after Ian work for me, I can rationalize between worlds as it were.

I actually stopped by the Barnes and Nobles this Saturday and not just to hit on that hot Rachael chick (though I did fit that in). Sadly on they didnt have any of Faulks' books on the shelves so I got a harcover of Lecarre's Absolute Friends, it was on sale, can you blame me for getting a second one?

I like all you guys hope that this'll be among the greatest reads of my life and guarantee more Bond on a regular schedule in print.

Oh, indulge me a moment and lets all imagine the first day they release online the teaser sections of the book, or maybe a teaser chapter, or even the first cover image ... speaking of, how come non of you guys have photoshoped up a version of the cover yet?

[Barry Nelson]

From Sebastian Faulks 'On Green Dolphin Street':

"It was not enough to die, there had to be self destruction; the debonair indifference to extinction, the flirting with and courting of it, was supposed to be a criticism of the inadequacy of the existence that preceded it. Of course, it was also a sign of unrequited love, since only those who had adored the possibilities of living could be so recklessly critical."

This passage is out of context, but it could be describing Daniel Craig's Bond.

[marktmurphy]

He's starting from exactly where I would have wanted him to. Though I'm always of two minds on the whole issue. You either keep Ian's continuity or you take all that makes the character and start your own continuity.

Yes, it's difficult. Unless you do a Higson and find a new angle on the whole thing, I'm not sure what the best approach is. It's arguable that there's nothing much actually unique to the Bond novels beyond Fleming's voice, so doing new ones not in Fleming's style is kind of pointless; whereas I'm usually of the opinion that there's no point in continuing something unless you've got something new to say or a new way to say it (which is why the idea of rebooting the film series with Casino Royale interested me so). So, bearing in mind that Devil May Care exists to celebrate Fleming's birth, I think it's fine that they've gone for a Fleming re-creation, but if it were the planned first part to a series I'd have to ask what the point is, as we've already got Fleming Bond novels.
But then, the fan in me would say 'what the hell; I like new Bond books'!