902 replies to this topic

[dinovelvet]

If indeed it is Mendes, this would be the first time in quite a while that Bond has had an all-British creative team, with Morgan (and presumably Purvis & Wade) doing the writing.

[Gobi-1]

I love how Bond is attracting such top talent and is continuing to raise the bar of quality for the series. Road to Perdition is a great film so hiring Mendes to direct Bond 23 is a superb idea. However I would still prefer Martin Campbell who I feel is THE Bond director of the current series.

[dinovelvet]

A great choice.

How exactly is Mendes a great choice?

This is the tail wagging the dog. Dench and Craig want Mendes, but what can he bring to Bond?

Well he's known to make pretty good movies, I don't know if that has any bearing on anything.

[danslittlefinger]

I love how Bond is attracting such top talent and is continuing to raise the bar of quality for the series. Road to Perdition is a great film so hiring Mendes to direct Bond 23 is a superb idea. However I would still prefer Martin Campbell who I feel is THE Bond director of the current series.

Well said about Campbell.

[Loomis]

For Eon to land Mendes would be an incredible coup, and one that I never thought possible. The man is such an auteur as to make Marc Forster look like John Glen.

He's not a particularly prolific director, either, and Eon would need to make him an amazing offer to tempt him away from other projects he could be developing. And I'm not talking about money - I mean that they'd give him so much creative control over BOND 23 that it would cease to be a 007 outing in the normal sense. It would be A Film By Sam Mendes. And this is what worries me - once a director of Mendes' stature boards the series, the Bond series we all know and love is dead and gone.

I hope it isn't true, but then again he did direct Craig in ROAD TO PERDITION, and I'm sure would welcome the chance to work with Peter Morgan. Also, there's a Bond reference in AMERICAN BEAUTY, when Kevin Spacey talks of wanting to get home "to catch the James Bond marathon on TV".

[K1Bond007]

He's not a particularly prolific director, either, and Eon would need to make him an amazing offer to tempt him away from other projects he could be developing. And I'm not talking about money - I mean that they'd give him so much creative control over BOND 23 that it would cease to be a 007 outing in the normal sense.

You're making pretty big assumptions here. I'm not even sure, with all this talk about creative control, that we're even talking about the same franchise.

Personally, I like this choice. I think Mendes is a fine director. Very character focused and I think Bond needs that. If it's true anyway.

[danslittlefinger]

One of the things I love about Moonraker, is that (both book and film) Bond is more of a detective than a spy in the first half of both.

Hey, come on, Moonraker the book is one of the best, but while the movie was the first Bond i ever saw at the cinema and so i'm very fond of it, it has to be said that it's a poor effort. The most real detective work i remember Roger doing was deciding weather to go safari suit, or Gondola driver. Sorry, that's harsh - it had it's moments

I've always wondered what Oliver Stone could do with a Bond film. Forgive my musings, but I just thought of it again while typing.

You're forgiven, i'd love to see a Stoned Bond! He'd have real fun with the politics and wouldn't hold back on the violent action. Can't believe he sold out with 'World Trade Centre'! But i'm looking forward to Wall Street 2.

http://www.cigarafic...540,261,00.html

"Although he still enjoys the occasional cigar, he says he's thankful Casino Royale forced him to quit his pack-a-day cigarette habit. Rest assured, however, 007 hasn't gone completely politically correct. "The drinking is still there, that sort of 'Dutch courage,'" smiles Craig. "It's funny, but I remember reading Moonraker, and Bond goes out to play cards at a club with the bad guy and he orders from MI6 some Benzedrine, which is basically speed. Bond then mixes that in with Dom Pérignon and that's how he starts the night," Craig marvels. "He then talks about how, during the evening, how jagged he's getting because he didn't get the mix right." Craig laughs in disbelief. "But I absolutely love that, because it plays into the fact that the guy is flawed. He's not perfect. Sometimes he gets things wrong and there are weaknesses in him. And I think those are the kinds of interesting things to put into the movie."

Maybe we might see that flaw in Bond this time around?

[Binyamin]

I've been saying this for a month: Bond 23 will be pushed forward BECAUSE of the MGM problems, not held back by it. Bond makes money.

A lot of people are assuming that the movie is stalled, but what did Michael G. Wilson actually say? “We just don’t know enough about the situation to comment but we know it’s uncertain.”

How is that any different than any other time in the history of Bond films? It's par for the course. Pre-production has not "stalled" -- it's moving steadily forward in order to be ready when the time is right.

Which is soon.

Edited by Binyamin, 05 January 2010 - 11:46 PM.

[Ambler]

Well he's known to make pretty good movies, I don't know if that has any bearing on anything.

Has Mendes made a thriller? Most of his films seem to be about professional couples and how hard their lives are, which is not exactly 'edge of your seat' stuff.

Really, this film shouldn't be about whether Bond can find decent organic Cupuaçu in Mashhad.

[YOLT]

Why always change the directors ? I hated GE, but CR was great so keep it with Cambpell. Every new director will want to mark his signature on the film.

Also if shhoting begins in June is it possible that we may have back to back 007 films. 18 months is great to finish 2 films

[Eric Stromberg]

Well he's known to make pretty good movies, I don't know if that has any bearing on anything.

Damned straight. This is the overriding factor in my mind. The Bond handlers seem intent on bringing the best filmmakers possible to the series and I find that very exciting. Bring on Craig, Mendes and a solid script--let's light this candle.

[bondrules]

Well he's known to make pretty good movies, I don't know if that has any bearing on anything.

Has Mendes made a thriller? Most of his films seem to be about professional couples and how hard their lives are, which is not exactly 'edge of your seat' stuff.

Really, this film shouldn't be about whether Bond can find decent organic Cupuaçu in Mashhad.

So you never saw Road to Perdition or Jarhead I assume.

[Gt Munn]

To me this is excellent news. I certainly hope it's true. Road to Perdition is one of my favorite films, and definitely one I could place in the top ten of the decade from a completely non personal bias point of view. Definitely one of the sharpest and most artistic directors of today.

He has also already shown that he works very well with Daniel Craig.

[[dark]]

Wow, very interesting choice, if true. And quite the coup for Eon - an Academy Award-winning director! Mind you, I remember being excited when Marc Forster was announced, but he ended up delivering a hit-and-miss entry in Quantum of Solace. Still, it's hard not to get excited over a major piece of Bond 23 news, and we could do far, far worse than Mendes.

In addition to working with Craig on The Road to Perdition, Mendes also exec produced Forster's The Kite Runner, so there's another connection.

[Bondesque]

Mendes would be a great choice. He is talented and the fact that he isnt a typical action director is a GOOD thing. Bond is a suspense hero and better when action sequences are used selectively. Mendes can build suspense very well. He will also require a good script with character depth and will bring out the best in his actors. I hope that EON allows him to make a 2+ hour film that is allowed to "breath". I would see Bond 23 along the lines of CR rather than QOS. This is great news if it is real.

[bondrules]

OK, so if true, how long till EON makes this official, anyone cares to guess, 24,48,72 hours?

[Ambler]

So you never saw Road to Perdition or Jarhead I assume.

They're stagey and derivative and certainly not thrillers.

[Mr. Blofeld]

Road to Perdition is certainly a good movie, and I think Daniel Craig would enjoy working with Sam Mendes, again...

[bondrules]

So you never saw Road to Perdition or Jarhead I assume.

They're stagey and derivative and certainly not thrillers.

Thriller is about building tension. I think there are plenty of moments in all his movies were tension is delivered as good as any other director on the planet can.

How is Road to Perdition "stagey" ? I don't get it.

[jaguar007]

I would see Bond 23 along the lines of CR rather than QOS. This is great news if it is real.

I think that is what EON is going for, something more like CR than QoS, yet different from both.

[Gobi-1]

I'd like to see the film breath as well. Especially after the breathless QoS.

[Gt Munn]

I just now realized that his cinematographer for Road To Perdition, Conrad Hall, passed away in 2003. I have not seen anything he did since Jarhead. I am sure that his replacement is very good though.

[danslittlefinger]

Some twitter history:

"DRBoome Just finished lunch and realized that oscar winning director sam mendez and daniel craig were sitting next to me! Craig was rocking a tash! 11 minutes ago from TwitterBerry"

posted on Oct 17th 09.

Maybe Craig was reeling the guy in then.

[bondrules]

I just now realized that his cinematographer for Road To Perdition, Conrad Hall, passed away in 2003. I have not seen anything he did since Jarhead. I am sure that his replacement is very good though.

Indeed. If I am not mistaken the film was later dedicated to him.

[killkenny kid]

Well, I must say this good news. I would love to see Mr. Mendes take a turn at Bond.

[danslittlefinger]

OK, so if true, how long till EON makes this official, anyone cares to guess, 24,48,72 hours?

I think sometime this week as it will take the focus off the MGM troubles for the time being.
Something positive for the fans.

[Tybre]

Negotiating with Mendes, I can buy. Production being fast tracked for June? Eh. I could see the earlier quote as being simple misdirection, but I could equally see the claim of production starting later this year as nothing shy of bollocks.

[Gt Munn]

Well, I must say this good news. I would love to see Mr. Mendes take a turn at Bond.

Indeed. If this is true, I am extremely relieved.

[dinovelvet]

So you never saw Road to Perdition or Jarhead I assume.

They're stagey and derivative and certainly not thrillers.

You know...you could just see the glass as half full on this one. A decade ago EON were hiring the likes of the guy who made Stop or my mom will shoot.

[jaguar007]

. A decade ago EON were hiring the likes of the guy who made Stop or my mom will shoot.

EXACTLY!

Negotiating with Mendes, I can buy. Production being fast tracked for June? Eh. I could see the earlier quote as being simple misdirection, but I could equally see the claim of production starting later this year as nothing shy of bollocks.

I think "fast tracked for June" could mean Mendes coming on board in June, reworking script, hiring crew and cast etc. I still don't think actual filming will begin until late this year or early 2011.