109 replies to this topic

[Pierce - Daniel]

Christopher Nolan: “I’d love to direct a Bond film”

Director of the 007-influenced Inception and The Dark Knight eager to helm Bond pic

http://www.deadline....ove-to-do-bond/
This needs to happen, if you watch his Batman movies, there are such shades of Bond to them. Inception is said to be pretty much a Bond movie as well.

[DamnCoffee]

At the moment, I would love for him to do a Bond film. I'm so excited for INCEPTION it's unreal.

I need to see INCEPTION first though, to make a final decision. From what I've heard though; Christopher Nolan... it's all yours.

[doublenoughtspy]

He is a big fan of OHMSS, so I'm all for it

[bond 16.05.72]

I'd love it but Babs & MGW would have to surrender control to him and let him use his own and his brothers script, he won't come in as a director for hire.

People are saying that MGM will be bought by Warner and Nolan will be given the job to retool Bond, unlikely considering Babs & MGW are the last word.

[Captain Tightpants]

I don't know how serious this is ... by all accounts, INCEPTION is Nolan's Bond film. Would he be willing to go back on that sort of thing so quicky?

[Aris007]

Nice news! A very talented director. I admitt his Batman work was tremendous and I'm looking forward to "Inception".

I'm in!

[Zorin Industries]

I'm not against Nolan (though I do think his BATMAN movies are heavily overrated - and I loved THE PRESTIGE and MEMENTO). But I am not so sure how Bond HQ would remotely settle for sloppy seconds from a director who has already got BATMAN and SUPERMAN stains on his fingers.

Oddly, the "director for hire" notion (which is an untrue nonsense anyway) would not be an issue for Nolan and The Broccolis.

And isn't this "Nolan wants to direct Bond" story reheated in perfect time for INCEPTION's release? Most directors of a certain genre and certain age want to do a Bond. It's only newsworthy now because Nolan has INCEPTION out, the publicity mice are running wild and he has a nod to OHMSS in there (which does look chuffing good mind).

[bond 16.05.72]

I'm not against Nolan (though I do think his BATMAN movies are heavily overrated - and I loved THE PRESTIGE and MEMENTO). But I am not so sure how Bond HQ would remotely settle for sloppy seconds from a director who has already got BATMAN and SUPERMAN stains on his fingers.

Oddly, the "director for hire" notion (which is an untrue nonsense anyway) would not be an issue for Nolan and The Broccolis.

That might be the case now but are you go and try and tell Bond before Casino had Directors who had complete artistic control and no I don't worship QOS like you did, Forster was given too much control and look what we got.

[DamnCoffee]

But I am not so sure how Bond HQ would remotely settle for sloppy seconds from a director who has already got BATMAN and SUPERMAN stains on his fingers.

Apparently, Chris Columbus is in talks to direct SUPERMAN. A little off topic I know, but Columbus? Really? His golden era is far from over.

[Zorin Industries]

But I am not so sure how Bond HQ would remotely settle for sloppy seconds from a director who has already got BATMAN and SUPERMAN stains on his fingers.

Apparently, Chris Columbus is in talks to direct SUPERMAN. A little off topic I know, but Columbus? Really? His golden era is far from over.

That scares the hell out of me. Yes, the guy wrote GREMLINS and - on that alone - can do no wrong, but Columbus for the caped dude...? No. Although it does suggest a move away from the tiresome dark and brooding take in every comic book film going - which would not be right for a cinematic SUPERMAN. Though his two POTTER entries are beginning to look like the work of Kubrick compared to the ones that followed.

I say get Donner back!! And some decent verisimilitude!!!

[zencat]

Hire that man!

[Harmsway]

He's busy for a while, what with directing Batman (due for a 2012 release, if I remember correctly), and producing Superman (which may actually be shooting for 2012, also). And after those projects, he will likely push on to something more personal.

If the Bond franchise stalls out, though, and Mendes steps away, Nolan wouldn'tat all be a bad choice to help get the ball moving again. No doubt he could deliver a crackling Bond film.

Oh, and Chris Columbus needs to stay the hell away from Superman.

[MattofSteel]

Another flood from a raindrop of a comment. Nolan's talked often about his love for Bond. Of course he'd love to direct one. Who wouldn't?

A few years ago, I was vocally opposed to the idea - loved his films, but felt his style was totally wrong for Bond. Far too naturalistic, far too gritty, not nearly the right 'tone' for Bond.

I've done a complete 180 on the subject. He seems to get better with every successive film, and though I'll reserve judgement until after I see Inception - I'd be happy to have him now.

After Mendes, of course.

EDIT: Campbell, Forster, Mendes, Nolan - terribly wishful thinking, but what an era for Dan Craig that would be!

Oh, and Chris Columbus needs to stay the hell away from Superman.

Couldn't agree more. Speaking as a rather committed fan of the blue boy...the Columbus idea makes my skin crawl.

[marktmurphy]

Yes, you do wonder if he hasn't been asked to say this to make some headlines. I'm not an enormous fan of all of his work, but he knows what he's doing so I'd be very happy to see him do one.

[MarkA]

I was talking to Shane Rimmer at a Bond convention a couple of years ago and I asked him how he got to appear in Batman Begins. He told me the director was a huge Bond fan and had picked him specifically for that reason. Though I agree with Zorin about the Batman's being overrated they have a tremendous flow and energy about them that would translate to Bond. Also for blockbusters they have a really intelligent sub-text.

[marktmurphy]

I was talking to Shane Rimmer at a Bond convention a couple of years ago and I asked him how he got to appear in Batman Begins. He told me the director was a huge Bond fan and had picked him specifically for that reason.

Haha! That's great!

[OmarB]

Nolan's by far my favorite director to come along in a while. He's not just a graet visual stylist but knows how to tell a story, even a huge, complex one and not seem to drop the ball. He's also shown a reverence for source material, being the crazy Batman fan I am I saw entire swaths of great Batman stories come to life in many overt and not so overt ways ... like even the decor of Wayne Mansion matching Leob and Sales' The Long Halloween.

I'm sure if he did get to do Bond it would be a pretty awesome outing.

[Messervy]

It may be just another publicity stunt. It may also be that every director says at some point that he would love to direct Bond (see Spielberg or Tarantino). But, wishful thinking, I would positively love that to happen.

His work on Memento and the Bat is terrific and gives quite a good idea of where that would take Bond if he were to direct. Of course it would most probably end up being quite "down-to-earth dark and gritty" and that wouldn't please some CBners!

But, if Bond is to keep going on this "serious" route, this would be a great opportunity (whereas if we want a "lighter" Bond, Nolan is to be avoided at all costs!).

[Loomis]

I'm not against Nolan (though I do think his BATMAN movies are heavily overrated - and I loved THE PRESTIGE and MEMENTO). But I am not so sure how Bond HQ would remotely settle for sloppy seconds from a director who has already got BATMAN and SUPERMAN stains on his fingers.

Sloppy seconds? I doubt that Nolan has used up all his good ideas on the Batman flicks. Stains? You do know that Guy Hamilton was at one point attached to what became Richard Donner's SUPERMAN, and that Eon was happy to employ Martin Campbell for CASINO ROYALE after he'd made two films in the Zorro "franchise"?

I'm not surprised that Nolan "wants to direct Bond". Every director on earth has at one point (and however fleetingly) entertained the idea of making a 007 outing.

However, it is extremely unlikely that Nolan will direct a Bond film, and that would be true even without all these problems with MGM. As Harmsway points out, he's booked up for the next couple of years and will probably wish to make something smaller and more personal after BATMAN BEGINS 3.

[Harmsway]

What I like about the Nolan story is that he seems to be a genuine Bond fanatic, kind of like Sam Raimi was with Spider-Man, and we saw how great the first two Spider-Man films were.

Personally, I think all three Spidey flicks are rubbish.

[volante]

I believe Mr. Nolan would be an excellent choice.

Bond fan. Tick
Great CV. Tick
Not Mark Forster. Tick

[Quantumofsolace007]

What I like about the Nolan story is that he seems to be a genuine Bond fanatic, kind of like Sam Raimi was with Spider-Man, and we saw how great the first two Spider-Man films were.

Personally, I think all three Spidey flicks are rubbish.

i agree

[Matt_13]

It would no doubt be an incredible film.

[tdalton]

What I like about the Nolan story is that he seems to be a genuine Bond fanatic, kind of like Sam Raimi was with Spider-Man, and we saw how great the first two Spider-Man films were.

Personally, I think all three Spidey flicks are rubbish.

Absolutely agreed on that point.


As for a Nolan-directed Bond film, I can't say that I'd be in favor of it. I'm not a fan of Nolan's films and I would much rather have one of the directors that we always hear rumored for the job each time there's a new film in development.

[Quantumofsolace007]

What I like about the Nolan story is that he seems to be a genuine Bond fanatic, kind of like Sam Raimi was with Spider-Man, and we saw how great the first two Spider-Man films were.

Personally, I think all three Spidey flicks are rubbish.

Absolutely agreed on that point.


As for a Nolan-directed Bond film, I can't say that I'd be in favor of it. I'm not a fan of Nolan's films and I would much rather have one of the directors that we always hear rumored for the job each time there's a new film in development.

like Sam Mendes?

[tdalton]

What I like about the Nolan story is that he seems to be a genuine Bond fanatic, kind of like Sam Raimi was with Spider-Man, and we saw how great the first two Spider-Man films were.

Personally, I think all three Spidey flicks are rubbish.

Absolutely agreed on that point.


As for a Nolan-directed Bond film, I can't say that I'd be in favor of it. I'm not a fan of Nolan's films and I would much rather have one of the directors that we always hear rumored for the job each time there's a new film in development.

like Sam Mendes?

Yes, Mendes for one, although his films are rather overrated as well. I'd still much prefer a Mendes Bond film over a Nolan Bond film, if for no other reason than Mendes' work on ROAD TO PERDITION.

I understand that Nolan is a talented director (he must have some talent to make films that have grossed as much as they have at the box office), but I just don't understand why his films are almost universally hailed as being amongst the greatest (mainly speaking about TDK here). I'm not saying that as an insult to anyone who feels that way about Nolan's films (it's an opinion they're certainly entitled to, just as I feel similarly about other films that others don't think are particularly great), but it's just that I honestly don't understand what makes Nolan's films so special in the eyes of the general movie-going audience. I've seen most of his films and have yet to be in any way "wowed" by any of them.

[LoneWolf]

When I think of Nolan, I'm more inclined to think of The Prestige, Memento, & Following. His Batman movies are good, but I don't think they come anywhere near the level of The Prestige or Memento. It appears that Inception is gonna be pretty wild too. I wouldn't be too concerned if he directed a Bond movie. He places a very strong emphasis on dialogue in most of his movies + the psychological signature he always includes. I think any movie with Daniel Craig and Christopher Nolan directing would be really cool.

[Sebastian Tombs]

Nothing against Sam Mendes, but based on what I've seen of his work, he'd be one of the last people I'd hire to direct a Bond film. I nearly wanted to scream at him for "Revolutionary Road," in which he depicts a miserable married couple without once ever delving into what decisions they made that got them into their situation in the first place. I sat there wondering, "Why don't they just move to New York? If being in a city with all that culture is so important to them, why did they move to the suburbs in the first place? Why are the children simply treated as plot devices and not as actual characters?" I've found that in a number of Mendes films...characters aren't handled with much real depth. And that's a problem. I guess it's just personal taste, but I fear that Mendes would be out of his element with Bond.

[Harmsway]

Well, on some level, Nolan enjoys a bloated reputation. All of his films are flawed. Sometimes severly so. That said, I don't think there is an outright dud in the bunch, and it does seem to me as though he's continually growing. That Nolan's upcoming film, INCEPTION, has been able to earn rave reviews from some fairly vocal Nolan detractors is impressive.

[tdalton]

That said, I don't think there is an outright dud in the bunch,

I would agree with this. Most of his films are reasonably entertaining (although I don't feel that way about THE DARK KNIGHT), but I don't think that any of them are the glorious masterpieces that the media, etc. would lead everyone to believe either.

It'll be interesting to see what he does with INCEPTION, if his detractors are being as won over as has been indicated so far. After being as disappointed by THE DARK KNIGHT as I was, I doubt I'll see it in theaters, but it'll be something I'll be interested for when it arrives on Blu-ray.