16 replies to this topic

[brendan007]

Not that i want it to happen of course, but how many times would a bond film be a box office disappointment before the stop making them. So far there have been three films, OHMSS,TMWTGG and LTK that a generally considered disapointments box office wise (not making them bad films of course). Yet after all these films the filmakers pushed on and kept the series alive.
But how many box office disappointments do you think it would take before they gave up on bond (and lets hope it never happens)

[Simon]

Before I answer that, I first want investigate the correct length of a piece string......!

The three films you mention were comparative failures, but they still made a profit. If one Bond failed to make a profit, given the heritage, they would still make another one with either a radical return to formula or go with some other wild and promised route.

Otherwise, most potential film series aren't given a second chance. I believe the Clooney Batman film still made a profit but the series stalled so it isn't just lack of profit that can kill a series.

To be honest, I can't envisage the end of the series, a new central actor will always peak the interest. In the same way that there will always be successive Star Trek generations of TV series to build up the character familiarity.

[rafterman]

well, let's look at those situations, after OHMSS they brought back Connery, then after TMWTGG they took a three year break and after LTK there was the infamous six year gap....there would be a massive rethinking and break before any more films were made, if they were made.....

[JimmyBond]

While the return of Connery and the 3 year gap from TMWTGG to TSLM can be attributed to the "failure" of the films in question. However, I dont think the 6 year gap can be credited to LTK, there is just too many reasons for it, the lawsuit for one.

[rafterman]

the 6 years was not for the film's failure, but after each low point in the series there has been a change in direction or a breather, the 6 years wasn't intentional, but when Bond returned he was different...

[Max Zorin007]

plus they filled the gap with james bond jr. which i dont remember and i never saw it.

[rafterman]

how can he be James Bond Jr. when he's his nephew? that I never understood and I did watch the cartoon....that should be brought to DVD....

[Max Zorin007]

Was it any good or just a rip off of captain planet or something.

[IrishCrown]

It was, shall we say....different.

[zencat]

I think you would need a string of "flops" and then the departure of the reigning Bond to end the series. Look at how long Paramount has stuck with Star Trek despite clearly diminishing returns.

[IrishCrown]

Star Trek Insurrection still made 70 mil at the box office. First Contact did 90, so we're not in the piddling 34-35 mil License To Kill did.

[JimmyBond]

You're forgetting IrishCrown, they look at the world wide gross. Star Trek is an american franchise, so they look at just the American Gross, but with Bond, they look at world wide gross.

[Hardyboy]

Originally posted by rafterman
how can he be James Bond Jr. when he's his nephew?  

It seems as though this came up before, but here I go again. There is precedent: if a child is given the same name as any older relative and not just his father, he can be called Junior. For instance, Charles Chaplin named his son after his brother Sidney, and the child's full name became Sidney Chaplin Jr. According to John Pearson's James Bond--The Authorised Biography, Bond has an older brother named Paul, so Paul Bond conceivably could have a son named James Bond Jr. Still and all, I'd prefer to believe the JB Jr. series never happened. . .

[WarBird]

Lets all hope that the James Bond series never ends. I think that the series might end after a possible 6 or 7 failures in the box office. I think James Bond is getting better as the series continues. Imagine what people would do without James Bond. James Bond needs to stay around for all our sake.

[Tedley King]

I watched some of the cartoons of JB Jr and, although I was only about 6-8 then, I thought they were quite good. I remember some tall kid with a white coat who was Q's relative, not sure exactly, but there was also this one girl Bond always had. He sould have had a different 1 for each episode. Then again, if he was in a school then it might have been a little hard to do so with so many ex's there!

[gkgyver]

I think the series should go on until Bond 30 or at least until they've topped the Godzilla series :cool:
Who knows, maybe we will see Bond 50 (cough)
Personally, I think that there will always be another Bond movie.
Not every two or three years, but, let's say every five years or so.

[freemo]

Hmmm, interesting topic.

I think three flops would see the series in real trouble, then things like the budget being reduced would see it struggle to get back up, it would eventually be moved to "straight to video", which would be nothing short of tragic. It's best not to think about it.