35 replies to this topic

[zencat]

UPDATE: The article in The Herald is total BS. The quotes attributed to Charlie Higson are inaccurate. His "casting suggestions" are fabrications. I've removed the article and all links.

An article in today’s The Herald offers fresh speculation about the possibility of a Young Bond film series HERE.

This is VERY interesting. I'm starting to think this could actually happen.

[Matt_13]

I really like just having them as literary adventures. Hopefully if they do get made into movies they are done well.

[sharpshooter]

I'm a little apprehensive of the series moving into live action films, but if they are of a high quality, I suppose it could work.

[Tybre]

Not having read the Young Bonds yet, I'll reserve any definitive judgment, but as of now I'm a bit against the notion. Adult Bond seems quite enough for the silver screen, thank you.

[tdalton]

Not having read the Young Bonds yet, I'll reserve any definitive judgment, but as of now I'm a bit against the notion. Adult Bond seems quite enough for the silver screen, thank you.

Agreed, and I really don't see how any good can come out of this for EON either. At best, they're diverting resources from the "official" films. At best (or worst, if looked at from the other direction) they dwarf the "official" films in quality, which would be an absolute embarassment on that front.

[OmarB]

Young Bond is very much of a certain time in history where their regular series is set in the present. The two won't mesh at all with serious reworking that would seriously hurt the charm of the world YB is set in.

[Jeff007]

Young Bond is very much of a certain time in history where their regular series is set in the present. The two won't mesh at all with serious reworking that would seriously hurt the charm of the world YB is set in.

Did you ever think Casino Royale would work in 2006?

[Righty007]

Looks likes things are moving in the right direction. The only possible roadblock I see for Eon is the conundrum of having two James Bond film series', one set in the 1930s and one set in the 2010s.

It's a marketing nightmare unless they set the Young Bond films in the 1970s/1980s, which could work.

[Loomis]

Young Bond is very much of a certain time in history where their regular series is set in the present. The two won't mesh at all with serious reworking that would seriously hurt the charm of the world YB is set in.

Quite. If a Young Bond film were to appear today, it'd essentially be saying: Craig's 007 went to school in the 1930s.

That said, I guess Higson's books could be updated. They're not that era-specific, are they? I know that they're supposed to be set in Fleming's timeline, and that the buildup to the Second World War overshadows everything, but then again Eton is timeless (to put it kindly).

Update the books too much, though, and you'd have to explain why Bond didn't have a laptop and mobile, or alternatively give him those things. I guess the safest bet would be to somehow contrive a situation where it wasn't exactly clear when the films were supposed to be set, but it'd be a difficult trick to pull off.

Nevertheless, I do think it's rather likely that this "news" is true, for a couple of reasons:

- Eon has in recent years displayed an obsession with creating Bond spinoff films. Broccoli and Wilson planned to bring Wai Lin back for her own adventure, but nothing came of it. A Jinx film got as far as a completed script by Purvis and Wade and the hiring of director Stephen Frears. Again, the project fell through, but it wasn't for lack of trying on Eon's part. It's hard to believe that people who put time, energy and money into launching Jinx as a franchise would be puristically opposed to making Young Bond films.

- I'm sure Eon would rather make the Young Bonds themselves (and "do it right") than see a situation in which others made them - and the money that would come from them.

- With the Harry Potter franchise ending in a couple of years, there'll soon be a gap in the market, so to speak.

[MarkA]

It's a marketing nightmare unless they set the Young Bond films in the 1970s/1980s, which could work.

I can't see it myself. Adult Bond always was and always has been set in the 'now'. Even when Fleming wrote them. The Young Bond's are set deliberately in the past and comment and involve Young Bond in historical situations. It is part of their charm. This would be destroyed if they were moved out of that period setting, and I think be unsuccessful. Maybe as a TV series which could divorce it enough from the films. Though I still think it would muddy the waters

[Loomis]

TV would be the way to go, a high-end collaboration between Eon and the BBC, with a couple of links to the films (e.g. David Arnold doing the music), but set in the 1930s.

TV could divorce it enough from the films, as MarkA says, and I think you could get away with the period backdrop under those circumstances.

If it has to be done, that's the way I'd want it done. However, I guess there's far more money in celluloid.

[[dark]]

TV would be the way to go, a high-end collaboration between Eon and the BBC, with a couple of links to the films (e.g. David Arnold doing the music), but set in the 1930s.

TV could divorce it enough from the films, as MarkA says, and I think you could get away with the period backdrop under those circumstances.

Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep.

The biggest hurdle in adapting the Young Bond books is the time setting, and telly would be a great way to separate a Young Bond flick from the "real" franchise, which, it must be noted, has only recently undergone the reboot/prequel treatment.

The other option, of course, would be a stylised animated film. Something like Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Half the work's already been done with Kev Walker's excellent illustrations. This might also lessen the inherent naffness of watching a 13-year-old James Bond have grown-up adventures.

[Skudor]

This is all very plausible - Harry Potter meets James Bond... it's just licence to print money for the studio (and EON). I'd put a bet on there being a YB movie franchise coming our way sometime after Mr Potter's last outing is out of the way.

[007Bond007]

wouldnt mind that, only thing they'll need really good actors to pull this off.

[zencat]

TV would be the way to go, a high-end collaboration between Eon and the BBC, with a couple of links to the films (e.g. David Arnold doing the music), but set in the 1930s.

TV could divorce it enough from the films, as MarkA says, and I think you could get away with the period backdrop under those circumstances.

If it has to be done, that's the way I'd want it done. However, I guess there's far more money in celluloid.

Exactly my thoughts.

[Tybre]

TV would be the way to go, a high-end collaboration between Eon and the BBC, with a couple of links to the films (e.g. David Arnold doing the music), but set in the 1930s.

TV could divorce it enough from the films, as MarkA says, and I think you could get away with the period backdrop under those circumstances.

If it has to be done, that's the way I'd want it done. However, I guess there's far more money in celluloid.

Precisely my sentiment.

Again, haven't read them, but I know when they're set and some basics of plots, and it seems to me the 1930s would be more heavily integrated into the world of YB than the year is integrated into adult Bond. Fleming's Bond the year is just a backdrop. From everything I've read elsewhere and here, the 1930s are Young Bond as much as Bond himself.

[DamnCoffee]

Very interesting indeed. I really wouldn't mind a series of Young Bond films set in the 30's.

I wonder if anything comes up at COMIC CON.

[Righty007]

It's interesting this subject came up in the The Herald recently because look what I just found (near the bottom of the page)...

Young Bond, SilverFin, Blood Fever, Double or Die, Hurricane Gold, By Royal Command and Eye Logo are registered trademarks of Danjaq, LLC, used under licence by Ian Fleming Publications Limited.

[DamnCoffee]

Nice find Righty.

I have a very good feeling that these films are in production.

[Righty007]

Nice find Righty.

I have a very good feeling that these films are in production.

I think you mean "in the pipeline," which I think is entirely possible fter seeing Danjaq, LLC as the owner of the Young Bond trademarks now. If a SilverFin were actuallyin production, there would be a script, casting, etc. already done.

[DamnCoffee]

Shhh. That's what I meant.

[jaguar007]

Interesting how Higson suggested Dalton as Max Bond

[Jeff007]

Interesting how Higson suggested Dalton as Max Bond

That would be great to see. I wonder if Dalton would consider it.

[MarkA]

Young Bond, SilverFin, Blood Fever, Double or Die, Hurricane Gold, By Royal Command and Eye Logo are registered trademarks of Danjaq, LLC, used under licence by Ian Fleming Publications Limited.

I wouldn't get too excited by that. I imagine after the years of problems with CR and TB, everything literary Bond related is pretty much covered by EON, even if it is just to prevent someone else coming in to exploit it. I imagine that is now the deal with Ian Fleming Publications Ltd.

[zencat]

Interesting how Higson suggested Dalton as Max Bond

That would be great to see. I wonder if Dalton would consider it.

Yes, I loved that. It's a great suggestion, and I'd think Dalton would jump at it.

[Righty007]

Interesting how Higson suggested Dalton as Max Bond

That would be great to see. I wonder if Dalton would consider it.

Yes, I loved that. It's a great suggestion, and I'd think Dalton would jump at it.

I would crap my pants if Timothy Dalton was cast as Max Bond in a SilverFin film adaptation.

[Skudor]

Interesting how Higson suggested Dalton as Max Bond

That would be great to see. I wonder if Dalton would consider it.

Yes, I loved that. It's a great suggestion, and I'd think Dalton would jump at it.

I would crap my pants if Timothy Dalton was cast as Max Bond in a SilverFin film adaptation.

Dalton would be the ultimate choice for the role – absolutely perfect for it.

Given the Scotland location, it would be pretty cool if there was a Connery cameo (even if there is not a real role in there)… one can but dream.

I would prefer movies over a TV series. I know TV production quality has improved leaps and bounds, but let’s face it, movies is where the big cash is spent.

[DamnCoffee]

Interesting how Higson suggested Dalton as Max Bond

That would be great to see. I wonder if Dalton would consider it.

Yes, I loved that. It's a great suggestion, and I'd think Dalton would jump at it.

I would crap my pants if Timothy Dalton was cast as Max Bond in a SilverFin film adaptation.

I would absoloutly love it, if it were true.

Here's hoping.

[007Bond007]

a tv show would be great.

[Mercator]

I hav not read these buchs.
How can they good be? They have old fashioned in 1930s.
Who wants this to see?
It hes not Bond, no?
But it has the interest, surely.