51 replies to this topic

[The Shark]

Agreed. Until Ford proves he can write a tough, taut, masculine thriller, then he better be kept away from Bond screenplays with a 20 ft cattle-prod.

Does the above have to be a pre-requisite for Bond screenwriters? It would surely exclude a lot of potential (good) candidates if it were.

In my book yes. It bars the floodgates from folks like Michael Apted, Lee Tamahori and Paul Haggis getting through.

[dinovelvet]

Martin McDonagh
Kyle Ward
Mark Fergus

[Zorin Industries]

I really agree with Goyer getting a shot at Bond. He has this really revernt vibe that takes from the source but is also quite different.

The "quite different" part is what I'm somewhat worried about. That goes for other scribes too, not just Goyer.

Lord Zorin: I fully concur with the notion of Stoppard penning a Bond thriller. First rate choice, though would be convinced about tackling such a project?

He wrote INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL.

[Safari Suit]

I agree about Goyer and BATMAN. I like BEGINS and KNIGHT but do not think they are stunning examples of their type. KNIGHT is heavily overcomplicated when its actually a really threadbare story.

Regardless of the film's quality, is it not the case that little of what made it to the screen in TDK was actually Goyer's?

He seems a very hit and miss writer with some nice hits but some very bad misses. I'm not opposed to him writing a Bond movie per say, but it wouldn't excite me either.

[SecretAgentFan]

I´d love to see Lawrence Kasdan write a Bond movie.

[Harmsway]

I agree about Goyer and BATMAN. I like BEGINS and KNIGHT but do not think they are stunning examples of their type. KNIGHT is heavily overcomplicated when its actually a really threadbare story.

Regardless of the film's quality, is it not the case that little of what made it to the screen in TDK was actually Goyer's?

It's hard to say, but as far as I'm aware, Goyer never did actual scripting on THE DARK KNIGHT. He helped co-write the story, but then stepped away from the project.

Anyway, it's worth mentioning that Goyer's script for BATMAN BEGINS was a little better than what Nolan ultimately made of it.

He wrote INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL.

Yes, though what he actually brought to the table is a bit of a mystery, since he worked on it long before it was taking its final shape. He also served as a script doctor on LAST CRUSADE.

[SecretAgentFan]

I wasn´t aware that Stoppard wrote KOTCS.

Did he doctor Koepp´s script or was it the other way around?

[Harmsway]

I wasn´t aware that Stoppard wrote KOTCS.

Well, he didn't really write KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL as we know it. Stoppard did some work on INDY IV, but I believe he did it before Frank Darabont came on board, somewhere around 2002, when INDY IV was still in a relatively early stage, and so it's hard to say what Stoppard brought to the table on this particularly project. It's my guess that the script Stoppard turned in doesn't bear a strong resemblance to the final product.

And even after Darabont turned in his CITY OF THE GODS scripts, there came a steady stream of rewrites from various sources, and the project continued to evolve. Lucas himself took a stab at a script (I think it was called PHANTOM CITY OF THE GODS at that point), then there was Nathanson (ATOMIC ANTS), then came Koepp, who whipped it into its finished shape.

[marktmurphy]

Did the Nathanson draft ever surface?

[Harmsway]

Did the Nathanson draft ever surface?

No, but we know certain things about it. For one thing, in Nathanson's draft, Indy had a daughter, not a son.

[bondrules]

I agree about Goyer and BATMAN. I like BEGINS and KNIGHT but do not think they are stunning examples of their type. KNIGHT is heavily overcomplicated when its actually a really threadbare story.

Regardless of the film's quality, is it not the case that little of what made it to the screen in TDK was actually Goyer's?

He seems a very hit and miss writer with some nice hits but some very bad misses. I'm not opposed to him writing a Bond movie per say, but it wouldn't excite me either.

The thing that bothers me about the TDK script is the deal with the money. All the mafia money physically taken out of banks. When we all know if that were to happen the banks will go the way of Maddoff. Banks are ponzies. We all know that. Basically this is the one thing that really prevents me from getting fully engaged with the seriousness of the plot.

[The Shark]

I really agree with Goyer getting a shot at Bond. He has this really revernt vibe that takes from the source but is also quite different.

The "quite different" part is what I'm somewhat worried about. That goes for other scribes too, not just Goyer.

Lord Zorin: I fully concur with the notion of Stoppard penning a Bond thriller. First rate choice, though would be convinced about tackling such a project?

He wrote INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL.

Can't say it showed, personally.

[DamnCoffee]

What about *deep breath* Russell T Davies?

Based mostly on Torchwood: Children of Earth, and not Doctor Who.

[JimmyBond]

I really agree with Goyer getting a shot at Bond. He has this really revernt vibe that takes from the source but is also quite different.

The "quite different" part is what I'm somewhat worried about. That goes for other scribes too, not just Goyer.

Lord Zorin: I fully concur with the notion of Stoppard penning a Bond thriller. First rate choice, though would be convinced about tackling such a project?

He wrote INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL.

Can't say it showed, personally.

To be fair though it's hard to tell that anyone wrote the scrip.

[zencat]

I wouldn't mind seeing Steven Moffat actually, but that's just me.

Hey, I wouldn't mind that either. The man is a true talent and his work is loaded with wit, imagination, and energy (all of which has been sorely lacking in Bond lately, IMO).

[The Shark]

Is it? It never seems to find its way into his Dr. Who work.

[JimmyBond]

Is it? It never seems to find its way into his Dr. Who work.

I gotta disagree there. I think Moffat wrote some of the best episodes of NuWho out there. His episodes are certainly the ones I remember the fondest.

[The Shark]

Is it? It never seems to find its way into his Dr. Who work.

I gotta disagree there. I think Moffat wrote some of the best episodes of NuWho out there. His episodes are certainly the ones I remember the fondest.

I dunno, NuWho doesn't do it for me at all. Nearly all of the quaint charm, low budgets, bizarreness, passion and imagination that were once exemplified by the old series, are sadly gone. Traded for a generic plots, interchangeable characters and overly-slick production values.

Though I will say he is a definite improvement over Russell T Davies.

[JimmyBond]

Don't get me started on Davies, ugh. One of the charms of old Who was the many different and fascinating Alien planets the Doctor and his many companions visited. In NuWho for the most part the stories only revolve around Earth. Talk about claustrophobic!

I've only seen the first three seasons of NuWho, I'm heard in the fourth they actually travel to different planets. Of course with Tennant no longer in the role I have to say my interest in NuWho has kind of waned.

[Zorin Industries]

I wouldn't mind seeing Steven Moffat actually, but that's just me.

Hey, I wouldn't mind that either. The man is a true talent and his work is loaded with wit, imagination, and energy (all of which has been sorely lacking in Bond lately, IMO).

And DOCTOR WHO to be fair. The worst thing Moffat brought to WHO was a sameyness and a level of derivation I would never imgagined he was capable of.

[JimmyBond]

Really? I never got that from his work on Who. But then again I never did see Series 4, so perhaps he does fall into a rut? However I felt his episodes, particularly 'The Girl in the Fireplace' to be some really powerful stuff. But hey, that's just my opinion. Not sure how he'd translate to Bond though.

[Captain Tightpants]

I'd still like to have a run at it ...