13 replies to this topic

[Trevelyan 006]

The Bond film franchise is fifty years old. Meaning that much like it's focal character of 007, it just seems to continue to be refreshed and revamped whenever the time is right. But alas, all things come to pass.

 

When that day arises and Bond is ready to be put to rest (for an extended period of time), what do you think is most likely to do him (and the franchise) in?

 

- Decreasing popularity/interest 

 

- The total usage of all Fleming work/titles/ideas

 

- Studio failure/rights or licensing issues (though Bond has a nasty little habit of surviving those)

 

- Warring producers (after Barbra and Michael are gone)

 

- Selling of the lot

 

Or something else?

[FutureJamesBond]

I'd say the most likely possibility of the franchise  ending is Barbra and Michael being gone, and getting horrible producers for the franchise, thus bringing us down. I don't think the total usage of Fleming work is a possibility because look what they did with Skyfall. Barely any, (if not none) of Fleming's ideas were used for that, and look how big and successful it was.

[plankattack]

Easy - studio/ownership issues. It was problematic in the 70s when Saltzman left - in the 90s it kept the franchise off the screens for six years that felt like an eternity (I honestly started to believe that it was said and done some time during '93), and even now, after six straight films on ever increasing box office, we had an unplanned, unscheduled break due to studio issues.

The cinematic success contributes to any problem. The more the name/franchise is worth, the more complicated the resolutions could be, because Bond is the gold standard. Sure individual films from other franchises have and do top Bond in terms of box office, there is no-one, absolutely no-one, that can boast the 50-year track record of Bond.

[Stavro]

If the Bond films ever do end, they're bound to start filming them again in ten years minimum. The formula is too successful and ludicrous not to make money out of it.

[L4YRCAKE]

Disney.  

[Professor Pi]

Disney.  

 

Thanks for the LOL moment!

[AgenttiNollaNollaSeitsemän]

I'd say the most likely possibility of the franchise  ending is Barbra and Michael being gone, and getting horrible producers for the franchise, thus bringing us down. I don't think the total usage of Fleming work is a possibility because look what they did with Skyfall. Barely any, (if not none) of Fleming's ideas were used for that, and look how big and successful it was.

This.

 

But I must say that Skyfall felt very Flemingian and had more of that flavour than many "official adaptations" despite being not based on any of his stories.

[coco1997]

A disaster on the set of a future Bond film in which the lead actor is killed.

That would probably do the series in for a long, long while.

[Iceskater101]

I think it might be just studio problems, I mean MGM was going bankrupt and that led to a big break in Bond movies.. so I think something along those lines. Personally I don't think the franchise will die, because it can make a lot of money if you make a good film. I think no matter what the series will be rebooted.

[seawolfnyy]

I think it would definitely be studio issues. Perhaps after Barbara and Michael are gone, we get two producers. One of whom wants to stay with the gritty realistic films and one who wants to go the Tamahori way and have invisible cars and aliens. It leads to a clash, the next 007 after Craig resigns amid the controversy and the franchise is shelved until one producer cracks, which doesn't happen and the Bond series quietly dies out. Hopefully this won't happen, but it seems like the most likely way. I don't think waning interest will do it in. That nearly happened in 1989, but I think in 2012 we saw that not only does Bond have staying power, he is more popular than ever.

On the flip side of this, with hindsight being 20/20, if one had known Skyfall would top $1 billion, would someone have accepted to buy MGM at their asking price in 2009? Would we have then had Skyfall in 2010 and Bond 24 last year?

[Professor Pi]

I remember when they postponed what would become Skyfall due to the economic woes of MGM after the 2008 collapse and thinking, "People out of work, families losing their homes, but now that the next Bond film is delayed they've gone too far!"

[doublenoughtspy]

While I realize you aren't predicting doom, it is kind of strange to ask this question when the latest film has made over a billion dollars.

I think Bond's resilience was demonstrated quite well in 69-73 - there were 3 lead actor changes in 4 years and the series survived and thrived.

I'm sure there will be highs and lows like everything else, but I would liken it to Bond's predecessor: Sherlock Holmes.

The character was created in the 1800s and here we are in 2013 and there is a successful UK tv series, a separate successful US tv series, and 2 recent films that made plenty of money.

While Bond is beholden to the studios - we've had successful Bond films under the United Artists, MGM, Columbia, Warner Brothers, and Sony banners.

[L4YRCAKE]

I think it may be safe to assume that only nuclear armageddon will end the Bond films, sadly I don't trust our fellow humans not to make that mistake someday but will be thrilled to be proven wrong.  Anyhoo...

 

Here's a different take on the question:  

 

What would the last Bond story be like, how would he die, who would do him in if anybody, and should a film be made as such, for instance, Bond: The End starring Sean Connery in his final appearance as Bond comes out of retirement for one last unsurvivable mission...?  

 

Or, what if the Bond producers, instead of just changing actors, had a last story and killed off each Bond actor before introducing the new one?

 

 I know that's a pretty giant stretch, I mean none of this is likely to happen other than maaaaybe the books or more likely fan fiction, but...  how will Bond die?  In a retirement home with a martini in his hand?  On a suicide mission and taking a whole lot of bad guys with him as he saves the world one last time?  Dies and then turns out he faked his death?  Old age?  On a bed full of money with many beautiful women???

[thecasinoroyale]

Trying to answer this is scary - I can't imagine James Bond not being in development anymore, but thankful the legacy made will live forever, strong and secure.

 

I think it will be financial reasons, if any, that threaten the franchise. Unless anyone could take up the mantle of Barbara and Michael as producers once they part the series, that could be interesting but I hope the successors will be just as dedicated, knowlegable and passionate.