No Time To Die: Production Diary

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  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    As an aside, @ColonelSun's post has a part that's opposite the stereotypical narrative. Normally, you hear stories of directors who can't be bothered with the budget (think Michael Cimino on Heaven's Gate) while the producers fret about spending too much.

    Thus, it's interesting that Boyle wanted to hold down the budget, which meant holding down action sequences while the producers wanted to spend more. Interesting insight from the good Colonel.
    True. None of this is new though and has been discussed and speculated about ad nauseam here if you think about it. Boyle wanted a smaller budget? There was a possible dispute about casting? Boyle favoured less action? EON wanted a script doctor to clean or fix things?

    So as is usually the case, there appears to be some truth to the rumours. It's just that things tend to get exaggerated when speculation is combined with fact, and a little hyperbole.

    It adds a little spice to the day and is all good - so long as people don't get too worked up about it.

    As I said, I look forward with interest to November 8, 2019 and Daniel Craig strutting out for the gunbarrel.
  • Posts: 385
    It's opposite the usual narrative but in-line with Eon's history.
  • Posts: 4,044
    Still not sure that Bond should be aiming for more action (or trying to compete with MI). Spying and intrigue maybe.
  • kg54mvpkg54mvp USA
    edited August 2018 Posts: 34
    I think of bond as more spying, with romantic evenings with bond girls, grit, beautiful settings, some action, but not all over the top like mission impossible.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    I don't think that's the type of action @ColonelSun was talking about; he was talking of a director who was really reigning in the budget at the expense of action-- the very concept would make Universal and EoN very uncomfortable.
  • edited August 2018 Posts: 4,619
    ColonelSun wrote: »
    Yes, Eon wanted to bring on another writer, which is very standard practice, especially on big budget franchise films.
    Did EON not know what they were signing up for? The story was that they liked the idea by Boyle and Hodge and commissioned Hodge to write the screenplay. Once they read and liked the screenplay by Hodge, they decided to hire Boyle to direct.

    Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson still haven't learned lesson number 1, which is: until you don't have a more or less finished screenplay you are happy with, do NOT start building sets, hiring actors and doing any kind of serious pre-production work.
    ColonelSun wrote: »
    Boyle wanted to keep the budget as tight as possible, but of course that meant a strain on the action scenes - Boyle, apparently, favoured less action, and I suspect the studio and Eon were not completely comfortable with that
    A smaller scale Bond movie is exactly what many Bond fans have wanted too see for a while. Why does every modern Bond film have to be HUGE? I understand why the studio would want every Bond film to be action heavy, and i don't blame them for only caring about the money. On the other hand, I am blaming EON for being greedy. For them, Bond should be about more than money. It's their family's legacy!
    ColonelSun wrote: »
    As for Craig. I'd like to say, personally knowing crew (friends and associates of mine) who have worked with Craig on his Bond films and also Layer Cake, he is highly regarded and respected for being very professional and committed and NOT, I stress - NOT - a prima donna as a few on this forum have suggested.
    I'm sure Craig has many friends who will never criticize him, but let's be honest here. Craig has demonstrated many times that he could be more professional. ""I'd rather break this glass and slash my wrists"... Don't get me wrong, I do like Craig and he is a great actor, but I do think his personality has changed for the worse since CR.
    ColonelSun wrote: »
    Filmmaking is a highly creative process, frequently very intense and very pressurised, and so artistic, even personal, clashes come with territory. Over and out.
    You wrote a long message but hardly say anything new, Colonel. Why is EON seemingly still incapable of producing a decent script on time? Will they keep most of Hodge's script or will it be completely thrown out (the second option seems extremely unlikely unless the movie is delayed)? What kind of replacement director are they looking for? Is Barbara Broccoli still thinking about retiring from producing Bond films after Bond 25?
  • Posts: 632
    Good to see you post again @ColonelSun ! Your insight has been missed!

    #KeepCalmAndBond25On
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    I do clearly recall speculation here about the possibility of severely reigned in action when Boyle was announced. So I don't think it was a surprise to anybody. What may have happened is a change in scope, potentially on account of MI: Fallout, but then again for other reasons. I guess we'll never really know. Boyle's gone and EON/MGM/Universal/Craig will get what they want. So let's see what drops next.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Why is EON seemingly still incapable of producing a decent script on time?

    Is he supposed to ask Babs and Michael this?
    Will they keep most of Hodge's script or will it be completely thrown out (the second option seems extremely unlikely unless the movie is delayed)?

    Lets assume that @ColonelSun knows which way they're heading on this. He would be a member of a very, very, very, very small group of people. Spilling his sources 100% on a fan site would ruin his relationships and would be committing professional suicide for the Colonel (remember, he works with these people!)
    What kind of replacement director are they looking for? Is Barbara Broccoli still thinking about retiring from producing Bond films after Bond 25?

    Please see the above.

    I can say what the Colonel did was clear up a bunch of the misleading and rumour-spreading, and has given us a much clearer picture of where EoN is at today.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    oh, as Colonel just wrote me: he told the facts. Take it or leave it, as he said in his original post.

  • Posts: 385
    ColonelSun wrote: »
    Yes, Eon wanted to bring on another writer, which is very standard practice, especially on big budget franchise films.
    Did EON not know what they were signing up for? The story was that they liked the idea by Boyle and Hodge and commissioned Hodge to write the screenplay. Once they read and liked the screenplay by Hodge, they decided to hire Boyle to direct.

    Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson still haven't learned lesson number 1, which is: until you don't have a more or less finished screenplay you are happy with, do NOT start building sets, hiring actors and doing any kind of serious pre-production work.
    ColonelSun wrote: »
    Boyle wanted to keep the budget as tight as possible, but of course that meant a strain on the action scenes - Boyle, apparently, favoured less action, and I suspect the studio and Eon were not completely comfortable with that
    A smaller scale Bond movie is exactly what many Bond fans have wanted too see for a while. Why does every modern Bond film have to be HUGE? I understand why the studio would want every Bond film to be action heavy, and i don't blame them for only caring about the money. On the other hand, I am blaming EON for being greedy. For them, Bond should be about more than money. It's their family's legacy!
    ColonelSun wrote: »
    As for Craig. I'd like to say, personally knowing crew (friends and associates of mine) who have worked with Craig on his Bond films and also Layer Cake, he is highly regarded and respected for being very professional and committed and NOT, I stress - NOT - a prima donna as a few on this forum have suggested.
    I'm sure Craig has many friends who will never criticize him, but let's be honest here. Craig has demonstrated many times that he could be more professional. ""I'd rather break this glass and slash my wrists"... Don't get me wrong, I do like Craig and he is a great actor, but I do think his personality has changed for the worse since CR.
    ColonelSun wrote: »
    Filmmaking is a highly creative process, frequently very intense and very pressurised, and so artistic, even personal, clashes come with territory. Over and out.
    You wrote a long message but hardly say anything new, Colonel. Why is EON seemingly still incapable of producing a decent script on time? Will they keep most of Hodge's script or will it be completely thrown out (the second option seems extremely unlikely unless the movie is delayed)? What kind of replacement director are they looking for? Is Barbara Broccoli still thinking about retiring from producing Bond films after Bond 25?

    You can like something and still want to change it. Rare is the person who buys a house and leaves it exactly as is.

    What Bond fans (besides yourself) have wanted to see a small Bond film? Bond is large and in charge. We don't have to go to space, but a Bond film darn well better have lots of explosions, fights, and an epic climax.

    It's been said by many the "slash my wrists" comment was a joke badly delivered, but if it was meant seriously, his attitude is hardly out of line with Connery, if we're honest.
    You wrote a long message but hardly say anything new, Colonel. Why is EON seemingly still incapable of producing a decent script on time?

    Why do you continue to pretend that reading some stolen emails makes you a filmmaking expert?
  • edited August 2018 Posts: 4,619
    peter wrote: »
    "but sources tell Deadline it might be wishful thinking by rival distributors."

    It's all industry games. And calm down.
    It IS all industry games. Tell me one thing though: in this current situation, why should we trust Deadline and their source (which is likely EON), more than other movie industry sites?
    peter wrote: »
    Here's some pleasant reading for you, from someone in the industry:
    For the umpteenth time: without knowing who the Colonel is, it is completely meaningless to me that he is working in the film industry. A large percentage of people in the film industry are completely incompetent, and many people working in the film industry know LESS about the inner workings of the industry than the average MI6Community member does.
    peter wrote: »
    Now take a nap.
    This isn't your local pub. Have some common decency.
  • DoctorKaufmannDoctorKaufmann Can shoot you from Stuttgart and still make it look like suicide.
    Posts: 1,261
    SonofSean wrote: »
    All this hysteria over Bond dying in 25 is a bit OTT me thinks. Obviously EON wouldn't sanction seeing their golden goose being well and truly cooked in this way.

    No doubt this would've have been an ambiguous interpretation, making it easier to transition to the new actor in 26. I've thought for a while that the change to a new actor from Craig will be one of the more difficult ones to pull off due to the way his interpretation has been self-contained with a clear passage of time from fresh faced new boy to grizzled veteran.

    As the YOLT novel has been rumoured to be the main inspiration for the new film, I would imagine it would be an ending very similar to that, so something like:

    - Bond defeats baddie in cliff top castle
    - Castle explodes
    - Bond presumed dead
    - Solemn ceremony aboard Royal Navy vessel, Union Jack draped empty coffin dropped overboard
    - End titles
    - Post credit scene - shot of empty beach, waves lapping at sand, union jack washed ashore. Pan to still white hand, twitches. Cuts to black.

    Bond 26
    - opens with - aboard Royal navy ship. Officer looking through binoculars to small island. Sees well-built man exit treetop den with pacific island lovely. "I think we've found him Sir". Cue Tom Hardy...

    PLEASE. MAKE THIS! Seriously...that is my dream for Bond 25. Well done sir!

    Sounds exciting. Send it to P&W, BB and MGW asap!
  • DoctorKaufmannDoctorKaufmann Can shoot you from Stuttgart and still make it look like suicide.
    edited August 2018 Posts: 1,261
    LeChiffre wrote: »
    I think Ken Loach should direct. At least he'd shake up the political angle a bit!

    Mike Leigh would be a better choice, not as leftist and politically radical as Loach. And he could bring on board Timothy Spall as the villain and Brenda Blethyn as Bond Girl.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    For the umpteenth time: without knowing who the Colonel is, it is completely meaningless to me that he is working in the film industry. A large percentage of people in the film industry are completely incompetent, and many people working in the film industry know LESS about the inner workings of the industry than the average MI6Community member does.

    This was enlightening and hilarious in one, crazily wrapped package. Thank you.

    And, as for who the Colonel is, I know exactly who he is. But, as to my point:
    Lets assume that @ColonelSun knows which way they're heading on this. He would be a member of a very, very, very, very small group of people. Spilling his sources 100% on a fan site would ruin his relationships and would be committing professional suicide for the Colonel (remember, he works with these people!)

    So, swap out what he knows about the script, and slip in, "let's assume Colonel Sun tells Panchito who he is on a fansite"… figure out the rest.

    I know Colonel. I know his work. I know he's extremely talented. And he's one helluva Bond fan.

    He came on this site and tried to drop pieces of raw info he learnt about Bond, without burning bridges with his sources; he thought it'd be appreciated from Bond fan to Bond fans.

    Already today he's not amused by reading a passing and thinly veiled comment, and he's seen your reply.

    As he said: these are facts. Take it or leave it. Simple as that, my friend.

  • Posts: 3,333
    For the umpteenth time: without knowing who the Colonel is, it is completely meaningless to me that he is working in the film industry. A large percentage of people in the film industry are completely incompetent, and many people working in the film industry know LESS about the inner workings of the industry than the average MI6Community member.
    Put a sock it @PanchitoPistoles. Nobody knows who you are, but that doesn’t stop you from cluttering up these threads with the same inane ramblings of a madman.
  • Posts: 15,110
    peter wrote: »
    Just re-direct him to @ColonelSun's very sober post. It's nice that it's brought momentary peace to this thread.

    A momentary lapse of reason more like.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Ludovico wrote: »
    peter wrote: »
    Just re-direct him to @ColonelSun's very sober post. It's nice that it's brought momentary peace to this thread.

    A momentary lapse of reason more like.
    Great album by the way.

    Nothing new here really. It's all been discussed and will continue to be stewed over and over again in a speculative form, as has been the historic case on this thread, until we get some real official news. Hopefully that occurs in next couple of months.
  • edited August 2018 Posts: 4,619
    peter wrote: »
    For the umpteenth time: without knowing who the Colonel is, it is completely meaningless to me that he is working in the film industry. A large percentage of people in the film industry are completely incompetent, and many people working in the film industry know LESS about the inner workings of the industry than the average MI6Community member does.

    This was enlightening and hilarious in one, crazily wrapped package. Thank you.
    Heidi Ferrer, the witer of The Hottie and the Nottie is someone who works in the film industry and I am sure he has friends who call him extremely talented. Still, I don't think I would care about what he had to say about the film industry, UNLESS he told me some cold hard facts - which is something the Colonel has hardly ever done.
    peter wrote: »
    And, as for who the Colonel is, I know exactly who he is. But, as to my point:
    Lets assume that @ColonelSun knows which way they're heading on this. He would be a member of a very, very, very, very small group of people. Spilling his sources 100% on a fan site would ruin his relationships and would be committing professional suicide for the Colonel (remember, he works with these people!)

    So, swap out what he knows about the script, and slip in, "let's assume Colonel Sun tells Panchito who he is on a fansite"… figure out the rest.
    You have established why it would be unreasonable for the Colonel to tell us BOTH his identity and some cold hard facts about BOND 25 we have not heard before. Why can't he tell us some cold hard facts without revealing his identity? Alternatively: why can't he reveal his identity without telling us more specific things about Bond 25?
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    "I am simply reporting what I know to be the state of play.

    "And importantly, trying to express how it (film industry/Bond), all works, so some noted people on the site can calm down and stop panicking etc. That's it"

    That's an email @ColonelSun just sent me. What he wrote was not "speculative", but is what he knows "is the state of play".

    But, as he has now repeated: take it. Or leave it.

  • Bentley007Bentley007 Manitoba, Canada
    Posts: 575
    peter wrote: »
    "I am simply reporting what I know to be the state of play.

    "And importantly, trying to express how it (film industry/Bond), all works, so some noted people on the site can calm down and stop panicking etc. That's it"

    That's an email @ColonelSun just sent me. What he wrote was not "speculative", but is what he knows "is the state of play".

    But, as he has now repeated: take it. Or leave it.

    I choose to believe ColonelSun and Peter.

    Why not just be happy we have someone who is willing to provide us with information?Bond is something we choose to like and follow. If you aren't happy with the way it's going currently then stop following it.
  • Posts: 15,110
    Bentley007 wrote: »
    peter wrote: »
    "I am simply reporting what I know to be the state of play.

    "And importantly, trying to express how it (film industry/Bond), all works, so some noted people on the site can calm down and stop panicking etc. That's it"

    That's an email @ColonelSun just sent me. What he wrote was not "speculative", but is what he knows "is the state of play".

    But, as he has now repeated: take it. Or leave it.

    I choose to believe ColonelSun and Peter.

    Why not just be happy we have someone who is willing to provide us with information?Bond is something we choose to like and follow. If you aren't happy with the way it's going currently then stop following it.

    Nice try @ColonelSun and @peter and I almost fell for your sober, well argumemted and knowledgeable posts. But now I have decided to ignore them and follow my irrational fears. The franchise is doomed, doomed, DOOMED!

    Until Nolan takes over and saves everything, that is.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Bentley007 wrote: »
    peter wrote: »
    "I am simply reporting what I know to be the state of play.

    "And importantly, trying to express how it (film industry/Bond), all works, so some noted people on the site can calm down and stop panicking etc. That's it"

    That's an email @ColonelSun just sent me. What he wrote was not "speculative", but is what he knows "is the state of play".

    But, as he has now repeated: take it. Or leave it.

    I choose to believe ColonelSun and Peter.

    Why not just be happy we have someone who is willing to provide us with information?Bond is something we choose to like and follow. If you aren't happy with the way it's going currently then stop following it.

    Wise words from a fellow Canuck.

    Meanwhile, here is one last thing from Colonel that specifically addresses something you said @PanchitoPistoles:

    "... one thing has angered me, how Panchito boldly states how so many people in the film industry are
    incompetent. How on earth does he know that? It is an ignorant insult!


    "Nearly everyone I have worked with for over 30 years have been superb at their jobs.
    Why? Because, in the film game, as we both know, you are only as good as your last job,
    and if u are "incompetent", as that ignorant twit claims, you do not get employed again."

    Anyways, to conclude what @Thunderfinger and the Colonel predicted, it became the usual passive-aggressive comments, or the outright insulting (with special thank-yous to all the people who were actually positive; I can assure you, @ColonelSun appreciates it, but laughs off a couple of posters as being disruptive and just depressing folks).
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    vzok wrote: »
    Still not sure that Bond should be aiming for more action (or trying to compete with MI). Spying and intrigue maybe.

    They found the perfect balance in OHMSS.
  • Posts: 632
    I, for one, would much rather put stock in what @ColonelSun says than the latest Sun gossip that proclaims EON wants Idris Elba to play a female Bond who dies at the end story or ramblings of how only Nolan can save us.
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    Posts: 3,157
    JET007 wrote: »
    I, for one, would much rather put stock in what @ColonelSun says than the latest Sun gossip that proclaims EON wants Idris Elba to play a female Bond who dies at the end story or ramblings of how only Nolan can save us.

    Or CashleyPersia blatantly copying our ideas on these boards.
  • Posts: 385
    JET007 wrote: »
    I, for one, would much rather put stock in what @ColonelSun says than the latest Sun gossip that proclaims EON wants Idris Elba to play a female Bond who dies at the end story or ramblings of how only Nolan can save us.

    But what if Nolan Is Not Enough? :D
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,395
    What I notice, is that all throughout its history, Bond has had competitors. They have come in many forms, and sometimes they have gotten one over on the original super-spy but Bond lives by the moniker nobody does it better for a reason and when push comes to shove, Bond proves it's position as the gold standard. In the eight we had action extravaganzas like Indiana Jones, Die Hard, and Lethal Weapon. In the nineties we had films like True Lies, Face/Off, Zoro and the Matrix. In the early 00's we had ofcourse Bourne, and now we have Mission Impossible. Everytime Bond has gotten knocked down, or fallen behind the curve, they have managed to dust themselves down and come back swinging. The question is how will they come back swinging this time? If this were a break between actors, I would have fewer anxieties, because they could take any angle they wanted. But as it stands, this is Craig's last outing, it's been a four year wait, and the last film didn't stick in the mind of the public like Mission Impossible has. Craig is getting older, and as another delay looks to be looming, to allow EON time for a new script, it's going to be a hard task to stave off any sense of staleness. In any Bond era, there is a very group who loves the actor and only wants them to continue for as long as possible, and there is a much smaller group who has never been a big fan of that actor and would much prefer he was replaced (there's nothing wrong with either, just a difference of tastes). Then there is the third group, much bigger than both the other two which don't really care who is playing Bond, as long as the film is good. This group, called the general audience, tends to be more trepidatious of change and newness, so generally their bias tends to lean towards the incumbent, however when an actor has been around a long time and has a few bumps in the road, maybe puts out a lacklustre effort or two (SPECTRE, quantum of solace), then that pendulum starts to shift. I first noticed this starting to happen to Craig when the SP reviews came out, and instead of reading what the critics had to say, and searched YouTube for fan reviews. People standing the cold, late at night, to film their initial reactions. I watched many, and what struck me was how a couple choose to throw in a comment like " this should probably be his last"or "he's starting to look too old for Bond" and the like, in regards to Craig. This was strange because until then, I had never heard anything negative said of Craig. Well, not true, there were ofcourse many negative articles about a blonde man becoming Bond back in the day. But never from an ordinary fan reaction, someone who could not be said to have any kind of hidden agenda, or malicious intent. They were just being honest, calling it like they see it. That would have been in October 2015, and when this starts, people calling the leading man into question, it spreads quickly. So, if Bond 25 is to plow ahead, full steam with Craig in the hot seat, after a 4 years, possibly 5 year break, I feel EON need to put forth a case for why Daniel is still the man for the job. If they can't do that, they I feel Bond 25 will suffer as a result, no matter what they do. Right now, they need a complete script. They don't want to move into a production on a third film in the era essentially winging it. The results, Quantum and SP, were not good.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,789
    I thought Quantum was quite good.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    They should hand a hard copy of this thread to everyone arriving at Dignitas, just to remind them why they’re there.
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