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I just gave it another attempt yesterday and the film just does not "flow" as good as Craig's first 2 (or 3) outings. Even QoS with his enormous speed just "flows" better. In SP there are great scenes but it always feels like a puzzle where well-designed pieces were forced together even they do not belong together.
I am not by any means close to the film industry and it's obvious that the writing is the key problem. However, isn't it also so that the director of the film would realize it, too and would come up with a differently cut film with alternative Scenes? I always get the impression, Mendes was not at all as commited as he was with Skyfall (which is not the case with the cast - they were all excellent)
Therefore I really hope Mendes does not come back. We will have around one more year at least to speculate about Bond 25 until we hear something substantial.
And if Craig leaves indeed: I am happy it's not "the audience" or "the fans" who decide about Bond ... we would never have ended up with Craig.
The leaked emails revealed that Mendes nearly walked out on Spectre.
Agree and well said.
“I think you’re going to have to ask… I don’t think anyone’s getting a call from Daniel Craig until he opens in Othello [at the New York Theatre Workshop], which is his entire focus,” Mendes said.
And the nightmares begin
Worth remembering though Babs is a producer on the Othello production so pretty sure talk is going on all the time.
So January 18th then...
You know I wonder if MGM will self distribute and like in Skyfall they will try and cut costs using cheaper locations.
I also wonder if Mendes will be back if Bond 25 really will be Shatterhand
18 Jan 2017, don't expect anything until March/April at the earliest I would think.
It runs to January 18th.
Making $200 million at the US box-office is hardly audiences losing interest. That's more than Jason Bourne made, more than STBeyond, both All-American franchises.
Skyfall was not a fluke. CR and QOS both did very solid US business as well. As did the Brosnan films before that.
In 2012, SF’s only real threat was Wreck-It Ralph and Twilight. Both films cater to different audiences and posed little threat. The only real competitive studio tentpole which posed threat was The Hobbit.
In comparison to SP – there were numerous other films competing in a very busy marketplace where the choice has been considerably expanded.
It’s interesting to note that in the three years between SF and SP that the marketplace changed so drastically. I feel the tide is turning against big studio action films – numbers in Noth America have been down all summer for franchised entertainment. This likely comes down to audiences growing weary of the Marvel-isation of cinema, where blockbusters are bing forced down our throats.
I think the glut of superhero films and studio action films will see the market crash pretty soon. It’s only going to take one of these films to make Hollywood tighten up the pursestrings. The irony being that Bond’s durability will see it survive, maybe not thrive, but survive. If Craig is indeed gone – I predict the next Bond’s BO impact will be weaker domestically. It’s not a slant against the new actor (whomever that’ll be) but just something that feels inevitable considering the current marketplace.
Dr. Strange seems to be do fairly well.
So my bet: if it's Craig, it's either Mendes (most likely) or Forster (less likely, but my preference).
Having said that, I don't think it's either. As I've speculated before, I think we will have a new actor for the next round, with an entirely new team as well.
People have been predicting the death of comic book movies and the market crashing for years now and there's no real evidence to support those claims at all, especially audiences growing weary of Marvel films.
This year, looking at the domestic market alone, Civil War made $408 million, Deadpool made $363 million, BvS made $330 million, SS made $325 million and so far Doctor Strange has made $207 million. The only comic book movie that was not only a disappointment but also underperformed was X-men Apocalypse making $155 million. All in all this is evidence enough that supports the genre and the blockbuster movie is in fine shape. What audiences want more than anything is to be plessently entertained and that's just something SP failed to do with domestic audiences.
Yes, things and times have changed and despite the longevity of the Bond series it seems that EoN need to ammend their strategy in keeping these movies alive and well. Their handling of the preproduction for SP was a colossal error in judgement and it showed. SP isn't a terrible film by any means it's just that it's so forgettable, so boring, so uninspired, so lazy and so meh. EoN in this day and age can't get away with, "Well, it's Bond and because, you know, our movies from the 60s". That can't and won't fly today. SP is proof of that. I've said this many times before but EoN need a new, updated business and creative model that can actually give this old dog of a franchise some new tricks.
Thank you!
Doctor Strange imo will end it's run grossing between $690 to $710 million WW. That's pretty damn incredible for such a solo origin movie that's based on an obscure IP.
So IMHO it was the right idea to bring more of those beloved treats again to the mix - even being able to bring back Bond's nemesis in form of Blofeld. So it was all there ... but the ball was dropped somehow. So IF Craig comes back I do expect another movie from the SP mold ... but hopefully this time better executed and without all those bogus story elements that ruined SP (again: IMHO).
Let's face it: Craig's Bond IS the "personal" one, with more focus on Bond's insight and with it the chance to get a renewed OHMSS by using themes that made this movie so great - and properly mix in those elements most of us appreciate from Craig's way to play that character of Bond. Going back to formula too much does not suit Craig's interpretation well enough - see SP (even I do agree that it were merely hommages than really using the formla's engridients to form something new).
I would appreciate another true "Craig Bond" film with story elements from OHMSS and MR. I don't want Craig pretendig to be Moore again - he formed something new and I like it. Let the next actor go into different direction and let's have a mission-centred movie instead of a Bond-centered film again.
I would be curious to see Craig's interpretation of Bond losing his wife and dealing with it and put him into less but more explored locations (be it Jamaica or a christmas-themed, snowy place up in the mountains). There are ways to mix the OHMSS and MR storylines for sure and by this have Fleming driving the story while adding new stuff that flow well with it. There are ways to do it - see CR ... and ways not to do it - - see SP.
If that's something EoN is not wiling to bring but going away from the "Arthouse Bond" I want somebody else to play the part. But if there's a chance to get a movie like I described, I want Craig and nobody else to play it.
This is all spot on.
You get the sense Vesper was Craig's Bond's one true love. Why at times his relationship with Swann seems a bit rushed and not as intense as with Vesper. You also risk repeating what we have already seen in dealing with the grief in Casino and QOS.
But...But Blofeld did tell Bond it was him, he was the author of all his pain, if Craig returns Bond must regret the choice to let him live on the bridge, if Swann is killed off, he would have that on his own conscious, that could trigger a new level of rage and revenge from what we have seen of Craig already.
A cat a mouse story is required, Bond has to eliminate Blofeld and Spectre once and for all while Mr Hinx who lived from his fall from the train is on his tail.
This also is spot on.
Why is OHMSS rated so high? Because it *feels* just right even somebody who hasn't acted before plays the lead. But he did his best and delivered some great things and the rest is handled by a wonderful story and a perfect setting which gets you in the right mood over and over again when rewatching.
A movie blended from those awesome Fleming novels (OHMSS and MR) with a cast like we have seen in previous entries and enriched and executed by the right kind of director could become another classic within the series.
There will be more films like TSWLM,TB, AVTAK, TLD ... being mission-driven and different from Craig's first 3 Bond pictures and they should be starring somebody else. But a last, emotion- and character driven Bond 25 could be just awesome when mixed the right way with that hard-boiled action we also appreciate so much from Craig's interprtation and we have't seen since Lazenby.
I had so high hopes for SP, bought 3 Tickets in advance to go and see the movie with different groups of friends or family. But I felt let down and still do so. Therfore until we hear something definite I keep that idea of a bookending chapter for the Craig Bond and after it be ready to see Bond (re-)explore new or more common ground again with somebody else playing the character.
I agree. My comments were in reply to what @Pierce2Daniel said about the state of things and the changes within the movie landscape since 2012 and with SP being terribly realised and being such a disappointment it ticks all the boxes I mentioned. Furthermore, as successful as Craig's previous 3 films were there's definitely room for major improvement. If EoN intend to keep making these films then they definitely need to make serious changes and that starts with the creative team. SP was playing in theatres for over 5 months in the domestic market and just about made it to $200 million. That's not encouraging. For all the departures CR, QoS and SF made from what came before, there were still alot of the same old mistakes and limitations. In any case as things stand EoN need to check themselves creatively if they plan to successfully stick around for decades to come.
And that's a huge problem. If Bond can't successfully ape from its own history and back catalogue, it only further cements why I think EoN need a real shakeup and wakeup call and can't be coasting on the same business model they've essentially been using for decades. If you're going to steal or copy from someone or even yourself, it would be smart to appropriate the best aspects and execute with excellence but with SP's attempt to do so, they ultimately failed because they did a poor job all round during the most important part of the film's production.
With or without Craig and SP elements or no SP elements this should be a prerequisite moving forward with subsequent installments.
See, I don't subscribe to, "Craig can't do classic Bond". Craig is a very good actor and he's more than capable. Look at CR. That's a film where with a few minor changes it could easily be a more traditional and stand alone film from both story and character aspects. It's all in the writing. EoN need to give their leading man much better material to work with and he'll deliver. Again, look at CR, for the most part Bond wasn't dour and seemed to be amusing himself most of the time, it's just that the character had well written material to work with and Craig pulled it off. It felt fresh and familiar and that's the trajectory they should have stayed on.
Hell no. Bond doesn't need a wife; heck he doesn't even have a steady girlfriend. The last thing the Bond movies need is for Bond to enter into another deep emotional relationship which again is going to decimate his peace of mind and spirit. The movies need to get back on track telling entertaining action thrillers and if Bond 25 does happen to pick up and continue from where SP left off, they better craft an engaging and entertaining spectacle of a film.
If he is not going to return and there is a desire to go in a more "classic" Bond direction, I would wipe the slate clean and totally recast. Brad Bird is a director who could tap into what made the vintage films so special while at the same time being fresh. The same could be said for his longtime collaborator Michael Giacchino. They are a team I would welcome. Under this scenario, Aidan Turner is still my current top pick for Bond; but, I am open to other candidates.