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Of course the novels should be an inspiration and a base for new ideas. I am fully on board with this. But there might be a reason why some ideas have already been utilized and some haven't. You should only utilize what is of real value and quality and can be used to enhance a modern day story.
The Craig films went away from the classic formula and gave us a slightly different take on Bond. Going forward is it not possible that EON might adapt the films and characters in a way we haven't seen before.
Sure certain characters from Fleming's novels might not be suitable to include, but as I said it depends on what story angle EON go with.
Is it too much to think we don't see some of Bonds homelife or seducing a woman during a night out off the job?
Just because it hasn't been done, doesn't mean it cannot add something new to the character if written well.
I dunno, you can show Bond alone while he looks over a file or evaluates some sort of clue that’ll progress the story. I can imagine if it’s night Bond with his tie undone/with his shoulder holster on and having a drink, or if it’s day/morning you can incorporate his breakfast routine of the novels. Personally I’d like to see something like the opening of CR (the novel) where Bond sets up little ‘traps’ throughout his hotel room or living area to see if anyone’s snuck in (it’s a very telling thing for the character to do, so serves some purpose).
There are many points to argue, the least of which is the answer to this question: when was the last time a period action film made huge box office?
But one of the most important arguments of all is, outside of a handful of fans, scattered throughout the world, no one is asking for period Bond films.
But I'd have to say the very most important argument is that the gatekeepers have given a resounding "no" to this concept. They don't have the appetite to do it. No one is asking for it outside of some diehards on here and one or two columnists on screenrant.
It would be a terrible investment for Amazon.
James Bond is today, not yesterday.
If you watch the making of TLD documentary, there's a part where Michael G Wilson says there was an idea of looking at Bond's roots as a younger man in his 20's or 30's.
But Cubby said that they shouldn't go backwards.
Meaning, a period Bond film is likely to be a no go for EON as @peter said.
It would be incredibly expensive. Just look at how poorly The Man From Uncle was received.
Dr No demonstrates it is feasible, without being to the detriment of the main plot. It creates a mood, an atmosphere, it shows to the audience who this new Bond is and what his life is, before he is sent on a mission. Not only does it allow to establish this new iteration of Bond, by characterising him and his life, it also distingues this new era from the previous ones that didn't show us who Bond is, outside of his mission.
Craig's era showed us who Bond is through his missions, by intersecting his professional life and his personal life. Here, with Bond 27, we could have a clear separation between Bond's personal and professional lives, while showing us who this man is. It doesn't need to be long, but this could be a great way to establish a compelling new iteration.
That's one of the better ways to "personalize" Bond for the next era, in my opinion. I don't need any more backstory about his parents and long-lost connections coming back to haunt him. Give me more of Bond as he is today, what makes him tick, what his hobbies and interests are, etc.
Maybe a round of golf with Bill Tanner, discussing a case, or something to do with the plot as they play.
All the Bond films have a few scenes of exposition, doing something different, whilst maintaining a little of Fleming along the way could work.
So many opportunities for product placement!
I like this idea. There are exposition-dumps in every film. The best mask it well.
This could be a nice time for Bond to be invited to Blades for dinner and cards with M. Feeling out of his element here, Bond has a feeling there's a catch to all of this... And there is:
M brought his young agent to his private club to do some spying on one of the members (using MR as an influence). In this sequence we will learn about Bond (his obvious discomfort in this stuffy environment), something about M (he's a sly old spymaster), and, via action (spying on a target), we will get the exposition of the assignment...
Yes I was thinking along similar lines. Maybe whilst discussing something with Bond, she teaches him something that he was unaware of. Something that could be very beneficial to Bonds assignment.
Brilliance. This would give me the sort of thing I'm after while also further adapting some really fantastic, untapped Fleming material. Sign me up!
If I had the ear of EoN, I’d tell them to go into a dark room, sit in comfy chairs, close their eyes, and just listen to this… Listen to their history, the richness of the music, the “Bond sound” that is so unique, the stories in the lyrics, the vibrancy and how most of these tunes are timeless…
This would be my creative jumping off point (then I’d go to Fleming and look for some interesting threads).
But my god, I was inspired listening to this video. It reminded me that there are, more or less, 25 films that have given me so much joy and great escapism…. Honestly, gave me shivers.
What a great series, with more greatness to come.
Edit: @Creasy47 … yes, Fleming painted wonderful pictures with his words, and if they can massage it into the scripts to come, it not only gives the book-fans some love, but Fleming’s spirit tends to separate the Bond films from the generic action thrillers playing today.
I think there must be loads of these sequences that are unused that could be massaged into a modern adventure— so long as the scenes move the story forwards…
He does. But it’s been a while since then and they can shake it up a bit (a bit like how Roger used a gadget to sweep for bugs in his room in LALD).
I don’t hate that. But I’d need it to have happened from whatever that discovery is rather than a need to shoehorn a character in from Fleming for the sake of it.
I worry that the thinking at play here is to work backwards from ‘May was in the books so we should put her in’ rather than to consider any actual story for a movie. I mean, I could say there should be a really important plot in the next film where Bond has to eat eggs because he did that a lot in the books… but I don’t want to watch that. Imagine Moonraker where he dives out a plane without a parachute, watches a lovely Shirley Bassey song, has some eggs, says hello to May, combs his hair, then goes to MI 6 to be briefed on the missing jumbo jet. Is that really a better film?
In a cute moment when hanging a plant, Bond shows May how to tie a certain naval knot. Later, when she or someone is tied up, she uses this knowledge to get them free or something.
Or, May teaches Bond some chemical mixture for cleaning that he discovers can be used for something else later.
May could be an immigrant or family of immigrants who helps Bond learn her language that's then useful on a future mission, or one of the slang terms from the language is used as a codeword and by chance Bond decodes it.
Bond could leave a cypher out, and May solves it. "Always loved a puzzle, this one took all morning!"
And a mixologist. Would still make sense.
Apart from that I don’t think there’s much reason to have her at all. Not sure anyone’s crying out for a Bond film where his housekeeper is kidnapped or she acts as a sort of Alfred in Batman type figure.
May could teach young Bond (Tom Holland) chemin de fer.
Or even the beloved Q, who only gets mentioned as being part of Q branch in the novels.
I don't think anyone is suggesting that characters like May, Sir James Molony, Ronnie Vallance etc be included in every film going forward. That would make the films very bloated and tough to write for. However, occasionally incorporating any of them into the film series would be a nice touch for some of us. Does it matter that 99% of the audience won't know who they are. Not really.
If it takes up a minute or two of a two hour movie, will it ruin it. Probably not.
Adding characters from Fleming is a nice way to respect the author I feel. A good scriptwriter could include any of these characters, without it feeling forced.
This is James Bond, not MacGyver ;)