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I think @CraigMooreOHMSS the Bond producers, looking at all their other non-Bond ventures like chairs at the Tate Modern, the BFI and the Film & Television Charity, wouldn't really mind. They are billionaires by now. Not millionaires, but billionaires. One Bond-film less, or even saying goodbye to the franchise, would probably emotional for Barbara & Michael. But not inconceivable. And frankly, I don't really think Gregg Wilson will be the big man when Michael retires. He seems too artyfarty to me. Yes, he's doing good stuff as associate producer. But taking over the entire reign is a whole different ball game.
It also depends on other external factors. If for instance MGM will be sold or bought by a huge tech Enterprise like Apple or Amazon, I wouldn't be surprised if then EON says "aah well, we are not into such a powerful owner of the Bond-franchise...they will force us to do more stuff etc". On several occasions EON was adament in cornering MGM CEO Gary Barber when he wanted to sell MGM. A proof that EON simply wants to maintain the current status quo...for now...so that Barbara and Michael themselves can be in the front seat if something drastical happens to the Bond franchise.
While these are proof of reputation and stature, they are not assets that provide capital which can be used to fund multi-million dollar films.
Ask any rich person. You don't stay wealthy by spending your own money without any guarantee of replenishment. It's simply not a good way of going about these things.
No off course not. But producing a Bond film basically meens, only with regard to principal photography, 7,5 months, 7 days a week, 12 hours a day, working your butts off. I can fully understand that Barbara and Michael would like that to stop and have a more laissez-faire approach with their non-Bond ventures. On top of that, they have personal lifes too. So any option that could stop all this Bond-stress for the producers is to….come up with a solutions that puts their stress away.
Copyright in Ian Fleming’s novels and characters expires in only fifteen years’ time. After that date any film company can make any James Bond film they want. Eon, or whoever owns the rights, will lose exclusivity. So, what this means economically is that ownership of the Bond rights is probably a declining asset. The more time that ticks by to 2034 the less value ownership of the rights has, until by 2034 it declines to zero.
Fifteen years is not long. At the current rate there might only be four or five more films before the rights disappear. Perhaps only one more official Bond actor, even, before the character enters public domain and then everyone and his cat can have a go.
Eon might be pondering this and mulling over whether to sell the rights to the character while there’s still a bit of worth to them. After 2034 they will have no rights to sell.
In 15 years time I will be 60, 5 years away from retirement as far as I am concerned! So I bet I will be moaning like a good one about something or other?!!! :))
Although to be fair, Cubby and Moore were really close too, but then casting a new Bond and changing course with TLD apparently really reenergised him and made him a lot more enthusiastic about things again. So you never know. The same could happen with the current producers. I don't think it'll be as different an actor as Dalton was to Moore though. I think the next Bond will be a similar sort to Craig. The Craig era feels like the sort of Bond films BB has always wanted to make, it took them a while to find that direction but you can see traces of it as far back as Brosnan's run.
Crucify me; disagree with me, but, the last I heard : Barbara is and will be THE very active producer in the foreseeable future with her nephew Gregg Wilson.
Like both his father (who will be taking a step back with 26), and Barbara, Gregg has and continues to work his way up the ladder.
They have been grooming him to take over with Barbara.
He is "artsy", and a musician to boot, but not flakey. This boy has the intelligence and chops-- as he's been groomed to have.
He's played an incredibly important role as producer on the last few films (and was in charge and led the many units, including location). And those in the "know", know that that he was primarily in charge of TRS with Broccoli (this was his coming out party).
Let's put to bed he's "not up for the job" nonsense... he's been doing what his father, but especially his aunt, has been doing since at least 2002.... Learning the ropes of the family business.
As far as I have been told, the idea of selling Albert's legacy has NEVER been in the cards (and that's why Gregg will be working on future Bond films with BB).
To Be Continued...
I've missed you man :)
Glad to hear this. I personally never want to see another Bond film produced by someone other than the Broccoli's.
I can always watch the ' 67 CR or NSNA anytime I'm in the mood for an unofficial Bond.
I've gotten long tired of the rumors of Eon selling Bond.
Amen to that my good friend and collaborator.
But keeping the legacy and selling updated copies / streaming rights of the films and this huge EoN back catalog is something different. Imho it does not make much sense to sell this at all.
Dunno if EoN has to produce a number of films in x years or they lose the exclusive filming rights but once the novels are public domain all that is basically „worthless“ (not talking about the continuation novels of course) - or?
Yeah that will be the trick. Studios can freely adapt the novels, but like with Kevin McClory they will not have access to all of the Bond iconography that EON has full ownership of that people strongly associate with Bond.
That's why I hope when some streaming service decides to do Bond, they just have a crack at straight up adaptations set in the 1950s as a way of differentiating themselves from EON Bond. This would be their chance to take a whole different approach to Bond that EON won't go, and hopefully something they not only pull off but enrich the legacy of Ian Fleming's work. I'm very open to seeing that day happen.
Straight adaptations would actually be something I'd welcome, for sure. They'd be a nice companion to the "official" series rather than a competitor to it.
After 2034 Eon still have the exclusive rights to the continuation novels, they still have McClory’s stuff like Blofeld, and they still have trademarks like the GB. So they will still feel ‘official.’
Incidentally Kingsley Amis did not die until 1995, so Eon have exclusive rights until 2065 to make Colonel Sun. Whether or not films as a medium will still exist in 2065 is another question of course...
Dread it, run from it, destiny still arrives.
Don't you think that works both ways, PP? That it is simply wishful thinking on your part that they will sell the franchise and let Barbara go?
The naivety is strong with this one.