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Had Fleming lived, would he have written more Bond books?

WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
edited June 2014 in Literary 007 Posts: 3,157
I read somewhere that Fleming wrote You Only Live Twice as the final Bond adventure, and he wrote TMWTGG only because he had signed a contract.
Is this true? Would he have written other Bond novels, or did he plan to finish the series with YOLT/TMWTGG?

Comments

  • actonsteveactonsteve
    Posts: 1,492
    Oh god yes

    Fleming would have written a few more in the sixties. he might have given up for a few years once Bond got successful and would have probably fallen out with the filmakers - but he would have continued doing them

    Interesting if he lived until the seventies - how he would have done detente
  • SaintMarkSaintMark
    Posts: 7,653
    Yes he would have probably as TMWTGG so clearly ended a part of James Bond life.

    And he would have laughed himself silly all the way to the bank.
  • JamesBondBlogJamesBondBlog
    Posts: 19
    Fleming was always writing and thinking of new ideas for stories. There have been several posts about snippets of stories he had been working on at various times. He might've slowed down his schedule a bit, but I do think he would've put out more James Bond stories/novels had he survived.
  • JamesBondRadioJamesBondRadio
    Posts: 97
    Definitely. I feel like had he seen Bondmania post Goldfinger and the box office receipts of Thunderball, he'd have got some fire back in his belly for more books.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,225
    I think he would have had, although both YOLT and TMWTGG have elements that suggest he may have been preparing a sort of swan song for Bond. I often wonder what he intended to do with Kissy's pregnancy.
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    edited June 2014 Posts: 3,157
    I wonder if Fleming would have written original movie scripts for upcoming Bond movies, so that they wouldn't have just done movie adaptations back in the sixties/seventies.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,342
    I'm not sure really. I do think he was winding down and running out of puff and zest and he did discuss auctioning off the literary rights to the James Bond character. So, those who scoff at the Continuation project are quite simply wrong - Fleming would most likely have sanctioned just that had he lived a bit longer.
  • KerimKerim Istanbul Not Constantinople
    edited June 2014 Posts: 2,629
    He probably would have done a few more, but I think he would have slowed down and maybe released a novel every two years or so.
  • 001001
    Posts: 1,575
    I think he would of written more for sure.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    edited June 2014 Posts: 15,225
    Walecs wrote:
    I wonder if Fleming would have written original movie scripts for upcoming Bond movies, so that they wouldn't have just done movie adaptations back in the sixties/seventies.

    Somehow I don't think so. He never wrote the scripts adaptations of his novels when he was alive, for one. And the McClory problem could have put it off a collaborative project of this sort. Not sure he would have been happy at all with the franchise from YOLT, maybe even GF, onwards.
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    Posts: 3,157
    Ludovico wrote:
    Walecs wrote:
    I wonder if Fleming would have written original movie scripts for upcoming Bond movies, so that they wouldn't have just done movie adaptations back in the sixties/seventies.

    Somehow I don't think so. He never wrote the scripts adaptations of his novels when he was alive, for one. And the McClory problem could have put it off a collaborative project of this sort. Not sure he would have been happy at all with the franchise from YOLT, maybe even GF, onwards.

    I'm pretty sure he wouldn't. I've read that he hated Connery as Bond, and he didn't like Dr. No at all. I think he would have loved OHMSS, but overall, I don't think he would have enjoyed the Bond movie franchise.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,356
    Fleming later changed his mind on both Connery and Dr. No though, and he would have loved the films if only for all the money it brought him.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,225
    Samuel001 wrote:
    Fleming later changed his mind on both Connery and Dr. No though, and he would have loved the films if only for all the money it brought him.

    He did change his mind about Connery and DN, but did he think that much of the movies he saw to begin with? I am not convinced he would have liked the direction they took with GF, with YOLT even less. But maybe they would have remained more faithful to his work had he been alive, who knows.
  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    edited June 2014 Posts: 4,536
    Members who be more in to Fleming said there be things in Yolt, DAF/TMWTGG novel what possible be a source for Bond 23 before it going to be standalone/ named Skyfall. When i read Dossier Bond, i reconise one element from DAF or TMWTGG novel get a set up in QOS movie (The one with DAF has something to do with re-meet Felix. Mabey also use to bring back Camile.) what not be contuned yet.

    Everthing or Nothing documentry give another another side of Fleming life and Kevin McClory before he died. Also John Logan possible reference to this when he talk about it going to be more personal for Bond.

    Bond died in TMWTGG novel. QOS orginal end Bond be shoot by Mr White. Fleming possible wrote excuse to lef his rise from the death and because of the new information in Eon he wil take a break and give Kevin McClory the credits and insteed McClory let him alone. Mabey he think/created title Die Another Day.
  • RevelatorRevelator
    Posts: 2,921
    Ludovico wrote:
    He did change his mind about Connery and DN, but did he think that much of the movies he saw to begin with? I am not convinced he would have liked the direction they took with GF, with YOLT even less. But maybe they would have remained more faithful to his work had he been alive, who knows.

    I also doubt that Fleming would have been pleased by the film of YOLT, but IIRC he read and approved the script of GF and visited the set. He also said that those who had read DN would be disappointed by the film, but those who hadn't would enjoy the film a good deal. With FRWL he visited the film crew in Istanbul, and presumably the film met with his approval.
    As to whether more Bond books would have been produced had he survived--had Fleming been in better health, probably. But if he'd been in better health, he wouldn't have died in the first place, and TMWTGG would not have been as feeble as it is.
  • AlexanderWaverlyAlexanderWaverly
    Posts: 2,115
    Meanwhile, Fleming might have gotten really annoyed at letting Broccoli and Saltzman bully him out of signing away his interest in The Man From UNCLE. He would have had a couple of streams of revenue during the peak of the 1960s spy craze.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Had Fleming not died, we would be reading his 62nd Bond book right now.
  • RogueAgentRogueAgent
    Posts: 12,526
    Even though he considered killing off Bond but obviously didn't? I think it is fair to say their would have been more novels from Ian Fleming!
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    edited June 2014 Posts: 7,584
    I hope @Walecs doesn't mind, but I have altered the title of the thread very slightly to make it read better.
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    Posts: 3,157
    NicNac wrote:
    I hope @Walecs doesn't mind, but I have altered the title of the thread very slightly to make it read better.

    Don't mind at all. I apologise for any grammar/spelling mistakes I make, but english is not my main language. Any help is appreciated ;)
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,369
    Samuel001 wrote: »
    Fleming later changed his mind on both Connery and Dr. No though, and he would have loved the films if only for all the money it brought him.

    Anyone have any idea how much money the franchise has brought the Flemings?
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 41,011
    We already have a thread on this. Please continue to post here:

    http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/1235/would-fleming-have-kept-writing-bond/p1

    Locked.
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