What Directors Should Helm A Bond Film?

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  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,431
    Denbigh wrote: »
    I’d like for them to get someone, whoever it is, whose quite a fan of the series. They don’t have to be a fan of the books, but after seeing what Matt Reeves did with The Batman, where he seemed to deeply understand the world and the characters on multiple levels, I’d just love to get someone on the same level as that.

    Yes I'd say that's what Mendes was, and he provided exactly what I wanted. Clearly the work of someone who appreciates what works about the series but was able to add a new dimension.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Care of The Spy Command, an excerpt from Vaughn on The Happy Sad podcast:

    Vaughn says he was contacted by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer and was told he was getting the job of directing Casino Royale. “You’ve got the gig, don’t tell anyone,” the director quotes an MGM executive as saying.

    According to this version, the MGM executive told Vaughn he was then to meet with Eon Productions “and they will tell you.” Vaughn said he went to that meeting and “I wasn’t offered it.” Vaughn says he contacted MGM and the reply he got was, “Ahh, we spoke too soon.”

    It was never EoN who offered the job to Vaughn.

    “They’re not keen on me,” Vaughn said of Eon.

    @Colonel_Venus : I replied to you in DM— I think you’ll see why what I heard very much aligns with Vaughn’s own words.

    (I either mistook this information as being for Quantum of Solace, or I was mistakenly told it was for Quantum— I didn’t know it was for CR, but the stories from there pretty much are aligned).

  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,410
    My current top picks

    1. Edgar Wright
    2. Martin Campbell
    3. Alfonso Cuaron
    4. Christopher Nolan
    5. Mark Mylod
  • Yes to Nolan and Cuaron. If the really wanted to pick a journeyman, Campbell would be the best choice, even at 80. I am no on Wright and Mylod.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,410
    Yes to Nolan and Cuaron. If the really wanted to pick a journeyman, Campbell would be the best choice, even at 80. I am no on Wright and Mylod.

    Why no on Wright?
  • @Mendes4Lyfe I don't think he is capable of making a Bond film more serious than the sillier Moore films. And I would not enjoy a Bond 26 that silly.
  • edited October 2023 Posts: 1,372
    Yes to Nolan and Cuaron. If the really wanted to pick a journeyman, Campbell would be the best choice, even at 80. I am no on Wright and Mylod.

    Why Cuaron? He is not british and he is not young.
  • Posts: 348
    @Mendes4Lyfe I don't think he is capable of making a Bond film more serious than the sillier Moore films. And I would not enjoy a Bond 26 that silly.

    Last Night in Soho wasn't overly silly.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,220
    M_Blaise wrote: »
    @Mendes4Lyfe I don't think he is capable of making a Bond film more serious than the sillier Moore films. And I would not enjoy a Bond 26 that silly.

    Last Night in Soho wasn't overly silly.

    Not in the least…
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,410
    Cuaron would be just as diffucult for EON to control as Nolan. But unlike Nolan, he isn't a huge Bond fan and hasn't directed big budget, Bondian action-adventure films before. So he would be a far bigger risk. Saying this as someone who loves Cuaron.

    Are EON really known for hiring "safe bets"? Mendes, Forster, Fukunaga? I think Cuaron fits right in with their recent track record, none of them were known for their action films before Bond.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,220
    Cuaron would be just as diffucult for EON to control as Nolan. But unlike Nolan, he isn't a huge Bond fan and hasn't directed big budget, Bondian action-adventure films before. So he would be a far bigger risk. Saying this as someone who loves Cuaron.

    Are EON really known for hiring "safe bets"? Mendes, Forster, Fukunaga? I think Cuaron fits right in with their recent track record, none of them were known for their action films before Bond.

    At this point I think they are more inclined to go for prestige than “ safe” ; Fukunaga was a necessity hire.

    With that said, I like his work very much and would have loved to have seen what he could have done with a clean slate.
  • Posts: 7,507
    Cuaron would be a good choice, and didn't he have some involvement with QOS? His name is on the credits at the end! Cant remember for what!
  • Posts: 2,165
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    Cuaron would be a good choice, and didn't he have some involvement with QOS? His name is on the credits at the end! Cant remember for what!

    He has a voice cameo. The pilot during the desert plane sequence.
  • Posts: 9,848
    I still feel Spielberg would be good
  • Posts: 727
    Risico007 wrote: »
    I still feel Spielberg would be good

    Would suck. He is way too sentimental for Bond, a character whose struggle is internal as he braves a suave face.

    And his kinetic camera work is ill suited to Bond. The character should always be framed on a tripod. The stagey composition of which gives Bond his English identity.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,410
    Spielberg is way past his prime by now, but at least he would give it some life.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,220
    1970’s/ 80’s Spielberg? Yes Spielberg of today? No.

    With that said, if for some reason he had a passion to do one and gave it his all I do think it would be a good film.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,981
    Mallory wrote: »
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    Cuaron would be a good choice, and didn't he have some involvement with QOS? His name is on the credits at the end! Cant remember for what!

    He has a voice cameo. The pilot during the desert plane sequence.

    And it took me at least 10-plus years to finally catch Guillermo del Toro's voice cameo.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    @Creasy47 ; just watched Quantum for the first time in ages last week (great fun), and, I’m ashamed to say: I didn’t know del Toro did a voice cameo! Which scene (so I can smack my forehead).
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,981
    peter wrote: »
    @Creasy47 ; just watched Quantum for the first time in ages last week (great fun), and, I’m ashamed to say: I didn’t know del Toro did a voice cameo! Which scene (so I can smack my forehead).

    Glad you had a good time!

    It's during Greene's eco party. He's the voice of the man speaking to Greene right after his speech, in the same shot where Camille starts to approach the group before interrupting.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    peter wrote: »
    @Creasy47 ; just watched Quantum for the first time in ages last week (great fun), and, I’m ashamed to say: I didn’t know del Toro did a voice cameo! Which scene (so I can smack my forehead).

    Glad you had a good time!

    It's during Greene's eco party. He's the voice of the man speaking to Greene right after his speech, in the same shot where Camille starts to approach the group before interrupting.

    Oh man. Thank you @Creasy47 . I’m going to rewatch that scene.

    I had no idea!
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,981
    peter wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    peter wrote: »
    @Creasy47 ; just watched Quantum for the first time in ages last week (great fun), and, I’m ashamed to say: I didn’t know del Toro did a voice cameo! Which scene (so I can smack my forehead).

    Glad you had a good time!

    It's during Greene's eco party. He's the voice of the man speaking to Greene right after his speech, in the same shot where Camille starts to approach the group before interrupting.

    Oh man. Thank you @Creasy47 . I’m going to rewatch that scene.

    I had no idea!

    You're welcome! I've listened for it for years cause I always loved those little bits of trivia, then one random viewing a couple years back, boom, it finally clicked and felt so obvious to me.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    peter wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    peter wrote: »
    @Creasy47 ; just watched Quantum for the first time in ages last week (great fun), and, I’m ashamed to say: I didn’t know del Toro did a voice cameo! Which scene (so I can smack my forehead).

    Glad you had a good time!

    It's during Greene's eco party. He's the voice of the man speaking to Greene right after his speech, in the same shot where Camille starts to approach the group before interrupting.

    Oh man. Thank you @Creasy47 . I’m going to rewatch that scene.

    I had no idea!

    You're welcome! I've listened for it for years cause I always loved those little bits of trivia, then one random viewing a couple years back, boom, it finally clicked and felt so obvious to me.

    Ahaha, once I hear it, I won’t ever be able to unhear it, 😂. Great catch, Creasy!
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,981
    peter wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    peter wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    peter wrote: »
    @Creasy47 ; just watched Quantum for the first time in ages last week (great fun), and, I’m ashamed to say: I didn’t know del Toro did a voice cameo! Which scene (so I can smack my forehead).

    Glad you had a good time!

    It's during Greene's eco party. He's the voice of the man speaking to Greene right after his speech, in the same shot where Camille starts to approach the group before interrupting.

    Oh man. Thank you @Creasy47 . I’m going to rewatch that scene.

    I had no idea!

    You're welcome! I've listened for it for years cause I always loved those little bits of trivia, then one random viewing a couple years back, boom, it finally clicked and felt so obvious to me.

    Ahaha, once I hear it, I won’t ever be able to unhear it, 😂. Great catch, Creasy!

    Ha, that's how it goes, isn't it? Now it stands out so clearly to me every time I rewatch it.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,410
    Just saw the trailer for "the fall guy" looks like a lot of fun. David Leitch might be an option if they want to go in a boarder, more comedic direction.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,220
    Just saw the trailer for "the fall guy" looks like a lot of fun. David Leitch might be an option if they want to go in a boarder, more comedic direction.

    This made me ponder, is it easier for an action/drama centric director to inject lightness and humor, or is it easier for a director who generally has a light touch to go gritty if necessary?

    Obviously the reality is a broad spectrum.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    talos7 wrote: »
    Just saw the trailer for "the fall guy" looks like a lot of fun. David Leitch might be an option if they want to go in a boarder, more comedic direction.

    This made me ponder, is it easier for an action/drama centric director to inject lightness and humor, or is it easier for a director who generally has a light touch to go gritty if necessary?

    Obviously the reality is a broad spectrum.

    Good questions @talos7 … I think it really is an individual thing in most cases… Taking Mendes as an example, when I heard he was helming SF, I shuddered. I thought the film would be stuffy and stagey.

    Instead it moves well, light on its feet, and its classy and fun.

    The flip-side is, could an Edgar Wright do tough and gritty? Without being cartoonish? I’m not so sure, but like Mendes, I’d be happy to be proved wrong.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    edited November 2023 Posts: 8,410
    talos7 wrote: »
    Just saw the trailer for "the fall guy" looks like a lot of fun. David Leitch might be an option if they want to go in a boarder, more comedic direction.

    This made me ponder, is it easier for an action/drama centric director to inject lightness and humor, or is it easier for a director who generally has a light touch to go gritty if necessary?

    Obviously the reality is a broad spectrum.

    I don't have a definitive answer but I think its about time we tried the other way around for a change. Forster, Mendes and Fukunaga did fine jobs with the action/humour side, but something has certainly been lost in terms of dynamism and sharpness.

    I rewatched the Brozza films recently, and it's like a breathe of fresh air how slick and direct those are compared to the Craig films where they seem to want to milk every establishing shot for as much "moodiness" as possible.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,220
    I think a balance can be achieved, but the right director is a must.
  • Posts: 348
    peter wrote: »
    talos7 wrote: »
    Just saw the trailer for "the fall guy" looks like a lot of fun. David Leitch might be an option if they want to go in a boarder, more comedic direction.

    This made me ponder, is it easier for an action/drama centric director to inject lightness and humor, or is it easier for a director who generally has a light touch to go gritty if necessary?

    Obviously the reality is a broad spectrum.

    Good questions @talos7 … I think it really is an individual thing in most cases… Taking Mendes as an example, when I heard he was helming SF, I shuddered. I thought the film would be stuffy and stagey.

    Instead it moves well, light on its feet, and its classy and fun.

    The flip-side is, could an Edgar Wright do tough and gritty? Without being cartoonish? I’m not so sure, but like Mendes, I’d be happy to be proved wrong.

    Edgar Wright may be talented enough to do any genre, but that doesn't mean anything for your average comedy director.
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