Best and worst case scenario for the Amazon Bond

1356

Comments

  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 17,234
    Is that Tomb Raider show dead?
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,527
    @echo I woldn't call that a positive, but it's Amazon we're talking about..

    She was responsible for Paloma, which is as close to a consensus positively-received sequence as anything in NTTD.
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,585
    echo wrote: »
    @echo I woldn't call that a positive, but it's Amazon we're talking about..

    She was responsible for Paloma, which is as close to a consensus positively-received sequence as anything in NTTD.

    But can she save the whole frenchise?


    Best scenario: contrary to all natural forces Amazon decides to find the best actor, best crew, and builds a family that produces a film every two-to three years, in which the character is balanced and understood.

    Worst scenario: Bond is beeing 'Americanized', in which he's turned into a super-hero with straight foreward no ambiguity storylines that are predictable as can be. Then there are series, spin-offs, etc.

    t.b.h. considering the fact that the Russian have now taken over America and Americans have taken over Bond, I can only expect very bad things, and hope for the not-so-bad things.
  • TreefingersTreefingers Isthmus City, Republic of Isthmus
    Posts: 193
    @echo She wrote Paloma? that's an alright set piece, if only a bit gameplayesque. I am more concerned of her political views permeating the final product.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited February 22 Posts: 17,234
    What are her political views?
    Worst scenario: Bond is beeing 'Americanized', in which he's turned into a super-hero with straight foreward no ambiguity storylines that are predictable as can be. Then there are series, spin-offs, etc.

    t.b.h. considering the fact that the Russian have now taken over America and Americans have taken over Bond, I can only expect very bad things, and hope for the not-so-bad things.

    👍
    Considering he spent so many years battling Russia it is an odd position to arrive in.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,984
    echo wrote: »
    I think a positive is that Phoebe Waller-Bridge has a deal with Amazon. She and any connective tissue to previous Bond films (Danny Kleinman, where are you?) would be welcome...so that we don't end up with sanitized Marvel/CGI pablum.

    I for one love Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Just sayin'.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    edited February 23 Posts: 24,508
    chrisisall wrote: »
    echo wrote: »
    I think a positive is that Phoebe Waller-Bridge has a deal with Amazon. She and any connective tissue to previous Bond films (Danny Kleinman, where are you?) would be welcome...so that we don't end up with sanitized Marvel/CGI pablum.

    I for one love Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Just sayin'.

    I like her too and I'm not at all threatened by her alleged feminism. I see her as a talented artist, not as someone who's only out there to push a political agenda.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    edited February 23 Posts: 17,984
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    chrisisall wrote: »
    echo wrote: »
    I think a positive is that Phoebe Waller-Bridge has a deal with Amazon. She and any connective tissue to previous Bond films (Danny Kleinman, where are you?) would be welcome...so that we don't end up with sanitized Marvel/CGI pablum.

    I for one love Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Just sayin'.

    I like her too and I'm not at all threatened by her alleged feminism. I see her as a talented artist, not as someone who's only out there to push a political agenda.

    She was really the best (or maybe I should say most interesting) thing about the last Indy film for me. Unfortunately.
    She's one of those rare actors that connects to & plays off of other actors with ease.
  • slide_99slide_99 USA
    edited February 23 Posts: 760
    Best case scenario: Bond movies that actually look and feel like Bond movies again, with engaging stories about geopolitical intrigue instead of melodrama, attractive women and memorable villains, and a lead actor who's actually enthusiastic about playing Bond

    Worst case scenario: Bond movies that are uncanny like NSNA and are no different from the bland, soulless digital slop that Amazon typically makes
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,984
    slide_99 wrote: »
    Best case scenario: Bond movies that actually look and feel like Bond movies again, with engaging stories about geopolitical intrigue instead of melodrama, attractive women and memorable villains, and a lead actor who's actually enthusiastic about playing Bond

    Worst case scenario: Bond movies that are uncanny like NSNA and are no different from the bland, soulless digital slop that Amazon typically makes

    Best case scenario: they get Cavill to be Bond.
    Worst case scenario: suddenly NSNA seems like an EON production.
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    edited February 23 Posts: 14,871
    Yeah, seems like a no-brainer that they should bring in Phoebe to write, and play Moneypenny.

    Like my comment if you agree. 👍
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,984
    QBranch wrote: »
    Yeah, seems like a no-brainer that they should bring in Phoebe to write, and play Moneypenny.

    Like my comment if you agree. 👍

    AND go on a mission!
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 14,871
    chrisisall wrote: »
    QBranch wrote: »
    Yeah, seems like a no-brainer that they should bring in Phoebe to write, and play Moneypenny.

    Like my comment if you agree. 👍
    AND go on a mission!
    Bond keeps that promise of two tickets to the theatre, and after the show he gets an urgent call, inevitably dragging MP along for the ride. Culminating in them flying a plane through a time vortex and landing in 1953. To which Bond says, "This seems strangely familiar."
  • Posts: 408
    She killed Indiana Jones and buried him. Of course she's going to slap Bond out in oblivion.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,527
    chrisisall wrote: »
    slide_99 wrote: »
    Best case scenario: Bond movies that actually look and feel like Bond movies again, with engaging stories about geopolitical intrigue instead of melodrama, attractive women and memorable villains, and a lead actor who's actually enthusiastic about playing Bond

    Worst case scenario: Bond movies that are uncanny like NSNA and are no different from the bland, soulless digital slop that Amazon typically makes

    Best case scenario: they get Cavill to be Bond.
    Worst case scenario: suddenly NSNA seems like an EON production.

    I think it is likely that the next Bond film will feel like NSNA unless they actively recruit some Sony/Eon DNA...I don't know if that's Campbell or Waller-Bridge or even Amy Pascal, who oversaw I think four of the five Craig films.

    Amazon should look for *someone* from the past to kick off the new movie era right.
  • Posts: 204
    All they need is someone who understands the DNA of a Bond film and how to translate that to the screen. You don't necessarily need someone from the past when there have been other outside movies in the past 20 years that have felt more like classic Bond adventures than any of the Craig era films.
  • Posts: 408
    You're speaking the wrong language. They are looking for someone who knows the AI algorithm, who cares about the DNA? It's a push button content creation, you're like saying they will get a Chef at McDonalds.
  • edited February 23 Posts: 204
    Stamper wrote: »
    You're speaking the wrong language. They are looking for someone who knows the AI algorithm, who cares about the DNA? It's a push button content creation, you're like saying they will get a Chef at McDonalds.

    Not necessarily. Of course they want that dreaded word, "content," but they need someone to oversee said content and that is primarily what I am referring to.

    Again, I think this is all a massive overreaction. I could be wrong but Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, DC, Marvel... its all properties built on the foundation of multiple strong, leading characters that could fill out all of this content with vast universes of things and characters to choose from with unlimited possibilities of franchises within a franchise.

    A franchise like Bond only has one focal point and I cannot see the vast general audience caring much outside of maybe a Moneypenny, Leiter or random Double O spin-off that maybe ties into the new movies. So fears that it'll be oversaturated are a little knee-jerky to me. Theres only so much they can really do with the Bond IP. Fears about the quality of said projects are what should really be focused on but again, just comes down to who they put in what positions.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 17,234
    echo wrote: »
    chrisisall wrote: »
    slide_99 wrote: »
    Best case scenario: Bond movies that actually look and feel like Bond movies again, with engaging stories about geopolitical intrigue instead of melodrama, attractive women and memorable villains, and a lead actor who's actually enthusiastic about playing Bond

    Worst case scenario: Bond movies that are uncanny like NSNA and are no different from the bland, soulless digital slop that Amazon typically makes

    Best case scenario: they get Cavill to be Bond.
    Worst case scenario: suddenly NSNA seems like an EON production.


    Amazon should look for *someone* from the past to kick off the new movie era right.

    It's a good point actually, you'd think they might want someone there to reassure the audience that they're still watching proper Bond, behind the camera or in front. A bit like Force Awakens did have Harrison Ford etc.
    It's tricky though as there's not many they can bring back. Might we see Fiennes' M return?
  • Posts: 204
    Lord help us if they get a prior Bond to be M, like Pierce or Tim.
  • You'd like to think a prior Bond would turn them down.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,508
    Will they keep the gun barrel sequence, the Bond Theme, the fancy opening titles...?
  • buddyoldchapbuddyoldchap Formerly known as JeremyBondon
    Posts: 283
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Will they keep the gun barrel sequence, the Bond Theme, the fancy opening titles...?

    They bloody well should. They should double down on all the Bond tropes that make Bond Bond. Back to the roots of Bond, part nostalgia, but also what made Bond great. The (anti) hero the world needs right now, including all the bells, whistles and gadgets.
  • Posts: 204
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Will they keep the gun barrel sequence, the Bond Theme, the fancy opening titles...?

    It's part of what makes the brand recognizable. You'd think they would. Though they may pull a Craig era decision to differentiate them.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 17,234
    km16 wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Will they keep the gun barrel sequence, the Bond Theme, the fancy opening titles...?

    It's part of what makes the brand recognizable. You'd think they would. Though they may pull a Craig era decision to differentiate them.

    Yeah I think a facelift is likely (I still really like the NTTD gunbarrel) but I'd bet everything is in its traditional place to reassure the audience.
  • edited February 23 Posts: 4,699
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    chrisisall wrote: »
    echo wrote: »
    I think a positive is that Phoebe Waller-Bridge has a deal with Amazon. She and any connective tissue to previous Bond films (Danny Kleinman, where are you?) would be welcome...so that we don't end up with sanitized Marvel/CGI pablum.

    I for one love Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Just sayin'.

    I like her too and I'm not at all threatened by her alleged feminism. I see her as a talented artist, not as someone who's only out there to push a political agenda.

    She contributed some great ideas to NTTD and I suspect brought a lot of life to it. I think she's said some interesting stuff about Bond in interviews which seems she gets what's needed for a modern Bond film at least. I'd be fine with her contributing to the script. Maybe not being the lead writer, but I think having someone like that onboard to bridge these two eras would be reassuring in the short term.
  • BondAficionadoBondAficionado Former IMDBer
    Posts: 1,896
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    As a moderator, I'm going against my usual instincts by creating this additional thread, but I'm doing it to gather our most optimistic and pessimistic predictions regarding the future of Bond at Amazon. The dual question is straightforward: What do you believe is the best-case scenario for Amazon's handling of Bond, and conversely, what do you foresee as the worst-case scenario?

    The best case scenario would be that Amazon does literally nothing with the IP at all. No films, tv shows or streaming series. Ideally no further sales of merchandise either. The IP is then given back to the Broccolis and they start over.

    The worst case scenario is pretty much any other scenario.

    I think people in general – not just us fans – fail to consider that franchises can be allowed to die. There can be a beginning and an end. It would of course be sad to never get more Bond in our lives, but the Broccolis had a (blood) right to make that decision. All they had to do was hold onto the creative control and keep delaying with MGM/Amazon. Over time the copyright to various materials would expire and others would inevitably create 'Bond' content, although no one would ever consider it legitimate. Mainly since these things would be made despite the family and not because of them. With their $1B deal it's now a direct consequence of a decision on their part, so the line of legitimacy is blurred.

    As a side note I'm really surprised there's no discourse about the Bond 26 placeholder name. That number represented the number of EON films which no longer applies. Bond 1 might also be misleading, since there will soon be (multiple) tv series and potentially different simultaneous universes. I'm guessing there'll no longer be working titles too. Amazon will simply give us the name of the content and we'll refer to it as that.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    edited February 24 Posts: 6,527
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Will they keep the gun barrel sequence, the Bond Theme, the fancy opening titles...?

    I'm sure they will. This represents the low-hanging fruit to reassure the audience.

    What is interesting is and brought up in a recent MI6 article is: will Amazon adapt any of the continuation novels? They have a bunch of basically adaptable stories out there that Eon never wanted to touch.

    Also, will we get a miniseries adaptation of The Authorized Biography of 007? Could be an opportunity for Brosnan (Brosnan and Scorupco, directed by Campbell?) or even Dalton (Dalton and d'Abo?), as an example.

    Maybe we could get a TV movie closely adapting the short story Quantum of Solace?

    Trying to think of positives, any positives!

    Also, Dalton's statement was pure class, especially this:

    "Can you remember the first time you saw a Bond movie? You were a kid, right? Me too! And that's what got us going. Anyway, good luck to them, I say. I do wish them all the very, very best."

    Dalton deserved more Bond movies! Obviously.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 17,234
    echo wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Will they keep the gun barrel sequence, the Bond Theme, the fancy opening titles...?

    I'm sure they will. This represents the low-hanging fruit to reassure the audience.

    What is interesting is and brought up in a recent MI6 article is: will Amazon adapt any of the continuation novels? They have a bunch of basically adaptable stories out there that Eon never wanted to touch.

    I don't entirely see the point to be honest: they're fun reads but I'm not sure any of them have really provided any massively eye-catching or unique ideas. Maybe scenes here and there, but generally I'd say the films have always come up with the more impressive and original plots. If something like TWINE had been a novel first it'd probably be incredibly well-regarded as one of the very best as it's absolutely packed with ideas.
    Something like A Mind To Kill is a bit more unique, but it lives within the literary canon so much that it's not easily adaptable to the screen version.

    echo wrote: »
    Also, will we get a miniseries adaptation of The Authorized Biography of 007?

    That is quite a fun idea, I must admit, although I can't picture how it would work. Probably quite expensive.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    edited February 24 Posts: 6,527
    mtm wrote: »
    echo wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Will they keep the gun barrel sequence, the Bond Theme, the fancy opening titles...?

    I'm sure they will. This represents the low-hanging fruit to reassure the audience.

    What is interesting is and brought up in a recent MI6 article is: will Amazon adapt any of the continuation novels? They have a bunch of basically adaptable stories out there that Eon never wanted to touch.

    I don't entirely see the point to be honest: they're fun reads but I'm not sure any of them have really provided any massively eye-catching or unique ideas. Maybe scenes here and there, but generally I'd say the films have always come up with the more impressive and original plots. If something like TWINE had been a novel first it'd probably be incredibly well-regarded as one of the very best as it's absolutely packed with ideas.
    Something like A Mind To Kill is a bit more unique, but it lives within the literary canon so much that it's not easily adaptable to the screen version.

    echo wrote: »
    Also, will we get a miniseries adaptation of The Authorized Biography of 007?

    That is quite a fun idea, I must admit, although I can't picture how it would work. Probably quite expensive.

    CGI kangaroos are expensive! Seriously, though, I think this could work with Brosnan and Scorupco (instead of Honey), with Campbell directing. It would be a lot of flashbacks, for which honestly they should just use clips from the actual movies instead of trying to recreate them with a young Bond actor.

    I'm not even the biggest GE fan and I am quickly warming to this idea.

    I always thought that book was an unsung part of the canon. It is very meta, though, and that might be confusing. But the right time for it is now, between NTTD and Bond 26 while Bond is dead.

    ETA: I am struggling to come up with a positive spin on the Amazon acquisition, but maybe it's this:

    We likely won't have to wait 4-5 years between films anymore. That has admittedly been tough.

    I hope they find a writer, producer, and director who really care about the IP, who don't just give us paint-by-numbers, checklist Bond, which is basically what we got from 1973-1985, and again from 1995-2002. We've had 11 films of that, and I appreciate the other 14 films more.

    I would rather get something from Amazon that hews to the Connery, Lazenby, Dalton, or Craig eras.
Sign In or Register to comment.