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Rumour: Great Wall of China motorcycle chase to feature in Bond 23

JamesPageJamesPage Administrator, Moderator, Director
edited June 2011 in Skyfall Posts: 1,380
According to a single source to the <a href="http://www.jamesbond007.net/007/actualites/4/310/bond-23-:-007-sur-la-grande-muraille-de-chine---exclusif.htm"; target="_blank">Club James Bond France</a> website, a motorcycle chase along the Great Wall of China will feature in <a href="http://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/bond23/index.php3?s=bond23">Bond 23</a>.

The scene was originally conceived for the 1989 film "Licence To Kill", but after several location scouting truips, shooting negotiations hit snags. Furthermore, the release of "The Last Emperor" in 1988 took the mystique out of basing an adventure there, and the production moved to Mexico and the sequence was dropped.

Several major action and stunt sequences in the Bond films were actually conceived in earlier scripts.

It will be the first time James Bond has visited the Chinese mainland in an EON Productions film since Roger Moore stopped in Macau Province, and later Hong Kong (when it was a British territory) in "<a href="http://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/movies/tmwtgg.php3">The Man With The Golden Gun</a>" in 1974. More recently, the Communist super-power was featured in the plot in the 1997 film "<a href="http://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/movies/tnd.php3">Tomorrow Never Dies</a>", and Pierce Brosnan's 007 popped by Hong Kong in 2002's <a href="http://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/movies/dad.php3">"Die Another Day</a>".

Locations previously rumoured to feature in the <a href="http://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/bond23/index.php3?s=bond23">23rd James Bond film</a> include South Africa and India. It will be Daniel Craig's third outing as 007. Shooting is expected to commence in November 2011 for release in the UK on October 26th, 2011.
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Comments

  • DomesticKittenDomesticKitten Blofeld's Lap
    edited June 2011 Posts: 29
    Now THAT sounds properly good!
    ...psst. It comes out in 2012 (nudge nudge)
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    Now I'm ready for Bond 23! Something original like a motorcycle chase across the Great Wall of China should certainly boost its ratings, granted that it doesn't use all that QoS fast-motion camera confusion. That would ruin an otherwise brilliant action scene.
  • KerimKerim Istanbul Not Constantinople
    Posts: 2,629
    Now that would be a rather good idea for a motorcycle chase.
  • shadowonthesunshadowonthesun Banned
    Posts: 1,894
    A motorcycle chase along the Great Wall?

    Sounds a bit kitchy. How about a motorcycle chase *alongside* the Great Wall, possibly with the villain on the Wall itself and Bond having to neogitate difficult and dangerous terrain just to keep up?
  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    edited June 2011 Posts: 4,520
    So this going to be made in Wales like Tomb Raider 2.

    Welcome back Dickey Beer ?? (Dutch stunt supervisor of AVTAK / Tomorrow Never Dies / Tomb Raider 2 / Peking Express ;-) )
  • FideleBarbeyFideleBarbey
    Posts: 18
    Sounds like a bit of a laugh. An action scene accompanied by interesting, stunning scenery would be most welcome.
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    Posts: 4,399
    I am all for it - should be interesting...... hopefully it doesn't involve lunacy and handcuffs like TND lol.
  • 00Beast00Beast
    Posts: 4,762
    haserot said:
    I am all for it - should be interesting...... hopefully it doesn't involve lunacy and handcuffs like TND lol.

    That was actually a great chase in my opinion, and the whole handcuff thing really added to the scene rather than detract, but I can see where you are coming from. Bond and Wai Lin arguing over who drives or what to take in the first place is really out of place, and coming after that cringe-worthy banner free-fall, erg!
  • shadowonthesunshadowonthesun Banned
    Posts: 1,894
    I actually liked the motorcycle chase in TND. Roger Spottiswoode said that after GE and the tank chase, they were as a loss for ideas on how to make the chase more exciting. They simply couldn't get bigger and better than Bond in a tank chasing a car through St. Petersburg, so they went for something smaller - putting Bond on a motorcycle where he was compeltely vulnerable to gunfire (unlike the tank) and have him being chased instead of the one doing the chasing. Wai Lin was included in the sequence because the plot called for it (they were, after all, together at the time) and also to put Bond in a position where he was forced to work with someone.
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    edited June 2011 Posts: 4,399
    i was saying that purely in jest lol.... i liked that scene too - the only problem i had was with the helicopter being able to nose down, move slow, and use it's blades like a giant weed whacker lol - it's not physically possible..... but other than that it was fun - i just don't want to see it duplicated is all.
  • bondboy007bondboy007
    Posts: 267
    Sounds pretty interesting. I can't wait to see a trailer for this thing once it all gets going. I like the potential locations I've heard so far.
  • VirageVirage
    Posts: 1,856
    All Right Press Conference NOW
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    Posts: 4,399
    Sounds pretty interesting. I can't wait to see a trailer for this thing once it all gets going. I like the potential locations I've heard so far.
    India
    Africa
    China..

    ..i agree with you.... everything is speculation and rumors until official statements are made... but it would be nice to see these locations all in one Bond film - especially China..

  • shadowonthesunshadowonthesun Banned
    Posts: 1,894
    Well, according to several users at CommanderBond.net, this is the very definition of tabloid trash.
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,582
    Hence the thread header 'Rumour'. But we may as well talk about it. Better than nothing ;-)
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    Didn't they do this in one of the Tomb Raider films? :-?
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited June 2011 Posts: 15,718
    Please I hope Bond doesn't go to South Africa and India AND China... I am tired of the constant globe-trotting in the recent films. Stick to one, maybe 2 major locations please !! Ugh the more I read the more B23 looks terrible. If they want to do TB, like some people want here, well TB only had 1 major local. So, I hope it's EITHER China, S.Africa or India, and not all 3 of them... or the film will be another disaster, IMO.
  • shamelordshamelord
    edited June 2011 Posts: 157
    Well, according to several users at CommanderBond.net, this is the very definition of tabloid trash.
    Well, that's what they wrote, linking it to the Mi6 news. I sent the news and all I can tell is that if "this" source isn't trustworthy then no one is. Yet, we're six months away from shooting so anything is possible and, yes, plans can be changed during that period of time.
  • forgotmyusernameforgotmyusername
    Posts: 2,782
    I hope they don't go to China - give that govt any sort of publicity is wrong. However, everyone is chasing that huge film market even Hollywood.

    EON - 'doing deals with villians' (a la QofS) in this case is not a good thing.

    I prefer if they would stay in Europe and tear up Paris, London and good old Berlin.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,718
    I prefer if they would stay in Europe and tear up Paris, London and good old Berlin.
    Liam Neeson already tore up Paris in Taken and Berlin in Unknown...
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    I was reading about this scraped idea only a week ago so for it to come up now for Bond 23 is quite something. It's a really exciting idea which could make great use of the location. I'd love it to be in there, I just don't know how much weight this holds.

    Only four-ish months until filming begins, then we should know a lot more and everywhere the crew plan to head for this film.
  • Risico007Risico007
    edited June 2011 Posts: 9,847
    I wouldn't mind it sound kinda exciting. I was honestly hoping for Craig's bond to make it to New york city but i guess that rumor is pretty much DOA (and yes I know many action film's film there but Bond isn't every other action film and I'm pretty sure they could come up with something unique that would make most of us Glad he went there)

    But China India south Africa and obviously London not bad.. Not Bad at all.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited June 2011 Posts: 15,718
    But China India south Africa and obviously London not bad.. Not Bad at all.
    :-? Those locations would turn B23 into a total disaster... I hope to god they don't go to all 3 (China, India, South Africa) in the same film. I am tired of constant globe trotting a-la Jason Bourne. I want to feel at home in these locations, not feel like a tourist who barely leaves the airport. Bond never went to China or South Africa, so I want the film to say atleast 1 hour at each of these 2 locations. I am tired of seeing the locations not being used to their full capacity... And such great countries as S. Africa and China would be a huge waste and a failure of a film to not use them at the maximum capacity. So if B23 goes to all 3, I expect a 3 hours+ film. If it's less, B23 will be an utter failure, IMO.
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,582
    But China India south Africa and obviously London not bad.. Not Bad at all.
    :-? Those locations would turn B23 into a total disaster... I hope to god they don't go to all 3 (China, India, South Africa) in the same film. I am tired of constant globe trotting a-la Jason Bourne. I want to feel at home in these locations, not feel like a tourist who barely leaves the airport. .
    You mean like MR where Bond visited California, Venice, Rio, the Amazonian rainforest and outer space?
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited June 2011 Posts: 15,718
    You mean like MR where Bond visited California, Venice, Rio, the Amazonian rainforest and outer space?
    I am tired of that argument. Yes, MR had a lot of locations... But they all felt like big areas were covered. MR was an EPIC adventure, which called for many locals. QOS really didn't feel an epic, grand scale adventure. The locations at Venice and Rio were much better utilized than Haiti, Siena, Bregenz or Talamone in QOS... All the locations in QOS felt cheap and underused. I don't want another Bournified constant globe-trotting film in B23, that feels like a cheap rip-off of what Bourne does better.

    Look at the fight on top the cable car in Rio... The whole scene felt epic. During the roof chase in Sienna, the nano-second cuts and shaky cam didn't help to appreciate the scenery. It actually completly destroys the purpose of globe-trotting and scenery that Bond movies should advertize.

  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,582
    You mean like MR where Bond visited California, Venice, Rio, the Amazonian rainforest and outer space?
    I am tired of that argument. Yes, MR had a lot of locations... But they all felt like big areas were covered. MR was an EPIC adventure, which called for many locals. QOS really didn't feel an epic, grand scale adventure. The locations at Venice and Rio were much better utilized than Haiti, Siena, Bregenz or Talamone in QOS... All the locations in QOS felt cheap and underused. I don't want another Bournified constant globe-trotting film in B23, that feels like a cheap rip-off of what Bourne does better.

    Look at the fight on top the cable car in Rio... The whole scene felt epic. During the roof chase in Sienna, the nano-second cuts and shaky cam didn't help to appreciate the scenery. It actually completly destroys the purpose of globe-trotting and scenery that Bond movies should advertize.

    No more tired than I am.

    Your argument was that Bond23 would be a 'total disaster' if they used all of those locations (which of course is highly unlikely). Now you have turned it round to mean QOS.
    You can't make such assumptions about a film that hasn't begun filming. Locations will be scouted all around the globe, it doesn't mean they will film at all these places.

    And the shakey cam was a technique Marc Forster used. It doesn't mean the next director will adopt the same style.

    Wait and see.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,718
    No more tired than I am.

    Your argument was that Bond23 would be a 'total disaster' if they used all of those locations (which of course is highly unlikely). Now you have turned it round to mean QOS.
    You can't make such assumptions about a film that hasn't begun filming. Locations will be scouted all around the globe, it doesn't mean they will film at all these places.

    And the shakey cam was a technique Marc Forster used. It doesn't mean the next director will adopt the same style.

    Wait and see.
    Maybe it is unlikely B23 will go to all 3 locations. But if it happens to go to all 3, I won't need to see the film to know it will be a total and utter failure. I will know it will be a another cheap rip-off of Bourne. I always wanted to see Bond go to China or South Africa... If these locations are wasted in a pointless 20 minutes of runtime... Why bother ? The movie should stay ATLEAST 1 hour in either locations it chooses (China or S.Africa), or atleast 1 hour for EACH of these 2 locations if the film goes to both.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    And the shakey cam was a technique Marc Forster used. It doesn't mean the next director will adopt the same style.
    Wilson has also made jabs at it and admitted it was the wrong choice to make with them following the trends. I wouldn't expect it to return in the future - if ever again. It may work for some films but not Bond.

    And yes, there's only one location really confirmed, which is India. The others will likely not even feature in Bond 23.
  • actonsteveactonsteve
    edited June 2011 Posts: 1,492

    I am tired of that argument. Yes, MR had a lot of locations... But they all felt like big areas were covered. MR was an EPIC adventure, which called for many locals.
    How do you know Bond 23 wont be a big epic adventure? You are writing it off before seeing it...
    really didn't feel an epic, grand scale adventure. The locations at Venice and Rio were much better utilized than Haiti, Siena, Bregenz or Talamone in QOS... All the locations in QOS felt cheap and underused.
    Puts on aestheticici hat. The QoS locations were the jewell in the crown. Siena looked gorgeous. Those terracotta roofs, the banners, the Palio. Haiti (or Panama) looked grimy and exotic. Real Graham Greene territory. The floating opear house in Bregenz was intrigueing and who can forget the gorgeous sweep of landscape of Lake Como as the speedboats zooms along.

    Not to mention to real colours of South America. The colours of the desert, the hubbub of La Paz, the indigenous villagers in the Atacama. It gave the film a scale and sweep that made it epic.
    I don't want another Bournified constant globe-trotting film in B23, that feels like a cheap rip-off of what Bourne does better.
    Nobody does it better then Bond...
    ILook at the fight on top the cable car in Rio... The whole scene felt epic. During the roof chase in Sienna, the nano-second cuts and shaky cam didn't help to appreciate the scenery. It actually completly destroys the purpose of globe-trotting and scenery that Bond movies should advertize.

    It didnt for me. The whole city became an obstacle course which has always been a Bond trait. You must admit the opening shots of The Palio were sumptuous and him slipping and sliding over the terracotta roofs were very Bond.

  • forgotmyusernameforgotmyusername
    Posts: 2,782
    I prefer if they would stay in Europe and tear up Paris, London and good old Berlin.
    Liam Neeson already tore up Paris in Taken and Berlin in Unknown...
    true - but it was shoddy. JB would do it in style and i think we need a bit of euro cool back into Bond. Taken was very much tight in terms of view; JB would broaden the landscape and view. Taken could have been set anywhere and you would not have missed any French or German flava.

    But please tell me more about how I might use my time and talent to perfectly match your unique sensibilities.

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