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What Directors Should Helm A Bond Film?
My unrealistics:
Quentin Tarantino - if he did more of his Jackie Brown rather his Kill Bill.
Chris Nolan - as long as he and his brother wrote it, of course, and throw in Zimmerman
My realistics:
Catherine Bigalow - the woman who brought you Hurt Locker and Point Break
Michael Mann - the mann who brought you Heat and Public Enemies.
JJ Abrams - we all know the man can direct action and story.
I'll probably update this with more, but I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Quentin Tarantino - if he did more of his Jackie Brown rather his Kill Bill.
Chris Nolan - as long as he and his brother wrote it, of course, and throw in Zimmerman
My realistics:
Catherine Bigalow - the woman who brought you Hurt Locker and Point Break
Michael Mann - the mann who brought you Heat and Public Enemies.
JJ Abrams - we all know the man can direct action and story.
I'll probably update this with more, but I'd love to hear your thoughts!
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Comments
Duncan Jones (he's only made two movies ((Moon, and Source Code)), but i guess he could give it a go!)
J.J. Abrams (Super 8 - I loved that film to bits...)
They would be the choices that i can think of at the moment, although i wouldn't mind a return from Martin Campbell (But could his luck run-out with a third film?)
Guy Ritchie
Christopher Nolan
Quentin Tarantino (even if he's no brit)
Takashi Miike
Park Chan-wook (Thirst, Oldboy)
Michael Mann (fusing the style of HEAT and Miami Vice (the movie) to 007)
Christopher Nolan (bringing the style of Inception and Insomnia to 007)
Ti West (who demonstrates in House Of The Devil that he has a refined understanding of 70s cinema and its aesthetics, which I'd love to see applied to a Bond film again)
Matthew Vaughn (who through LS&2SB, Layer Cake and even XM:FC gave me the impression that he can make both a fine modern Bond film and a Bond film set in the glorious sixties)
Shinya Tsukamoto (whose often weird and visually distracting style could, when kept under control ever so slightly, result in a surprisingly fresh take on Bond. Just watch Tetsuo...)
Paul Schrader (who I admire for the way he tells his stories and how he relies more on psychological twists than on simple, superficial and worn-out action)
and...
George Lucas (because he needs the money... ) JUST KIDDING ;;)
He has worked with former Bond's Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan before in earlier works too in my defense
I think QT would be good for a more Moore/Dalton film, and JJ for a more serious-ish take.
JJ BAYBAY - ALL DEE WAY
I'd also be open to the idea of Ben Affleck behind the camera. I know his acting credentials aren't exactly stellar, but he's an excellent director - GONE BABY GONE and THE TOWN were both tight little thirllers, which is exactly what Bond needs. his next film, ARGO, revolves around the CIA staging the production of a science fiction film in Iran to rescue a group of hostages. if it's as good as his previous directorial outings, I think it would really make a case for him as director of a Bond film.
If TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY makes good on its promises, I think Tomas Alfredson would also be an excellent candidate. I haven't seen it, but his previous film, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, is apparently very good, taking vampires seriously in the age of TWILIGHT and THE VAMPIRE DIARIES.
I'd also be keen for David Fincher to direct. Sam Mendes' previous working relationship with Daniel Craig seems to have helped in the decision to draft him in as director. Fincher worked on THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO with Craig, and almost everything he has done since ALIEN 3 - SE7EN, THE GAME, FIGHT CLUB, PANIC ROOM, ZODIAC and THE SOCIAL NETWORK - have all been fantastic.
Of course, if he was annouced as a director, I think a lot of people would be outraged by it and point to DAREDEVIL, PEARL HARBOUR and GIGLI as evidence against him, even though he never directed those films, and thus you can't really judge him on them. Hell, they'd probably forget his good acting credits - STATE OF PLAY, GOOD WILL HUNTING and so on - so I very much doubt they'd remeber his directorial efforts.
Still, I think he'd have the ability to deliver a strong Bond thriller. But I must admit that of the six names I listed - Vaughn, Boyle, Nolan, Fincher, Alfredson and Affleck - he'd come in at about number five ahead of Alfredson (and if TINKER TAILOR is good, he might fall to sixth) purely because he only really has those two films to his credit.
Fans should love him when he brings in a great Bond film, mind. That is what counts. Hey, they may even want him back with Affleck willing to do so. I could never see Vaughn, Boyle, Nolan or Fincher directing a Bond film (sadly). They've already made it big.
Alfredson would work though and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by all accounts is an amazing film. It's out tomorrow in the UK - I'll be seeing it then.
But that assumes that EON are still in the old 1960s pattern of simply hiring the cheapest guy available. Babs always gets accused of Oscar-baiting with some of the choices that EON make when it comes to the cast and crew, but Bond is a long-running part of cinematic history. How many franchises can claim they've been going for fifty years? If they really wanted Vaughn, Boyle, Nolan or Fincher, they'd make it happen. The Bond films aren't exactly being made for peanuts these days. And since those directors have already made it big, they'd pretty much have their pick of film assignment. If you look at some of these guys (mostly Boyle and Nolan), they've got a pretty diverse range of films to their credit. They're not like the Michael Bays of this world, who only ever make one type of film. Show me a director who's got more range than Danny Boyle - he's got zombie films (28 DAYS/WEEKS LATER), disaster films (SUNSHINE), dramas about heroin users (TRAINSPOTTING), biopics (127 HOURS) an epic in the style of Bollywood (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE) and he's artistic director for the 2012 London Olympics. The point is that if EON approached him with a high-quality project - say a Bond film with Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes in the cast and a high-quality crew line-up with the likes of John Logan and Roger Deakins - and it appealed to him, why would he say no?
EON do have their pick, they can choose whoever they want. They just choose not too. At least with Michael and Barbara at the helm.
I'm not joking; he's done so well with his other two that there isn't anyone else I'd rather see do the next film. They tried "prestigious" directors during Brosnan's tenure (and with QoS) with middling/mixed results so I'd rather they stuck with what worked. After Green Lantern bombed I'm hoping that Campbell will be more open to coming back now.
As with several of the bigger directors mentioned such as Nolan surely cost would be a factor? I would think they'd ask for a higher up-front fee or certainly a percentage of the profits. I really think that it's more cost than anything - Nolan is used to paying himself as writer, producer, AND director of his films and I'm sure he gets a great profit-sharing deal as well. It would be a pretty huge pay cut for him to direct a Bond film.
I could actually see Affleck producing a very good Bond film.
I'd like to see more unknown/not-made-it-big suggestions!
Michael Mann: He would create a Bond film like no other...which could prove bad, to some viewers and loyal fans, possibly. With excellent movies like Heat, Collateral, Miami Vice, and Public Enemies, he brings his own spice to the camera work and angles, giving it a real gritty feel, to the point where you can actually feel like you're in the scene.
Tony Scott: Man On Fire is one of my favorite films ever. Sure, his quick cuts and flashy scenes at times could prove very odd for a Bond film, but if steered in the right direction, why not?
Steven Spielberg: Munich was a wonderfully shot action-drama. One of the best directors around, the man certainly knows what he is doing. I could see him delivering an interesting take with an excellent story.
I think David Cronenberg would be another good choice. EASTERN PROMISES was kind of low-key, but I could see his style working as a Bond film.
Eastern Promises was a good film. The sauna fight scene was very intense.
Would either of you say Vaughn, Boyle, Nolan or Fincher have a chance of directing Bond 24? I'm just wondering what people think the odds are of them being hired, should Mendes choice not to return.