No Time To Die: Production Diary

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  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited May 2016 Posts: 23,883
    @Tuulia, I have to deal with marketing and communications at my company from time to time and do a bit of marketing myself.

    I fully agree that DC personally shouldn't give two tosses about what the public and media think. However, Joe public does matter to the bottom line.

    EON's (and MGM/Sony) press/publicity dept are doing an awful job of containing the wrong kind of press. Wrist slasher should have been shut down much quicker, and this one should have been denied much more forcefully.

    Basically say 'there is absolutely no truth to these unsubstantiated and completely false allegations with respect to money etc. Daniel Craig is James Bond'

    Done.

    The half baked statement that came out (was there even a statement or was it 3rd party from BBC?) will not quell the 'money' rumour, and it is damaging. I'm a fan of DC's and of Bond, but I am personally sick of statements (misinterpreted though they may have been) that he has made which can potentially damage the brand, and rumours like this one. People make mistakes. So do politicians. The key is how forcefully it is rebutted. These folks should learn from the best politicians imho.

    I disagree with those who compare this time to Roger's time. There were fewer successors for Roger at that time and we didn't live in a social media age.
  • pjtpjt
    Posts: 18
    Well, agreeing to Bond 25 and 26, which would be probably in 2018 and 2021, would be too much IMHO. Bond 26 would be in five years when Craig is 53 years old. Both Skyfall and Spectre were too taxing for him, and I just can't imagine him doing another at 53. He would be two years older than Brosnan was in DAD.
    I can imagine him doing one more, but two...
  • Posts: 1,493
    I think it's very simple and there is no great mystery here - Craig wants time to think about whether he will do another one, and Eon and MGM evidently respect that and probably hope that by giving him the space he needs, he will finally decide to return.

    In the meantime, Eon will prepare themselves for the possibility Craig might not come back, and so - as they have done in the past - they will begin to consider other actors. After all, if Craig does do one more, it is very likely they'll need a new actor for Bond 26.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    ColonelSun wrote: »
    I think it's very simple and there is no great mystery here - Craig wants time to think about whether he will do another one, and Eon and MGM evidently respect that and probably hope that by giving him the space he needs, he will finally decide to return.

    In the meantime, Eon will prepare themselves for the possibility Craig might not come back, and so - as they have done in the past - they will begin to consider other actors. After all, if Craig does do one more, it is very likely they'll need a new actor for Bond 26.
    Well said.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Tuulia wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    The story is out there. Half the people don't have the time or the inclination to dig for the 'facts'. They just read what they see and that is that he turned down the money and is gone.

    Now, if he comes back, what are people going to think? That he was offered more? That he's a money grabber? Came back for the money, which he said himself would be the reason.

    It's almost like there's a campaign to get him out. He could quell it just by making a statement himself saying he is Bond for the forseeable future. The fact that he hasn't done so yet is suggestive, and perhaps due to contractual obligations, as Getafix noted a few pages back.

    I'd say most people won't dig for facts about most stories anyway. Which is perfectly understandable, of course, one could spend 24 hours a day just trying to find out if various news items are correct or not. I've seen people comment even much earlier that Craig "likes money" and I don't know what they mean exactly. I must have missed something. So that thinking will only increase if he continues in the role.

    He shouldn't care about that, though. I understand GL's view, she's understandably protective, but what he does shouldn't in any way be dictated by internet opinions and stuff like that. Famous people will inevitably get some shit on the internet/media anyway from people who have no actual clue. They shouldn't care, because it's ultimately meaningless.

    Basically, if it was certain that he's staying, EON/Craig could easily have stopped the speculation at any time by making it clear he's not going anywhere. Since that hasn't happened, there are two possibilities as far as I can see. Either he's leaving, but just can't say so, and EON are dealing with stuff. Or it's uncertain: in other words whatever negotiations are happening about the replacement for Sony (or even continuing with them) are having an effect on Craig's situation, too. Or - like some are suggesting - EON and Craig are discussing about direction and script and stuff that may determine whether he stays or not. (The latter option seems less likely to me all things considered, but what do I know.)


    This last point is probably the most realistic: it's not uncommon in a franchise that the lead actor, the face-of the franchise, has significant input in the direction of the character. If s/he doesn't like where it's going, they walk (read about how Bruce Willis was ready to walk IN THE MIDDLE OF FILMING DH4 when he and a producer had a disagreement about Kevin Smith's part).

    Think of Craig's history with Bond; he's close with Babs, he helped shape so much of what has been happening, he knows she leans heavily on him and (pure speculation on my part), she doesn't want to replace him. He's the goose that lays golden eggs. And we all know casting a new Bond is months, if not longer, in the making. So taking what little we know (the history between the producer and her lead actor; knowing what role he's played since becoming 007), why would he be behaving in a fashion unbecoming?

    I know the story is "out there", but my point was, the legitimate trade papers aren't reporting this innuendo for a reason. Namely it's a false lead. It's status quo. Nothing to report. Craig is waiting to see a script and direction. And I have a feeling that Babs will try and deliver a direction, use everything in her power, to please her leading man. This relationship is worth much more than Cubby's with Rog. Babs will not let her goose waddle away without doing everything she can to keep him longer term.

    As DC said in many interviews: he's not being coy. He needs some breathing room before he starts the development process again. I imagine it will be at this point that this will be a make or break time for the lead actor (after all he has to be all in considering he'll be dedicating a year of his life to the project; if the challenges are fresh and exciting, I expect Craig to climb on board. If it's shaky and he's not contractually obligated, expect the official announcement that he's handing in his licence to kill.).
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    bondjames wrote: »
    @Tuulia, I have to deal with marketing and communications at my company from time to time and do a bit of marketing myself.

    I fully agree that DC personally shouldn't give two tosses about what the public and media think. However, Joe public does matter to the bottom line.

    EON's (and MGM/Sony) press/publicity dept are doing an awful job of containing the wrong kind of press. Wrist slasher should have been shut down much quicker, and this one should have been denied much more forcefully.

    Basically say 'there is absolutely no truth to these unsubstantiated and completely false allegations with respect to money etc'.

    Done.

    The half baked statement that came out (was there even a statement or was it 3rd party from BBC?) will not quell the 'money' rumour, and it is damaging. I'm a fan of DC's and of Bond, but I am personally sick of statements (misinterpreted though they may have been) that he has made which can potentially damage the brand, and rumours like this one. People make mistakes. So do politicians. The key is how forcefully it is rebutted. These folks should learn from the best politicians imho.

    I disagree with those who compare this time to Roger's time. There were fewer successors for Roger at that time and we didn't live in a social media age.

    Spot on. Damage control/crisis management is part and parcel of the whole PR campaign; it's just a best case scenario if it's not needed but with Bond being such an institution and with today's climate of unlimited information and every word put under a microscope and scrutinised, a "clean up" unit needs to be in constant and immediate stand by. In principle there are some things that don't need to be dignified with a response and silence isn't always acceptance BUT unfortunately, this is still a political game and how EoN for the most part appear to still not fully realise this up till now is baffling.
  • Posts: 4,325
    ColonelSun wrote: »
    I think it's very simple and there is no great mystery here - Craig wants time to think about whether he will do another one, and Eon and MGM evidently respect that and probably hope that by giving him the space he needs, he will finally decide to return.

    In the meantime, Eon will prepare themselves for the possibility Craig might not come back, and so - as they have done in the past - they will begin to consider other actors. After all, if Craig does do one more, it is very likely they'll need a new actor for Bond 26.

    This is probably what's going on.
  • edited May 2016 Posts: 2,081
    @bondjames, oh I absolutely agree with you - EON hasn't dealt with this rampant speculation (and some other stuff) well at all. It all seems so very... non-committal. Too weak, too vague.

    It's like there's a constant uncertainty about the Bond actor staying or not or even wanting to play the part. That's what a lot of the press was about before Spectre was released and it just continues now. I know Craig has also said how much he enjoys making the movies and how great it has been and all that, but the media will always be more interested in the negative when there's any they can get their claws on, and that side hasn't been dealt with properly. I'm sure Craig has been very committed to the role, has worked his butt off, and cares about the role, the character and the movies, but my impression is that the general opinion is... something else entirely.

    Not a good thing and obviously potentially harmful to the brand like you said.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    tanaka123 wrote: »
    ColonelSun wrote: »
    I think it's very simple and there is no great mystery here - Craig wants time to think about whether he will do another one, and Eon and MGM evidently respect that and probably hope that by giving him the space he needs, he will finally decide to return.

    In the meantime, Eon will prepare themselves for the possibility Craig might not come back, and so - as they have done in the past - they will begin to consider other actors. After all, if Craig does do one more, it is very likely they'll need a new actor for Bond 26.

    This is probably what's going on.

    agreed. I just keep going back to the fact, for us fans, that the legit trade papers have failed to pick up on, or report, this "news".

    Sorry to frustrate everyone but, this seems to be a case of status quo: ain't nothing to see here folks, keep moving!
  • edited May 2016 Posts: 1,970
    pjt wrote: »
    Well, agreeing to Bond 25 and 26, which would be probably in 2018 and 2021, would be too much IMHO. Bond 26 would be in five years when Craig is 53 years old. Both Skyfall and Spectre were too taxing for him, and I just can't imagine him doing another at 53. He would be two years older than Brosnan was in DAD.
    I can imagine him doing one more, but two...

    Unless they are back to back. 2 parter. Get them both done in one swoop. I think eon would love to have Craig's final outing as Bond a 2 parter since that been a trend with film series ending. Harry Potter, Twilight, Hunger Games, avengers is gonna be doing that
  • Posts: 2,081
    @peter, but it's exactly because Craig has had such big influence while in the role that I would imagine at this point they'd know each other well enough and trust each other enough that a script or something wouldn't be needed for him to say he'll stay or not. Some discussion, general guidelines how they'll be moving forward with the next movie, and that should be it. Surely Craig could already trust that his views would be taken into consideration with the next movie, too, since they were before, and he could commit to
    making it based on just those discussions and mutual trust, right? You know what I mean?
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    edited May 2016 Posts: 8,400
    That's not good enough, as far as I'm concerned. Barely any news outlets have picked up on that BBC quote, and there are still websites publishing articles that Craig turned down 68 million. EON should have made a statement themselves.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Tuulia wrote: »
    @peter, but it's exactly because Craig has had such big influence while in the role that I would imagine at this point they'd know each other well enough and trust each other enough that a script or something wouldn't be needed for him to say he'll stay or not. Some discussion, general guidelines how they'll be moving forward with the next movie, and that should be it. Surely Craig could already trust that his views would be taken into consideration with the next movie, too, since they were before, and he could commit to
    making it based on just those discussions and mutual trust, right? You know what I mean?

    A finished script is far different than preliminary discussions of direction-- as we saw with SPECTRE; once writer's are brought on board, the story can go in wildly different directions.

    I imagine Craig would want to see as close as possible to a shooting draft before committing, then have a say in director.
  • Posts: 2,115
    That's not good enough, as far as I'm concerned. Barely any news outlets have picked up on that BBC quote, and there are still websites publishing articles that Craig turned down 68 million. EON should have made a statement themselves.

    Also, the BBC story was quite short, unless they did an expanded version that I didn't see.
  • jake24jake24 Sitting at your desk, kissing your lover, eating supper with your familyModerator
    Posts: 10,591
    That's not good enough, as far as I'm concerned. Barely any news outlets have picked up on that BBC quote, and there are still websites publishing articles that Craig turned down 68 million. EON should have made a statement themselves.

    There's a documentary out there (From Script to Screen), where both Barbara and Michael said that they had long since began to stop answering to tabloid rumours and the press as it would become a seperate career in itself.
  • pjtpjt
    Posts: 18
    fjdinardo wrote: »
    pjt wrote: »
    Well, agreeing to Bond 25 and 26, which would be probably in 2018 and 2021, would be too much IMHO. Bond 26 would be in five years when Craig is 53 years old. Both Skyfall and Spectre were too taxing for him, and I just can't imagine him doing another at 53. He would be two years older than Brosnan was in DAD.
    I can imagine him doing one more, but two...

    Unless they are back to back. 2 parter. Get them both done in one swoop. I think eon would love to have Craig's final outing as Bond a 2 parter since that been a trend with film series ending. Harry Potter, Twilight, Hunger Games, avengers is gonna be doing that

    Yes, that would actually work. I just hope Craig would say yes to it.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,400
    jake24 wrote: »
    That's not good enough, as far as I'm concerned. Barely any news outlets have picked up on that BBC quote, and there are still websites publishing articles that Craig turned down 68 million. EON should have made a statement themselves.

    There's a documentary out there (From Script to Screen), where both Barbara and Michael said that they had long since began to stop answering to tabloid rumours and the press as it would become a seperate career in itself.

    Yes, but this wasn't just some rumour that strung out of nowhere one day, this has been building for the last 6 months since SP. I don't think they can just ignore it when every website on the planet is reporting it.
  • edited May 2016 Posts: 1,631
    EON rarely, if ever, addresses tabloid reports or allows the media to dictate their timetable for announcing whatever it is that they need/want to announce. When they have something to announce, they'll announce it, regardless of what the media wants. Looking back at 2004-2005, they were pretty quiet during that Bond search as well, and there were some pretty wild stories that the media took and ran with during that time period as well.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,400
    dalton wrote: »
    EON rarely, if ever, addresses tabloid reports or allows the media to dictate their timetable for announcing whatever it is that they need/want to announce. When they have something to announce, they'll announce it, regardless of what the media wants. Looking back at 2004-2005, they were pretty quiet during that Bond search as well, and there were some pretty wild stories that the media took and ran with during that time period as well.

    I'm not saying they have to announce anything, just repeat what was said to the BBC. It would spread quicker from the horses mouth.
  • Posts: 1,631
    There's always the possibility that the "authoritative Bond sources", as the BBC puts it, weren't authorized to speak out on the matter at all.

    I would doubt they'd want to address it anyway. It's free publicity. The media is talking about Bond at a time when there really isn't any movement on the franchise. They're good either way, I'd imagine. Either they get the massive buzz for Bond 25 that casting a new actor always brings or they'll be able to, thanks to this news, hold a massive press conference stating that they've secured Daniel Craig's services again. Either way, interest is high.
  • Posts: 4,325
    dalton wrote: »
    There's always the possibility that the "authoritative Bond sources", as the BBC puts it, weren't authorized to speak out on the matter at all.

    I would doubt they'd want to address it anyway. It's free publicity. The media is talking about Bond at a time when there really isn't any movement on the franchise. They're good either way, I'd imagine. Either they get the massive buzz for Bond 25 that casting a new actor always brings or they'll be able to, thanks to this news, hold a massive press conference stating that they've secured Daniel Craig's services again. Either way, interest is high.

    Yes, it is quite surprising that Bond is in the news so much considering we are in between films, and no real progress (it seems) being made on the next. If anything it proves that Bond still holds the attention of the general public.
  • edited May 2016 Posts: 11,425
    Whoever is responsible is doing a bad job of managing the media.

    It often feels like EON is a two man band. You can imagine Babs manning the phones while MGW scrabbles around for a paper and pad to take notes.
  • Posts: 4,325
    Getafix wrote: »
    Whoever is responsible is doing a bad job of managing the media.

    It often feels like EON is a two man band. You can imagine Babs manning the phones while MGW scrabbles around for a paper and pad to take notes.

    I don't think so.
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    edited May 2016 Posts: 8,400
    Getafix wrote: »
    Whoever is responsible is doing a bad job of managing the media.

    It often feels like EON is a two man band. You can imagine Babs manning the phones while MGW scrabbles around for a paper and pad to take notes.

    That's exactly the impression I'm left with. Its been 6 months since SP and no news on Bond 25, no news on whether Craig is returning and no news on the new distributor. What are they doing over there, screwing up pieces of paper and throw them into a bin from across the room?
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,266
    Getafix wrote: »
    Whoever is responsible is doing a bad job of managing the media.

    It often feels like EON is a two man band. You can imagine Babs manning the phones while MGW scrabbles around for a paper and pad to take notes.

    I disagree. I would've done the same in their place. They keep their cards close to the chest not to let whatever they're planning lead it's own life. As long as they haven't made a decision they won't talk to the press. That these papers go and run a story like this is fine. It won't harm the brand at all, Bond is way too big for that. If it does anything, it keeps the brand in everyones mind, so when they do announce something, everyone, even the not-so-interested, will be all ears.
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    edited May 2016 Posts: 4,116
    bondjames wrote: »
    ColonelSun wrote: »
    I think it's very simple and there is no great mystery here - Craig wants time to think about whether he will do another one, and Eon and MGM evidently respect that and probably hope that by giving him the space he needs, he will finally decide to return.

    In the meantime, Eon will prepare themselves for the possibility Craig might not come back, and so - as they have done in the past - they will begin to consider other actors. After all, if Craig does do one more, it is very likely they'll need a new actor for Bond 26.
    Well said.

    Yes, but if Craig is not in a position to comment then I wish EoN would make a statement. Even if negotiations are in play with Craig I still think they need to speak up too.

  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited May 2016 Posts: 23,883
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    ColonelSun wrote: »
    I think it's very simple and there is no great mystery here - Craig wants time to think about whether he will do another one, and Eon and MGM evidently respect that and probably hope that by giving him the space he needs, he will finally decide to return.

    In the meantime, Eon will prepare themselves for the possibility Craig might not come back, and so - as they have done in the past - they will begin to consider other actors. After all, if Craig does do one more, it is very likely they'll need a new actor for Bond 26.
    Well said.

    Yes, but if Craig is not in a position to comment then I wish EoN would make a statement. Even if negotiations are in play with Craig I still think they need to speak up too.
    I agree with you. I do not agree with comments that it doesn't hurt the brand. It does hurt the brand (even in my eyes, and I am a life long fan) and it hurts Craig (again even in my eyes - I was a much bigger fan of his before wrist slasher and all this nonsense about money came out). Joe Public is going to think that he's a money grabbing 'tool' if he comes back now, after his comments last year and now this, so in a way the article hurts Craig more than it does Bond.

    All they need to do is shut the rumour down forcefully. It's not difficult to do, and it's what every corporation does. They are dealing with a multi-billion $ franchise here after all. Not all press is good press.

    The only way this makes sense is if Craig is actually done, and they are just holding out until they have to make an announcement on distributor and actor, and that can be anywhere from a few weeks to a year from now imho.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    ColonelSun wrote: »
    I think it's very simple and there is no great mystery here - Craig wants time to think about whether he will do another one, and Eon and MGM evidently respect that and probably hope that by giving him the space he needs, he will finally decide to return.

    In the meantime, Eon will prepare themselves for the possibility Craig might not come back, and so - as they have done in the past - they will begin to consider other actors. After all, if Craig does do one more, it is very likely they'll need a new actor for Bond 26.
    Well said.

    Yes, but if Craig is not in a position to comment then I wish EoN would make a statement. Even if negotiations are in play with Craig I still think they need to speak up too.

    They don't need to tell anyone anything, especially if negotiations are on (which I personally don't think they are; speculation only, but I think they're busy figuring out what next re: stories).

  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    edited May 2016 Posts: 8,400
    bondjames wrote: »
    The only way this makes sense is if Craig is actually done, and they are just holding out until they have to make an announcement on distributor and actor, and that can be anywhere from a few weeks to a year from now imho.
    :-O
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