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What not? The teaser trailer for Bond 24 was released almost precisely 3 years ago, and we still don't know the distributor of the next film.
That's newsworthy, at least. Any news is welcome!
"If this is the movie that resolves the last three films then the emotional significance of that idea for Bond seems only lightly served at best. He finds the Vesper tape but never watches it. He appears to fall in love again for the first time since Vesper but there's no real emotional vulnerability there - why this girl? Why now? When he leaves with her at the end of the movie and throws his gun in the river has he gone for good or is this just a well earned vacation as is so often the ending of a Bond film. Does he feel some sense of completion that he finished the last mission M/Judy left for him? It's hard to know what significance any of these final gestures carry."
http://defamer.gawker.com/new-bond-script-leaks-execs-scrambling-to-fix-awful-en-1670479885
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This is the announcement made in October when Barber's contract was renewed. Note Ulrich's glowing comments just 5 months ago on Barber's strategic vision (the very reason he was apparently sacked). Goes to show that we can't believe much of what we read these days:
"Gary is a dynamic leader and during the past seven years, MGM has regained its prominence as a leading entertainment company. He has developed a focused, strategic vision, which combined with a strong financial discipline, has positioned MGM for future growth and innovation. We have every confidence he will continue to lead this company in an exemplary fashion."
http://deadline.com/2017/10/mgm-extends-gary-barber-contract-to-2022-1202182296/
That's my assumption, as well. I don't think these conference calls are going to reveal anything influential, but I hope I'm wrong.
http://www.film-news.co.uk/news/UK/53657/Naomie-Harris-blown-away-by-Dwayne-Johnson-s-on-set-charisma
“He’s extraordinary,” she praised. “I think he’d have an amazing twist.”
Another Boyle interview:
Interestingly, I reckon this "amazing twist" is a period Bond film.
Shame that the interviewer didn't ask her if she's back in B25. Her comments about not wanting to get 'chained' to one character are rather telling imho.
It could work... it would be a good way for Craig to start fresh.
Watch B25 begin with a mission going wrong and Bond getting shot, and as he bleeds out dying he recalls some earlier mission, and that's the period piece. Personally, I just want a standalone finale for him - no period piece, nothing drawing on Blofeld and what happened in the last four movies, just a good old fashioned spy/action flick.
How can we still learn nothing if the release date is looming? The only was that makes sense is if there is a delay, which seems implausible given that Pinewood is booked solid through 2019.
Could it be Felix on the ropes?
I realize it means pseudo rogue/personal again, but frankly I think with Craig that's more likely than a straight mission.
I've listened to every one of these calls since November 2012. It's a crap shoot whether they say anything newsworthy about Bond or not.
In that November 2012 call, Barber said John Logan had been signed to write Bond 24 and 25, confirming what Deadline: Hollywood had reported. (This ended up changing, of course.) He also began to back off the notion of having Bond movies resuming an every-other-year schedule. Much later, there was the call where Barber said Bond movies would remain on a 3- to 4-year schedule.
More often that not, however, there is a passing reference to Bond but not much else. On the most recent call (November 2017) Barber said he hoped to talk more about Bond 25 on future calls.
Of course, that proved to be Barber's last call. I wouldn't be surprised if they say *something* about Bond 25. But I have no idea how detailed or actually newsworthy it may be.
"Gary is a dynamic leader and during the past seven years, MGM has regained its prominence as a leading entertainment company. He has developed a focused, strategic vision, which combined with a strong financial discipline, has positioned MGM for future growth and innovation. We have every confidence he will continue to lead this company in an exemplary fashion."//
I've referenced this a bit before, but let's take a look at the man behind the curtain.
Quotes attributed to executives are rarely actually said by them. Whoever is assigned the writing of a press release usually makes up a quote. The quote is then forwarded to the executive for approval. They may request a tweak, a rewrite or sign off the way it is.
In the 1980s, the Louisville, Kentucky, newspaper was being sold to the Gannett chain. The editor of the paper was not going to stay on at the paper. He could accept employment with Gannett (and be assigned elsewhere). Or he could quit. He was shown drafts of the release with each version. He agreed to be reassigned. But it's not like the release really reflected the reality of the situation.
More to the point here, look at Eon press releases. They attribute quotes jointly to Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
For those quotes to be literally true, either Broccoli and Wilson are speaking simultaneously, or they spoke separately and said *the exact same thing.* Chances are, they follow the normal corporate model, i.e. writer of the press release drafts quotes until they are approved. The quotes are attributed to both because Eon wants to depict the half-siblings as equally in charge.
Here's an example from 2011:
"We're so delighted to have Sam Mendes direct SKYFALL and be working once again with Daniel Craig. We've a great script, an extraordinary cast and an incredibly talented creative team for this latest James Bond adventure," said Wilson and Broccoli.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eon-productions-metro-goldwyn-mayer-studios-and-sony-pictures-entertainment-announce-7th-november-is-start-of-production-for-23rd-james-bond-film-skyfall-133144863.html
So perhaps something has happened since then (weak box office of Death Wish and/or Tomb Raider) or something else more fundamental regarding either future strategy and/or execution.
What makes you think that an EON produced Bond movie won't be?
Either one is possible, or something else. My only point is, knowing how press releases are produced, I always take quotes in them with more than a grain of salt. For whatever reason, the MGM board felt it had to extend Barber's contract a few months ago. So the accompanying quotes made him sound like a genius. Better than, "We're not really keen on him but we really didn't have a choice." :-)
Here's another real life example. At one point, Ford Motor Co. moved its Lincoln and Mercury divisions out to Southern California. Several years later, they were moved back to Michigan. They press releases for each move quoted the same executive saying why it was a spectacularly brilliant move. Not as sudden a change as MGM, but something similar.
Pinewood also built a state of the art Pinewood Studios in Toronto. So if there’s a slight scheduling change, EoN could bring out their core, hire some Canadians (and receive mega tax credits, further saving budget), and shoot in their home away from home.
Not saying this will happen, but it’s an option, just like shooting in another studio is an option (LTK).
Felix dies? As Fleming originally intended...
Moneypenny dies?
Could be anything they haven't done before.
They already killed Mathis and before him, some 50 years ago, Dikko Henderson. So, anything is possible with them, these days. Might as well have Bond bite the bullet and be done with it.
Every time EON post something, I'm expecting news - until I read the text. What if Boyle's big idea is Brosnan for B25? :D