What Directors Should Helm A Bond Film?

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  • Anyone but Michael Bay.
  • Posts: 1,817
    Matthew Vaughn or James Mangold.
  • Justin Lin. His efforts on the Fast & Furious series resulted in at least two films that were a lot better than they deserved to be. I think he could do something very special if given the big seat.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    ChickenStu wrote:
    Justin Lin. His efforts on the Fast & Furious series resulted in at least two films that were a lot better than they deserved to be. I think he could do something very special if given the big seat.
    The film would definitely impress in the action department.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited February 2014 Posts: 13,355
    Bourne should be a good enough showcase to see what he is capable of.
  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    edited February 2014 Posts: 4,520
    Trailer of The Two Faces Of January (Written/Directed by Hossein Amini, writer of The Four Feathers, Shanghai, Drive & Snow White and the Huntsman. By the novel of Patricia Highsmith)



    Hossein Amini. Earlier sugest as writer, but now he also direct his first movie and mabey also be intresting choose as directer for Bond movie.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    I love Viggo. I'd like to see this. And he would be awesome in a Bond film.
    Directors: I see like Alfonso Cuaron,
  • I actually think Christopher Nolan is a pretty realistic choice now, and could actually see it happen one day. Sam Mendes I thought was a surprisingly big name to see doing a Bond movie. In a way I think he was as much the star of Skyfall as Craig.

    I know he's doing the next one (very pleased about that) but I don't know if he will stay around for a third. I think the producers will want an equally big name to take over.

    Enter Christopher Nolan.

    Nolan is known to be a huge fan and there are some very Bondian elements to Inception. I know he's usually involved on the writing in his movies - but I think he'll understand the way that the producers of these movies do things - and may see directing something that someone else has written as an interesting challenge!

    Yeah. Very much think it could happen. I would want to see that film.
  • Not mentioned yet, and probably my top choice, since he'd probably be more attainable than the big-name directors, has a nice noir style, is good with actors, and has experience with suspense, action, dark humor and drama:

    John Dahl (Red Rock West, Kill Me Again, The Last Seduction, Rounders, Joy Ride, The Great Raid, episodes of Breaking Bad, Justified, Dexter, Terriers, Homeland, The Americans)

    Also:

    Stuart Baird
    Mel Gibson (despite his offscreen problems, though maybe his current status would make him a relative bargain)
    John McTiernan (ditto)
    Tom Tykwer
    Nicolas Winding Refn
    Christopher Nolan
    Brad Bird


    Bond films directed by Tarantino or the Coen Bros would be pretty amazing, but they likely wouldn't be very Bondian at all, or else would go off in crazy directions, distracting from what we enjoy in the series. I'd bet the Coens have no interest in ever doing one, or if they did, it would be to subvert it in ways the could conceivably anger fans.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,183
    Since Ghost Protocol, I'm all for Brad Bird. But Nolan is still top of my list.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited March 2014 Posts: 12,480
    And just to say, that trailer for Viggo's new film gives away way too much of the story.
    I do hate that. Sigh ...
    It looks very stylish, though, and he is such a fine actor. I do want to see it.

    Nolan is tops on my list, too.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    After watching the new Captain America movie-definitely the Russo brothers.
  • Anyone who's not Sam Mendes, Uwe Boll or J.J. Abrams.
  • Posts: 2,491
    As I was transfered here from another thread:

    Luc Besson
  • Posts: 75
    They need to be British, a good solid worker, preferably a noname. Nolan couldn't direct traffic much less a film, otherwise he'd make the list. He is apparently also a monster on the set and hard to get on with. And the Bond series doesn't need any of that after Forster debacle.

    They can be big names only if they fallen from grace (like Mendes)

    My picks:

    Shane Meadows
    Roger Michell (be suggested for Bond 22)
    Richard Curtis
    Stephen Daldry (fallen from grace)
    Stephen Frears (Mrs Henderson Presents)
    Neil Marshall
    Jonathan Glazer
    Jon Amiel (worked with Sean on Entrapment so plenty of experience there)
    Jonathan Lynn
    John Madden (fallen from grace and director of Best Exoitc Marigold Hotel, so knows Dame Judi and can work with her)
    Sidney J Furie (Ipcress File)
    Mike Newell
    Ken Russell (outrageous)

    Or bring back Campbell...
  • Posts: 11,425
    Ken Russell? Come on! Ken Loach would be a better fit!

    I think Nolan needs to be given a crack of the whip.
  • Posts: 1,631
    -David Fincher
    -Michael Mann
    -Ben Affleck
    -Kathryn Bigelow

  • Posts: 6,396
    Getafix wrote: »
    Ken Russell? Come on! Ken Loach would be a better fit!

    I think Nolan needs to be given a crack of the whip.

    For starters, at least Ken Loach is still alive! ;-)
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    dalton wrote: »
    -David Fincher
    -Michael Mann
    -Ben Affleck
    -Kathryn Bigelow

    You're dreaming lol.
  • Posts: 147
    Matthew Vaughn is my first choice followed by Brad Bird and Nolan.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    edited July 2014 Posts: 24,183
    Vaughn, Bird and Nolan: yes!
    Fincher? Oh yes.

    Mann is different. I love Michael Mann as a filmmaker. I have seen all his films and some, like Thief and HEAT, are stunners in my book. But I find his style perhaps too distinct and too 'Mann' for Bond. He should have done LTK I suppose. But maybe his next film will convince me otherwise. Still, every guy who wants to direct a Bond, needs to take Babs and Michael into account. I'm not sure Michael Mann is the kind of guy who will take orders or even accept any interference.

    Nolan, I think, can still work with the producers. For starters, he's British and he seems to have a profound respect for the Bond property.

  • Posts: 1,631
    I think the fact that Mann would impose his own style on it would be a huge reason why I'd want him on board. EON needs to break out of their comfort zone every once in a while and make a film that is a bit different. I'd say give Mann a gritty, low-key story like Licence to Kill and let him make it the way that he sees fit.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,183
    dalton wrote: »
    I think the fact that Mann would impose his own style on it would be a huge reason why I'd want him on board. EON needs to break out of their comfort zone every once in a while and make a film that is a bit different. I'd say give Mann a gritty, low-key story like Licence to Kill and let him make it the way that he sees fit.

    I agree that EON needs to break out of their comfort zone every once in a while, and that's why I say yes to Fincher. But Mann would bring Bond into his own comfort zone and I'm not sure that would be good. In terms of style, Mann made The Keep, Mohicans and then all the rest. :-) I don't mean any disrespect; I adore nearly all of his films. Apart from Thief and HEAT, I also passionately love Manhunter, The Insider, Collateral, ... I guess Ali and The Keep are my least favourite of Mann's films. But LTK was so clearly inspired by Miami Vice, had Mann directed it back then, it might have become a truly unique Bond film. There's a fat chance Tangerine Dream would have done the music and Dante Spinotti photography. Yes, I like that. And we wouldn't have gotten lines like "And I love James SO much!" I bet Benicio would have gotten a much bigger part (I think Dario would have hit on Lupe and run away with her to Cuba) and we might actually have witnessed the killing of Della. During the truck fight, we would have gotten In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. ;-) But I digress. The point is, I think Mann's chance to make a good Bond film is blown. In the 80s, yes. FYEO would have been a great Michael Mann film. Today? I'm just not sure. And this comes from a Mann fan.
  • Posts: 1,631
    I guess I mainly look at it from the point of view of simply wanting EON to do something different. I guess they kind of shook things up to a degree with Deakins' superb cinematography in Skyfall, but that's just a cosmetic thing, as it was still a film written by the usual Bond team and crafted in large part by Broccoli and Wilson, no matter how much people want to think that Mendes was the mastermind behind the whole thing (although I'm sure he got more say than the average Bond director).

    Fincher will never say yes to directing a Bond film, at least not until the Bond directors are given something close to full autonomy over the projects. After his experience with Alien 3, coupled with the fact that he's become one of the very best directors in the business since, I can't see him taking marching orders from EON.

    Simply by hiring Mann, I think that would be enough to shake the franchise up a bit, because his films are inherently different from the Bond films. He'd probably craft a much tighter and smaller Bond film than we're used to seeing, but Mann can ratchet things up for an action scene when need be. I'd love to see an action scene in a Bond film that is on par with the bank robbery and subsequent shootout in Heat, for example.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,183
    Oh I certainly agree there, @dalton! That shootout is simply stunning. Might be the most brutal and at the same time most satisfying Bond action scene ever. No music; all eyes on the screen. Some of the best photography and editing ever. De Niro's McCauley would have made a great Bond villain too, I'd say. ;-)
  • Posts: 1,631
    Sadly, we'll never get an action scene like that in a Bond film. Never mind the brutality of it, which I can't see EON going for, but the fact that no music plays over it would probably be a deal breaker for them. They seem content to play the score so loudly over the action scenes nowadays that it can be, at times, distracting.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,183
    True. The finest action scenes in the history of film lack score. FRWL's train fight is included! :-)
  • Posts: 1,631
    Couldn't agree more. A good action scene, if well plotted and well executed, will create its own excitement.
  • Posts: 6,396
    The bank heist and subsequent shootout in Heat, is the greatest action set piece of all time. Stunning. Just absolutely stunning.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,183
    It certainly is.

    I must say I have always loved how the raid on the Russian airbase in TLD was done without music. It wasn't until the jeep tried to board the plane that Barry gave us some music.
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