Share your story ideas for BOND 26

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  • Posts: 4,615
    It seems now to be a matter of record that (based on DC Bond) the most broadly popular movies (commercial and critique) were both self contained stories and plots that did not have a "take over the World" bad guy. Is this not an indication that this form of story is simply no longer required? It also requires "the lare" which increases cost and also some "crackpot" idea to take over the World that often (NTTD included IMHO) stretches the writers with coming up with something meaningful. SF and CR surely showed that it's about motivation, character and execution re the bad guy rather that a grand super-plot. The downside to this is that personal feelings/connection was used in both of these movies and that simply cant be acheived in every movie so it is a tough one. Personally, I would like to see a compact, well written, tight, self contained story with a plot more firmly based on reality rather than sci-fi. I think it's possible to look at the motivation of the bad guy and work backwards from that. To make a great Bond movie, you need a great villain (and a great actor). I also think (as with CR) a plot based more on character will let the new actor display their "acting chops" and "play off" a great villain. (the torture scene and the "rat" scene in SF are perfect examples of what can be done) we need more of this...please
  • Posts: 4,139
    @patb I get that. Even the 'world domination' aspect of NTTD's climax felt shoehorned in. Safin made far more sense (as much as he ever did as a character anyway) when he simply wanted revenge. I'm sure most of the subplot with the buyer ships was relatively last minute, and I know from watching interviews that Malek and Craig actually improvised or at least rewrote a lot of their dialogue during Safin/Bond's encounter so it all feels a bit cliched and cobbled together.

    As for an adaptation of MR, I'd like to see a loose one but a bit further down the line. Much of the story simply has to be recontextualised and adapted for modern times (ie. the fact that Hugo Drax is actually a nazi, our modern relationship with tech billionaires/the fact that we don't idolise them as unambiguously/across the board as those do with Drax in the novel. Heck, even the Moonraker rocket itself feels a bit dated and would have to be changed up). I can't see a future Bond film being set completely in London/Kent and being quite as low key as the book is for the most part. Still though, there's a lot in there that would make a great film.
  • Posts: 3,327
    patb wrote: »
    It seems now to be a matter of record that (based on DC Bond) the most broadly popular movies (commercial and critique) were both self contained stories and plots that did not have a "take over the World" bad guy. Is this not an indication that this form of story is simply no longer required? It also requires "the lare" which increases cost and also some "crackpot" idea to take over the World that often (NTTD included IMHO) stretches the writers with coming up with something meaningful. SF and CR surely showed that it's about motivation, character and execution re the bad guy rather that a grand super-plot. The downside to this is that personal feelings/connection was used in both of these movies and that simply cant be acheived in every movie so it is a tough one. Personally, I would like to see a compact, well written, tight, self contained story with a plot more firmly based on reality rather than sci-fi. I think it's possible to look at the motivation of the bad guy and work backwards from that. To make a great Bond movie, you need a great villain (and a great actor). I also think (as with CR) a plot based more on character will let the new actor display their "acting chops" and "play off" a great villain. (the torture scene and the "rat" scene in SF are perfect examples of what can be done) we need more of this...please

    Absolutely. Spangled Mobs, Horror and Sluggsy, Pistols S, lots of Brooklyn stomping. This is where the next Bond needs to go. Back to Fleming....and Gangsters!
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited May 2022 Posts: 16,382
    007HallY wrote: »
    @patb I get that. Even the 'world domination' aspect of NTTD's climax felt shoehorned in. Safin made far more sense (as much as he ever did as a character anyway) when he simply wanted revenge. I'm sure most of the subplot with the buyer ships was relatively last minute, and I know from watching interviews that Malek and Craig actually improvised or at least rewrote a lot of their dialogue during Safin/Bond's encounter so it all feels a bit cliched and cobbled together.

    As for an adaptation of MR, I'd like to see a loose one but a bit further down the line. Much of the story simply has to be recontextualised and adapted for modern times (ie. the fact that Hugo Drax is actually a nazi, our modern relationship with tech billionaires/the fact that we don't idolise them as unambiguously/across the board as those do with Drax in the novel. Heck, even the Moonraker rocket itself feels a bit dated and would have to be changed up). I can't see a future Bond film being set completely in London/Kent and being quite as low key as the book is for the most part. Still though, there's a lot in there that would make a great film.

    Yes it’s difficult because I guess you could make an argument that, apart from the lack of international travel, Moonraker is the template for an awful lot of Bond movies (and other spy ripoffs), what with the secretly-evil corporation owner and giant rocket. It’s great but it might even be the most generic plot. I guess Bond’s infiltration of the company is where it differs slightly; they may be able to do something there. And obviously I’m not sure they can launch another new Bond with him having a spectacular crash in his Aston Martin! :)
  • Posts: 4,139
    mtm wrote: »
    007HallY wrote: »
    @patb I get that. Even the 'world domination' aspect of NTTD's climax felt shoehorned in. Safin made far more sense (as much as he ever did as a character anyway) when he simply wanted revenge. I'm sure most of the subplot with the buyer ships was relatively last minute, and I know from watching interviews that Malek and Craig actually improvised or at least rewrote a lot of their dialogue during Safin/Bond's encounter so it all feels a bit cliched and cobbled together.

    As for an adaptation of MR, I'd like to see a loose one but a bit further down the line. Much of the story simply has to be recontextualised and adapted for modern times (ie. the fact that Hugo Drax is actually a nazi, our modern relationship with tech billionaires/the fact that we don't idolise them as unambiguously/across the board as those do with Drax in the novel. Heck, even the Moonraker rocket itself feels a bit dated and would have to be changed up). I can't see a future Bond film being set completely in London/Kent and being quite as low key as the book is for the most part. Still though, there's a lot in there that would make a great film.

    Yes it’s difficult because I guess you could make an argument that, apart from the lack of international travel, Moonraker is the template for an awful lot of Bond movies (and other spy ripoffs), what with the secretly-evil corporation owner and giant rocket. It’s great but it might even be the most generic plot. I guess Bond’s infiltration of the company is where it differs slightly; they may be able to do something there. And obviously I’m not sure they can launch another new Bond with him having a spectacular crash in his Aston Martin! :)

    Yes, I think it's best to keep such a concept for a future movie. A sort of 'the stakes are now higher than ever' type thing after one or two more low key Bond movies.

    There's potential for adaptation, but I think you're correct, Drax's general backstory has kind of been done subsequently. Heck, I'd argue in the novel it's not necessarily a surprise as there's this sense throughout the book that 'something's not right here'. I don't know, maybe if the billionaire in question isn't the main villain and there's someone else pulling the strings on the whole plan? Again, the plan itself would have to be different, and I can't see a Hugo Drax figure being universally loved in today's world (which would also be rather interesting to play off). I just can't see a straightforward adaptation of the book being feasible.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited May 2022 Posts: 16,382
    Yes, it would be quite fun if, just for a change, Bond investigated a big megacorp and the CEO wasn’t the one doing the evil things, but it actually was just some person working under him without his knowledge! :D
  • Posts: 4,139
    mtm wrote: »
    Yes, it would be quite fun if, just for a change, Bond investigated a big megacorp and the CEO wasn’t the one doing the evil things, but it actually was just some person working under him without his knowledge! :D

    It'd be quite a modern take on billionaires/CEOs if you think about it. Beneath all the eccentricity, fame and money, this person is either clueless or working for someone more malicious than they are with vested interests. I don't know if it'd be a cop out though from a narrative point of view.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,382
    I guess in a way the series has sort of done it with Willard Whyte, but I feel like there’s still room there.
  • Posts: 4,139
    Yeah, I think there is too. WW was essentially an unwilling pawn in the whole thing. I guess it'd be interesting to see an eccentric CEO of a big company who has specific reasons for taking part in the villain's plan (perhaps greed or money etc) but gets in too deep/realises the extent of the damage that said plan will do. Not sure if I'd want it to be a twist, but it'd be a nice subversion to not have the weird billionaire in a Bond film be the main baddie.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,382
    I like that, yes.
  • LucknFateLucknFate 007 In New York
    edited May 2022 Posts: 1,646
    007HallY wrote: »
    Yeah, I think there is too. WW was essentially an unwilling pawn in the whole thing. I guess it'd be interesting to see an eccentric CEO of a big company who has specific reasons for taking part in the villain's plan (perhaps greed or money etc) but gets in too deep/realises the extent of the damage that said plan will do. Not sure if I'd want it to be a twist, but it'd be a nice subversion to not have the weird billionaire in a Bond film be the main baddie.

    If we want a solid woman villain, the movie could set up a billionaire guy as the obvious villain only for the twist to be his hot girlfriend has actually been the one stealing his money to do crime behind his back.
  • Posts: 4,139
    @LucknFate My only problem with that is that it reminds me somewhat of For Special Services. Would love to see a female Bond villain though. Not as in someone who seduces Bond and is revealed to be a villain, but just a villain who's a woman.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,382
    Yes I'm surprised we haven't had a female villain for twenty years, I don't think there's anything about the villain role which suggests it has to be a man.
  • edited May 2022 Posts: 784
    mtm wrote: »
    Yes I'm surprised we haven't had a female villain for twenty years, I don't think there's anything about the villain role which suggests it has to be a man.

    I think it is long overdue
  • Posts: 4,615
    “Stealth”
    Whilst assisting with the prevention of a kidnapping attempt, Bond catches the eye of a Saudi Princess and, against his wishes, is seconded to diplomatic protection duties. During this time, he uncovers a plot by the Princess’s father to obtain, decode and sell on the computer flight systems data from NATO’s prototype stealth fighter jet.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,296
    Not sure Bond wants to get into bed with the Saudis...
  • SIS_HQSIS_HQ At the Vauxhall Headquarters
    edited May 2022 Posts: 3,789
    Is it possible to use that lost Fleming screenplay for Moonraker?
    That's interesting, it would make a great film to introduce the new Bond or a reboot, as some articles stated that there's no M or even Moneypenny in the screenplay, only Bond and this sharp card player named 'Tosh' to beat Hugo Drax.

    Or a LTK type of film but instead of drugs, you can have a plot about Internal Organ trade, harvesting, trafficking and the Internal Organ black market that operates around the world.

    What do you think?
  • edited May 2022 Posts: 4,139
    @MI6HQ I highly doubt it would be usable. No M or Moneypenny aside it's a script from the 1950s. The novel's story needs significant adaptation and recontextualising for a modern film already. This script would need that all the same - dialogue, pacing, action sequences, main plot etc. Also, I'm not sure if Fleming's work on it was even up to par at the time. It's 150 pages from what I understand and is very description heavy like his prose. It's not always what you need from a script. Again, a straightforward adaptation of MR simply isn't feasible today. It will require some creativity and adaptation to make it work as a film.

    Very dark idea about the organ trade! Weirdly I can sort of see it being incorporated into a future Bond film. Not necessarily as the main plot, but somewhere in there. I mean, in the novels Bond would often have to thwart drug and even coin smuggling operations. Why not an organ harvesting operation? Seems like something quite interesting/creative.
  • ImpertinentGoonImpertinentGoon Everybody needs a hobby.
    Posts: 1,351
    I'll put this in spoiler tags, because people may still want to read the comics, but in Hammerhead it turns out
    the villain is a kind of Elektra King meets the opposite of Hugo Drax meets Nigel Farage in Victoria Hunt, the daughter of a well-connected British arms dealer tasked with replacing TRIDENT, who wants to make Britain Great again and uses the cover of "Kraken" a radical, anti-capitalist cyber-terrorist who kills her father and then supposedly targets her.
    Now they obviously couldn't use that 1-for-1; Andy Diggle repurposes and alludes to things that already happened in films in a way that is interesting and fun in this seperate comics universe, but would feel like repetition in a film. (Hammerhead is basically a mash-up of
    TWINE and MR with bits and pieces from TLD, FYEO, GE, TB and SF
    ) However, the more I rethink his comics, the more I feel like EON should give him a call for an outline or some brainstorming. He just gets something about what makes the series and the character of Bond special and most importantly fun.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,382
    That does sound extremely TWINE! :)
  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    edited May 2022 Posts: 4,629
    I'll put this in spoiler tags, because people may still want to read the comics, but in Hammerhead it turns out
    the villain is a kind of Elektra King meets the opposite of Hugo Drax meets Nigel Farage in Victoria Hunt, the daughter of a well-connected British arms dealer tasked with replacing TRIDENT, who wants to make Britain Great again and uses the cover of "Kraken" a radical, anti-capitalist cyber-terrorist who kills her father and then supposedly targets her.
    Now they obviously couldn't use that 1-for-1; Andy Diggle repurposes and alludes to things that already happened in films in a way that is interesting and fun in this seperate comics universe, but would feel like repetition in a film. (Hammerhead is basically a mash-up of
    TWINE and MR with bits and pieces from TLD, FYEO, GE, TB and SF
    ) However, the more I rethink his comics, the more I feel like EON should give him a call for an outline or some brainstorming. He just gets something about what makes the series and the character of Bond special and most importantly fun.
    mtm wrote: »
    That does sound extremely TWINE! :)

    But it’s so enjoyable! One of Dynamite’s best stories. I also feel that EON should consider adapting Felix Leiter as a subplot for a future movie. It’s time Felix got his due in the action.
  • edited May 2022 Posts: 4,139
    Interesting. Would it be a cool subversion if a MR type plot wasn't about destroying London but a wealthy industrialist wanting to 'make Britain great again' by creating some sort of Trident alternative? This could be much to the scepticism of MI6 and portions of the British Government. Perhaps it's revealed that they're secretly working with some sort of third party (not necessarily a known terrorist, just a shady character supplying tech) who has other motives and hijacks the weapon?
    I don't like the idea of an Elektra King villain who is revealed to be the villain in a 'twist' (they can be a bit hit or miss in Bond films). But I like a lot of the elements of that comic. I feel this would keep the atmosphere MR had of 'something's not quite right here' without trying to trick the audience.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,382
    007HallY wrote: »
    Interesting. Would it be a cool subversion if a MR type plot wasn't about destroying London but a wealthy industrialist wanting to 'make Britain great again' by creating some sort of Trident alternative? This could be much to the scepticism of MI6 and portions of the British Government. Perhaps it's revealed that they're secretly working with some sort of third party (not necessarily a known terrorist, just a shady character supplying tech) who has other motives and hijacks the weapon?

    It might be a touch too on the nose for them perhaps, I don't know if Bond films want to turn off half of their audience, but I guess Carver in TND was a bit of a swipe at media barons so who knows. I wouldn't mind it necessarily.
  • Posts: 4,139
    mtm wrote: »
    007HallY wrote: »
    Interesting. Would it be a cool subversion if a MR type plot wasn't about destroying London but a wealthy industrialist wanting to 'make Britain great again' by creating some sort of Trident alternative? This could be much to the scepticism of MI6 and portions of the British Government. Perhaps it's revealed that they're secretly working with some sort of third party (not necessarily a known terrorist, just a shady character supplying tech) who has other motives and hijacks the weapon?

    It might be a touch too on the nose for them perhaps, I don't know if Bond films want to turn off half of their audience, but I guess Carver in TND was a bit of a swipe at media barons so who knows. I wouldn't mind it necessarily.

    Perhaps. I think it depends on how it's handled though. I don't think they should use the phrase 'make Britain great again' or have a character modelled on Nigel Farage (I don't want a Bond film to drift into Years and Years territory). But the idea of a Bond plot resulting from the 'good guys' doing something morally questionable is something we're seeing now (ie. the nanobots in NTTD). I'd like to see it handled a bit better.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,382
    I don't hate the idea of Emma Thompson as the villain though! :)
    Or Gillian Anderson maybe.
  • ImpertinentGoonImpertinentGoon Everybody needs a hobby.
    Posts: 1,351
    It would have to be handled with care, for sure. It couldn't just be "everyone who likes England and wanted Brexit is actually a racist and a terrorist." That obviously wouldn't fly. It would have to be exceedingly clear that this person is going far above whatever would be acceptable and is a lunatic terrorist at the end of the day or just using right-wing rethoric for their own financial gain or whatever. I don't know who I would trust with writing a script that toes that line, but to have James Bond very forcefully show what his positive patriotism is as opposed to crazed domestic terrorism, could be good. That is of course deep in "What does Bond mean??!?"-territory and maybe it would be best to start the new actor off with a simpler plot.
  • edited May 2022 Posts: 4,139
    It would have to be handled with care, for sure. It couldn't just be "everyone who likes England and wanted Brexit is actually a racist and a terrorist." That obviously wouldn't fly. It would have to be exceedingly clear that this person is going far above whatever would be acceptable and is a lunatic terrorist at the end of the day or just using right-wing rethoric for their own financial gain or whatever. I don't know who I would trust with writing a script that toes that line, but to have James Bond very forcefully show what his positive patriotism is as opposed to crazed domestic terrorism, could be good. That is of course deep in "What does Bond mean??!?"-territory and maybe it would be best to start the new actor off with a simpler plot.

    Yeah, I don't think having the villain be explicitly right wing would work. Also people engrossed superficially in either left or right wing politics can be a sensitive bunch at the best of times when it comes to media. No need for Bond to exasperate anything in that regard. I do like the idea of a villain's plan being in the name of 'the greater good' for Britain though. Obviously he'd be a complete lunatic but it could be a cool dynamic to play off of. Again, the Craig era tried to play around with these sorts of ideas (ie. M commissioning the Heracles Project in NTTD, the idea of MI6 having waning influence/British Government Bureaucracy taking over in SF and SP... heck, even the idea of Bond's own patriotism is explored a bit, even despite the fact that he essentially fails his mission in SF and the MI6 building is blown up). But I agree, best for a new Bond to have a simpler plot starting off.

    On an unrelated note, I just re-read the From A View to A Kill short story. Forgot how enjoyable it was. Can definitely see that story being incorporated into a plot of a future film much like how TLD was. I'm up for Bond on a motorcycle!
  • SIS_HQSIS_HQ At the Vauxhall Headquarters
    edited May 2022 Posts: 3,789
    007HallY wrote: »
    It would have to be handled with care, for sure. It couldn't just be "everyone who likes England and wanted Brexit is actually a racist and a terrorist." That obviously wouldn't fly. It would have to be exceedingly clear that this person is going far above whatever would be acceptable and is a lunatic terrorist at the end of the day or just using right-wing rethoric for their own financial gain or whatever. I don't know who I would trust with writing a script that toes that line, but to have James Bond very forcefully show what his positive patriotism is as opposed to crazed domestic terrorism, could be good. That is of course deep in "What does Bond mean??!?"-territory and maybe it would be best to start the new actor off with a simpler plot.

    Yeah, I don't think having the villain be explicitly right wing would work. Also people engrossed superficially in either left or right wing politics can be a sensitive bunch at the best of times when it comes to media. No need for Bond to exasperate anything in that regard. I do like the idea of a villain's plan being in the name of 'the greater good' for Britain though. Obviously he'd be a complete lunatic but it could be a cool dynamic to play off of. Again, the Craig era tried to play around with these sorts of ideas (ie. M commissioning the Heracles Project in NTTD, the idea of MI6 having waning influence/British Government Bureaucracy taking over in SF and SP... heck, even the idea of Bond's own patriotism is explored a bit, even despite the fact that he essentially fails his mission in SF and the MI6 building is blown up). But I agree, best for a new Bond to have a simpler plot starting off.

    On an unrelated note, I just re-read the From A View to A Kill short story. Forgot how enjoyable it was. Can definitely see that story being incorporated into a plot of a future film much like how TLD was. I'm up for Bond on a motorcycle!

    Bond did it many times in DAF, GE, TND, SF and NTTD.

  • VenutiusVenutius Yorkshire
    edited May 2022 Posts: 3,152
    I was thinking there'd be some scope there for Bond to demonstrate some infiltration and undercover skills, even if that might run the risk of it going a bit Who Dares Wins. Then it occurred to me: wouldn't a Make Britain Great whackjob be dealt with by MI5, not 6?
  • edited May 2022 Posts: 4,139
    @MI6HQ Yes, forgot about the Craig examples. It's been done, but mostly for throwaway action sequences. Kinda a "oh, there's a motorcycle, I'll use that" type thing. FAVTAK is slightly different, and I feel there's a bit more tension to the premise of Bond disguising himself as a motorbike courier to thwart a killing attempt. I think they'd jazz it up with a bigger chase but it could work.

    @Venutius It depends on how the story unfolds and how Bond is incorporated into the story. In a sense you're right, even in Moonraker Gala Brand is MI5 and it's somewhat unusual for Bond to be there. I'm sure there's something that could be made up.
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