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The biggest missed opportunities in the Bond franchise

Master_DaharkMaster_Dahark
edited March 2012 in Bond Movies Posts: 4,813
What things would you have loved to see in the Bond series that just didn't turn out the way you wanted?

I'll start with mine (some of them are pretty obvious):

* George Lazenby in Diamonds Are Forever
* A Bond movie in 1991 and 1993
* A fifth Pierce Brosnan movie in 2004
* Moonraker sometime in the 60's, with Connery and follow the book closely
* Jaws not 'turning good' and replaces Blofeld in the PTS of For Your Eyes Only
* Casino Royale opening in 2007 instead of 2006 (We'll never get another chance like that!!!!)
* Quantum of Solace waiting for the writers strike to end- and opening in 2009 or even 2010


That's all I can think of off the top of my head-- what are yours?
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Comments

  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    edited March 2012 Posts: 14,596
    Master_Dahark wrote:
    * A Bond movie in 1991 and 1993
    * A fifth Pierce Brosnan movie in 2004
    Agreed on these. Definitely more Dalton in '91; '93.
    Master_Dahark wrote:
    * Casino Royale opening in 2007 instead of 2006 (We'll never get another chance like that!!!!)
    3007? ;)
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    There are 2 that immediately come to mind:

    1. A proper follow up to DAF.
    2. A GOOD DAD. that film had a lot going for it but everything was thrown away.
  • RogueAgentRogueAgent
    Posts: 12,526
    the lost Bond films in 1991 and 1993! I would have said 2010 but there was a financial crisis! So i will let them off for that one! ;)
  • CipherCipher
    Posts: 128
    1. Casino Royale in '62.
    2. DAF as a sequel to OHMSS with Lazenby and Savalas (or OHMSS preceding an adaption of YOLT that was more faithful to the novel)
    3. Dalton in AVTAK
  • craigrulescraigrules
    Posts: 284
    A worthy return of sir sean in place of never say never
  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    edited March 2012 Posts: 4,521
    Frank Sinatra be ask again or he whant doing a title song.

    Nancy Sinatra doing another one

    Michael Jackson doing a title song.

    Eliot Carver not die, for a return in Die Another Day or Brosnan his fift.

    A fift Pierce Brosnan movie in 2005 directed by Michael Apted. Written by Michael France (Goldeneye, Hulk) and P&W. Michael France now did Fantastic Four.

    If the case, a 6th Brosnan movie in 2007 directed by Mike Newell.

    Die Another Day March 2003 release date for Uk/VS also. In The Netherlands the movie whas delayd already til 9 January 2003.

    Brian Helgeland helps to write CR insteed of Paul Haggis and QOS who then be directed by Tony Scott (Scott whas remoured do direct QOS and for DAD there take his Spy Game editor.). I based this on Man On Fire.

    Stuard Baid edit and mabey also direct DAD (First time he whas ingored as editor, whyle he did Mi2 uncredit, but been ask for the next one > CR. ) and edit QOS (Second time he whas ingored as editor and ask back for the next one > Skyfall.)

    Another alternate been Frank Oz for DAD, directer of The Score. English. Lee Tamahori directed A Long came a Spider what also be a 2001 movie. Whyle of course Barbara Broccli made very clear she whant Tamahori because of Once Were Warriors. Phillip Noyce also can have done it. (The Bone Collector). Or earlier return of Martin Campbell.
  • KennonKennon
    Posts: 297
    Miles Davis doing a score for a b/w Bond directed by Polanski or Truffaut with Jeremy Brett as Bond and Catherine Deneuve.
  • SaintMarkSaintMark
    Posts: 7,653
    - Catherine Deneuve
    - Monica Bellucci
  • forgotmyusernameforgotmyusername
    edited March 2012 Posts: 2,782
    Yes Monica Bellucci.
    Prince.
    Timothy Dalton should have been the longest serving Bond. He should have taken it after SC.
    John Woo.
    Henry Cavil in CR.
    Bond has yet to go out for a curry in Birmingham UK.
    Ms.Fields not being the new Moneypenny story.
  • 6of16of1
    Posts: 63
    Missed opportunities? I'd have liked another Roald Dahl script and perhaps the Burgess script used for TSWLM. And if way out directors are an option the obvious choice would have been Charles Laughton.
  • LudsLuds MIA
    Posts: 1,986
    Missed opportunities:

    - Not releasing YOLT before CR67, and avoid the massive drop at the BO.
    - Not making Diamonds Are Forever the dark revenge flick it should have been after Tracy's death in OHMSS.
    - GE without Dalton, a real shame.
    - Not signing James Purefoy (or anyone else half decent) to replace Timothy Dalton and settle for the sub par Brosnan.
  • MrEonMrEon
    Posts: 278
    Missed opportunities.....

    Mathew Vaughn directing a Dan Craig Bond film, lost him to X-MEN now!!!? :(
    Clive Owen???
    John Barry not scoring GE..!?
    Dalton in AVTAK & GE?
  • Master_DaharkMaster_Dahark
    edited March 2012 Posts: 4,813
    I feel like I read somewhere- I can't remember where- that before Lazenby quit and was expected to return for Diamonds Are Forever, that they originally planned for OHMSS to have a happy ending (ending with the wedding) and Tracy was to die in the PTS of DAF. Has anyone else heard that? Not sure if true or not, but if I had my way, I'd have kept OHMSS just the way it was, and radically changed DAF

    *edit* @forgotmyusername-- I never even thought of Fields/MoneyPenny! That would have been pretty cool-- if nothing else but to keep Gemma's pretty face around for a few more movies! Good idea!
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Monica Belluci!
  • Captain_NikoliCaptain_Nikoli
    Posts: 9
    - James Brolin or Dalton in OP and AVTAK, and making OP less clownesque
    - a third or fourth Dalton Bond
    - Trevelyan as an older mentor of Bond in GE, maybe played by Anthony Hopkins
    - more intelligent mass media criticism in TND, with Tomorrow Never Comes oder Tomorrow Never Lies as title
    - a better DAD and a worthy farewell-film for Brosnan
    - a CR-sequel that meets the general high expectations after CR
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    -Laz for DAF
    -Bond and Elektra having a more tense love-hate relationship
    -Bond's torture in DAD affecting him on his mission
    -More Tim post LTK
    -No direct sequel to CR
  • chuck007chuck007
    Posts: 172
    Sean Bean as Bond
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    chuck007 wrote:
    Sean Bean as Bond

    Ah! You just made me remember: Liam Neeson as Bond.
  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    Posts: 4,521
    Jan Declair in TMND. He did a casting for Gupta. Possible Eon whant him to have some Belgium in the movie because there already have 2 Dutch things and the movie playing in Germany. Gupta can have survived and mabey return with Carver in DAD.

    Return of Dicky Beer (TMND Stunts) for QOS and Skyfall. Dicky Beer work like Robert Elswit now on The Bourne Legacy.
  • LudsLuds MIA
    edited March 2012 Posts: 1,986
    Master_Dahark wrote:
    I feel like I read somewhere- I can't remember where- that before Lazenby quit and was expected to return for Diamonds Are Forever, that they originally planned for OHMSS to have a happy ending (ending with the wedding) and Tracy was to die in the PTS of DAF. Has anyone else heard that? Not sure if true or not, but if I had my way, I'd have kept OHMSS just the way it was, and radically changed DAF

    It may very well be on the making of DAF or more likely OHMSS, I seem to recall the same thing as you do.
    chuck007 wrote:
    Sean Bean as Bond
    Bean indeed could have been sensational as Bond.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,718
    Firing Arnold after TND.
  • LudsLuds MIA
    Posts: 1,986
    DaltonCraig007 wrote:
    Firing Arnold after TND.

    True, that! But keeping Serra for one more or hiring someone else from the get go is likely the missed opportunity as there wouldn't have been an Arnold "score".
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    Luds wrote:
    Master_Dahark wrote:
    I feel like I read somewhere- I can't remember where- that before Lazenby quit and was expected to return for Diamonds Are Forever, that they originally planned for OHMSS to have a happy ending (ending with the wedding) and Tracy was to die in the PTS of DAF. Has anyone else heard that? Not sure if true or not, but if I had my way, I'd have kept OHMSS just the way it was, and radically changed DAF

    It may very well be on the making of DAF or more likely OHMSS, I seem to recall the same thing as you do.
    chuck007 wrote:
    Sean Bean as Bond
    Bean indeed could have been sensational as Bond.

    A fellow Brit on this forum thinks Bean would have been terrible as Bond.
  • JBFan626JBFan626
    Posts: 1,497
    Luds wrote:
    Master_Dahark wrote:
    I feel like I read somewhere- I can't remember where- that before Lazenby quit and was expected to return for Diamonds Are Forever, that they originally planned for OHMSS to have a happy ending (ending with the wedding) and Tracy was to die in the PTS of DAF. Has anyone else heard that? Not sure if true or not, but if I had my way, I'd have kept OHMSS just the way it was, and radically changed DAF

    It may very well be on the making of DAF or more likely OHMSS, I seem to recall the same thing as you do.

    Yes it's in the OHMSS SE Behind-the-Scenes. Peter Hunt is talking about how that was their intention. They even do a mock-up, showing the end of OHMSS segueing into a Diamonds Are Forever title shot. Seeing that is chilling, considering the possibility...

  • X3MSonicXX3MSonicX https://www.behance.net/gallery/86760163/Fa-Posteres-de-007-No-Time-To-Die
    Posts: 2,635
    it's a Pity Bean can't/couldn't be bond as he was the villain. :/ but i think he could be a great one.
  • DCisaredDCisared Liverpool
    Posts: 1,329
    QOS for me. It didn't give me the proper closure of bonds relationship with vesper I feel.
    I would of liked to of seen bond really struggle throughout the film maybe with flashbacks of vesper and I just dont find dominic greene an interesting character at all. The same goes for the whole bolivian water supply plot. I would also of liked bond to kick the hell out of vespers bf , I don't care if vesper or m wouldn't want him to and neither should he!
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    DCisared wrote:
    QOS for me. It didn't give me the proper closure of bonds relationship with vesper I feel.
    I would of liked to of seen bond really struggle throughout the film maybe with flashbacks of vesper and I just dont find dominic greene an interesting character at all. The same goes for the whole bolivian water supply plot. I would also of liked bond to kick the hell out of vespers bf , I don't care if vesper or m wouldn't want him to and neither should he!

    That wouldn't have fit the ending. The whole resolution is Bond seeing that Vesper gave her life to help him and passed on Mr. White's name. Beating/killing Yusef would've tarnished all she meant to him, and after he sees Camille's struggle and has Mathis die in his arms, he says "I don't think the dead care about vengeance". Offing Yusef spat at what Vesper did and what he believed. He is maturing as an agent by QoS's end. The rookie Bond of CR would've killed Yusef in a second, by now we see him making tough decisions dealing with bad men, and he does it justly with his baggage in tow.
  • DCisaredDCisared Liverpool
    Posts: 1,329
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    DCisared wrote:
    QOS for me. It didn't give me the proper closure of bonds relationship with vesper I feel.
    I would of liked to of seen bond really struggle throughout the film maybe with flashbacks of vesper and I just dont find dominic greene an interesting character at all. The same goes for the whole bolivian water supply plot. I would also of liked bond to kick the hell out of vespers bf , I don't care if vesper or m wouldn't want him to and neither should he!

    That wouldn't have fit the ending. The whole resolution is Bond seeing that Vesper gave her life to help him and passed on Mr. White's name. Beating/killing Yusef would've tarnished all she meant to him, and after he sees Camille's struggle and has Mathis die in his arms, he says "I don't think the dead care about vengeance". Offing Yusef spat at what Vesper did and what he believed. He is maturing as an agent by QoS's end. The rookie Bond of CR would've killed Yusef in a second, by now we see him making tough decisions dealing with bad men, and he does it justly with his baggage in tow.



    I know well I'd of at least liked to of heard bonds converstaion with yusef, I felt letdown at the end. How do u feel about QOS?
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    DCisared wrote:
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    DCisared wrote:
    QOS for me. It didn't give me the proper closure of bonds relationship with vesper I feel.
    I would of liked to of seen bond really struggle throughout the film maybe with flashbacks of vesper and I just dont find dominic greene an interesting character at all. The same goes for the whole bolivian water supply plot. I would also of liked bond to kick the hell out of vespers bf , I don't care if vesper or m wouldn't want him to and neither should he!

    That wouldn't have fit the ending. The whole resolution is Bond seeing that Vesper gave her life to help him and passed on Mr. White's name. Beating/killing Yusef would've tarnished all she meant to him, and after he sees Camille's struggle and has Mathis die in his arms, he says "I don't think the dead care about vengeance". Offing Yusef spat at what Vesper did and what he believed. He is maturing as an agent by QoS's end. The rookie Bond of CR would've killed Yusef in a second, by now we see him making tough decisions dealing with bad men, and he does it justly with his baggage in tow.



    I know well I'd of at least liked to of heard bonds converstaion with yusef, I felt letdown at the end. How do u feel about QOS?

    All my thoughts on QoS are in this thread:
    http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/1117/qos-appreciation-yes-i-said-appreciation/p5#Item_131

    I made it to shine a light on the good things about it, and to give it credit for the great things it did. I hated it the first time I saw it, but since then it has grown on me enormously. I realized that it couldn't and never will be CR, and I'm fine with that. It has flaws, like all the Bond films, but I still think it was entertaining and deep, and worthy of praise. Down the road I can see it getting the kudos it deserves, but popular word that says it's a stinker is still flying around.

    To answer your question, I too thought I'd want to hear the conversation with Bond and Yusef, but looking back the omission of it makes the scene more powerful and has you pondering what Bond could've said long after the credits roll. That is a powerful scene, and one of the best in the franchise. Another brilliant scene from QoS is this beauty:

    It is brilliantly filmed, and it is so epic to see Bond coming down the steps after blowing Quantum's meeting only to see Greene and his men just feet away. The music goes silent after the bombastic tone that rings when they see each other, and what follows is one of the greatest scenes of the franchise.
  • JBFan626JBFan626
    Posts: 1,497
    DCisared wrote:
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    DCisared wrote:
    QOS for me. It didn't give me the proper closure of bonds relationship with vesper I feel.
    I would of liked to of seen bond really struggle throughout the film maybe with flashbacks of vesper and I just dont find dominic greene an interesting character at all. The same goes for the whole bolivian water supply plot. I would also of liked bond to kick the hell out of vespers bf , I don't care if vesper or m wouldn't want him to and neither should he!

    That wouldn't have fit the ending. The whole resolution is Bond seeing that Vesper gave her life to help him and passed on Mr. White's name. Beating/killing Yusef would've tarnished all she meant to him, and after he sees Camille's struggle and has Mathis die in his arms, he says "I don't think the dead care about vengeance". Offing Yusef spat at what Vesper did and what he believed. He is maturing as an agent by QoS's end. The rookie Bond of CR would've killed Yusef in a second, by now we see him making tough decisions dealing with bad men, and he does it justly with his baggage in tow.



    I know well I'd of at least liked to of heard bonds converstaion with yusef, I felt letdown at the end. How do u feel about QOS?

    I agree with DCisared. QOS didn't take enough time to deal with Bond's struggle. I like your examples of using flashbacks, that would have been a brilliant touch.

    But I have to disagree on the "kicking the crap out of Yusef". Bond is supposed to have matured by this point and officially be over Vesper. How he came to that maturity though is completely underexplored.
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