Reporting For Duty
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Categories
EON Productions inks writers contracts for next two Bond movies
EON Productions have rarely waiting for a James Bond film to open in theatres around the world before starting work on the next, and Bond 24 is no exception.
According to a piece in <a href="http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118055725"; target="_blank">Variety</a> covering the 'top 50 game-changing lawyers' in the entertainment field, EON is already inking contracts for writing the next two James Bond films: 'Bond 24' and 'Bond 25', months before 'Bond 23' ("Skyfall") is due out in cinemas.
Given Sony and MGM's wish to see an aggressive released schedule for Daniel Craig optional fourth 007 outing in late 2014, just two years after "Skyfall" opens, work must already be underway on the storyline.
Lawyer Kevin Marks, a partner at firm Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown, is "representing the Broccoli family, which co-owns the James Bond movie franchise with MGM," according to the trade paper. "Marks has been kept busy working on all the above-the-line deals for the upcoming "Skyfall" and setting up writing deals for the next two Bond pics. He notes that Bond's long track record as a major performer in international markets has enhanced the films' value as the overseas box office boom continues."
According to a piece in <a href="http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118055725"; target="_blank">Variety</a> covering the 'top 50 game-changing lawyers' in the entertainment field, EON is already inking contracts for writing the next two James Bond films: 'Bond 24' and 'Bond 25', months before 'Bond 23' ("Skyfall") is due out in cinemas.
Given Sony and MGM's wish to see an aggressive released schedule for Daniel Craig optional fourth 007 outing in late 2014, just two years after "Skyfall" opens, work must already be underway on the storyline.
Lawyer Kevin Marks, a partner at firm Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown, is "representing the Broccoli family, which co-owns the James Bond movie franchise with MGM," according to the trade paper. "Marks has been kept busy working on all the above-the-line deals for the upcoming "Skyfall" and setting up writing deals for the next two Bond pics. He notes that Bond's long track record as a major performer in international markets has enhanced the films' value as the overseas box office boom continues."
^ Back to Top
The MI6 Community is unofficial and in no way associated or linked with EON Productions, MGM, Sony Pictures, Activision or Ian Fleming Publications. Any views expressed on this website are of the individual members and do not necessarily reflect those of the Community owners. Any video or images displayed in topics on MI6 Community are embedded by users from third party sites and as such MI6 Community and its owners take no responsibility for this material.
James Bond News • James Bond Articles • James Bond Magazine
Comments
Variety is clued in and does not often publish a story based only on rumour. It's a highly regarded film industry trade paper. Plus, we know Sony have already announced Bond 24 for a Fall 2014 release. That, of course, can change, but there is little doubt that now that the MGM situation is settled and stable, all parties want Bond back to a 2 year release plan. To achieve that, Eon need to hit the ground running with Bond 24 and get it into development as quickly as possible, and it also appears they are laying the foundations for Bond 25 too. BB and MGW also made a comment about wanting John Logan to continue writing for them on future Bonds.
Also, early work on the story-lines for the next 2 films may help them secure Craig and keep him hooked into the series because it allows him the time to contribute to the story process, which he evidently has done, to quite a major degree, on Skyfall.
I'm betting that if, and when, Skyfall proves to be a big hit, Craig will be open to doing 2 more films. I think Sony, MGM, and Eon all want Craig to continue for as long as possible.
Wishful thinking my friend. Craig seems to be more involved in the productions decisions of his Bond films than any previous actor. And yes he does have a low boredom threshold. But wouldn't longer gaps only make him stay around longer? He admitted in an interview the quick CR and QOS turnaround left him a bit exhausted with Bond but after waiting 4 years he was "gagging" to play Bond again. He's signed on for 2 more Bond films after SF and by hook or by crook we'll get atleast 2 more Daniel Craig Bond films after this year. Longer gaps just mean that the Craig haters will have to wait even longer before they get a new Bond. I on the other hand would love to see him play the role for another 6 years or so.
Hopefully by then, if they keep to 2 years a film, he'll be on his 6th outing.
I fell out of my chair laughing at this comment :D
Logan may in fact be tipped for the next Bond and talking rough ideas, but you can bet there is no paper between the parties and other writers are to come.
And there is no way they are planning TWO films at this point. it just doesn't work that way. It's very much one at a time - even with Bond. Nothing is ever certain in movies and people are almost superstitious about not acting as if it is.
You're getting way ahead of them. It's just not that linear or organized.
Ahhhh. Which of us is indulging in wishful thinking. We will see.
As I say Variety is pretty much on the ball, but, as you say, they do report false information from time to time.
I've been in the film business for over 25 or more years. I'm now a writer, director, producer, but I also worked for Eon many years back. They do plan ahead as much as they can. Look at their history, they have made Bond films over 50 years, and when they had the Fleming titles, they even announced what the next film would be called at the end of the latest film. That's planning ahead - organized and linear.
And writers' deals are frequently worked out early on; so if Eon, MGM, Sony are advancing with Bond 24, as it seems perfectly likely, then they will be looking to lock in a writer or writers asap because without writers, as is pretty obvious, nothing much can advance. And to work with a writer or writers, they need writer agreements and official contracts in place. I myself have contracts to write future projects and sequels, which, again as you rightly state, may or may not ever happen, but the basic writer's agreements and deal structures are already in place if the projects do advance as hoped. This is particularly normal when dealing with a franchise or a proposed franchise. And Bond is the mother of all franchises.
And yes, Bond is forever, but I seem to remember seeing FYEO announced at the end of TSWLM. Plans change. Two movies ahead is a lifetime.
I am most certainly in the business. And contracts for writing do not come late in the process, (unless you are talking about Mickey Mouse outfits) with legit production companies or studios, the contracts or writer agreements are the first thing to be sorted out once the producers have chosen a writer to work with. The reason for this is because of chain of title - story and screenplay ownership which must be 100% airtight to protect the copyright and enable the producers/studio etc. to be able to sell the project or finished film without fear of someone popping up out of thin air and claiming they stole the story or idea from them. The producers must have ownership of any story material - and that includes brainstorming ideas - so that, as I've stated, a writer cannot turn around and suddenly accuse the producers of stealing their ideas or their material.
I have over 35 screenplay commissions, and every single one of them has had a writer's agreement in place from the start which protects both parties, the producers and the writer. That's the reality.
Re: things change like FYEO being announced at the end of TSWLM; sure, of course things adapt and evolve, but studios, especially these days, guard franchises very carefully and plan ahead, just look at Marvel and their very well planned build up to The Avengers.
Sony and MGM want Bond back on track - a film every 2 years - there is no question about that, and to achieve that, they need to plan and prepare ahead in good time, and that means script development, and for that they need a writer or writers, and they do not start working officially with a writer just on a hand-shake - they have secure agreements in place for all the reasons I've out-lined above. Hope that helps.
Purvis and Wade were writting QOS before CR was even released, so why can't the same happen for Bond 24 ?
P&W were and have always been hired as screenwriters, so they have developed the story-lines with Eon, written out-lines, treatments, and first drafts and more. Producers more often than not have a contract clause which allows them to hire other writers for further work, re-writes, dialogue polishes, or full drafts. Hence Haggis on CR, and Logan on Skyfall.
It's very likely P&W are being hired again to launch Bond 24, and Eon expect/plan to bring on Logan again to build on P&W's initial work.
I give up. An agreement and a fully executed contract are not the same thing. I have written screenplays, sir, for Universal, New Line, Columbia/Sony and Warner Bros. Are those Mickey Mouse operations? And I was writing long before the contracts were finished, sometimes even before a deal memo was signed or a check cut. I know what I'm talking about, I don't need any help from you. Ive got all the scars of a working screenwriter and I have been making a living at it since 1989. Do the math. But I'm not going to engage in some stupid ego match no matter how much you're spoiling for one. I bow before your screenwriting expertise. It's just some of the things you say don't make any sense, like chain of title. How does that remotely apply to Bond? You think MGM is worried Logan will claim he came up with the idea for James Bond??
Any writer working for a famous franchise is obviously a hired hand and all his ideas are the property of the producers. A simple deal memo takes care of that. And at this level, with a writer as famous as Logan, deals are based on handshakes. It's the lesser mortals that are putting every detail in print first. Of course lawyers work on contracts, but the basics of the writer's price, how many drafts, etc, are worked out in shorthand and the business moves forward. And in a case like this, the writer has no hope of getting any percentage of the profits, let alone sequel rights. He will get bonuses based on BO and that's it.
I don't know if you work in Hollywood or the UK, but our experiences don't line up.
But I've said my piece and it has nothing to do with you. There are two types of story in Variety - actual news, official announcements, etc, and PR filler meant to advertise a person or company. This article is the latter and thus means absolutely nothing.
When EON/MGM or Logan announce it, I'll believe it.
Hope this helps.
Just want to say that I did not interpret Col. Sun's posts as spoiling for a stupid ego match in any way.
So, everyone - in general, this is good news, right? Some part of that has got to be true, lining up writers, getting the storyline going, etc.
I give up. An agreement and a fully executed contract are not the same thing. I have written screenplays, sir, for Universal, New Line, Columbia/Sony and Warner Bros. Are those Mickey Mouse operations? And I was writing long before the contracts were finished, sometimes even before a deal memo was signed or a check cut. I know what I'm talking about, I don't need any help from you. Ive got all the scars of a working screenwriter and I have been making a living at it since 1989. Do the math. But I'm not going to engage in some stupid ego match no matter how much you're spoiling for one. I bow before your screenwriting expertise. It's just some of the things you say don't make any sense, like chain of title. How does that remotely apply to Bond? You think MGM is worried Logan will claim he came up with the idea for James Bond??
Any writer working for a famous franchise is obviously a hired hand and all his ideas are the property of the producers. A simple deal memo takes care of that. And at this level, with a writer as famous as Logan, deals are based on handshakes. It's the lesser mortals that are putting every detail in print first. Of course lawyers work on contracts, but the basics of the writer's price, how many drafts, etc, are worked out in shorthand and the business moves forward. And in a case like this, the writer has no hope of getting any percentage of the profits, let alone sequel rights. He will get bonuses based on BO and that's it.
I don't know if you work in Hollywood or the UK, but our experiences don't line up.
But I've said my piece and it has nothing to do with you. There are two types of story in Variety - actual news, official announcements, etc, and PR filler meant to advertise a person or company. This article is the latter and thus means absolutely nothing.
When EON/MGM or Logan announce it, I'll believe it.
Hope this helps.[/quote]
Dear, dear. What on earth is your problem? I've worked in the UK and in the US.
Let's just agree to disagree.
Great news, once again.
Yes, I totally agree. Sony have made it clear they want Bond 24 out by the Fall of 2014, and have already announced this as the planned release date. It makes complete sense that Eon will start developing the next film asap and hire writers or a writer to start the process. This is what they have done so often in the past, so there is no reason to think they will not do the same this time.
Confirmation of all this and Craig's contract would be welcome. Hopefully soon.
The unlikely wish from Wilson for 8 Craig films by 2022, who knows...it's possible, if EON can keep on going with good films. A run of good films would be a dream come true.
It already hasn't happened. I was just wondering at a 2-year a film pace, how many great films can we get, with Skyfall being the first? I hope quite a few.
With Craig on board with him and EON putting everything in, don't be so sure the quality will drop. What's happened in the past, doesn't dictate the future.
And you have to realize that EON dictate the direction of the franchise on what the public demand. And it's very likely that before 2022 the public will demand a different direction, which will happen without Craig.
The days of a 12 years long tenure like Moore's are long gone. lets top thinking about a 8-film tenure with Craig, because it won't happen, and lets concentrate on the upcoming one this October. Craig will most likely only do 2 more after SF, so please think of that, which will give Craig the 3rd highest number of films, which is great. Thinking he will do 8 films will only disappoint you because he won't do as many.
Actually I think Im on the safe side. Craig haters seem to never tire of being proved wrong. First they all said Craig’s performance would be horrible and not be accepted by audiences. But then he went on the garner the most acclaim since Connery in the 60s. They also said CR would be a flop. I guess 600 mil and being the 4th highest grossing film of 2006 qualifies as a flop to them. As a matter of fact combined CR and QOS have grossed nearly 1.2 billion dollars, making Craig a billion dollar Bond in only 2 films. Yeah what a failure he’s turned out to be. And I even heard some people say that Craig wouldn’t tolerate the 4 year wait and quit but yet again they were wrong as SF has wrapping filming.
The haters really need to stop living in denial and accept Daniel Craig is out current James Bond and is going to go on being that for a while.