Bond 24 in 2014? Here’s a caveat

Michael G. Wilson: the agony and ecstasy

Earlier this week, Sony Corp. representatives said at a CinemaCon event in Las Vegas that it plans to release Bond 24, the next 007 film after Skyfall, in 2014. (See THIS MI6 007 FAN WEB SITE STORY which was the basis of posts on various Web sites)

The announcement about a year-and-a-half after Metro-Goldwyn Mayer, which controls half of the 007 franchise, said in a bankruptcy filing it wanted to restore 007 movies to an every-other-year schedule starting in 2012 as part of its reorganization plan. Both this year’s Skyfall and Bond 24 call for Sony to release the Bond films in a deal with MGM.

So, Bond fans can count on another 007 films two years after Skyfall comes out this fall, right? Hang on a minute.

We have yet to hear Eon Productions, which controls the other half of the 007 franchise, weigh in on the subject. Sony can’t release a Bond film unless Eon makes one. This is the same Eon Productions whose co-boss, Michael G. Wilson, has complained for years about the rigors of makes James Bond films.

Is Eon on board with making Bond 24 in time for a 2014 release? Maybe it is, but nobody knows at this point.

Wilson’s step-father, Eon co-founder Albert R. Broccoli, lived for making Bond movies. Wilson, his successor (along with half-sister Barbara Broccoli) seems a lot more reserved.

Don’t get us wrong. This is not a predition that it won’t happen. But until Eon makes known it concurs with the desires of Sony and MGM to resume an every-other-year schedule, it’s not a sure thing.