The Spy Command’s guide to the U.N.C.L.E movie

U.N.C.L.E. movie poster

Ahead of the Aug. 14 release of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. movie, we present the best posts this blog has made regarding the film.

It’s no secret The Spy Command has followed the development and filming of this project closely. What follows are links to the best posts the blog had to offer.

Pros and cons of an U.N.C.L.E. movie (June 9, 2013).

Elements that should be part of an U.N.C.L.E. movie (June 30, 2013): What made The Man From U.N.C.L.E. television series different from other spy entertainment and why those elements should be retained in a film version.

How the U.N.C.L.E.. movie will differ from the original show (Sept. 4, 2013): Taller lead actors, a younger Waverly and an “origin” story line.

The U.N.C.L.E. movie’s ‘Easter eggs’ (Sept. 27, 2013): Some passing references (maybe?) to the original show.

Some fan complaints about the U.N.C.L.E. movie (Oct. 6, 2013): Lead actors are too tall, Henry Cavill too muscular, Armie Hammer doesn’t have a David McCallum haircut.

The rise of the ‘origin’ storyline (April 11, 2015): It’s not just the U.N.C.L.E. movie that favors an “origin” storyline.

Will the U.N.C.L.E. movie have dash? (May 29, 2015) “Dash” was the word Norman Felton, executive producer of the original show, used to describe U.N.C.L.E. Will the move have dash?

Will Solo’s moral streak make it into the U.N.C.L.E. movie? (June 25, 2015)

The U.N.C.L.E. movie’s gamble (July 2, 2015): How the U.N.C.L.E. movie is paring itself to the basic DNA of Solo, Kuryakin and Waverly while dispensing with familiar memes of the original show.

In addition, on our sister site, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. episode guide, there’s a timeline for how the movie developed.

Quick recap of Eon non-007 projects

Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson of Eon Productions

It’s not easy to get a movie made. Studios make fewer and more expensive films.

Even when producers with a good box office record aren’t guaranteed of seeing their projects become reality. That includes Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, the co-chiefs of Eon Productions, which makes James Bond films.

The Eon leaders have been working on a number of film projects away from the world of James Bond, even as it continued work on the 007 film series.

Here’s a list of Eon projects that have been formally announced but are still in development.

Remake of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: Referenced in this APRIL 2009 PRESS RELEASE issued by Sony Pictures.

The 1968 film musical, based on an Ian Fleming novel for children, was the final non-007 movie produced by Albert R. Broccoli co-founder of Eon Productions. Technically, it wasn’t made by Eon Productions but another Broccoli production company, Warfield. The movie’s crew included a number of 007 film series veterans.

Dana Broccoli, widow of Albert R. Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli produced a London stage production that opened in 2002. A Broadway production opened in 2005.

So, Sony, following the release of 2008’s Quantum of Solace, announced that the studio was developing a new film musical to be produced by Eon.

Film adaptation of REMOTE CONTROL NOVEL: The main subject of the same APRIL 2009 PRESS RELEASE. 

Here’s how the press release began:

CULVER CITY, Calif., April 14 /PRNewswire/ — Building on their successful collaboration on the two most recent and highest grossing James Bond adventures in the history of the franchise, Sony Pictures Entertainment has acquired the motion picture rights to REMOTE CONTROL, a thriller novel by Mark Burnell, to be produced as a feature film by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli’s Eon Productions, it was announced today by Doug Belgrad and Matt Tolmach, presidents of Columbia Pictures. Ileen Maisel will join Wilson and Broccoli in producing the project. Burnell will adapt his novel into the screenplay.

Edward Snowden movie: Announced in May 2014 and reported widely, including this REUTERS STORY that appeared in The Huffington Post.

Sony acquired the film rights to a book by journalist Glenn Greenwald. The studio said Eon Productions would produce the movie, and that Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli would be producers.

A competing Snowden movie, simply titled Snowden and directed by Oliver Stone, and is scheduled to be released on Dec. 25. The Stone movie is based on two other books.

Eon has worked with Sony for the past decade. Sony’s Columbia Pictures has released the last four Bond films, including SPECTRE, due out this fall. Sony’s contract to release the 007 series expires with SPECTRE. Also, Sony executive Amy Pascal was forced out of her job earlier this year following controversies related to last year’s hacking at Sony. Whether any of that affects these projects isn’t clear.