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The actual first trailer is now out for Argylle. In some ways, it’s odd, in some ways typical of director Matthew Vaughn.
The odd setup of the trailer: Novelist Elly Conway has created the wildly success Argylle spy novel series. It even has even seemingly spawned a series of action figures.
But Conway now is the target of real spies. The reason? What the author writes has a way of turning out to happen. The premise reminds me of something Rod Serling, Richard Matheson, or Charles Beaumont might have written for the original Twilight Zone television series.
When this project surfaced in 2021, it was said to be based on a novel by a first-time novelist….Elly Conway.
As The Hollywood Reporter put it in a 2022 story: “Who is Elly Conway? The answer to that is proving elusive…(T)here exists virtually no information about Conway. Internet searches of her name turn up only references to a fictional character on the long-running Australian soap opera Neighbors.”
The 2022 THR story also included a quote from Vaughn where he gushed about seeing a manuscript. “This is going to reinvent the spy genre.”
Typical Vaughn: The trailer has Vaughn’s typical stylized, hyper-violence, where bodies pile up quickly along with some quirky visuals (in this case involving a cat).
The large cast includes Henry Cavill (apparently) as the fictional Argylle. At least the Argylle action figure looks like him. Also present are Bryce Dallas Howard (as Elly Conway), Bryan Cranston, Samuel L. Jackson, and others.
Argylle is scheduled for release in February by Universal. The trailer is below:
In the past few days, there’s been a teaser trailer for Argylle, a spy movie project directed by Matthew Vaughn and starring Henry Cavill. It’s based on a novel that hasn’t been published yet.
Understandably, there’s interest. Vaughn directed three Kingsman movies. Cavill back in the 2000s was considered to play James Bond before being passed over in favor of Daniel Craig. A decade ago, Cavill started filming a movie version of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. That movie was finally released in 2015. Its box office was underwhelming.
A trailer was supposed to show up today. We’ll see how that goes.
Here’s the teaser trailer that’s been out for a while.
With the passing of David McCallum, the blog decided to look at the surviving stars of the 1960s spy craze.
In no particular order:
Barbara Bain (b. 1931): Bain played Cinammon Carter, the original woman operative of the Impossible Missions Force on Mission: Impossible.
Bain won three Emmys for the role, twice beating out Diana Rigg of The Avengers. She departed the series after three seasons when her then-husband, Martin Landau, was forced off the show. Bain’s exit was a major blow to the series. She reprised the role in a 1997 episode of Diagnosis: Murder.
Peter Lupus (b. 1932): Lupus played Willy Armitage, another original M:I cast member. Willy was a bodybuilder of some renown, whose strength was useful (such as carry nuclear warheads in the pilot). He also helped IMF electronics whiz Barney Collier (Greg Morris) a lot. At one point, the producers wanted to phase Willy out. But Lupus and his character were so popular, that didn’t happen.
Barbara Feldon (b. 1933): Feldon was agent 99 of CONTROL in Get Smart. She was already popular via commercials when she got the part. Feldon’s popularity expanded with Get Smart. Feldon even recorded a song simply titled “99.”
Bill Cosby (b. 1937): Cosby has been both famous and infamous (the latter for allegations of sexual assault). But in the mid-1960s, I Spy, which starred Robert Culp and Cosby, was a major show — both for entertainment and for racial integration. Culp and Cosby were equals on the show.
Linda Thorson (b. 1947): The actress played Tara King, John Steed’s final partner in the original version of The Avengers.
George Lazenby (b. 1939): Lazenby’s one turn as James Bond closed out the 1960s with On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in 1969. The male model won the role over a lot of competition. But he didn’t stick around for a second turn as 007. Lazenby, however, did an homage to the role in the 1983 TV movie The Return of the Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Joanna Lumley (b. 1946): She squeezes in as one of the “angels of death” in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. In the 1970s, she’d be another one of John Steed’s partners in The New Avengers.
Stefanie Powers (b. 1942): Star of The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. Her character name, April Dancer, was courtesy of Ian Fleming, part of his handwritten notes to producer Norman Felton in October 1962. The name was used after NBC insisted on an U.N.C.L.E. spinoff.
Robert Wagner (b. 1930): Star of It Takes a Thief where a master thief works for U.S. intelligence.
Michael Caine (b. 1933): Star of three film adaptations of Len Deighton spy novels. Bond producer Harry Saltzman also produced these films. Some Bond crew members also worked on them.
David McCallum’s title card for the final season of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
With the passing of David McCallum at age 90, one of the last of the 1960s spy craze stars is gone.
Illya Kuryakin, a Russian agent who worked for the multi-national U.N.C.L.E. (United Network Command for Law and Enforcement) was envisioned as a secondary character for The Man From U.N.C.L.E. The show originally was titled Solo, after Napoleon Solo, played by Robert Vaughn.
Still, even in the earliest days of the project, the makers of the show apparently felt they had something more. Vaughn filmed a short explanation for network executives and potential advertisers about the program’s format. Even though McCallum’s Kuryakin only had a few scenes, Vaughn gave him a mention.
Illya, Vaughn said, “is an interesting young man — you’ll see him often.”
Truer words were never spoken.
Starting with the third episode, The Quadripartite Affair, Illya began to get more attention. Writer Alan Caillou, a British spy during World War II, provided scripts that hinted at an intriguing character. That combined with McCallum’s acting, caught the attention of audiences.
Something else helped. Robert Vaughn began studying for a Ph.D. Starring in a television series is time-consuming. David McCallum’s rising popularity meant someone else could shoulder some of the responsibility for carrying the show. Before the end of the first season, Solo and Illya were a duo.
To be sure, this was not the first time the popularity of a secondary character rivaled that of the star or stars on a television series. 77 Sunset Strip (Edd Brynes) and Rawhide (Clint Eastwood) were other examples.
Still, the 1960s were becoming the “Swingin’ ’60s.” McCallum’s Illya resonated, especially for young girls.
In 1965, McCallum was a guest host of Hullabaloo, a variety show where different musical acts performed. The show was aimed at young people.
McCallum did his hosting of Hullabaloo in character. The announcer did not say, “Here’s your host, David McCallum.” The announcer said, “Here’s your host for this week’s Hullabaloo, Mr. Illya Kuryakin!”
Throughout the show, McCallum’s Kuryakin avoided assassination attempts by supposed enemy operatives.
At the end of the show, McCallum/Kuryakin is caught and handcuffed by two women agents.
“Oh well,” our hero says, “you can’t win them all.”
But young boys also liked McCallum/Illya. In the 1960s, it was a common sight to see boys wearing turtleneck sweaters, a clothing style associated with Illya.
The appeal of McCallum/Illya, many years later, was a plot point in a 2010 episode of the Mad Men television series that was set in 1965.
David McCallum, of course, was more than Illya Kuryakin. In the early years of his career, he appeared in films such as Hell Drivers (whose cast included Sean Connery and Patrick McGoohan) in 1957 as well as A Night to Remember, a 1958 movie about the Titanic.
After The Man From U.N.C.L.E., McCallum’s many projects included Sapphire & Steel, a TV series he co-starred with Joanna Lumley, and Mother Love, a TV miniseries starring Diana Rigg. McCallum played her ex-husband.
Even with a long association with the TV series NCIS (which lasted years longer than U.N.C.L.E.), McCallum would be reminded of playing Illya Kuryakin. NCIS had an in-joke referring to Kuryakin. And when a feature film version of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. was released in 2015, McCallum fielded media questions.
Regardless, many fans never lessened their admiration of the actor. He died less than a week after reaching the age of 90. Yet, the news of his passing caused a major reaction, expressed strongly on social media. For many, a major presence in their lives was now gone.
David McCallum in a Man From U.N.C.L.E. publicity still
David McCallum, the Scottish-born actor who gained fame playing Russian agent Illya Kuryakin on The Man From U.N.C.L.E., died on Monday less than a week after turning 90, Variety reported.
Variety’s story included a statement from McCallum’s son, Peter. “He was the kindest, coolest, most patient and loving father. He always put family before self. He looked forward to any chance to connect with his grandchildren.”
The Kuryakin role was only a fraction of a career that lasted more than 60 years. For example, he played a British officer in 1963’s The Great Escape and Judas in 1965’s The Greatest Story Ever Told.
Years earlier, he was in the cast of Hell Drivers, a 1957 film whose cast included future spy craze stars Sean Connery and Patrick McGoohan as well as Stanley Baker, and Herbert Lom.
In terms of a continuing role, McCallum played Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard on NCIS far longer than he portrayed Illya Kuryakin.
Still, the role of the enigmatic Kuryakin in the 1964-68 series made McCallum a star.
The actor took a part, originally intended as a sidekick, into the equal of Napoleon Solo, played by Robert Vaughn.
Kuryakin, as originally scripted by Sam Rolfe, was supposed to be a large “Slavic man.” Instead, it was cast with the 5-foot-8 McCallum. The actor, in an interview for a 2007 home video release of the series, said the only information he had was the character had “jazz records under” his bed.
Kuryakin only had a few lines in the show’s pilot, The Vulcan Affair. But writer Alan Caillou, a British spy during World War II, expanded the character in two first-season episodes, The Quadripartite Affair and The Giuoco Piano Affair.
As written by Caillou, Kuryakin knew a lot about gypsies and was very protective about a woman, Marion Raven (played by his then-wife Jill Ireland), who witnessed her father being killed.
Caillou also wrote the first Kuryakin-centric episode, The Bow-Wow Affair, involving gypsies enticing dogs to attack their masters. Solo uses an intercom to ask Kuryakin if he’s free to attend a meeting.
“No man is free who has to work for a living,” McCallum’s Illya replies. “But I’m available.”
By that time, Kuryakin was an established part of the show. Earlier, NBC’s West Coast executives, including Grant Tinker (whose instincts normally were better) wanted to get rid of Kuryakin.
The production team claimed to have misunderstood Tinker’s instructions. The part of the U.N.C.L.E. chief was recast with Leo G. Carroll replacing Will Kuluva. But executive producer Norman Felton had intended to replace Kuluva for the series all along.
The series avoided emphasizing how Kuryakin was a loyal Soviet working at the multi-national U.N.C.L.E. There were little references here and there but given the Cold War tensions of the era they were subtle.
In The Project Strigas Affair (an episode that guest starred William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, two years before Star Trek), McCallum’s Illya spent much of the story in a disguise resembling a young Trotsky.
In another episode, The Love Affair, Vaughn’s Solo and McCallum’s Illya approach a Long Island approach a mansion that’s the site of a party for the rich.
“Suddenly, I feel very Russian,” Illya says.
Solo replies to start a revolution if he doesn’t get out soon enough.
1960s ad with David McCallum referencing The Man From U.N.C.L.E., pitching U.S. Savings Bonds
McCallum’s Kuryakin was so popular, he appeared in ads marketing U.S. Savings Bonds. For American audiences, Illya may have been a Soviet, but he was our Soviet.
During the course of the series, McCallum and Ireland divorced. He met Kathy Carpenter, a model, during a photo shoot with Robert Vaughn. McCallum and Carpenter became an item, marrying in 1967. (He got time off during U.N.C.L.E.’s fourth season, which is why Kuryakin doesn’t appear in The Man From Thrush Affair.)
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. was canceled by NBC in January 1968 after 105 episodes.
McCallum stayed busy in the decades that followed. But he never shed the association with Kuryakin.
As paranoid as it sounds, David McCallum is absolutely certain he is being shadowed by a Russian agent.
”He’s there every day,” Mr. McCallum said in a stage whisper as he peered over a pair of sunglasses. ”I mean, it’s been 30 years, but I can’t escape him. Illya Kuryakin is there 24 hours a day.”
McCallum’s role in NCIS, starting in 2003, eased that. Still, the series included an episode with an in-joke. Mark Harmon’s agent Gibbs is asked what Ducky looked like as a young man. “Illya Kuryakin,” Gibbs replies.
In 2015, McCallum finally witnessed another actor, Armie Hammer, assume the role of Kuryakin in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. movie. McCallum, in an interview on Fox News, endorsed both the film and his successor. “I envy him his height,” McCallum said of the 6-foot-5 Hammer.
In a later interview, McCallum said the 2015 version of Illya “was ridiculous.” In the 2015 movie, Illya was a borderline psychotic. He still complimented Hammer’s performance.
For fans of the original U.N.C.L.E. series, however, McCallum remained a giant.
Here’s a Wall Street Journal video interview from 2016 where McCallum discussed his career.
Here is another excerpt from an interview McCallum did about the role of Illya Kuryakin.
The Writers Guild of America has reached a tentative settlement with studios and streamers. This may enable the development of Bond 26 to proceed. Naturally, the blog has questions.
How does this affect Bond 26? You can get a hint by looking at the past. Previous WGA strikes had major effects on Licence to Kill and Quantum of Solace.
With Licence to Kill, veteran 007 screenwriter Richard Maibaum had to drop off the project after the treatment stage and Maibaum didn’t work on the final script. Michael G. Wilson, the movie’s co-producer, essentially crossed the picket line and did the script by himself.
The final film writing credit gave Wilson top billing with Maibaum second. Some early trailer credits only mentioned Wilson. Licence to Kill would be Maibaum’s 007 finale.
With Quantum of Solace, Paul Haggis submitted a script hours before the WGA went on strike. Filming began while the walkout was still underway. When the strike was settled, Joshua Zetumer was hired to do last-minute rewrites. He didn’t receive a credit. More recent accounts of the making the movie leave him out of the story.
Presuming the new WGA settlement is ratified, Bond 26 script development can proceed.
And where does Bond 26’s script development stand? As recently as early 2023, Eon boss Barbara Broccoli said there was no script. Then again, she didn’t say there was no development material. Years ago, Broccoli said Ben Whishaw hadn’t been cast as Q (even though he was). With Broccoli, it’s caveat emptor.
So when does Bond 26 get underway? Hold on there, Tex. As far as we know, there’s no director in place. You need that before a new Bond actor is cast.
The WGA settlement has the potential to remove an impediment to Bond 26. But there’s a lot that needs to be done.
The Writers Guild of America reached a tentative settlement to end a lengthy strike against studios, Variety reported.
“The WGA and major studios and streamers have reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract that promises to end the 146-day strike that has taken a heavy toll across the content industry,” the trade publication said.
The walkout had shut down the development of new films and TV show episodes. The union had negotiated with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) for five straight days after a protracted delay in talks.
“The nitty-gritty details of language around the use of generative AI (artificial intelligence) in content production was one of the last items that the sides worked on before closing the pact,” Variety said.
SAG-AFTRA, which represents actors, remains on strike.
The entry says it had an original title of Bullets for Winter. The project is listed as “in development.” Because of that, any other information is on the pay portion of the site, IMDbPro. Any information there “is subject to change,” according to IMDb. (h/t Ian Jacklin)
Bond 26 last week also was listed on issue 1,368 of Production Weekly, which references U.K. productions. No details were provided.
Throughout 2022, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson of Eon Productions said Bond 26 would be a “reinvention” of James Bond and casting the part would take time. As recently as February of this year, Broccoli said at the BAFTA awards, Bond 26 didn’t have a script and no casting had occurred.
Here is a brief video from The Associated Press with Broccoli made at that time.
With no news, the cinema James Bond has its eyes firmly on the past.
Examples:
/Film came out with a Sept. 17 story titled “When the James Bond Franchise Will End, According to Barbara Broccoli” Despite the provocative headline, there aren’t any recent quotes.
Still, there is hype like this:
All we know so far is that the new Bond definitely won’t be Taron Egerton, but an official announcement regarding who will wield the famous Walther PPK next is surely imminent. Otherwise, the future of the character is as uncertain as it’s ever been — not necessarily because Bond is in danger of disappearing, but because anything seems possible at this point.
Surely imminent? We’ll see about that.
Vanity Fair hyped a story about alternative Marvel movie castings, including how Daniel Craig was considered for the role of Thor more than a decade ago but passed because he already was playing Bond. Vanity Fair promoted the story emphasizing Craig in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Bond fan groups and YouTube channels this year noted the 60th anniversary of From Russia With Love, the 50th anniversary of Live And Let Die and the 40th anniversaries of Octopussy and Never Say Never Again. This month, other fan outlets have played up the 59th anniversary of Goldfinger. Why wait for a nice round number like 60?
All of this, of course, is because there’s nothing actually new to talk about. Early this year, there was speculation about a new Bond actor. Remember how Aaron Taylor-Johnson supposedly was close to being cast?
More recently, there’s been speculation about a new Bond director. It’s likely the selection of a director would take place before a new leading man.
So it goes. In the absence of news, interest in Bond must turn backward instead of foward.
Many James Bond fans would like to see Christopher Nolan direct one James Bond film (or more). His latest project, Oppenheimer, which concerns the development of the atomic bomb, has gone past the $900 million global box office mark, according to Box Office Mojo.
The Associated Press this week published a story about why that’s significant.
(N)o one in the industry expected that a long, talky, R-rated drama released at the height of the summer movie season would earn over $900 million at the box office.
Nolan has been the subject of speculation he might direct Bond 26. The director is a Bond fan. In some interviews, he’s expressed an interest on working on a Bond project, but only if he’s the one calling the creative shots. Typically, Eon Productions keeps a tight rein on its directors.
How significant is this? That remains to be seen. Still, Oppenheimer has been a major critical and commercial triumph for Nolan.
Over the past two decades, Nolan been calling his own shots on films, including having Emma Thomas, his wife, as producer. His trilogy of Batman movies amounted to a big success. And Nolan’s work attracts a lot of attention.
If Eon really is interested in having Nolan work on Bond 26, the director’s leverage may have increased.
The Spy Command 