Eon’s new normal: Update

This isn’t your father’s James Bond film franchise. Hire a new director? Great! Except, Cary Fukunaga has to deal with a new television project at more or less the same time. Got your leading man back on board? Great! Except he began filming a movie just a month (or so) before the latest Bond movie […]

Eon’s new normal (cont.): Q’s comments analyzed

So, this week, actor Ben Whishaw, Q in the two most recent James Bond movies, made a few comments to Metro which were deemed news about Bond 25. “I haven’t had an update for a while. I would imagine, I think they have a release date for next year, so I think by the end […]

Eon’s new normal, the sequel

Almost three years ago, this blog had a post titled Eon’s new normal which said, “The new normal: A Bond film maybe every third year (Bond 24, the next movie is scheduled for the fall of 2015), with various other projects in-between.” In March of this year, Gary Barber, the CEO of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, in effect confirmed […]

Eon’s new normal

For Eon Productions, which produces James Bond films, the old normal was trying to make a 007 film every other year, maybe every third year. The new normal: A Bond film maybe every third year (Bond 24, the next movie is scheduled for the fall of 2015), with various other projects in-between. Examples of the […]

Bond 25 questions: The Amazon edition

A few days ago, Variety reported that Amazon was in talks to acquire Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, home studio of James Bond. Naturally, the blog has questions. Is this serious? Yes. Variety is a serious-minded outlet among the Hollywood trade publications. MGM also is a runt among the Hollywood studios and, in the long run, needs to be […]

Octopussy’s 35th: Battle of the Bonds, round 1

Adapted from a May 2013 post with an epilogue added at the end.. Thirty-five years ago, there was the much-hyped “Battle of the Bonds.” Competing 007 movies, the 13th Eon Productions entry with Roger Moore and a non-Eon film with Sean Connery, were supposed to square off in the summer. Things didn’t quite work out […]

Kingsman: Is the spy pendulum swinging back?

Kingsman: The Secret Service, the next film up in “The Year of the Spy,” makes its U.S. debut on Feb. 13. Its importance, though, may extend beyond its opening weekend. The movie, directed by Matthew Vaughn, may be a sign whether the pendulum of spy movies is starting to swing back from the grim and […]

Octopussy’s 30th: Battle of the Bonds, round 1

Thirty years ago, there was the much-hyped “Battle of the Bonds.” Competing 007 movies, the 13th Eon Productions entry with Roger Moore and a non-Eon film with Sean Connery, were supposed to square off in the summer. Things didn’t quite work out that way. In June 1983, Eon’s Octopussy debuted while Never Say Never Again […]

Will Sam Mendes get a `vanity credit’ for Skyfall?

On Nov. 3, Skyfall director Sam Mendes said, “Every decision is mine,” regarding the creative choices for the 23rd James Bond film. We were skeptical because Eon Productions isn’t known for granting directors complete autonomy. But this week’s news that Mendes was responsible for bringing in Thomas Newman as Skyfall’s composer, bumping David Arnold, is […]

MGM watch: MGM files for bankruptcy, says it wants to jumpstart the 007 series

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Nov. 3. The home studio of James Bond (and half-owner of the 007 film franchise) made its filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York City. The filing also indicates that jumpstarting the now-dormant 007 film series is a priority. Here’s part of a story by Bloomberg.com: New […]