Craig angered MGM chief, Vanity Fair says

Poster for SPECTRE

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s top executive was angered last year when SPECTRE star Daniel Craig said he’s rather “slash my wrists” than play James Bond again, Vanity Fair reported.

The disclosure was part of a broader story mostly intended to knock down last weekend’s Radar Online story that the actor is being offered $150 million to do two more 007 films. (The publication says the offer is “is as fictional as Francisco Scaramanga’s third nipple”).

Here’s an excerpt that concerns MGM’s CEO, Gary Barber:

Craig’s “slash my wrists” comment didn’t exactly endear him to MGM’s chief executive and chairman Gary Barber who, Vanity Fair has learned, personally contacted the actor last year to express his frustration in no uncertain terms. (An email to Craig’s publicist was not immediately returned.)

“Gary hit the ceiling when he read the story,” says a source with knowledge of the situation, who declined to be identified because the person was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter. “He called up Daniel to yell at him. He was furious.”

Quick recap: Craig made the mark in an interview with Time Out London. The interview was conducted a few days after the seven-month shoot of SPECTRE was completed but not published until October.

The article was in Q&A format and the “slash my wrists” comment was in response to the 17th of 22 questions. Neverthless, other outlets jumped on the quote, leading with it in their summaries of the interview. Craig fans have been crying foul ever since on social media.

This isn’t the first time something like this has been reported. The New York Post’s Page Six gossip page  said 11 months ago that executives at Sony Pictures, which co-financed SPECTRE with MGM, had told Craig to shut up.

Vanity Fair, though, is considerably higher brow than the tabloid New York Post. The Vanity Fair story also says Craig still is contractually obligated to do another Bond movie. Michael G. Wilson, co-boss of Eon Productions, said last year that Craig is not.

To read the entire Vanity Fair story, CLICK HERE.

A few questions about Bond 25

Image for the official James Bond feed on Twitter

As SPECTRE continues its theatrical run, questions emerge about Bond 25.

In November 2012, after the release of Skyfall, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer announced that John Logan had been signed to write Bond 24 and Bond 25. So far, nothing nearly that specific has emerged. Barbara Broccoli, co-boss of Eon Productions, IN AN INTERVIEW WITH 20 MINUTEN from Nov. 16 (text is in German) talked about work on Bond resuming “in the spring.”

With that in mind, here are some questions.

What happened to Daniel Craig being signed for Bond 25? Three years ago, the ACTOR TOLD ROLLING STONE, “I’ve agreed to do a couple more, but let’s see how this one (Skyfall) does, because business is business and if the shit goes down, I’ve got a contract that somebody will happily wipe their ass with.” (emphasis added)

Fans at the time read that as meaning Craig had a contract for two more films. In interviews done days after SPECTRE completed production, the storyline was different.

Craig told TIME OUT LONDON and ESQUIRE he didn’t know if he’d do another Bond film after SPECTRE.  Meanwhile, Michael G. Wilson, the other Eon co-chief, SAID IN THIS VIDEO that Craig isn’t under contract although he expects the actor to return for Bond 25.

Will any John Logan story elements be used in Bond 25? Sam Mendes, director of Skyfall and SPECTRE, said in an April 2014 interview with U.S. television host Charlie Rose that the story originally was envisioned as a two-movie arc.

But Mendes said a condition of his return to SPECTRE was the story had to be self contained. That confirmed a FEBRUARY 2013 STORY by Baz Bamigboye in the Daily Mail that the two-part movie idea had been eliminated.

It’s not known how much work, if any, Logan did on Bond 25 after the change in plan. Wilson, in the same video where he commented on Craig’s status, said Eon doesn’t have a script, an idea or even a title for Bond 25.

Who will direct Bond 25? Sam Mendes said after Skyfall he wouldn’t return. He recanted and did SPECTRE. He made the following comment IN AN INTERVIEW WITH DEADLINE HOLLYWOOD, that people have interpreted as he’s really, really not coming back to Bond again.

The pronouncements after the last movie were taken seriously and I then had to undo them when I agreed to make this movie. Without giving too much away, the difference here for me is, this movie (SPECTRE) draws together all four of Daniel’s movies into one final story, and he completes a journey. That wasn’t the case last time. There is a sense of completeness that wasn’t there at the end of Skyfall, and that’s what makes this feel different. It feels like there’s a rightness to it, that I have finished a journey.

If that’s really the case, who fills the Bond 25 director’s chair? Some fans would like two-time director Martin Campbell, 72, to return for an encore. He’s done TV work since the 2011 superhero movie Green Lantern, according to his IMDB.COM ENTRY. Meanwhile, Barbara Broccoli has said Eon doesn’t hire “journeymen” directors. So will another “auteur” like Mendes get the job?

SPECTRE longest 007 movie at 148 minutes

According to an invitation for a U.K. press screening, SPECTRE is the longest James Bond film at 148 minutes.

A PICTURE OF THE INVITATION was tweeted by Henry Fitzherbert, who writes about film for the U.K. Express newspaper. (You can CLICK HERE for an Oct. 4 story about SPECTRE he wrote.)

The showing is scheduled for the evening of Oct. 21 at Odeon Leicester Square, according to the invitation and the movie lasts 148 minutes.

The previous 007 record for running time was 2006’s Casino Royale at 144 minutes, followed by 2012’s Skyfall at 143 minutes.

Earlier this month, SPECTRE director Sam Mendes  denied to TIME OUT LONDON that SPECTRE was longer than Skyfall. Here’s a quick excerpt.

So, we asked the film’s director Sam Mendes (who also made ‘Skyfall’) to clarify the issue for us. ‘I don’t know where that came from,’ he told us from the edit suite where he’s hurriedly putting the final touches to the film – so he should know. ‘At the moment it’s exactly the same length as “Skyfall”. Whether that means it’s the longest, I don’t know. But, no, it’s almost to the second the same length as “Skyfall”.’

It should be noted that running times can vary a bit from country to country.

Harris: Craig was `sarcastic’ in interview

Namoie Harris in Skyfall

James Bond star Daniel Craig was being “sarcastic” in a recent interview and actually “lives and breathes Bond,” co-star Naomie Harris TOLD THE BBC

Harris, who played Moneypenny in Skyfall and the upcoming SPECTRE, referred to Craig’s comments to Time Out London. In that interview, the 007 star was asked if he could imagine doing another James Bond film. His reply: “I’d rather break this glass and slash my wrist.”

Here’s an excerpt of the BBC story with Harris’ reaction.

Harris, though, said the actor’s words had been “blown out of proportion”.

“It was not as he intended it,” she told BBC News, claiming her co-star’s “sense of humour… doesn’t come across particularly well in print”.
(snip)

“It’s easy to take something that someone says in passing and blow it completely out of proportion. I think that’s what’s happened here, so I don’t really believe those comments at all.”

To read the entire BBC story, CLICK HERE.

Caveat Emptor (Cont.): NY Post says Craig told to shut up

SPECTRE poster

The PAGE SIX GOSSIP PAGE of Rupert Murdoch’s New York Post tabloid newspaper says that 007 star Daniel Craig “has been told to shut up by execs at Sony.”

This follows the interview Craig gave Time Out London that was published last week.

In that interview, done a few days after the upcoming SPECTRE, had finished production, Craig was asked if he could imagine doing another 007 movie.

“I’d rather break this glass and slash my wrists,” he told Time Out London. “No, not at the moment. Not at all. That’s fine. I’m over it at the moment. We’re done. All I want to do is move on.”

Here’s an excerpt from the New York Post story:

Bond insiders said Craig’s cranky outburst to Time Out London was brought on by the tough shoot for the latest 007 installment.

One source said, “They had problems initially with the script, Craig was injured on the set and needed knee surgery, and they were still doing re-shoots last month, even though the movie is out in weeks.

Sony Pictures has released the last four 007 films, including SPECTRE. Computer hacks at the studio last year caused details of the 24th 007 film to become public, including versions of the movie’s script.

Meanwhile, the New York Post has a reputation similar to British tabloid newspapers. So, yet again, the caveat emptor label — let the buyer beware — applies. Take it for what it’s worth.

Caveat Emptor (Cont.): Craig says it’s an honor to play 007

SPECTRE teaser poster

Today, THE DAILY MIRROR WEBSITE has posted an interview with SPECTRE star Daniel Craig, which has a different tone than one released last week.

The Mirror doesn’t specify when the interview took place. The interview posted last week by Time Out London occurred a few days after SPECTRE finished production.

The Time Out interview included a quote that was widely picked up by other media outlets. The star was asked if he could image doing another James Bond movie. “I’d rather break this glass and slash my wrists.”

The actor’s quotes in the Mirror interview come across differently.

Here’s an excerpt:

This is your fourth outing as Bond. You’re not bored yet, then?

These movies don’t get made very often. And if you can’t get excited about making a movie of this size, with this cast, with Sam Mendes and this crew, then go home.

(snip)

James is getting on a bit now. How much longer can he keep hanging out of helicopters?

He’s old now, 47… But as long as he’s physically able. Which isn’t that long! I’m contracted for one more film which seems to be a fair number, but I’m not going to make predictions.

These films are such a huge commitment, why would you want to do more?

Money! No, I love playing him. It’s an honour to play him, I get such a big kick out of doing it. I had an opportunity with Casino Royale to wipe the slate clean.

I’m not saying it was a rebirth of Bond, that sounds conceited and I was a huge fan of Bond before. But I couldn’t just do a movie where I was going to straighten the tie and drink a Martini, it’s all been done before. It had to happen in the right way.

Again, let the buyer beware. Some fans say Craig loves to play mind games with the press. Some fans will say the Mirror interview show how he really feels. Others will interpret the Mirror interview as damage control. How you view the quotes is up to you.

To read the entire Mirror interview, CLICK HERE.

Some questions about Daniel Craig’s SPECTRE interview

SPECTRE promotional art

SPECTRE, the 24th James Bond film, has its premiere later this month. So it’s time to explore new questions about the 007 movie.

Was Time Out London’s interview with Daniel Craig good P.R. or bad P.R.? 

That depends on your public relations philosophy.

Come again?

The classic public relations philosophy stems from a George M. Cohan quote: “I don’t care what you say about me as long as you say something about me, and as long as you spell my name right.”

By that standard, Craig’s interview with Tine Out London was a spectacular success.

How so?

The 007 actor’s quotes to Time Out (“I’d rather break this glass and slash my wrists” than make another Bond movie, and “If I did another Bond movie, it would only be for the money,” among others) were summarized widely.

Among other outlets, VARIETY, ITV,  NBC NEWS,  THE TELEGRAPH, THE DAILY BEAST, THE INDEPENDENT, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY and many, many others had stories based on the quotes from Time Out London.

If George M. Cohan were still alive (he died in 1942), he would marvel at how right he was.

Are you saying this was really planned?

Who knows? Maybe, maybe not. Nevertheless, the Time Out London interview was done a few days after SPECTRE wrapped principal photography.

Often these types of interviews are done under embargo. That is, the interviews occur with the understanding the resulting stories won’t be released until shortly before a movie is released — often with a specific date and time for release.

Put another way, the major parties responsible for SPECTRE — Eon Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Sony Pictures — shouldn’t be surprised these quotes were coming. Interviews with stars for major movies, generally speaking, are done under very controlled circumstances.

Often such interviews are done with a public relations person sitting in on it. Even if it didn’t happen in this case, Eon, MGM and Sony know the star, know what he often says in interviews. If they weren’t prepared, well, they probably should have been.