Almost a decade ago I told my good friend and current movies/pop culture personal podcast partner this:
The only way for Bond to actually stay relevant after Daniel Craig's run is to go back, do Fleming's original novels with direct adaptations, and start them in 1951.
Well, here's hoping. Mind you this is only a rumor but given how the last Bond ended I can't see any other way.
https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2023/9/26/lluj1u172l3gwejmovm5wcaf3fftqu
Maybe they could go for a more David Niven-style character reboot. It worked once before. Or maybe it actually didn't...
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 29, 2023, 09:09:24 PMMaybe they could go for a more David Niven-style character reboot. It worked once before. Or maybe it actually didn't...
:ROFL: No it didn't. But Fleming did say Niven was the right look for Bond.
The rumors, and they are only that, is that Aaron Taylor-Johnson would be Nolan's demand as he's one of his guys now.
He absolutely has the look with his hair cropped. He's about the right age as Bond enlists in the Royal Navy at 20 and has his first mission for MI 6 at the age of 31. Johnson's 33.
methinks Pussy Galore isn't going to fly these days.
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on September 29, 2023, 11:04:12 PMmethinks Pussy Galore isn't going to fly these days.
Fleming loved the wacky names and weird looking people. Something the films did at times and at times not.
That said there are a few books that won't really translate well to the screen. First that comes to mind is The Spy Who Loved Me.
But I'd also expect they might not want to go back to Goldfinger. The novel is one of the times where the book material was far inferior to the film product. The movie had the brilliant move of using the Chinese and a dirty bomb rather than the traditional heist funded by the Spangled Mob in the book. It is one that can be skipped and with it...Pussy.
Octopussy?
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on September 30, 2023, 12:11:48 AMOctopussy?
Octopussy and The Living Daylights is a short story collection. It'd be great for something ancillary to films but no, I can't see them doing them.
I'd imagine they'd want to keep it tight and coherent.
I'd probably just hold to the books that were directly tied. The only early Bond I'd keep is Diamonds are Forever because of Tiffany Case but I'd probably jump ahead and do Dr. No, Thunderball, on Her Majesty's Secret Service and You Only live Twice as a coherent set. I'd keep Diamonds are Forever to introduce the Spangled Mob and make them the main baddies ending with Man With the Golden Gun.
Afterwards you can fit in what were earlier books that stand alone and aren't in the SPECTRE/Spangled Mob stories. You just have to cut out Bond retiring and running off with Tiffany in You Only Live Twice and Golden Gun.
Alotta Fagina always seemed shagadelic to me as a character in the series.
Too bad Sean Pertwee is too old for a reboot now. His dad Jon was one of the guys who worked with Fleming, whom Fleming borrowed from to invent Bond.
Could work though if the films are structured as flashbacks?
Quote from: JasonPratt on October 02, 2023, 02:31:38 PMToo bad Sean Pertwee is too old for a reboot now. His dad Jon was one of the guys who worked with Fleming, whom Fleming borrowed from to invent Bond.
Could work though if the films are structured as flashbacks?
Nah. I think Aaron Taylor-Johnson would be a perfect choice and he'd be the correct age almost to the dot. If Nolan directs he typically uses his guys and does it well.
Like Nolan has never done flashback structure in his films. :Nerd:
But I'm not at all unhappy with Nolan and ATJ. A 1950s period piece going forward would be ace. Even if he has to replot the books somewhat for film purposes, he can still stick pretty close to source, as you noted.
....hm, does skipping Casino Royale screw anything up? It didn't originally, but they were just kinda grab-bagging things (a lot like adapting the Jack Ryan novels in our day).
Quote from: JasonPratt on October 02, 2023, 03:24:51 PMLike Nolan has never done flashback structure in his films. :Nerd:
But I'm not at all unhappy with Nolan and ATJ. A 1950s period piece going forward would be ace. Even if he has to replot the books somewhat for film purposes, he can still stick pretty close to source, as you noted.
....hm, does skipping Casino Royale screw anything up? It didn't originally, but they were just kinda grab-bagging things (a lot like adapting the Jack Ryan novels in our day).
Yeah, you really need Vesper. The original Connery Bond wasn't as deep a character in the books. If you're going to really go into Bond's levels of distrust and detachment that he drops for Tracy only to get slammed down again and send him into a spiral of reckless alcoholism that get him nearly fired, then Vesper is pretty important in that.
You say, 'A spiral of reckless alcoholism' like it's a bad thing. :martini: Did anybody else in the Bond Universe drink like he did? I know Leiter did some and the boss always had a decanter on his desk but I don't recall anyone else in the films knocking them back like James.
Quote from: Sir Slash on October 02, 2023, 10:27:31 PMYou say, 'A spiral of reckless alcoholism' like it's a bad thing. :martini: Did anybody else in the Bond Universe drink like he did? I know Leiter did some and the boss always had a decanter on his desk but I don't recall anyone else in the films knocking them back like James.
Bond's alcohol consumption in the books is unmatched, and pretty intricately tracked. Early on he's usually drinking around 92 units of alcohol per week at minimum. That increases, especially after On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
But, no, no one else really matched him. In fact most of Bond's villains were teetotalers. Blofeld is the most prominent there, as he refuses all substances and even has no interest in sex. His only "addiction" are breath mints that he chews habitually.
Damn man, what're you doing up at this hour? Don't you have to work for a living or something? Thanks for the answer so fast. I always thought of Bond as kind of giant middle-finger to the uptight establishment types he worked around. And his enemies as well. And I liked Telly Savalas as Blofeld in Her Majesty's Secret Service. But that's just me.
Quote from: Sir Slash on October 02, 2023, 10:58:23 PMDamn man, what're you doing up at this hour? Don't you have to work for a living or something? Thanks for the answer so fast. I always thought of Bond as kind of giant middle-finger to the uptight establishment types he worked around. And his enemies as well. And I liked Telly Savalas as Blofeld in Her Majesty's Secret Service. But that's just me.
One good thing that comes with age is seniority. No one gets to schedule any work with me before 11am except my CEO and my office is my own study.
But, to your point, Bond is a bit anti-establishment and a bit not.
He's a commoner for sure, but he's very wealthy and his parents raised him to be a true English gentleman. There are a few cute moments largely missing from the movies where Bond shows much more refined tastes and better true English manners than most of the nobility he works for.
And yeah, his rebellious streak is pretty well known. He got thrown out of Eaton and became a playboy before the structure of the Navy. He's so rich he was insulted at the £1 million dowry offered to marry Tracy like he'd do it for or because he needed money.
An interesting thing they can do in new films is a bit of the backstory that Bond actually does have a cover. He's a well known playboy from before WW2, so he just continues that sham afterwards without it being known he's an agent for MI6. The Bentley and later Aston Martin, the expensive clothes and the trappings are all things he uses to keep up the appearences that after the Navy he's just gone back to being a social butterfly in the wealthiest corners of the world blowing his family fortune. It obviously wears out as he becomes one of the most well known agents in the world, but it's a pretense Bond actually does initially try to hold to a bit, even if just to be allowed to drive his beloved Bentley.
Astons are cooler. :cool:
(https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/PO8m8/s1/aston-martin-victor-static.jpg)
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on October 03, 2023, 04:33:36 PMAstons are cooler. :cool:
No argument there from me, but Bond disagrees.
His favorite car is the 1933 Bentley 4 1/2 Litre that was the first car he purchased for himself after his parent's death, kitted out with a union flag and some racing flair.
He gets the Aston Martin DB3 (changed to DB5 in the movies) from Q Branch in Goldfinger as it fits his cover and has some gadgets installed.
However even with the DB3 avaiilable he's a Bentley man and goes back to a personal Mk VI later.
His first Bentley is his first car love though. They do have a throwaway line about it in the Goldfinger film.
(https://i.ibb.co/0FBmCNw/bently-4-5-litre-inline.webp)
^In proper British racing livery.'
gabba gee
:Dreamer:
Bentleys are now made by Volkswagen :tophat:
to be fair they also own Porsche and Lamborghini
^Now, but not in '33 :RockOn:
Quote from: Gusington on October 03, 2023, 07:56:34 PM^Now, but not in '33 :RockOn:
Could you imagine Bond kicking ass on screen in a Nolan film in that thing?
In the books when it gets destroyed in Moonraker it's like a character died.
same with Good Omens.
I could imagine a whole origin story around that '33 Bentley :RockOn:
Yeah! I'd watch a movie just about the Bentley. :ThumbsUp: