Bond 26 planning?

Charmed & Dangerous

Given the ongoing wait until NTTD, if I were the producers I'd be using the time to plan Bond 26, so there isn't as long a gap between films. But I'm not sure how these things work. Would they need to see how NTTD fares at the Box Office? Given the series' unparalleled success, would that even be necessary? And would the pandemic - and potentially future release via digital media - have an impact on planning considerations?

Napoleon Plural

They'll be introducing a new James Bond. Plus it will be two years on... it would be nice to plan it, but I just don't know. It's all in a state of flux, unsettling times. It was different with Craig, his character sort of had a story arc.
The new Wonder Woman film, which has great reviews - what a disaster. Cinemas now closed in the UK, the week of release. The Bond people were wise to delay.
The Bond team have a range of plots on the back burner at any given time, I think.
Guess the budget may have to be stripped back for the next one.

LuciusNightmare

Hopefully, we get Fukunaga to return with PWB writing the script. Then Barbara can convince Robert Pattinson to play the new 007. Currently I can't see anyone else playing the role...

Number24

We know EON planned ahead last time we saw a long break between films in 1989-95, having writers working on several scripts so they could churn out new movies when the legal problems were sorted out. Sadly I'm not sure they're even started writing treatments for the next Bond script. I don't know of course, but I have a bad feeling.

Cheverian

I’m working on a television pilot with a Hollywood producer and it’s been a strange year out there. On the one hand deals are getting made, projects are being green lit, and preproduction is underway with shows and films (and still others, like MI:7 are filming). But there’s a lot in limbo too. The expectations are that things will be racing to start in late Q1 of 2021. What that means for Eon is harder to guess since they can’t break news about Bond 26 until Bond 25 finally premieres. And the uncertainty around MGM doesn’t help.

Nalliac

Knowing EON it would be hard for them to plan too much ahead when they are still waiting to release NTTD. Get the feeling that a lot of key decision going forward will be influenced by the reaction once the film is released.

Would be nice to think they could come up with a clear vision and put plans in place to work towards it with the downtime, but that’s not how they’ve operated any time in recent memory.

chrisno1

Eggs and Baskets
Eon are banking everything on NTTD being a big cinema hit in 2021.... or possibly 2022.
The movie is done, Craig will be done, the introspective era done.
Until that's confined to its coffin, I cant envisage them doing anything more than rudimentary planning.
It would be nice to believe writers are already constructing scripts for a fast, funky, f-you style Bond for the 2020s, but I suspect they are not. They probably want to see the B.O. returns before deciding which way to turn
On a personal note, I too would like to see 2 or 3 movies made quickly, back to back, similarly to Brosnan (1995-99) just to maintain a constantly whetted appetite. I doubt EoN's productivity model allows this - their efficiency had dropped spectacularly since 2005.

Thunderpussy

I was wondering if they had a stand by actor on call ? During Roger's tenure
Michael Billington was basically on hold to take over as Bond should he be
needed. I believe that it went as far as posing for some ( Unused ) publicity
photos for FYEO.

Sir Miles

Charmed & Dangerous wrote:

Given the ongoing wait until NTTD, if I were the producers I'd be using the time to plan Bond 26, so there isn't as long a gap between films. But I'm not sure how these things work. Would they need to see how NTTD fares at the Box Office? Given the series' unparalleled success, would that even be necessary? And would the pandemic - and potentially future release via digital media - have an impact on planning considerations?

And this speculation all depends upon Eon still being at the helm of the Bond films…

Charmed & Dangerous

It does indeed. Personally I can't see anyone else taking over 'lock, stock & barrel' so quickly - more likely it would involve BB & MGW being retained for a handover to a new generation, who may already be involved in some capacity.

Sir Miles

Charmed & Dangerous wrote:

It does indeed. Personally I can't see anyone else taking over 'lock, stock & barrel' so quickly - more likely it would involve BB & MGW being retained for a handover to a new generation, who may already be involved in some capacity.

That depends upon there being a new generation that would be interested in taking over...and in BB & MGW stepping aside/down...don’t forget that MGM are up for sale too...possible massive change ahead…

JTullock23

With everything up in the air with the release then the potential sell of the franchise I wouldn't be shocked if things look very different for Bond in 2021, maybe 2022 and beyond.

HowardB

Sir Miles wrote:

Charmed & Dangerous wrote:

It does indeed. Personally I can't see anyone else taking over 'lock, stock & barrel' so quickly - more likely it would involve BB & MGW being retained for a handover to a new generation, who may already be involved in some capacity.

That depends upon there being a new generation that would be interested in taking over...and in BB & MGW stepping aside/down...don’t forget that MGM are up for sale too...possible massive change ahead…

I know MGW is retiring but have not heard anything about BB. Did I miss something? BB is only 60, not particularly old for a film producer.

ToTheRight

I don't even remotely think B26 is being planned at the moment. I think we're in for a huge gap after NTTD. My hunch is this current 6 year wait is a blink of an eye by comparison.

Thunderpussy

sadly I agree ToTheRight .

Number24

I don't think It will be more than six years, but I fear the wait will be at least four years.

ToTheRight

Hopefully, NTTD will be an enormous hit and prompt MGM to fast track the next film like they would have done in the old days, but I imagine Barbara will take a nice long break and pursue other projects.

Deciding where to take the franchise after the Craig era I don't believe be easy for Eon. I could envision the Craig era being the last true "era" for Eon's Bond with anything afterwards being a random one off considering the long gaps between films. I really don't think many actors would want to commit to a 4 picture contract if the films continue to be spaced out 5-6 years. That's a nearly 20 year commitment.

Post Craig will probably take some long thought.

Thunderpussy

Given the pandemic I don't expect any film released this year to make Huge profits.
No fault on the film, but MGM is in big trouble debt wise. So if it is delayed again
which I think will happen. MGM will be looking to make some money, so I'd predict
a streaming service will get it.

Number24

ToTheRight wrote:

Hopefully, NTTD will be an enormous hit and prompt MGM to fast track the next film like they would have done in the old days, but I imagine Barbara will take a nice long break and pursue other projects.

Deciding where to take the franchise after the Craig era I don't believe be easy for Eon. I could envision the Craig era being the last true "era" for Eon's Bond with anything afterwards being a random one off considering the long gaps between films. I really don't think many actors would want to commit to a 4 picture contract if the films continue to be spaced out 5-6 years. That's a nearly 20 year commitment.

Post Craig will probably take some long thought.

Don't Bond actors sign three movie contracts (followed by contracts for individual movies), not four movie contracts? Anyway I'm convinced many actors are more than willing to sign such a contract.

Matt S

They can cast a new Bond and make a new film in two years if there’s money and they want to do it. They don’t usually spend more time on a film even if there’s more time between the films. Barbara needs to get over Craig. Her father cast five Bonds (I’m counting Brosnan as Cubby’s because he chose Brosnan originally in 1986), Barbara can cast two. And if she’s half the business person her father was, she’ll get everything she can out of Bond, if that means selling it.

ToTheRight

Number24 wrote:

ToTheRight wrote:

Hopefully, NTTD will be an enormous hit and prompt MGM to fast track the next film like they would have done in the old days, but I imagine Barbara will take a nice long break and pursue other projects.

Deciding where to take the franchise after the Craig era I don't believe be easy for Eon. I could envision the Craig era being the last true "era" for Eon's Bond with anything afterwards being a random one off considering the long gaps between films. I really don't think many actors would want to commit to a 4 picture contract if the films continue to be spaced out 5-6 years. That's a nearly 20 year commitment.

Post Craig will probably take some long thought.

Don't Bond actors sign three movie contracts (followed by contracts for individual movies), not four movie contracts? Anyway I'm convinced many actors are more than willing to sign such a contract.

Yes. Usually three with the option of a fourth. I believe there may also be a time limit in which to honor the contracts. I read Dalton's contract expired in 1990- the year his third film was originally intended to be filmed. Following the lengthy gap to SF, Craig signed a new contract for 2 more films.