Director Sam Mendes rumoured for Bond 23

Qwerty · January 2010

Director Sam Mendes rumoured for Bond 23

http://commanderbond.net/9114/director-sam-mendes-rumoured-for-bond-23.html

Really have to wonder how the film would turn out if this rumour turned true...

DBS · January 2010

Looks like the news is making it's way around the net -

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/43544

Sounds like it's just shy of becoming an official release. I, for one, am very excited to see another character director at the helm of this next Bond film. And with Peter Morgan writing the script, this film has a solid chance to become an Oscar contender!!

Kind regards,
Craig

The Bond Experience · January 2010

Always makes me nervous when a non-action director is at the helm...don't want an art-house Bond.

chrisno1 · January 2010

How quickly things change! Yesterday it was all off and MGM was in the doghouse.
Not sure about Sam Mendes.
He likes his wife too much! I don't want Kate Winslet in a Bond film.
Also I hope we don't have monologues dictated over arty shots of paper bags spiralling in a street breeze.....

dak212us · January 2010

I just heard it's been confirmed. I hope it's wrong though. I think it's a horrible pick.

TonyDP · January 2010

Hollywood Reporter is also reporting this:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i856fd022b069b3fe4b8d2be322d5c07c

And here's the text of their article. Of interest is the news that production is now on the fast track.

It's Mendes. Sam Mendes.

The British helmer is in negotiations to direct the 23rd installment of the James Bond franchise.

Production is being fast-tracked and could begin as early as June with an eye toward a 2011 release. Plans for the film are moving forward despite a possible sale of MGM. Sony co-produced and distributed the most recent installment of the 007 series with MGM.

Bond regulars Neal Purvis and Robert Wade are writing, along with "Frost/Nixon" scribe Peter Morgan. Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli are producing. Daniel Craig will reprise his role as 007.

The film will be Mendes' first action-heavy project, though his 2005 effort "Jarhead" was set amid U.S. war in Kuwait. Mendes' most recent directorial effort, the road-trip dramedy "Away We Go," grossed $10 million domestically last summer.

Marc Forster directed the previous Bond film, 2008's "Quantum of Solace," which grossed $586 million worldwide.

Mendes is repped by CAA.

slinger · January 2010

I would like to hear about Mendes' interest in Bond. It would be great if he's a big fanboy at heart and he considers this his chance to put together a classic Bond.

Barry Nelson · January 2010

Well he wouldn't be my first pick, but I will judge him on the final product when I see it. My guess is they would bring in an experienced second unit action director for all the action scenes.

The thing that I find hard to believe is that a film we heard wasn't getting started until later this year and that they were taking their time with is now in a rush to begin production before June.

DBS · January 2010

I'm sure they'll get a superb, action-versed Second Unit Director (like Dan Bradley on "QoS") to handle the more intense action scenes. I'm very curious to see what Sam Mendes can do with the character threads here. While I think Forster missed the target with "Quantum," I'm willing to give Sam the benefit of the doubt. I think the focus of the new Bond franchise has been (and should be) on the character of Bond himself, not necessarily on the villains or their evil plots. Ultimately, I see the Craig series as a true character study. For that reason, I support the decision to go with a character director like Mendes.

Kind regards,
Craig

EDIT - Barry, you took the words right out of my mouth about 2nd Unit Directors as I was writing my post.

killkennykid · January 2010

Great news to me, I really want to see what Mr. Mendes can do with Bond.

Loeffelholz · January 2010

I think this is very good news---Sam Mendes is a very talented director---and I'm especially pleased to hear the phrase 'fast track,' which is music to my fanboy ears

If production actually gets underway this summer, it seems that a summer '11 release might be in the offing, instead of November '11---it would be most unique to give a Bond film a production schedule with 18 months of breathing room; I'm pretty sure Marc Forster would have loved an extra six months to polish...and the film would probably have been better for it.

Re: 2nd Unit Director...I'd love to see Vic Armstrong come back.

Loeffelholz · January 2010

A new wrinkle in the the tapestry:

http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/exclusive-sam-mendes-about-to-be-hired-as-consultant-on-bond-23/

Apparently, they want to attach Mendes to the project without actually naming him as a director, as that changes all sorts of contractual elements. As I suspected, Craig (who worked with Mendes on the excellent Road to Perdition) is a major player in bringing Mendes into the Bond fold.

More to come, I'm sure

Alec 006 · January 2010

Channel Seven and Yahoo in Australia are reporting it too.

http://au.movies.yahoo.com/news/article/-/6648148/sam-mendes-in-talks-to-direct-next-bond-movie/

Number24 · January 2010

Sam Mendes has been on my wish-list for Bond directors for years. This is great news ..... rumour ....!
Mendes is one of the best directors around now and he has done some action in "Road to Peredion" and "Jarhead".

blueman · January 2010

From Campbell to Forster to Mendes is a very nice arc for Craig. Loved what Forster brought to the table, let's hope Mendes does at least half as good (safe bet

).

John Drake · January 2010

Oh God No, with a capital No. I hate Mendes with a fiery passion. If we get Kate Winslet as Miss Moneypenny I'm getting my golden gun. (I don't really have one, but you get the point). Mendes is a cinematic tracer. He is an arranger rather than a director. Everything he does reminds you of something better.

American Beauty/ Blue Velvet, Jarhead/Full Metal Jacket, Road to Perdition/Miller's Crossing, Revolutionary Road/Mad Men.

Get Kathryn Bigelow who lives and breathes film. Mendes is a theatre monkey and belongs there. The man is a fraud. This is bad news. Bad news indeed.

So as you can see, I'm not keen.

Napoleon Plural · January 2010

I can't get as worked up as JD! But that's just it, I can't get worked up about Sam Mendes at all. He's in the Marc Forster 'worthy but dull' category and a bit like Sofia Coppola, has a whiff of the lucky chancher who has a big signature piece but then goes on to make a little go a long way. Expect a languid style with lovely to look at cinematography.

Still, it gets everyone talking which seems to be the main criteria for Mickey and Babs when making their pick.

There's a brilliant post by a guy called Lazenby on the mi6 forums about how the choice of directors echoes the Brosnan tenure.

http://www.mi6forums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=50552&start=180

Number24 · January 2010

American beauty, Road to Peredition and Revolutionary road are more than lucky chances!
And how can anyone say Mendes belongs in the theatre? His movies are extremely visual, you could freeze frame about any second in Peredition, print it and it would be a beautiful poster. He is one of teh consistantly best directors of recent years. I think Bond needs to get back to when the best directors, like Trance Young and Guy Hamilton, were used. Many of the directors who made Bond movies in the 70's and 80's hardly made anything noteworthy outside the series.

Napoleon Plural · January 2010

As with Coppola's Lost in Translation, so is American Beauty. It's true that Perdition is great to look at, but that's in the main the cinematography I'd argue and so it was with Forster, I can't deny his films look good. I've not seen Rev Road, but I sense it's a film that is all about the brief, it has good intentions and that's the main thing.

As for the 1970s, Guy Hamilton and Lewis Gilbert did stuff like Alfie, Reach for the Sky among others though I grant you they had a journeyman aspect to them and none the worse for that. This is like hiring Powell-Pressburger.

Lexi · January 2010

Loeffelholz wrote:

A new wrinkle in the the tapestry:

http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/exclusive-sam-mendes-about-to-be-hired-as-consultant-on-bond-23/

Apparently, they want to attach Mendes to the project without actually naming him as a director, as that changes all sorts of contractual elements. As I suspected, Craig (who worked with Mendes on the excellent Road to Perdition) is a major player in bringing Mendes into the Bond fold.

More to come, I'm sure

Yes, there is a similar report here as well
http://www.firstshowing.net/2010/01/05/sam-mendes-directing-james-bond-23-on-track-for-2011

I really hope Kate Winslet is not in this production, don't get me wrong, I think she's a great actress, just too hollywood for Bond. Undecided with this choice - I liked what Marc Forster did with QoS, but I was under the impression we were going to go back to a bit of 'action and old style' with the Bond 23. I don't think we need another sweeping drama - artful epic with the next movie.

Is Mendes up for that challenge? Only time will tell.

Now where is Dan Same?...I'm sure he will have something to say about this

)

Oracabessa · January 2010

Variety also posted an article:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118013365.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

It can still be a rumor even if it appears the trade papers. This could be posturing (by either MGM or Eon) to try to get a sale of the studio going. Ted Turner already cleaned house years ago when he bought up much of MGM's library. So, what does the studio have to offer? Keeping the Bond franchise going could help land a potential suitor.

That's not to say that the idea of having Mendes attached does not have creative merit. I hope, if the rumor is true, that he is able to deliver. But, for those that are opposed to Mendes helming a Bond film, let's at least wait until me know for sure.

ExpatJB · January 2010

It can ony be good if that series remains grounded in reality, with real human drama surely? Its what is keeping Bond relevant for today. Mendes could make this a film worth seeing in its own right, not just as a Bond. -{

I never want to see Bond ride a motorcycle off a cliff in pursuit of a plane, skydive to it, climb in and take over the controls ever again.

John Drake · January 2010

Number24 wrote:

His movies are extremely visual, you could freeze frame about any second in Peredition, print it and it would be a beautiful poster.

Road to Perdition is beautiful to look at, thanks to director-of-photography Conrad Hall. My point was everything Mendes has directed recalls other more original work. There is nothing special about him. Maybe this will work for Bond. Mendes can just copy Guy Hamilton and maybe we'll be OK. Anne Billson nailed Mendes and a few other middlebrow types with this article in The Guardian, Films for People who Don't really Like Films.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/jan/09/drama-kate-winslet

Napoleon Plural · January 2010

Well stop putting GoldenEye in your DVD player then....

John Drake · January 2010

ExpatJB wrote:

I never want to see Bond ride a motorcycle off a cliff in pursuit of a plane, skydive to it, climb in and take over the controls ever again.

Or CGI surfing, or cooking quiche, or dressing up as a clown, or wearing a pink shirt, or wearing a cravat.

ExpatJB · January 2010

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Well stop putting GoldenEye in your DVD player then....

Agreed.

I stumbled across it on TV after not seeing it for years, and it almost blew the rest of the movie for me!

)

Loeffelholz · January 2010

Well, at least it has us talking again

One thing about Mendes' work is that it does give itself 'room to breathe,' from a pacing perspective, which is what QoS sorely lacked (I'm a fan of QoS, mind you, but its flaws are well-known). I think Bond can stand at least a couple of languid, lingering moments...concerns about another 'art house' director are quite valid, though. One can only hope that Eon took some of the criticism of the last one to heart. Mendes is a character man; we need time to savour the presence of Bond and the development of the plot---for me, that's job one for this film...that and pulling back the camera and running takes longer than .5 seconds each during the action sequences.

Napoleon Plural · January 2010

Plus humour, too.

"What's that Aston Martin doing in the drive?!?"

Loeffelholz · January 2010

"Plus it has an ejector seat...I rule!"

7289 · January 2010

What I have seen of Mendes work I have liked.....

I think the SCRIPT is the most important element of a film, even a barely competent director can make a decent film with the right SCRIPT. Surely the backups at EON can come through with a decent film, even if I directed it!

Purvis & Wade

. That's what worries me!

As for motorbike jumps into planes, surfing and pink shirts - I'm with you there! I would add that I can also live without a "dogfight" and "jump out of plane without chute" scene too. It really is time EON dumped the "big red explosions" and concentrated on exciting action scenes!

Lady Rose · January 2010

John Drake wrote:

Oh God No, with a capital No. I hate Mendes with a fiery passion. If we get Kate Winslet as Miss Moneypenny I'm getting my golden gun.

What he said .... I'm with you JD. Mendes leaves me cold. I have found all his films boring. It also amuses me you mentioned Kate Winslet because when I first heard the news this morning my first thought was 'I hope his wife isn't going to be in it!'

Love CR, hated Forster and QoS. Already dislike Mendes so its not shaping up too well from where I'm sitting

......

Director Sam Mendes rumoured for Bond 23

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