Is EON Scared?
Barry Nelson
ChicagoPosts: 1,508MI6 Agent
As the attached articles points out, 2011 is going to be a big year for blockbuster movies, including many franchise film series that are sure to draw big crowds. While reading the article it occured to me that EON may have made a business decision to avoid 2011 and position Bond in 2012 where the competition may be less. I have to admit the film calender next year is loaded with a lot of films, that at this point anyway, I want to see. The last time a Bond film bombed (relatively) was when LTK faced some tough competition at the box office. In the long run, it may turn out to be a wise move, business wise, to release Bond in 2012.
http://movies.msn.com/paralleluniverse/geek-overload/story/across-the-universe/?GT1=28101
http://movies.msn.com/paralleluniverse/geek-overload/story/across-the-universe/?GT1=28101
Comments
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Exactly.
It has been fairlry obvious since the release of QOS that EON has been in no hurry to release another film. So my theory, and it is just a theory for conversations purposes, was that EON may have seen the large number of blockbuster movies planned for next year and decided 2012 looked better.
But the flaw in your theory is MGM's obvious financial problems has been holding up production. Most likely a 2011 release date was their original target. And that delay due to a Harry Potter film was not that dramatic.
I'd think they're just trying to give themselves time, at this point, to do the proper location scouting, pre-prod, writing a good script (hopefully
That said, of course I think it remains a sound business strategy to keep Bond out of the now-constant summer superhero noise.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Sorry, I forgot Craig was a huge box office star, let's see what film(s) other than Bond that he starred in was a big success. Gee, none. Please don't say Laura Croft or Road to Perdition because most folks don't even know he was in those. I just don't agree that Craig is some big star that draws people to the cinema.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/people/chart/?id=danielcraig.htm
I think EON has recently been purposely avoiding summer releases to avoid competing against other action fare. I don't blame them for that, it is a smart move. The fall tends to be a time of more serious movie offerings and a Bond film can be a fun break from the drama. I think a Bond film released into the middle of next summer's blockbuster madness would get lost in the mix pretty quick. As may other films, for that matter.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I think you are probably right, I started the thread after reading the article and thinking that was a lot of big films. Then I thought, gee maybe they avoided 2011 on pupose. I have no evidence they did, I just decided I would start a conversation and came up with a provocative title for the thread. I am certainly not adament that they avided 2011 to avoid trhe competition.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I am going to have to disagree with both of you. First off, they certaintly can't release the film "whenever". The fact of the mater is Bond's popularity is fairly strong but it's being eclisped by the Twilights, Transformers', and Batmans.
Secound, bringing up Craig's box office clout is a moot point. Out of all six Bond actors, so far, only Sean Connery had a long career of financial success and critical accolades. In general, this is the case of many who are heavily associated with franchises. Take for example Roman Polanski's Ghost Writer, they contained principle actors from the James Bond and Star Wars franchises which have generated billions of dollars and yet this film's release was played with little fanfare. Same thing applies to Christopher Reeve, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hammill; All their careers in features all but dried up when they left their most popular roles.
I agree. I think that the age of the sure-fire 'Ill go see whatever they are in' type superstar is over, at least for the timebeing. Even with Connnery revisionist history forgets the wilderness years immediatley after Bond (The Anderson Tapes, Zardoz etc)
Connery eventualy became an elder statesman, and to some extent a 'draw' in his own right, but it was far from immediate.
deserved at least an Oscar nomination for "The Offence" but the film had limited release in the States and while the film is very well done it's not exactly light entertainment and can be hard to watch. The list of "klinkers" he made during that "era" is long...in fact Connery has been in tons of bad movies throughout his entire post Bond career. Fortunately he also has been in some true classics and very good ones also; The Man Who Would Be King, The Untouchables, The Molly McGuires, The Great Train Robbery, Outland, The Hunt For Red October, and Robin and Marian come to mind.
I think we are talking about different things, I was restricting myself to 'Box Office' by picking up thge thread of $$$ clout. I am perfectly prepered to defer to your knowledge re the financial success of The Anderson Tapes if it was indeed a smash. As for the Offence it's a truly superb film and great performance and as such was rightly lauded bt the critics, but remained a somewhat left-field affair. A lot of the good films you mention did indeed occur sometime after his tenure as Bond. I was merely stating that even 'Big Tam' had his work cut out after Bond, and that being that closely associated with the Global phenomenom that was Jemes Bond was not enough in and of itself to guarantee big Box Office.
Craig is hotter now whilst playing Bond than any other Bond actor was during their run. The films haven't come out yet, but consider:
[list=*]
[*]Dragon Tattoo, looks to be a decent hit as Fincher's films will do, and Craig's signed for two sequels.[/*]
[/list]
[list=*]
[*]Tintin, animated Spielberg holiday fare, be very surprised if that doesn't put up hefty numbers, and again Craig is on the hook for two sequels.[/*]
[/list]
[list=*]
[*]Cowboys v. Aliens, great cast with the Iron Man director and targeted for a summer release, also will be surprised if that one doesn't do good at the BO, and again Craig is contracted for sequels.[/*]
[/list]
Counting Bond that's 4 big-ticket franchises the guy's involved in, not even Connery in the 60s had this much play in Hollywood. Craig is the face of Bond right now, which grosses half a billion a pop. You might not think he's BO gold, but apparently lots of very big producer types do.
So yeah, EON could release 23 whenever and make a killing. IMHO. But also agree they go November again, cuz it ain't broken. Just think the notion of EON being scared is pretty silly, considering.
None of those up-coming films you mentioned are long established film franchises you pointed out. Even if they were, it still dosen't prove Daniel Craig could be a box office draw on his own. He would have to star in a film with him being the biggest name that has no major past history.
But again, no Bond actor - not Connery, Lazenby, Moore, Dalton or Brosnan - whilst still in the role, had this kinda play in Hollywood, it's really unprecedented. And riffing on the "unlikely" aspect of it, spy action films are kinda vogue these days the way they haven't been since at least the 70s, that Craig/Bond can capture so much of a very crowded market also says a lot IMO.
Agreed.
Craig has indeed set a presecedent but to see if he could truly stand out on his own, we'd have to see him in successive one shot pictures. We can never tell, he could be the next Harrison Ford and at least have some successful one shots under his belt.
That said, Craig will still be appealing as Bond I'm sure, but even better to strike when the iron was hot not wait until everything has moved on a bit.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
He's getting work for sure with noted directors but he hasn't recieved his name above a title yet nor has he proven to be a box office draw on his own.
I didn't know that about Defiance.
The way I see it is if Craig participates in another major franchise, he may yet become an attraction on his own afterwards.
A fine film, IMO.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Roger Moore 1927-2017