Mendes is coming back for Bond 24

Gala Brand · May 2013

Well, at least according to this article.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/05/sam-mendes-back-in-the-picture-to-direct-next-james-bond-film/

Le Samourai · May 2013

Actually, the article says Mendes is in talks to helm Bond 24. Nothing appears to be final.

Gala Brand · May 2013

Le Samourai wrote:

Actually, the article says Mendes is in talks to helm Bond 24. Nothing appears to be final.

"While Mendes looked doubtful, a bunch of names have been floated in the press, from Ang Lee to Nicolas Winding Refn and Christopher Nolan. I’m not sure there is much validity to any of them, but now it is a moot point, because Mendes will be the director of the next Bond."

That's pretty definitive. But who knows. Maybe they'll give Marc Forster another shot.

)

Le Samourai · May 2013

Gala Brand wrote:

Le Samourai wrote:

Actually, the article says Mendes is in talks to helm Bond 24. Nothing appears to be final.

"While Mendes looked doubtful, a bunch of names have been floated in the press, from Ang Lee to Nicolas Winding Refn and Christopher Nolan. I’m not sure there is much validity to any of them, but now it is a moot point, because Mendes will be the director of the next Bond."

That's pretty definitive. But who knows. Maybe they'll give Marc Forster another shot. )

This reads like editorializing by the writer, Michael Fleming, Jr. (Incidentally, I am not impressed with the quality of writing in this piece. It's awful. The "While Mendes looked doubtful..." sentence is a perfect example of why editors are still needed in this world.)

Also, the last line of the article reads "Neither MGM nor Sony would comment." Until I hear something official, I won't consider anything final.

And I would love to see Marc Forster return.

zaphod · May 2013

I really hope it's not true, if it is it will mean inevitable further delay to accommodate him, and equally inevitable more back story...Mendes is unlikely to resist incorporating the death of Bond's parents and more psychobabble.Also DC is not getting any younger...

ZorinIndustries · May 2013

I thought Mendes did a fantastic job with SF, but is it worth the wait?

Absolutely not. Craig's not getting any younger and this generation expects a lot from 007. Once he's off the screen for four years, people get extremely anxious. That is if they haven't forgotten about Bond by then.

Moore Than · May 2013

According to Baz Bamigboye of the Mail, it is pretty much a done deal. The Bond producers have told Mendes they will wait until all his current commitments are out of the way. Mendes is the one they and Daniel Craig want to direct Bond 24, and it appears he has at least unofficially agreed.

Mendes is back:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2332454/Sam-Mendes-dramatically-decides-return-director-James-Bond-movie-initially-refusing-offer.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Thunderpussy · May 2013

On the one hand it's good news I like Mendes as a director. On the Other
We'll have another long wait for the next film.

I'd hoped they've
gotten their act together and get back to a two year turn around. It would
seem three or even four years between films will be the norm. At this rate you
could have a different actor for each new film.

)

Thunderpussy · May 2013

Just found this likt to the same story.
http://www.deadline.com/2013/05/sam-mendes-back-in-the-picture-to-direct-next-james-bond-film/

Recently, he and the producers got back in touch. While Mendes’ first love is theater, it became clear that the producers wanted him and he wanted to return, and the only thing standing in the way were these stage commitments that Mendes felt obligated to do. So, they’ve decided to wait for him to work through those other commitments, and he’s now making a deal to start production probably next year. What’s the hurry? Craig doesn’t seem to have aged since he took the Bond role; he’s always in rocking shape. While Mendes looked doubtful, a bunch of names have been floated in the press, from Ang Lee to Nicolas Winding Refn and Christopher Nolan. I’m not sure there is much validity to any of them, but now it is a moot point, because Mendes will be the director of the next Bond. A Mendes return should tickle the 007 crowd. Like Craig’s first outing Casino Royale, Skyfall scratched beneath the stone killer/lover Bond facade with an intelligent spy story that provided a sense of how the agent became that cold ruthless agent. Audiences responded in both cases. Neither MGM nor Sony would comment.

007 · May 2013

It would be good if they shot 24 and 25 back to back if they're going to wait for Mendes!

And personally I think Marc Forster did a decent job...I think the QoS script and editing wasn't very good.

Jarvio · May 2013

Argh! If they want Mendes so bad then why can't they get him to direct bond 25? And get someone else to direct bond 24 before then? Otherwise it will be yet another long, long wait 'til the next bond film. And yes, DC isn't getting any younger

zaphod · May 2013

The only silver lining here is that if we have to wait that long surely it will have to be Daniel's last as he will be pushing 50 by then. Before all the Danaholics get all bent out of shape this is not a bash at him as much as a desire not to get into another geriatric Bond situation.

Jarvio · May 2013

zaphod wrote:

The only silver lining here is that if we have to wait that long surely it will have to be Daniel's last as he will be pushing 50 by then. Before all the Danaholics get all bent out of shape this is not a bash at him as much as a desire not to get into another geriatric Bond situation.

No silver lining for me - I wanted Craig to do 5. Notice how I say wanted instead of want - that's to signify that I've lost hope.

The producers, or whoever it is, seem very deluded. What is the point in waiting years for one director when there are many great directors out there who want to start on bond 24 now?

Gala Brand · May 2013

I never thought we'd see Bond 24 in 2014. It's too much to get an original script (that's any good!) and do all the pre-production in a year so as to leave a year for filming and post-production.

I don't see any reason why Mendes can't be ready about a year from now. The script should be polished and ready to go and some of the pre-production finished and that would leave Mendes six months to get ready for filming.

Thunderpussy · May 2013

I wonder did the success of Skyfall. Frighten off
other directors ?

Blackleiter · May 2013

Jarvio wrote:

No silver lining for me - I wanted Craig to do 5.

Same here.

Thunderpussy · May 2013

With the length of time between films, 4 is all any
new actor can expect to do. Unless they hire some
teenager. :-)

walther p99 · May 2013

I guess they threw enough money at him to reconsider doing it and the hiatus between films will possibly rekindle the flame to make another one, but other then more money, there's really nowhere for him to go but down, because the expectations have been set so high by Skyfall.

Charmed & Dangerous · May 2013

Well the full length article in tonight's Evening Standard is entirely attributed to "a source close to the Oscar-winning Director"... and we know how reliable some sources can be.

The fat lady hasn't sung so we may yet see a Bond in late 2014...

Kent007 · May 2013

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2013/may/29/sam-mendes-james-bond-director?CMP=twt_fd

A good article about why they should wait for Mendes.
If it was only a short wait then I'd be more for the idea but I think that the buzz from Skyfall was/is so massive that to build on it they need to act swiftly. However, to build on it effectively it would be better to stick with the winning formula and also I'd rather it be a quality film than be churned out quickly.

zaphod · May 2013

Jarvio wrote:

zaphod wrote:

The only silver lining here is that if we have to wait that long surely it will have to be Daniel's last as he will be pushing 50 by then. Before all the Danaholics get all bent out of shape this is not a bash at him as much as a desire not to get into another geriatric Bond situation.

No silver lining for me - I wanted Craig to do 5. Notice how I say wanted instead of want - that's to signify that I've lost hope.

The producers, or whoever it is, seem very deluded. What is the point in waiting years for one director when there are many great directors out there who want to start on bond 24 now?

As I said this for me is just that I don't want an old Bond unless it's the final mission of a Bond at the end of his career, that would be fantastic and I'm sure DC would do a great Job. We could then re-boot all over again with an early to mid 30's Bond. I think the days of any actor doing five films may have disappeared due to the increasing gaps in production.

zaphod · May 2013

Gala Brand wrote:

I never thought we'd see Bond 24 in 2014. It's too much to get an original script (that's any good!) and do all the pre-production in a year so as to leave a year for filming and post-production.

I don't see any reason why Mendes can't be ready about a year from now. The script should be polished and ready to go and some of the pre-production finished and that would leave Mendes six months to get ready for filming.

They could do as they used to and have a script in production for the next movie while shooting.
Three years maximum seems like an achievable timeline without compromising quality. The potential gap here is so long that even I may get bored waiting and as for the general audience who knows...

Napoleon Plural · May 2013

Well, at least we'll know what we're getting and can decide whether or not to give it the body swerve.

Alec 006 · May 2013

Thunderpussy · June 2013

Came across this story,
http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/JoshWildingNewsAndReviews/news/?a=80621#QjfCxj7LuO2CKGrT.99

Sam Mendes Reportedly Locked In For JAMES BOND 24; Will Likely Return For 25 As Well

Following reports earlier this week that Sam Mendes will return for the 24th instalment in the James Bond franchise, it has now reportedly been confirmed that he will helm both the follow-up to Skyfall AND the movie after it. Read on for details!

Charmed & Dangerous · June 2013

Alec 006 wrote:

Doing Charlie?

)

welshboy78 · June 2013

Hope its not true, would like to see someone else get a shot

screename · June 2013

Really I have no problem with Mendes as a director. My problem is that they're so stuck on him that they'll delay another four years just to have him. Eon should know that to keep churning out these films every two years they can't have shared production teams. When one pre-production ends they bring in the next production team to start the film. Maybe you can have shared directors two films in a row, but script writers etc. can't be shared. There's no time for it. I just hope it's a classic Bond on a mission story and not (a) a origin story, Casino Royale even though it is my favorite. (b) a revenge story, Quantum. or (c) Bond becoming Bond again. Can't he just already be Bond and stay Bond through the whole film? Is that too much to ask!

HowardB · June 2013

If it really is Mendes at the helm again I am sure that there has been some compromise by both parties. EON has probably agreed to pay Mendes a ton of money and Mendes has probably agreed to shorten his direct involvement in his theater projects.
What I mean re "direct involvement" is he could cut short his directing and have someone else take over...not unprecedented in theater. I'm guessing what has been deemed an "acceptable" gap in films by EON is 3 years. Another part of the "deal" could also be that Mendes make himself available to ensure only a two year gap between 24 and 25. Truth be told, "money talks and B.S. walks". Cubby got Connery back for DAF, Barb and Mike may have gotten Mendes back for 24.

Gala Brand · June 2013

HowardB wrote:

If it really is Mendes at the helm again I am sure that there has been some compromise by both parties. EON has probably agreed to pay Mendes a ton of money and Mendes has probably agreed to shorten his direct involvement in his theater projects.
What I mean re "direct involvement" is he could cut short his directing and have someone else take over...not unprecedented in theater. I'm guessing what has been deemed an "acceptable" gap in films by EON is 3 years. Another part of the "deal" could also be that Mendes make himself available to ensure only a two year gap between 24 and 25. Truth be told, "money talks and B.S. walks". Cubby got Connery back for DAF, Barb and Mike may have gotten Mendes back for 24.

The rumor is that Logan has finished his script. I'm guessing that Mendes has read the script and feels that he can make a good movie out of it. If the script was poor, I doubt that he would get involved.

HowardB · June 2013

"The rumor is that Logan has finished his script. I'm guessing that Mendes has read the script and feels that he can make a good movie out of it. If the script was poor, I doubt that he would get involved"

Well, Logan is Mendes' guy and I wouldn't be surprised if part of the deal was getting Roger Deakins back on board. I'm sure any deal that EON has given Mendes is incredibly lucrative; I wonder if they also agreed to bankroll some future stage and film projects for Mendes? Maybe a screen adaptation of EON's stage play w/ Craig and Hugh Jackmen "A Steady Rain"?

Mendes is coming back for Bond 24

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