Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: James Bond

  • ‘007’ Producers Won’t Look for a New James Bond Before 2022

    ‘007’ Producers Won’t Look for a New James Bond Before 2022

    No Time To Die has been faced with quite a delay due to the pandemic. The next entry of Daniel Craig‘s tenure as the secret agent James Bond will end his time with the franchise. Of course, speculation has already started that they may already be seeking the next person to take up the mantle and face the world’s biggest threats. In an interview with BBC Radio 4, producer Barbara Broccoli confirmed that they haven’t actively looked yet and won’t until 2022. She stated that:

    We want Daniel to have his time of celebration. Next year we’ll start thinking about the future.

    As fellow producer Michael G. Wilson pointed out, the next actor to take on the mantle will have to fill some pretty “big shoes.” They also reminisced about tackling Bond’s more emotional life through Craig‘s performance and adding some more complexity to the character through this new iteration. It seems that whoever takes on the mantle will continue to build upon that aspect of the franchise and character.

    007 or James Bond franchise started back in 1953 through the writing of Ian Fleming. It wasn’t until 1962 that the first film by Eon Productions would release titled Dr. No. Wilson and Broccoli‘s era with the franchise started back in 1995 with Pierce Brosnan‘s GoldenEye. The franchise has quite the history and No Time to Die will also mix up the formula by having Lashana Lynch taking over the 007 code number in Bond’s absence. It opens up the possibility of the franchise expanding its search for the next person to hold the title.

    Source: BBC Radio 4 via Deadline

  • Daniel Craig Calls for Hollywood to Create Better Roles for Women, People of Color

    Daniel Craig Calls for Hollywood to Create Better Roles for Women, People of Color

    James Bond has spoken. And he thinks it’s high time there be more opportunity in the film industry. In an interview with Radio Times, British superstar Daniel Craig was asked about the potential of a female performer stepping into his slick shoes and taking over the future of the famed 007 franchise. His answer probably wasn’t what the interviewer expected, with the suave actor stating that women shouldn’t be stepping into that role because they should have one of equal quality of their own. He explained further:

    The answer to that is very simple. There should simply be better parts for women and actors of colour. Why should a woman play James Bond when there should be a part just as good as James Bond, but for a woman?

    Craig is not the first person to suggest this but that hasn’t exactly led to the creation of those roles on a large scale. That being said, the latest film in the Bond franchise, No Time to Die, has perhaps more female influence than any film before it. Actress Lashana Lynch, of Captain Marvel fame, is set to play a large supporting role in the project as a new 007 agent herself. On top of this, comedian and acclaimed writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge was brought on to help craft the film’s script, and fan favorite Ana de Armas will portray the latest addition to a long line of super spy femme fatales.

    Craig even made an additional comment regarding Waller–Bridge’s role in the development of No Time to Die in relation to the initial question:

    She’s got devilish humour. Her influence permeates a lot of this film. She walked that fantastic line of keeping it as a thriller and being very funny. But Phoebe didn’t come in to change Bond. She came in to spice it up for sure, but she’s a Bond fan – she wasn’t about to take him in a different direction.

    Hopefully, we’ll know more about this topic when the twenty-fifth film in the James Bond franchise drops on October 8, 2021.

    Source: Radio Times

  • ‘NO TIME TO DIE’ Final Trailer Uploaded Early on YouTube

    ‘NO TIME TO DIE’ Final Trailer Uploaded Early on YouTube

    Many films were faced with quite a few delays since the pandemic hit the world back in 2020. Among them was the next entry in the James Bond 007 franchise featuring Daniel Craig in the titular role. No Time to Die is eyeing an October 8th release and it looks like the trailer has accidentally gotten released early on YouTube, as it is currently not listed but available in the official James Bond 007 YouTube’s trailer playlist. You can check out the final trailer for the upcoming film here:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JUyLgwrC4Y&list=PLroUsGOhJjhJB1sG1cZDDzDZOJs7rbeTd

    The footage includes some iconic moments from his previous films and highlights every mission he has gone through. It seems to highlight that the upcoming entry will be the grand finale for Craig‘s time as the iconic UK agent. At least, the trailer is trying to sell it like it was the Avengers: Endgame of the franchise. What continues to stand out with the latest entry is the action. We get a bit more from the car stunt that was teased in earlier trailers as well as glimpses of the various weaponry that he’ll fall back on. He even is working alongside Lashana Lynch‘s 007, who took over the title in his absence.

    It’s not uncommon for trailers to get uploaded ahead of their release, but it’s curious that it’s set as unlisted. The official Twitter account did share a special sneak peak focused on the Aston Martin. So, it may have been to kick off today’s final trailer release but was accidentally available when you access the playlist.

    Source: YouTube

  • Amazon Buying MGM Studios to Further Expand Streaming Service

    Amazon Buying MGM Studios to Further Expand Streaming Service

    Amazon continues to expand into the film industry by purchasing long-standing MGM Studios for $8.45 billion. This marks the companies second-largest acquisition since Whole Foods in 2017. The move was already teased around a week ago, but now they made the move to continue their rapid expansion into streaming and the entertainment industry. They aim to leverage MGM’s filmography of 4,000 films and 17,000 TV shows. Senior Vice President of Prime Video and Amazon Studios, Mike Hopkins, gave the following statement:

    The real financial value behind this deal is the treasure trove of IP in the deep catalog that we plan to reimagine and develop together with MGM’s talented team. It’s very exciting and provides so many opportunities for high-quality storytelling.

    Amazon has been investing quite a bit to strengthen its hold in the streaming market to keep up with competitors Netflix and Disney. It’s becoming quite a competitive market, especially with AT&T’s move to combining WarnerMedia with Discovery also enhancing their move forwards with HBO Max. It also aligns with the recent revelation that their new Lord of the Rings series costs a whopping $465 million to produce, which is one of the most costly television shows ever produced. They also expanded through NFL deals to broadcast Thursday Night Football. Their flywheel effect remains their main focus to expand Prime subscribers. Not only would it bolster their streaming offering, but also further supports new purchases directly in the eCommerce offerings of the site. It will be interesting to see what other purchases they have planned in the near future if they continue down this path.

    Source: CNBC

  • ‘NO TIME TO DIE’ Delayed Once Again

    ‘NO TIME TO DIE’ Delayed Once Again

     

    Another day, another major release pushed back.

    Universal has rescheduled the opening of their upcoming James Bond flick, No Time To Die, for October 8, 2021. This means you won’t be able to see Daniel Craig and new co-star, Ana de Armas, kicking undercover butt for another six months past the previous release date, April 2nd.

     

    The film is no stranGoogle search history of a writer - Part 1 — Lloyd Edwards - Author of Fantasy & Science Fictionger to skipping out on release, as this change-up from MGM and Universal marks the tentpole picture’s third shift. The project was originally scheduled to drop in April of 2020, before jumping to November of that year, and then the aforementioned April 2021. The new date puts the film in direct competition with Sony’s Morbius, the latest offering from their stable of Spider-Man spin-offs, as well as Halloween Kills, the next major film in Miramax’s iconic horror franchise.

    The story, which was directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, is set to be the last Bond adventure for star Craig, who has held the role since 2006’s Casino Royale. He will be joined in his return by franchise veterans Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Ralph Fiennes, and Naomi Harris. Newcomers to the Bond universe will include Rami Malek, the previously mentioned de Armas, and Lashana Lynch as the newest incarnation of the 007 moniker.

    Lynch is perhaps best known for her starring role in Marvel’s Captain Marvel as Maria Rambeau, the mother of Wandavision‘s Monica Rambeau and Carol Danvers’ best friend. Malek, on the other hand, recently won an Oscar for Best Actor, and will be using his acting chops to portray the film’s main antagonist.

  • Patreon Preview: James Bond

    Patreon Preview: James Bond

    Every now and then, I come across some information that I share just with my Patrons. With the betting line on the next James Bond finding its way into the news, I thought it might be a good time to share some rumblings I first shared with my Beyonders back in mid-November, 2020. This info found its way to the UK Express just a few days later. At the time, word had begun to circulate the Tom Hardy had landed the role. A new source reached out to me and shared some info to the contrary. What follows is just a cut and paste from that November Patreon post, with no edits or exclusions.

    What I Heard This Week: James Bond

    Unfortunately, I have taken a lot of grief about these types of posts in the past. Unfortunate because often times, they turn out to be true or partially true. It’s the nature of these rumors, because until I can verify them with other sources that is all they are and all they have ever been, that some will be untrue. People just don’t seem to be able to handle that, so I’ve decided that WIHTW pieces will be exclusives to Patreon from now on and I am starting off with a doozy.

    This obviously isn’t my usual jam, but when you get some good information about one of the world’s most popular franchises, you go ahead and run with it.

    We know Craig’s done with the 007 role and we also know that Bond isn’t. With that said, here are 2 interesting rumors that came my way.

    1. Even with the release date for No Time To Die in flux, the EARLIEST stages of work have begun on the next Bond film. Everyone fell in love with Cary Fukunaga and they’ve publicly expressed that they hope to bring him back. I’ve been told they have extended an offer to him to helm the next installment.

    2. While we’ve heard all sorts of rumors about who might be the next Bond, I was told just the other day that the producers are open to exploring some really interesting options. One possible route is to take Bond down a totally different route by bringing in someone MUCH younger than anyone we’ve seen so far. Craig was 38 when he took over the role and, I am told that the studio is open to going even younger than that and also willing to look at some unconventional choices. Timothee Chalamet and Robert Pattinson types. Be careful to understand that this does not mean either Chalamet or Pattinson are actually on the list of names they’re exploring but that they are open to actors like them who we might not think would fit the role, much like Pattinson was unexpected as Bruce Wayne.

    That’s it for this one and it is in the very early stages but I think that’s what’s so cool about it. We’ll see how it develops and come back to think about this one again when we know more.

    End preview. Rege-Jean Page certainly meets the criteria for #2. He is 31 years old, he is not Tom Hardy and, to my knowledge, was not famously considered as “the next Bond.” I certainly have no idea if he’ll get the part, but it’s interesting to see that there are still names out there other than Hardy.

  • ‘Hitman’ IO Interactive Working on an Untitled ‘007’ Game

    ‘Hitman’ IO Interactive Working on an Untitled ‘007’ Game

    In case you missed it, the minds behind the latest Hitman trilogy have announced their latest project. It seems like they are going to tackle one of cinema’s most iconic characters, James Bond. The spy extraordinaire’s origin story will take center stage in their upcoming project. The announcement also came alongside a short teaser that shows a transition from their logo into the iconic opening shot we know and love from the franchise.

    https://twitter.com/IOInteractive/status/1329426703186325504

    The project has no name as of now. It currently holds the Project 007 working title. Their website does highlight that the story will be completely original, which will see how James earned his 00 status. It looks like they are also recruiting people to join their team. This project might be very early in development, so do not expect it anytime soon. Something is interesting when you check out their applications, as they have various projects highlighted with who they are looking for. It seems IO is also looking for a Multiplayer Network Programmer, who will be attached to an unannounced project. They could be hiding the fact that this game will include multiplayer, or there is another major project to be announced soon that will be heavily focused on multiplayer.

    IO has built up quite the reputation with their quality releases from the Hitman franchise. The Danish company once was owned by Square Enix before they were able to perform a management buyout to become an independent production company. They were also the ones that created Kane & Lynch during a hiatus from the franchise that put them on the map. IO’s work on that project will certainly come in handy during the development of this brand new game. It is great to see the European company get their hands on such a massive IP, so cannot wait to see what they will be able to do with it.

    Source: Twitter, 007, Career IO

  • New ‘James Bond: No Time To Die’ Trailer Teases Rami Malek’s Villainous Safin

    New ‘James Bond: No Time To Die’ Trailer Teases Rami Malek’s Villainous Safin

    Many films have been delayed this year, way too many to count. Among them was the hotly anticipated return of Daniel Craig as 007. It is tough to imagine that the last trailer was released last year in December. Crazy to think the film was originally going to release back in April. Now we finally got a brand new trailer. After a long hiatus, we get a closer look at what we can expect for James Bond: No Time to Die. The latest trailer teases quite a bit. We get a lot more of this film’s villain played by Rami Malek.

    This trailer certainly is promising a lot more action and stunts. We get some amazing shots of Ana de Armas taking down some bad guys. Lashana Lynch was a great choice as a younger 00 agent that competes with Bond. Once again we are only getting a glimpse at the plot that may unfold once Bond’s returns into action. The most interesting aspect is that this trailer puts more focus on Malek‘s Safin. There are quite a few theories that he may actually be playing a new version of Dr. No. Joseph Wiseman portrayed the character in the first film adaptation of the franchise back in 1962. Also, this isn’t the first time the modern interpretations renamed these iconic characters. Christoph Waltz‘ was given the name Franz Oberhauser before revealing that he was, in fact, Blofeld all along. It will be interesting to see which direction they may head with his character. He already gives a chilling performance in the trailers alone.

    Source: YouTube