The acclaimed screenwriter Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon, The Queen) spoke to Coming Soon about his work on his newest film – the Clint Eastwood directed Hereafter.

Whilst speaking with Morgan, the team over at Coming Soon could not resist dropping in a Bond 23 question.

Fans will recall that Morgan spent a few months in the second half of 2009 working on a script for the now-delayed James Bond 23 and told reporters in Austria (his new family home) that it would be a shocking story.

Now the only shock for fans is that even less work on the draft was done than anticipated.

The screenwriter revealed that he did not even turn in a draft of the new 007 movie script:

I hadn’t gotten that far. I was working on an outline when they said, “We’re going to have to stop this process now,” and when it came to the point where I was going to commit to doing the Freddie Mercury film, I sort of discussed with my reps that it would probably take me out of all consideration and that’s what’s happened, and I wish them the best.

Now attached to several other projects, it looks like the respected screenwriter will not be returning to the James Bond family any time soon.

About Skyfall – James Bond 23 (2012)

The new Bond movie will star Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Berenice Marlohe, Albert Finney and Judi Dench, produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. The 007 screenplay will be written by regular James Bond scribes Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, working with John Logan (Gladiator & The Last Samurai). Director of American Beauty and Road To Perdition, Sam Mendes will be directing the new James Bond movie. MGM and Sony Pictures Entertainment in a joint statement on 2nd June 2011 announced that “Bond 23″ will go on release in the UK on Friday, 26th October, 2012 and in the USA on 9th November 2012. The first major announcement from EON Productions and Sony Pictures came on 3rd November 2011 in London when the principle cast was announced, along with a rough plot line. In Skyfall, Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.