James Bond 23 News

James Bond 007 News and Rumors: Skyfall is Bond 23, the new James Bond movie starring Daniel Craig, released November 2012

Dossiers tagged with "MGM"

MGM plans James Bond 23 for November 2012 provided a producing partner can be found

Nov 4

Posted by M in Official Annoucements, Releases | No Comments

The bankrupt studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, who filed a Chapter 11 petition today in Bankruptcy Court, expressed an interest in fast-tracking James Bond and The Hobbit films.

Business news source Bloomberg reports the following:

MGM plans to spend as much as $125 million on operations in the next 15 weeks. MGM said it’s has already spent $20 million to fund production of films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel… New James Bond films may be released every second year starting in November 2012, MGM said. It aims to own 50 percent of Bond 23, due out that year, with an equal partner paying all of the production costs, it said. Later Bond movies would be wholly owned and funded by MGM, the company said.

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MGM/Spyglass deal struck – Industry news debates who will distribute James Bond 23

Oct 30

Posted by M in Official Annoucements, Producers | No Comments

The Big Cat has announced that a creditor vote has lead to the acceptance of the Spyglass plan. Under the scheme MGM will become a “working studio” and no longer a distributor of films.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. (‘MGM’) today announced that the secured lenders voting in the Company’s solicitation process have overwhelmingly approved its proposed plan of reorganization (‘Plan’). MGM will now move expeditiously to implement that Plan, which will dramatically reduce its debt load and put the Company in a strong position to execute its business strategy. MGM is appreciative of the lenders’ support.

This leaves sources such as industry blog Deadline debating who will become the distributor of the new James Bond movie.

Sony Pictures did so for Daniel Craig’s previous two James Bond outings – Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace – but Mike Fleming at Deadline suggests they will not retain the honor for James Bond 23.

Warner brothers and Fox are also in contention but Fleming (no relation to James Bond’s creator as far as we can tell) predicts the honor will go to Paramount because of a “close relationship” between Paramount and Spyglass.

Once the restructuring process commences there is real hope on the horizon for 007.

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Lionsgate make a last-ditch effort to parter with a bankrupt MGM

Oct 13

Posted by M in Producers | No Comments

According to the James Bond website mi6-hq.com the Lionsgate studios made a public plea to James Bond’s studio to consider working with Lionsgate over Spyglass.

Lionsgate, the leading next generation studio, today emphasized the value creation potential of its proposed merger combination with Metro−Goldwyn−Mayer Studios Inc. The Company filed an Amendment to Schedule 14D-9 with the Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday disclosing that it sent an October 11 proposal to MGM regarding a potential business combination between the two companies. Under the terms of the proposal, the combined company would be owned by shareholders of Lionsgate and creditors of MGM.

“This is a unique, once in a lifetime opportunity to create a dynamic, forward-looking studio that unlocks tremendous potential value for Lionsgate’s shareholders and MGM’s various stakeholders,” said Lionsgate Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jon Feltheimer and Vice Chairman Michael Burns. “A Lionsgate merger with MGM is a natural fit that would bring together two of the most powerful libraries in the world, create significant cost savings, consolidate our mutual global channel operations and generate significant incremental revenue and cash flow. It would create a combined entity with enough scale to leverage all of our distribution platforms worldwide.”

Lionsgate noted that it believes that its three largest shareholders, Carl Icahn, MHR Fund Management and Capital Research Global Investors, support the merger proposal.

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Mendes still excited about Bond 23 & EON Productions confident & supportive of MGM

Oct 8

Posted by M in Official Annoucements, Pre-Production | 1 Comment

The movies department of the IGN website spoke to Mr. David Wilson – son of 007 producer Michael Wilson – who has made a brief statement about the status of Bond 23.

EON Productions admits director Sam Mendes (American Beauty) is “hot” and “very excited to do this film”. The Bond producers are “patient and optimistic”. The EON team are estimating shooting will take place next year (2011).

“The script’s been in development for some time. We often start the scripts about a year before pre-production has begun. So the script has been in development but it’s been halted for the time being”

With regards to their commitment to the wobbly MGM Studio, Mr. Wilson says: “We support [MGM] – we’ve had a long relationship for a long time and it’s really important for us to get going again. They just have to sort out their financial issues.”

Meanwhile, MGM has begun a process establishing shareholder votes for a of pre-packaged plan of reorganization.

The plan provides for MGM’s secured lenders to exchange more than $4 billion in outstanding debt.

The deadline for the Company’s secured lenders to vote on the Plan is October 22, 2010.

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Industry news suspects Sam Mendes is rejecting jobs to make way for Bond 23

Sep 14

Posted by M in Crew, Directorial, Pre-Production | 3 Comments

Lionsgate’s new trillogy, beginning with The Hunger Games was seeking a high profile director. Candidates included Sam Mendes, David Slade, Gary Ross.

But… according to industry blog, Deadline, Mendes took himself out of the running.

According to the blogger, Mendes excused himself “because the MGM picture is clearing up and it looks like production on 007 could begin by late summer or early fall, 2011 with Mendes at the helm and Daniel Craig back in the Aston Martin.”

Hope is in sight for Bond fans.

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Hope in sight for Bond 23: Spyglass bosses keen to get their hands on 007

Sep 9

Posted by M in Pre-Production, Producers | No Comments

Spyglass Entertainment have showing lone interest in Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), the studio that have a financial interest in James Bond 23.

Recently reports have surfaced about studio executives Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum signing a non-binding letter of intent to take over the running of MGM. The big cat’s resources would be in the hands of the new studio and another distributor may be brought in to distribute future MGM/Spyglass features.

“MGM would need a large cash infusion to fund production of new movies including a planned James Bond sequel and two films based on The Hobbit to be co-financed with Warner Bros,” predicted The LA Times.

Despite the much needed, but yet un-sourced, cash injection that it would take to get James Bond 007 back on his feet, it is undeniably good news for James Bond fans. The 007 franchise, along with the Pink Panther and Hobbit properties must be one of the biggest attraction for the Spyglass executives.

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Summit Entertainment loses interest in MGM deal, Spyglass the only party left

Sep 4

Posted by M in Producers, Rumors | No Comments

As James Bond fans the world over will be aware, the production team of the upcoming James Bond film, Bond 23, is patiently awaiting the resolution of MGM’s bailout or bankruptcy.

Recently, Deadline reported that Summit Entertainment has ‘walked away’ from any involvement.

“Summit is pulling out because the process has gone on way too long and it’s become a distraction for the business,” a source told the film industry blog.

MGM still have a ray of hope in Spyglass – the sole interested party. If MGM get their way, Spyglass would take over the marketing and distribution of all MGM’s projects, leaving the big cat able to produce films for distribution by Spyglass.

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Doom & gloom in the presses as reporters debate the future of Bond 23

Aug 6

Posted by M in Op-eds, Rumors, Tabloid Taff | 1 Comment

We always hear “It’s not over until its over”, but the cover designers of Entertainment Weekly clearly do not live by this motto.

The filmic magazine has plastered their cover with a headline that reads: “GOODBYE MR. BOND”. But as readers of Bond23.net and any Bond fan will tell you, 007 may be stalled but his story certainly is not over.

The sensationalized story tells us that we wont see James Bond 23 for years to come, not just because of MGM’s troubles but because of Daniel Craig’s recent acceptance of a role in the Hollywood adaptation of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

It will likely be years before 007 returns to the screen, thanks to money troubles at MGM, Bond’s longtime studio, which has been up for sale since November. Even Daniel Craig seems to have moved on, signing up for the lead in a different potential franchise,The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The last time the Bond series was put on this sort of “indefinite” hold was back in the early 1990s, after a series of legal battles (and Timothy Dalton) nearly wrecked the series. It took six years to get it up and running again.

“No franchise can afford to be away from screens for that long anymore,” says an EW source but Bond fans will recall the events that lead to the chasm between Licence To Kill and GoldenEye and the long but ultimately satisfying wait between Bond 20 – Die Another Day – and Daniel Craig’s debut in Casino Royale.

As much as we reject this sensational story and others like it, we at Bond23.net believe that they their headline is right on one count… it will and has been a battle to save Bond, but one the production companies – even MGM should it survive – will be implicitly stronger for winning.

One thing is for sure, James Bond on your front cover seems to be a sure way to sell magazines.

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James Bond producers voice opinions in the MGM sale scenario

Jul 27

Posted by M in Actors, Producers, Rumors | No Comments

Barbara Broccoli, co-producer of the James Bond films, has voiced an opinion on how MGM should proceed – or at least according to sources. As Bond fans will recall, MGM’s financial position hangs in the balance with many debt extensions granted by the share holders in the hopes that the big cat’s administrators can get the company back on track and salable.

Now, the Bond producers (who have been, on the whole, silent on this issue to date) are reportedly hoping that Time Warner buy MGM (who own a share of 007). Without a cash injection, such that would come with the purchase of MGM, the EON/MGM Bond producing partnership’s days may be numbered.

Big film names including Spyglass Entertainment, Summit Entertainment and Lionsgate are all in the hunt for MGM, provided the price is right.

At the Blood Stone launch event Michael G. Wilson cheekily mentioned that he wished he was launching a Bond movie.

Daniel Craig bonding with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

In related news, Mr. Craig (current James Bond actor) has accepted a lead role in the Hollywood recreation of Stieg Larsson’s popular book.

Some Bond fans are concerned at this point that Craig’s role in the film may leave him unavailable for 007. The key issue will be to resolve one challenge at a time – and Craig is more than entitled to seek roles whilst he can.

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Bond 23 producer Michael Wilson confident of bringing Bond back to the cinemas soon

Jul 16

Posted by M in Official Annoucements, Producers | No Comments

Whilst attending the press conference for James Bond’s new video game Blood Stone, one half of the brother/sister producing partnership behind the Bond films, Michael G. Wilson announced the he was positive Bond would be back in the cinemas, sooner rather than later.

This should help quell some panic that hit the tabloids earlier in the month, suggesting that 007 was axed. Bond 23 has been put on hold until MGM and its financiers can resolve their debts, either through bankruptcy or bailout.

Both Barbara [Brocolli] and I are convinced that we’ll be bringing you another Bond film soon

This was the sentiment from Mr Wilson that greeted Bond fans as the producer appeared to announce James Bond’s newest videogame adventure – shaping up to be inspired by EA’s successful Everything or Nothing with its fast driving interludes and a healthy mixture of stealth and stunts.

MGM administrators currently have breathing space until September 2010 to find funding for itself.

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