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 "Michael G. Wilson"

Producers meet with Turkish government: opening of Bond 23 will be set in Istanbul

Sep 28

Posted by M in Bond Girls, Locations, Story | 1 Comment

James Bond 23 producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli have been in meetings with Turkish authorities over the shooting of the new James Bond adventure.

According to James Bond website MI6, production is set to start on location in November and Istanbul will feature in the opening of Bond 23′s story.

Ertugrul Günay, Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister, told the media:

“The opening scenes are planned to be filmed in Istanbul, but some other places will also be used outside Istanbul for the film. Such is the appeal of the series that many of the locations where Bond films have been filmed in the past have continued to attract Bond fans to visit many years down the line. The fact that the opening scene of the film will be made in Turkey will contribute to Turkish tourism. The ministry has been providing big support to the film sector for five years. We have made a concerted effort in the past five years to support the film sector and our aim continues to be to welcome international film crews to our country for filming.

Other locations are expected to include South Africa and London. Casting is underway and looking to Turkey for one or more Bond girls.

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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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Creative differences to delay James Bond 23 further?

Aug 6

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

By now Bond fans will be familiar with the hiatus on Bond 23, largely due to the MGM financial position. However, in this article by Steven Zeitchik, of the Los Angeles Times, it seems it might be more than money preventing Bond from moving forward… agreement on a shooting script might also threaten a swift recommencement of production.

The LA times published the following:

The secrecy valued by EON scares off most public comment on the film’s status, but sources familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity say that creative discussions among the writers and producers have also hampered the process.

Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes worked on the script last spring, the sources said, polishing the contributions of Frost/Nixon screenwriter Peter Morgan. Morgan, in turn, had rewritten parts of an earlier screenplay by Bond veterans Neal Purvis and Robert Wade.

EON has typically developed a script to a point of their satisfaction before sending it to the studio that will finance and distribute the given film (a pairing of MGM and Sony Pictures for the past two films). That has yet to happen with the new Bond, which is to be financed and distributed by MGM.

The creative issues around the new Bond are notable because it means that even if MGM’s financial wrinkles were ironed out — in the form of a potential Time Warner acquisition of MGM, a corporate link-up with Spyglass or Summit Entertainment or, perhaps, the arrival of a white-knight outside financier for Bond — it would mean the movie would still not be ready to go. And by the time it was, it could run into actor scheduling issues, extending an already long layoff.

…

The exact script issues on the new Bond remain shrouded in mystery, but the difficulties aren’t entirely surprising given the abundance of top creators and a franchise with ever-more complex mythology. Moreover, the new Bond film has always been framed as the third in the trilogy that began with “Casino Royale.” And with the need to wrap up many dangling plot lines — in this case, Bond’s quest for resolution after the death of romantic interest Vesper Lynd, among others — the third movie in a trilogy is typically hardest to lock down.

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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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Producer Michael G. Wilson Admits MGM’s Future & James Bond 23 Status is ‘uncertain’

Jan 3

Posted by M in Pre-Production, Producers, Rumors | 3 Comments

Fans will no doubt be aware that MGM has been facing financial issues and has made a move to take bids on long-serving big cat. Not only does MGM hold the back catalogue of James Bond films but other big franchises, including The Hobbit and Pink Panther are awaiting stability. For Bond, this means that we cannot realistically expect a new film until 2011.

Today co-producer of the James Bond movies, Michael G. Wilson was quoted by the Express to say that even the Bond-makers are uncertain about their distributor’s movements. “We just don’t know enough about the situation to comment but we know it’s uncertain,” said Wilson.

UPDATE: According to James Bond site MI6, the full quote, as given to Total Film Magazine (UK) was “Well, our timeline’s a little up in the air what with the situation at MGM, so we have to be flexible. We just don’t know enough about the situation to comment, but we know it’s uncertain.”

Additionally, the story carried the claim that pre-production on James Bond 23 had been halted with no time periods specified and the Express appears to fear for 007′s life, claiming “the future of the Bond franchise hangs in the balance”.

This may be a somewhat sensationalized version of the truth, and while James Bond will have to ride out this ‘limbo’ period, so far all pointers indicate that Bond 23 will proceed much as expected with shooting beginning towards the end of this year and a release in 2011.

Bond fans, don’t panic!

On the writing and pre-production process Michael Wilson was also quoted to have said: “I think we’re at the stage where a lot of ideas are floating around that sound very good, but whether they make the final cut, who knows?”

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