New James Bond movie coming to theaters next year -- and another maybe not long after that
James Bond fans holding their breath about the fate of the superspy franchise can exhale a little. MGM and Sony have announced a deal under which the companies will co-finance and release the next two Bond pictures.
After numerous false starts, the deal will return Daniel Craig to the screen as the suave if tortured hero on Nov. 9, 2012. (Sam Mendes will direct the new picture, which could also star Javier Bardem in the villain role.) As my Company Town colleagues report, the two companies will share financing costs, and Sony will release the movie in all but a few select worldwide territories; MGM will release the film in the remaining territories.
A second film, known informally as Bond 24, will also fall under the new deal. Details of that are still a ways off, though the deal announced Wednesday offers hope that there will be fewer snags and delays than have afflicted Bond 23. MGM financial issues and other obstacles have led to a long gap between films; there has been no new Bond movie since "Quantum of Solace" was released in 2008.
With the new deal, there is, however, an embarrassment-of-riches question. Sony is also behind "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" adaptation, which also stars Craig. If that movie, directed by David Fincher, takes off, a franchise could be in the offing with Stieg Larsson's other Millennium Trilogy tomes. That would require that Craig, Sony and MGM choose between prioritizing Bond 24 and the second film in the Larsson trilogy.
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The James Bond musings churn on
-- Steven Zeitchik
Photo: Daniel Craig as James Bond in "Casino Royale." Credit: MGM
Why don't they just clone Daniel Craig!? (Is that the sound of women cheering?) ;-)
Posted by: David Braybrooke | 04/15/2011 at 10:41 PM
Craig already kill Bond twice. He will kill the Swedish girl too.
Posted by: Paul Sven | 04/16/2011 at 03:28 PM
I think Christian Bale should be the next Bond.
Posted by: Roger C. | 05/11/2011 at 04:06 PM
Since Bale's from the UK (wales), he could be a new bond. Clive Owen maybe :-?
Craig's an awesome Bond IMO. He doesnt have the humour bits and one-liners his predecessors had. The first half-hours of both Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace did it for dnmy money. I look forward to another Craig-as-Bond
Posted by: Nish | 05/13/2011 at 09:10 AM
How about Alex O'Lauchlin as James Bond? He is great as McGarrett on Hawaii Five 0.
Posted by: sara smile | 05/29/2011 at 05:53 AM