Eon Productions decision to suspend production on the latest James Bond film recalls the darkest period in the franchise’s history. Back in the early 1990’s a series of lawsuits forced the Bond franchise into a 6-year hiatus. This effectively ended Timothy Dalton’s tenure as James Bond. MGM’s precarious financial situation may have put the franchise back in jeopardy.
Eon Productions Suspend Bond 23
Eon released the following joint statement on Tuesday 20th April from producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
“Due to the continuing uncertainty surrounding the future of MGM and the failure to close a sale of the studio, we have suspended development on ‘Bond 23’ indefinitely. We do not know when development will resume and do not have a date for the release of ‘Bond 23’”
Production had been going well with Peter Morgan (The Queen) writing the screenplay and Sam Mendes being courted as a director. Daniel Craig would make his third appearance as James Bond after excelling in Casino Royale (Martin Campbell 2006) and the underrated Quantum of Solace (2008 Marc Forster).
MGM’s Financial Problems
MGM has been up for sale since last year. Its debts add up to around $4 billion. A rumoured bid from Lionsgate failed to materialise and Warner Brothers fell short of MGM’s valuation. The Bond movies are MGM’s most profitable franchise but the cash-strapped studio cannot afford to produce a new one in its current condition. Sony has a history of co-distibuting James Bond films but has not expressed any interest in buying MGM.
Eon’s previous falling out with MGM ended in a six-year hiatus between Licence to Kill (John Glen 1989)and Goldeneye (1995). During that period Eon also faced a lawsuit from long-time adversary Kevin McCrory over the rights to the James Bond franchise. Audiences are willing to wait an extra year or two between Bond films but not for six.
Timothy Dalton and Daniel Craig as James Bond
As the dispute carried on Timothy Dalton’s days as Bond were numbered. When Eon was given the go-ahead to make Goldeneye they were essentially kick-starting the franchise. This meant bringing in a new leading man. Dalton was wrongly blamed by many for the Bond franchise being put on hold for six years.
There are worrying echoes between now and then. Like Dalton, Craig has appeared in two Bond films, both of which have taken a serious approach to 007. Now his time as Bond has been interrupted by studio politics and if this becomes an enforced layoff audiences may well have seen the premature end of Daniel Craig’s time as James Bond.
Kevin Sturton - Kevin is a graduate of the 2005 Post-Grad course in Film Journalism run by the BFI and writes mainly about film.
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