Michael G Wilson, Leary, Ireland & More

Dark Horizons has posted up this news from ‘NeoRangorn’ which we must say we cannot authenticate, still it makes an interesting read:

“I recently had a small chat with Michael G. Wilson, current producer of the James Bond series. While it was brief, I tried to get what he knew about it out of him. He brought up Brosnan’s interest in having Bond travel to or have the plot centered on Ireland, and said there was an idea being tossed around about an Irish-American gangster who heads a SMERSH/SPECTRE type group, who solely try to go after 007 after he causes a problem to a previous operation of theirs [similar to the villains’ goal in Fleming’s “From Russia With Love”]. He mentioned if this idea is chosen, he (and Barbara Broccoli) have their eyes on Denis Leary to play the part. The casting choice might seem far fetched, but I actually think Leary could pull off a Bond villain. He’s proven he can act, and he’d be a ruthless villain in the style of Robert Davi’s Franz Sanchez. I also quickly asked him about the rumors of Fleming’s Casino Royale being the center of Bond 20 and he said he didn’t think audiences today would go for it.

He could have been screwing with me for all I know, but I was just glad he even talked to me. Not often I stir up the guts to ask someone I recognize something. I don’t think he was lying, but I don’t think it’s sure to happen — he said “one idea being tossed around”, and as proven in the past, the people behind Bond go through numerous ideas. Bond news this early on IS pretty shaky.”

Even if false, it’s still an interesting read.