Time Out's open letter to Bond 23 scribe Peter Morgan

Following the recent announcement that Peter Morgan would be joining Neal Purvis and Robert Wade to pen the 23rd James Bond film, Time Out London‘s Tom Huddleston has decided to write and open letter to the latest 007 screenwriter.

The letter lays out some friendly dos and don’ts regarding how to create a successful Bond 23, such as giving the characters room to breathe, respecting the audience and not blatantly copying the Jason Bourne series.

Dear Peter,

While we at Time Out are thrilled that you, one of our country’s most talented and inquiring screenwriters, have accepted the challenge of penning the next James Bond movie, there are a few salient points we feel you might like to keep in mind while writing what will inevitably become one of 2011’s most important and, we hope, enjoyable movies. We trust you accept our advice in the friendly spirit with which it’s intended…

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Do you agree with the points they make? Feel free to offer your own suggestions here on the CommanderBond.net Forums.

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Neal Purvis, Robert Wade And Peter Morgan To Write 'Bond 23'

The first major Bond 23 news broke today with the announcement of the film’s screenwriting team: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Peter Morgan.

Purvis and Wade are familiar names to the world of James Bond, having written or co-written every James Bond film since 1999’s The World Is Not Enough, as well as the ill-fated Jinx spin-off.

Peter Morgan is the Oscar-nominated writer of such films as The Queen, The Last King of Scotland, and most recently, Frost/Nixon.

Morgan appears to have replaced Paul Haggis, who up until this week was tipped to return, as the film’s critically-acclaimed heavy-hitting scribe.

No shooting start date for Bond 23 has been announced, and all three writers are currently working on other productions.

The full press release follows.

Morgan, Purvis and Wade to work on Bond, James Bond

LOS ANGELES, June 12 – Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli of EON Productions Ltd and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures have today announced that Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon, The Queen), Neal Purvis and Robert Wade (Quantum of Solace, Casino Royale) will be the screenwriters of the 23rd James Bond adventure.

Daniel Craig will reprise his role as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007 in the film, which will be a MGM release of an EON production. Bond 23 is the latest installment in the longest-running franchise in motion picture history and will be produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. A date for the start of production is yet to be confirmed.

“Peter, Neal and Robert are extraordinarily talented and we’re looking forward to working with the three of them,” commented Wilson and Broccoli.

Peter Morgan is the award-winning writer of such films as The Last King of Scotland, The Queen and Frost/Nixon, which was based on his play. He has also scripted the upcoming The Special Relationship for HBO and Hereafter for DreamWorks. He will turn his attention to Bond 23 on completion of these duties. Morgan is represented by UTA (US) and Independent Talent Group (UK).

Since 1991 Neal Purvis and Robert Wade have collaborated on a diverse range of projects including The Italian Job, Johnny English and the past four Bond films. They recently adapted John Le Carre’s The Mission Song and are also working on the upcoming sequel The Brazilian Job. Purvis and Wade are represented by Endeavor (US), Casarotto Ramsay & Associates (UK).

There is still no word on when Bond 23 will hit cinemas, but sources tell Variety that EON and MGM are eyeing a 2011 release.

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Will Paul Haggis Be Back For 'Bond 23'?

A brief paragraph written by The Observer‘s Jason Solomons is stirring up a bit of discussion amongst James Bond fans.

After reporting that Paul Haggis has lined up the tentatively-titled The Next Three Days as his latest project, Solomons mentions that the screenwriter-director is also tipped to ‘feature as script writer’ on the latest 007 film, Bond 23.

So far, details on what will be Daniel Craig’s third time around as Bond are being kept to a strict minimum. In mid-May, CommanderBond.net reported that work had commenced on the film, which is expected to feature an original story. Just yesterday, it was reported that the opium trade in Afghanistan may feature in the film, although Eon Productions refused to issue any comment.

If Haggis does indeed return for Bond 23, this will also be his third 007 adventure, having received screenplay credits for both Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace.

Do you think Haggis should return? Cast your vote in the poll and discuss your opinion here on the CBn Forums.

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Is James Bond Bound For Afghanistan?

According to guardian.co.uk, James Bond may be headed to the Middle East for his next adventure.

The site reports that a former Foreign Office official from the British Embassy in Kabul was recruited by the 007 team to provide technical advice about the country’s lucrative opium trade.

The official has reportedly signed a confidentiality agreement that precludes them from discussing the project.

What might give this report extra credence is the fact that last year’s bestselling centenary novel, Sebastian Faulks’ Devil May Care, was concerned with the opium trade in Persia (now Iran). Bond producers had previously ruled out a Devil May Care adaptation.

Ian Fleming’s 007 short story “Risico”, from the For Your Eyes Only collection, also featured a plot involving the drugs trade.

Eon Productions refused to comment on the Afghanistan reports.

The drug trade in Afghanistan also featured prominently in 1987’s The Living Daylights, starring Timothy Dalton.

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Work On 'Bond 23' Begins

Producer Michael G. Wilson broke the news today that work has begun on Bond 23.

In a very brief interview with The Sun during the Ivor Novello Awards at the Grosvenor House hotel in London last night, the longtime James Bond producer said: ‘We have started work on the new film, which I can’t say anything about. Daniel Craig is very keen to get going.’

While that was all he would reveal about the latest Bond production, Wilson went on to speak about future contenders for 007 themes after Welsh singing sensation Duffy won the PRS Most Performed Work award at the event.

‘I would love to get Duffy to sing the next tune,’ he said. ‘I think she is wonderful. Amy Winehouse would be good too.’

CommanderBond.net readers will recall (here and here) that both singers were contenders for the Quantum of Solace title theme.

With this news that things are finally beginning to get going on Bond 23, it’s safe to assume that further details, reports and all of those fun rumours will soon follow in the future. Keep turning to the CBn main page—and our brand new Twitter feed—for the most up-to-date Bond coverage on the net.

Michael G. Wilson Talks 'Bond 23', His Favourites And More

007 producer Michael G. Wilson recently sat down with the Yorkshire Post to discuss working on the James Bond series, including his personal favourites among other things.

‘Being producer of James Bond is as good as it seems,’ Wilson said in the video interview. ‘In fact it’s better.’

‘There are a lot of other characters like Tarzan, Superman and Batman who have been reinvented over the years, but in terms of a single production entity then yes I guess James Bond is unique. But you know, there has never been a moment when we’ve sat back and thought that’s it, this will run and run. I don’t even believe that now.’

The rather hostile reception to Daniel Craig being announced as the sixth James Bond in October 2005 only cemented the fact that both Bond fans and the general public take a great deal of interest in who will be portraying the British secret agent.

Wilson said: ‘Every time we recast Bond the character ends up being reinvented. It comes with the territory. They are all leading men who are appropriate to a specific time and place and their interpretation inevitably takes the film in a different direction.’

‘He silenced the critics with his performance and now many think he’s one of the best, if not the best Bond ever.’ – Michael G. Wilson on Daniel Craig as 007

‘Roger Moore was certainly a change from Sean Connery,’ he continued, ‘and Timothy Dalton was a departure from Roger. There was a sense when we cast Pierce Brosnan that we were going back to the original vision and not everyone was happy about that.’

‘He may be a fictious character, but 007 has become a matter of public property and the public doesn’t like people messing with their vision of what Bond should be. I sympathise with them. They are our public and we don’t want to let them down.’

‘With Daniel he was pretty much an unknown in the role and I think people couldn’t visualise how he was going to play it. He silenced the critics with his performance and now many think he’s one of the best, if not the best Bond ever.’

Besides the casting issues, Wilson also brought up the point that a strong script is essential in moving forward to making a successful Bond film. After sharing the screenplay credit on five Bond films from 1981’s For Your Eyes Only through 1989’s Licence to Kill, Wilson then concentrated primarily on his producer duties for the following films, starting with 1995’s GoldenEye.

‘At the moment the third Daniel Craig movie is not even a glimmer in its mother’s eye…’ – On Bond 23

‘You can only write for so long and I knew my time would probably be better spent on other things,’ he said. ‘It’s just about impossible to find someone who can take on a whole script individually so instead we have a team of writers which Barbara [Broccoli] and I supervise.’

While he admitted he doesn’t have a favourite amongst the actors who’ve taken on the Bond role over the years, Wilson did admit that he did have his preferences when choosing between their various films.

‘In From Russia With Love and Goldfinger, Sean really established the whole spy genre. George Lazenby may have only done one film, but On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was one of the best Fleming stories. The Spy Who Loved Me with Roger was the first one I really worked full-time on and I think it showed him at his best. Then there’s The Living Daylights for Timothy and GoldenEye was Pierce’s best. Daniel has yet to complete his time as Bond, but at the moment Casino Royale is my favourite of his so far.’

As for what lies ahead for the series, Wilson reaffirmed his previous statements that it may be a while until Bond 23 hits theatres.

‘At the moment the third Daniel Craig movie is not even a glimmer in its mother’s eye,’ he said. ‘Filming Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace back to back took a lot out of time and energy so at the moment we are all just recharging our batteries.’

Keep your browsers locked on the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest breaking news on Bond 23.

Rumour Control: Tony Gilroy Under Consideration For 'Bond 23'?

Today’s Bond 23 rumour comes courtesy of Cinema Blend, where they claim that Tony Gilroy is under consideration for directing Daniel Craig’s next James Bond film.

Citing an unnamed source, Cinema Blend states that Gilroy is currently one of top contenders being considered by 007 producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. The website stresses the fact that he is just one of likely many possibilities since Bond 23 is at such an early stage at the moment.

Gilroy is probably best known for his screenplay credits on all of the three Jason Bourne films. He made his directorial debut in 2007 with the Academy Award-winning Michael Clayton and followed that up with the spy thriller Duplicity, which is currently playing in theatres.

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Michael G. Wilson: No News On 'Bond 23'

Longtime James Bond producer Michael G. Wilson gave a ‘Master Class’ on the making of the 007 films at the Bradford International Film Festival in Bradford, UK and Cinema Retro publishers were lucky enough to attend it and report back on the event.

Taking place in the Cubby Broccoli Theatre of the National Media Museum, Wilson sat down for a one-on-on interview with Tony Earnshaw, Artistic Director of the Museum.

As many Bond fans are well aware, Wilson has been associated with the Bond series through his work on the screenplays, executive producing and from GoldenEye onwards, handling the main producing duties with stepsister Barbara Broccoli.

Following up a montage of the numerous blink-and-you’ll-miss-him cameo appearances he has had in every film since The Spy Who Loved Me, Wilson discussed how he came to work on the films and the controlled chaos that takes place during the production of each new Bond adventure (including Quantum of Solace).

Unfortunately, there was nothing new to report on Bond 23, as Wilson stated that no significant work had taken place on what will be Daniel Craig’s third James Bond film.

Click here to check out the full report.

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Marc Forster Suggests A Lighter And More Humorous 'Bond 23'

As the focus of the James Bond community slowly begins to transition from Quantum of Solace to Bond 23, one key question up for discussion is what kind of direction will this next film take.

Despite turning down the opportunity to return for Daniel Craig’s third 007 film, Quantum of Solace director Marc Forster recently shared a few ideas on how the series should move forward–reports MTV News.

When the set of recent rumours surrounding Bond 23 came up for discussion (including Danny Boyle directing denial), Forster stated that he was a fan of Boyle, but the choice of the next director would be heavily influenced by the script.

‘It really depends on what direction they want to take it,’ he said. ‘For me, I wanted to take it to a harder and darker place, but now that that journey I’ve gone on has succeeded, I feel like the next one can take it to a bit more humorous place again.’

He continued: ‘I feel like next time you should take it in a lighter and more humorous way, maybe add a few more girls and a bit more sex–all that kind of stuff. I think that would be interesting.’

When Daniel Craig was questioned about moving into a lighter tone for his next Bond film last year, he said: ‘Yeah, there’s room for more comedy.’

What direction do you think is most suitable for Bond 23? Voice your opinion here on the CommanderBond.net Forums.

As always, stay tuned to the CBn main page for all the latest breaking news on Bond 23.

'Bond 23' "Gets Rolling" In 2010, Says Daniel Craig

No sooner does Quantum of Solace arrive on Blu-ray and DVD and fans are already discussing when Daniel Craig’s third James Bond film will hit the silver screen.

Craig himself made a brief statement about Bond 23 in Monday’s issue of Metro when he was asked about Dame Judi Dench and her involvement in the 007 series.

He stated: ‘[Dame Judi] is great. I’m sure she will be back when we get rolling again next year.’

Unfortunately, this line still leaves the question regarding Bond 23‘s release date open-ended since when exactly production begins on the film in 2010 will greatly influence the release date.

As reported on CommanderBond.net in 2007, Sony was eyeing a 2010 release date for Craig’s third Bond film, but producer Michael G. Wilson has since stated that a 2011 release seems more likely.

In an interview with IGN, he said: ‘I would think that we’d bring it out in two-and-a-half to three years [from] now, I guess. It’s hard to tell until we get working on the script [which is scheduled to take place in January 2009]’

When do you think Bond 23 will arrive in theatres? Join in on the discussion here on the CBn Forums.

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