09/07/2010

The UK film industry is awash with rumours and speculation about the future of the 23rd film in the iconic James Bond franchise. In April, thanks to MGM’s bankruptcy woes, the film’s producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli had issued a statement saying that work on the film had been halted.

They had said at the time, “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.”

Now, a new statement from the production company EON Productions, issued to a UK tabloid says, “We do not know when development will resume and cannot comment further at this stage.” The tabloid also quotes an unnamed “glum insider”, who says, “Members of the production crew have been told the Bond film has been canned… There is a lot of bad feeling as a lot of time, money and hard work has already gone into this.”

Meanwhile, Daniel Craig, who is contractually obliged to play Bond in the next film is filming Jon Favreau’s Cowboys & Aliens and has also signed up to play the lead in David Fincher’s remake, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

And, Sam Mendes, who was attached to direct the film, is heavily involved with Shakespeare stage adaptations for London’s Old Vic theatre. He also has five film projects in development; Netherland, On Chesil Beach, Lost in Austen, Middlemarch and Butcher’s Crossing. If any of these go into production and Bond 23 does go back into development, EON may have to look for a new director.