Yesterday evening it was announced by producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli and current Bond actor Daniel Craig (Casino Royale, Skyfall) that Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting) will no longer be directing Bond 25 due to creative differences between the director and the studio. The director had been brought earlier this year in May to helm the sequel.
Initial Thoughts
Honestly, I didn't even know that Danny Boyle was signed on for a Bond film, so this story is even more of a surprise to me. However, I kind of understand why it happened. I really enjoy Danny Boyle as a director, but I don't think he was a good match for Bond. Not just in his style of filmmaking but also in the way he makes films, which probably wouldn't have worked with a big blockbuster such as a B
The James Bond Brand
Whilst other Spy franchises are allowed to enjoy some creative freedom, James Bond doesn't get the same treatment. The character has been going for about 56 years and has become such a very iconic figure in Pop-culture. Everyone is familiar with the generic conventions of the franchise. The fast cars, the tuxedos, the one-liners, the misogyny and the famous theme tune. All of these conventions are embedded in the brand that without them it like a James Bond film. It's why a film series like Mission: Impossible can have different directors bringing in their own signature style but James Bond can't. Even the Daniel Craig films, which are considered to be a radical new take on the character still have these conventions.
Danny Boyle/Barbara Broccoli
And so, because of this, I understand why Barbara Broccoli and EON would be quiet concerned when it comes to new creative choices with the brand. Probably giving less creative freedom than director Danny Boyle is used to. Boyle's films are usually quite stylized, with Slumdog Millionaire and Trainspotting being perfect examples of this, so he's probably used to a lot of creative freedom. Now, whilst I doubt that Boyle was going to make any drastic changes to Bond, any choices he was going to make clearly didn't sit well with Broccoli. And she's going to be careful with this brand. Not just on a business level, but possibly on a personal level. She inherited the series from her father, Cubby Broccoli, one of the founders of EON and producer of the original James Bond movies, up until his death. So she's going to be rather protective over these films as it impacts on her family legacy.
Potential replacement?
As for potential replacements, it's hard to say. Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Interstellar seems to be everyone's top choice to direct. He has been quite vocal about wanting to do a James Bond film and he's a highly respected director by both fans and critics. Plus, he's proven to be quite the fan of 007 as his film Inception (2010) paid homage to the series. Other names such as Christopher McQuarrie (Jack Reacher, Rogue Nation), who's just off the highly successful Mission Impossible: Fallout (2018) and Chad Stahelski, who proved how well he can direct action with the John Wick films. Hopefully, the next choice will someone who is more willing to play ball with the producers.
So that's my situation review for Danny Boyle leaving Bond25. What do you think of the news? Did you agree or disagree with anything I said? And, who do you think is the best fit to direct the next James Bond film? Please leave a comment down below. And, if you liked what you read then you can follow this blog for more content. Thank you for reading. :)
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