Friday, October 23, 2009

Who Should Direct Bond 23?


I was one of those James Bond fans that was very disappointed with the most recent Bond film, Quantum of Solace. While I loved Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace just lacked the same punch that made Royale such a joy to watch. Of course, regardless of whether one film was a disappointment or not, the James Bond franchise is too magnificent to let it die, so it should be no surprise that a new Bond film is in development, once again starring Daniel Craig.

A recent comment from Daniel Craig reveals that cameras will begin rolling late next year for a winter 2011 release of Bond 23 (still untitled). The film will follow suit of Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, being another direct sequel to those plotlines introduced within those two films, so I wouldn't be surprised to see the return of the evil organization known as Quantum. The film's script is being written by Oscar-winner Peter Morgan, alongside Neal Purvis and Robert Wade.

There is already lots of speculation involving this upcoming installment. Many fans are clamoring for the origins of such classic characters like Moneypenny and Q to be revealed, but I have a different thought. Who should direct this upcoming Bond installment?

This is a question that I find to be very intriguing. If they are continuing upon the same path that they started down with the past two films, it makes the list even more slim.

Rumors are that after the last film being so dark, the producers are wanting to lighten it up a bit, let 007 have a little bit of fun. Now while I don't think that this will by any means make the film as over-the-top as some of the Pierce Brosnan films, I do expect this next Bond adventure to be the return of the trademark Bond we all know and love after finding his "Solace" in the last film. So taking this all into account, who do I think would be the perfect candidate to direct the next Bond?

Well, it would first have to be someone who knows action, and has proven that they can direct a good action sequence. Second, I want whichever director brought in to infuse his or her own style into the world and its characters, I think this is the potential key to the continued survival of this franchise.

The rumors for a while were that Danny Boyle was gonna be offered the big job, but he refuted these rumors in an interview stating that he's been down the studio route before, but didn't like it. While many want someone like David Fincher (Se7en) to take the director's chair, I find it highly unlikely. Another thought is fulfilling Steven Spielberg's life-long wish to direct a Bond film, but he has so many other projects in development it's next to impossible for him to do it. So who else is there?

I say they should hire a director who is young, but has already established themselves as a force in the film industry. A director whose name isn't instantly recognizable, but that has enough clout within the industry to garner some respect. A director who has a highly unique style, while also being able to deliver great pieces of popular entertainment. I think the directing job should be handed to Bryan Singer.

Bryan Singer has already directed many hit action films, from X-Men's 1 & 2 to Superman Returns, all of which feature terrific action sequences. He's established himself as a wonderful thriller director with works like Apt. Pupil and Valkyrie, and there is no denying the distinctive visual style of The Usual Suspects. He's the perfect candidate. He's smart, intelligent, has a great visual sense, generates good performances from his actors, and he knows how to direct a good action sequence. I think that Mr. Singer could direct an amazing Bond film, that is why I choose him.

No comments:

Post a Comment