Bond Watch: ‘Bond 25’ Screenplay Being Worked On By ‘Trainspotting’ Writer
Danny Boylemay be the frontrunner to helmBond 25, and if he takes the gig, it could reunite him withTrainspottingscreenwriterJohn Hodge. More on theBond 25screenplay below. Bond Watch!
It’s been less than 24 hours since word broke thatDanny Boylewas the frontrunner to direct the nextJames Bondfilm. Now, here’s an update: not only is Boyle the likely frontrunner, but the job might reunite him with screenwriter John Hodge.Deadlinereports that Boyle came up with a general idea for the film, and now Hodge is hashing it out into a screenplay.
MGM and the producers already have a script on hand, written byNeal PurvisandRobert Wade. Purvis and Wade have a history with the franchise – they have writing credits onCasino Royale,SkyfallandSpectre. But if the producers approve of Hodge’s script, they’re likely to chuck Purvis and Wade’s work into the rubbish bin.
There’s two ways of looking at this. One is to remain positive, and say that Boyle and Hodge reuniting has potential. The duo have a long history together – Hodge wrote scripts for Boyle’sShallow Grave,Trainspotting,A Life Less Ordinary,The Beach,Trance, andTrainspotting 2.Another way of looking at this is to ask: how the heck do they not have a solid script in place yet?Spectrecame out in 2015, and they’restillnot sure what script they want to use?
This same sort of wishy-washy approach to the screenplay happened with the development ofSpectre, and we all know how that turned out (not well). Deadline indicates that if MGMdoesn’twant to use Hodge’s script, Boyle will likely walk from the project entirely. Which means producers might have to go with their other top choice for the gig,White Boy RickdirectorYann Demange.Blade Runner 2049filmmaker Denis Villeneuve andHell or High Waterdirector David Mackenzie are also allegedly on the short-list to direct, should Boyle or Demange not land the gig.
As previously reported, the producersreallywant a “name” director to take on the film, which definitely tips the scales in Boyle’s favor. If Boyle doesn’t want to direct the film without Hodge’s script, there’s a pretty good chance producers will give the go-ahead to whatever Hodge writes just to land Boyle. That’s not to say that’s a bad thing: Boyle and Hodge work together well, and the two of them teaming-up forBond 25is intriguing. Still, I can’t help but feel this whole affair has a strange slap-dash approach that might hurt the film in the end.
