007 has officially set sights on his next mission.
The as-yet-untitled Bond 25 has been slated for release on November 8th, 2019 in the States, with other territories like the United Kingdom expected to receive the next James Bond film a little early in keeping with tradition.
Speaking of which, MGM and Eon’s press release makes no mention of Daniel Craig, whose future wielding the famous license to kill has been called into question ever since the credits rolled on Sam Mendes’ somewhat divisive Spectre. Last we reported, the four-time Bond actor was all set to return as Ian Fleming’s world-famous spy, which would align with previous reports claiming that Craig had actually signed a two-picture deal with MGM and Eon – which would potentially take his total count to five, thereby making him the third longest-serving James Bond after Roger Moore (seven) and Sean Connery (six).
That state of flux stretches behind the lens, too, where Sony, Warner Bros, Annapurna, Fox, and Universal are all vying for distribution rights. Today’s announcement leads us to believe that the franchise’s long-time producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli have already settled on a new home for Bond – you know, providing they haven’t extended their partnership with Sony.
In closing, today’s status report confirms that a cast, director, and distributor will be announced at a later date. What we do know is that screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade are working on a treatment for Bond 25, thereby extending their streak to five films having worked across Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre. Perhaps Purvis and Wade’s latest romp will be the one to usher in the mooted James Bond universe? Time will tell.
Bond 25 has officially flickered into life, and though that late 2019 release date may seem a ways away, this is an exciting step in the right direction. All that’s left now is for MGM to post details on the film’s director, its primary cast – most notably who will be appearing as the titular spy – and a distributor. No pressure, then.
Published: Jul 24, 2017 03:14 pm