Bond film 'suspended indefinitely amid MGM uncertainty

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8631245.stm

Heh, I just tweeted about this. I wasn't aware that MGM was so close to going under.

Mark

James Bond 23 on hold
Relaxnews
Tuesday, 20 April 2010

The 23rd installment of the James Bond movie franchise, starring Daniel Craig and to be directed by Sam Mendes, is currently delayed indefinitely, announced EON Productions.

The postponement is a result of MGM, the film distributor, experiencing financial difficulties while attempting to sell the company and deal with massive debt.

The film was previously scheduled for release 2011/2012. The last Bond feature, a highlight in the MGM library, earned $586 million at the box office.

In the meantime Craig is busy with Steven Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin and sci-fi western Cowboys and Aliens with co-stars Jon Favreau and Harrison Ford. He is next seen in the upcoming thriller Dream House with Rachel Weisz and Naomi Watts by director Jim Sheridan (Brothers).

Bond film 'suspended indefinitely amid MGM uncertainty

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8631245.stm

Just saw this on the BBC Sam Worthington...

I do hope not.

British actor Christian Bale is 7/1 to take on the highly coveted role - as is Hollywood star Will Smith.

"The prospect of not having a picture in next year's schedule obviously does raise eyebrows,"

Well the last aussie to play Bond (Lazenby) only lasted a single film.

And I've never met anyone who remembers a thing about it

And I've never met anyone who remembers a thing about it

'Resident Evil: Afterlife' Director Working On 'Buck Rogers' Video Game

Paul W.S. Anderson is probably best known as the director of the first "Resident Evil" movie. After skipping two follow-ups, he's returning to the franchise in "Resident Evil: Afterlife." His love of games is clear. Apart from his experience with Capcom's survivor horror series, as he's reportedly in the early stages of films based on "Castlevania" and "Driver." His interest in making movies based on game franchises goes the other way, as well. Speaking with MTV News in preparation for this week's 3D Gaming Summit, Anderson mentioned that he's interested in developing new games and movies right alongside each other.

"In the future I want to be developing intellectual properties that will occupy both spaces simultaneously...I've been actively involved in the gaming world for 15 years now, talking to developers ever since 'Mortal Kombat,' so I think I have a very good appreciation for what their needs and what their concerns are. I think I really do know how to join the two medias, [games and movies], together in a successful way, and that's what I'll be working on in the next few years."

He mentioned that one of his next projects, "The Three Musketeers," is a bit too far along in development to attempt this simultaneous game and movie coalition, but he goes on to specify another project with which he'll be kicking off the initiative.

"'Buck Rogers' is something that's starting from ground zero right now, so that's definitely something that I would be considering doing. Really my approach to bridging the two medias is from 'Buck' onwards."

Currently "Buck Rogers," based on the classic sci-fi serial, is tentatively scheduled for a 2011 release, so if Anderson is looking to get his games-alongside-movies initiative off on the right foot, he had better find a developer soon.

This isn't the first time a director has wanted to forge a close alliance between a film and game. Unfortunately James Cameron failed to achieve impressive results with Ubisoft's "Avatar" game, so here's hoping Anderson has a bit better luck.

Hanna is a teenage girl. Uniquely, she has the strength, the stamina, and the smarts of a solider; these come from being raised by her father, an ex-CIA man, in the wilds of Sweden.

Living a life unlike any other teenager, her upbringing and training have been one and the same, all geared to making her the perfect assassin.

The turning point in her adolescence is a sharp one; sent into the world by her father on a mission, Hanna journeys stealthily across Europe while eluding agents dispatched after her by a ruthless intelligence operative with secrets of her own.

As she nears her ultimate target, Hanna faces startling revelations about her existence and unexpected questions about her humanity.

Ex-wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson will reportedly be replacing Clive Owen on long delayed Protection.

Scripted by Brandon Noonan, Johnson will play a disgraced former Special Forces soldier seeking redemption for his past.

After a Judge is murdered by a Mexican cartel, he steps in to protect the man's 21 year old daughter after she agrees to testify against the killers.

Reminded me of Man On Fire. Unfortunately I think that film's rather overrated, which seems to be a controversial view