Mendes and Daniel Craig return for Spectre, the follow-up to the billion dollar box-office hit Skyfall. With two James Bond missions on his dossier, the director joins an elite fraternity.
Is this the continuation of a new run within the 007 franchise. Sam Mendes won rave reviews for Skyfall and expectations are at an All-Time High (thanks Rita Coolidge)as Bond faces his greatest enemies in Spectre.
To celebrate the second mission for Mendes and return of Ian Fleming’s most evil creation, here’s a look back at incredible runs by directors within the 007 franchise: Continue reading SPECTRE And Directing JAMES BOND
Could Skyfall mark the beginning of a new run within the James Bond franchise? Sam Mendes is winning rave reviews for the latest 007 adventure and there’s talk he may return. Co-writer John Logan is slated to return as the sole writer for the next adventure. As we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the James Bond movies I wanted to look back at the stellar runs of some key directors.
The James Bond franchise is known for a director helming several 007 films. Terence Young directed Dr. No and From Russia, With Love (my all-time favorite) took a break and was back for Thunderball.
Guy Hamilton directed Goldfinger, the film that is best known for setting the formula for 007’s adventures that followed it. Hamilton didn’t return until Sean Connery’s final (yes, I’m not including Never Say Never Again) film, Diamonds Are Forever and ushered in the Roger Moore era with Live and Let Die then The Man With the Golden Gun.
Lewis Gilbert directed Sean Connery in You Only Live Twice and Roger Moore in The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker.
John Glen has the longest run directing 007 with For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, A View To A Kill, The Living Daylights and License to Kill. Glen closed out the Roger Moore era and helmed Timothy Dalton’s two 007 films.
Martin Campbell directed the James Bond relaunches Goldeneye (Pierce Brosnan’s first) and Casino Royale (Daniel Craig’s first.)
I was immediately excited and surprised when it was announced Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Revolutionary Road, Jarhead) would direct Skyfall. Mendes and Daniel Craig share a love of James Bond films saying they discussed Live and Let Die and From Russia, With Love before starting work on Skyfall. It was a huge surprise when the Oscar-winner was named director of Skyfall. Indications are he will not return.
“It’s been a fantastic experience, but it’s been completely exhausting,” he told AceShowbix , “Do I want to do another one? I’m a shadow of my former self. [laughs] No, I don’t know. I felt like everything I wanted to do with a Bond movie, I put into this film.”
I would have to be convinced that I could do something that I loved and cared about as much if I was to do it again. I think the great risk of repeating oneself is that one doesn’t have the great store of ideas that you have when you first tackle a subject.”
Here’s hoping the producers can entire Mendes to renew his license to thrill.
