??????
The last six months or so have been a hot bed of block buster news items for the Bond community. One of which is the announcement that auteur director Denis Villeneuve will be helming the next Bond film. For those who don’t know he’s the chap behind the Dune films.
No, not the one in which Sting prances around in a leather thong, the ones with thespian powerhouse Zendaya.
The next Bond girl?
The thing is, this news hit the wires and no one has seemed to notice.
The crown goes mild!
It’s not just this bit of news, do you know a writer has been named for Bond 26?! Yes, Steven Knight the mind behind Peaky Blinders was announced as the penman for Amazon’s folly back in August.
Also this month, some gameplay has been released from what was once a hotly anticipated Bond based video game from the studio who gave gamers the highly successful Hitman series. Again nobody really sat up and took notice.
Not to mention when the monumental news that Babz Broccoli was walking away from the franchise came about, it barely caused a ripple!
More of a splash than Babz leaving Bond.
I like to peruse the pop culture commentators on YouTube.
“OK Boomer!”
Fair enough, the point is when these items hit the news the commentary channels who would preface their analysis with declarations of what big Bond fans they were, would spend all of about five minutes re-reading an article from a mid-tier infotainment rag before moving on without any real discussion. These same self declared “Big Bond Fans,” will without hesitation go on a 90 minute diatribe about The Last Jedi for the umpteenth time. Big news on Bond today? Meh. I need to remind you an 8 year old film sucked!
“Did I tell you my opinion on Last Jedi? Hey wait!”
Now before you say it…
“You’re watching the wrong channels!”
I said before you say it! OK then, who should I watch? David “Underpants Gnome” Zaritsky? I will say the poseur extraordinaire has manager to climb out of Bond’s underwear drawer long enough to attempt a reinvention as a Bond discussion channel. I believe this has more to do with the lack of new expensive Bond based panties to buy and try on rather than any real desire for discourse.
The face of serious Bond discussion!
Honestly though how can anybody take this man, or anyone willing to appear with him, seriously after looking at that?! Everybody else are just also rans with sub 30,000 subscription rates.
The real point I’m making, if I am making one is, Bond is all but dead. I mean Bond has been mid-tier since the 1980’s with a rabid and loyal fanbase “keeping the British end up” as it were until EON decided to stir everything up with Craig. Sure they attained some highs eking out a billion dollars in 2012, when the world was enamored with Britain, thanks to the London Olympics and the 60th anniversary of Dr. No. They also reached some deep nadirs, namely 3 of the 5 films under Craig.
This re-imagining caused a schism in the fandom, see this site, but at least there was discussion and debate, people were talking. Now? Crickets. The forum for this site has devolved to about 5 hardcore zealots, myself included and 2-3 part time participants. And as you’ve probably noticed I am having a much harder time drumming up the enthusiasm to post new rants.
“Oh Nooooo! What a loss for humanity! I say dripping with sarcasm!”
Sure our opinions may not be yours, you may fundamentally disagree with everything I say. You may even hate my very existence. Fair enough, but you can’t deny I/we are die hard Bond fans, or at least were. As our ranks dwindle, so too do the numbers of Bond supporters at large and the thing is we aren’t being replaced. Nobody cares aside from the afore mentioned collection of try hard dorks who participate in cosplay circle jerks. That is no way to sustain a film series. Unfortunately, unless Amazon can turn this thing around (fat chance) we are witnessing the beginning of the end for our favorite super spy.
Having said all that what is my opinion of Denis placing his hand on the rudder of the good ship Bond? Who bloody knows! It’ll be more down to the writing and who they cast as Bond than who’s eye is peeping through the camera view finder. As you can probably guess my prognosis is bleak.
Haven’t been excited since Pierce held the role. He liked the character and had a twinkle in his eye while playing…didn’t want to slit his wrists. Well done DB
Thank you friend, yes it was nice when the reining Bond actually liked Bond, the new guy whoever he is will have an uphill battle ahead of him, let’s just hope he too likes the character.
Sadly, the term “Auteur”, much like that other overused word “Artisan” (Ugh!), now has the effect of instantly sending me running in the opposite direction. Slow, glum, deadly serious and bum numbingly overlong seem to be this guy’s trademark. Stir in the inevitable huge dose of “idealogical correctness” from the writers (presuming P&W have actually been given their P45s) or at least the desperately inoffensive blandness that is gradually replacing it and for me personally the only interest in whatever the Amazon Slop Factory finally craps out comes from the amusement to be gained from their choice of whichever small boy they get to cosplay 007.
And of course from the likes of the drunk Scottish Youtube fellow and his ruthlessly abrasive chums ripping it all to shreds…
Hey Vin, long time no see! Yeah, you’re right film has devolved into two flavors, heavy handed propaganda or insipid dull as dishwater that tries so hard not to ruffle a feather it doesn’t lift any wings either. We’ll see what comes out of this, if it’s good then great Bond is back (not likely)! And if it bad, as you say we can watch the drinker rip it to shreds and claw back some entertainment value.