A 50-year-old franchise, with 23 films under its belt, the Bond films continue to make a substantial impression in the box office. The most recent feature, Skyfall, has thus far raked in a healthy $77m in its debut overseas. This huge intake no doubt stems from its success so far in the UK.
Skyfall’s opening weekend earnings have only fallen short of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. The latest Bond flick has yet to open to the US market however, making its presence known in the states on 9 November.
Skyfall’s success must be music to the ears of co-writer John Logan, who is reportedly set to write the next two Bond films, both starring Daniel Craig. The nature of the upcoming films is, to draw on cliché, top secret, aside from the fact that 2014 is the year to mark on your calendar, and that both films are to be connected to one another. The wait between Quantum of Solace and Skyfall is clearly something that will not be repeated.
Dividing films into “Part 1” and “Part 2” seems to be a box office trend at the moment, particularly for films that are part of a franchise. One can only hope that James Bond and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 is but a figment of my own twisted imagination. Nevertheless, raising the stakes is a natural step to take, particularly since the 25th film is approaching us fast.
The director on the other hand, Sam Mendes, claims that his return to Bond is unlikely. Talking to Metro, Mendes says: “It’s been a fantastic experience, but it’s been completely exhausting… I felt like everything I wanted to do with a Bond movie, I put into this film.”
Of course, turning away from Bond after its latest success isn’t going to be that simple, but with the possibility of a new director out there, speculation has already begun amongst fans. Some of them are whispering the name “Christopher Nolan”, although this is mere speculation as opposed to concrete truth.
In other, non-Bond related news, the action packed trailer for Iron Man 3 was released recently, shedding light on Marvel’s first movie since The Amazing Spider-Man. Robert Downey Jr. reprises his role once again as Tony Stark/Iron Man, this time clad in a suit with a distinctive golden trim. The movie marks the first of “Phase 2” Marvel films, a somewhat intimidating name, but something that is likely to illicit a similar pattern of films to that which led up to The Avengers, with the intention of creating a sequel to the latter.
Iron Man 3, from what we can see in the trailer, will not disappoint the thrill-seekers as it offers plenty of action. We also get the impression that this will likely be a “this time it’s personal” tale, as the identity of Iron Man invades Stark’s private life.
The film is due to arrive in Spring 2013, just a few months before DC’s Man of Steel, which should make for some healthy box office competition for the two, rival comic giants.
Latest Comments