The Daniel Craig Forum

The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Marc Foster is to direct the 22nd Bond film:

Marc Forster has signed on to direct the next installment in the James Bond franchise for Columbia Pictures and MGM.

Daniel Craig will reprise his role as Agent 007 in the film, which has a working title of “Bond 22.”

Forster — whose credits include “Stranger Than Fiction,” “Finding Neverland” and “Monster’s Ball” — recently wrapped “The Kite Runner,” based on Khaled Hosseini’s best-selling novel.

While some may feel that Forster, born in Ulm, Germany in 1969 is a bit of a departure for Eon Productions, because the recent slate of directors have hailed from the British Commonwealth, Forster will not be the first Bond director from outside the Commonwealth with Terence Young born in China and Guy Hamilton born in France.

Mimi_kitty, I was also about to post the news but I see you beat me to the punch

I loved "Finding Nerverland" but I didn't care for "Stranger than Fiction," which he directed.

I'll post the news I have here anyway, this is from the MI6 site:

Marc Forster Confirmed As Bond 22 Director
19th June 2007

Press Release
CULVER CITY, Calif., June 19, 2007 – Marc Forster will direct the 22nd James Bond adventure, it was announced today by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, producers of the James Bond films, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios.

Forster is the acclaimed director of the highly anticipated motion picture The Kite Runner, adapted from Khaled Hosseini's best-selling novel. He also recently directed the comic hit Stranger Than Fiction for Sony Pictures. Previously, Forster directed the award-winning and critically acclaimed films Finding Neverland, which was nominated for seven Academy Awards® including Best Picture, and Monster's Ball, for which Halle Berry won a Best Actress Oscar®.

Forster will commence work shortly with screenwriter Paul Haggis on a draft of the screenplay by Neil Purvis and Robert Wade.

Daniel Craig will reprise the role of James Bond in the as-yet-untitled Bond 22 production, which follows Casino Royale, the highest-grossing film so far in the most successful franchise in motion picture history.

Right: Director Marc Forster. He was born in Germany in 1969 and studied film at New York University in the early '90s.


With nearly $600 million in worldwide box-office receipts, Casino Royale was also regarded by critics as one of the best Bond films yet. Bond 22 will begin filming at Pinewood Studios, London, in December 2007. Columbia Pictures will release the film worldwide on November 7, 2008.

Wilson and Broccoli said, "We are delighted that Marc Forster, with his exceptional talent and unique vision, has agreed to direct our next James Bond film."

Forster said, "I have always been drawn to different kinds of stories and I have also always been a Bond fan, so it is very exciting to take on this challenge. The new direction that the Bond character has taken offers a director a host of fresh possibilities and I look forward to working with Daniel Craig, Barbara Broccoli, and Michael Wilson, as well as the team at Sony and MGM on this new film."

Amy Pascal, Co-Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, added, “We had a great experience working with Marc on Stranger than Fiction and we are excited to be working with him again. He’s an actor’s director; he approaches material with intelligence and taste. What makes him the perfect choice for Bond 22 is that he will bring to this film all the elements Bond audiences expect – action, humor, suspense, and thrills."

"The Bond franchise is one of MGM's most treasured legacies," added Harry Sloan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, MGM. "We share Michael and Barbara's confidence in Marc Forster's directing talents and support him in his efforts to continue the evolution of the Bond story for today's filmgoers."

Produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli (Eon Productions), BOND 22 (title to be announced) is scheduled for release November 7th 2008 and will be directed by Marc Forster.

Principal photography will start in December 2007, at Pinewood Studios (UK) and foreign locations to be announced. The draft screenplay has been handed in by regular scribes Neal Purvis & Robert Wade, and Paul Haggis will polish. The story will be a direct continuation of the events of Casino Royale.

It is British actor Daniel Craig’s second outing as James Bond, following his debut film Casino Royale released November 16th 2006. Dame Judi Dench (M) and Giancarlo Giannini (Mathis) will also reprise their roles.

I have no clue who he is, but from reading over the comments on the commanderbond board (I just give them some credit for knowing a bit), he is well suited for the new direction Bond has taken. The only thing, one might worry a bit about, is the fact, that he hasn`t done an action film like Bond before. (Maybe Dan can teach him a thing or two by now )

But they do have a very good second unit.

What I don't understand about the whole Bond thing is, why they pick a different director every time. Why not stick with Martin Campbell? He did a great job....

Never heard of MF before either... But will check previous work! No action experience can be an interesting aspect, especially if you think that the first major candidate was Roger Michell, who has never done anything even remotely action-like. A Bond having dinner parties and discussions about the meaning of life and motivation of their actions with the villains?!

Renske, a good question... I suppose one reason could be trying to bring something new in every time, but with regard to the Bond franchise of the past, I don't think that can have been the main reason Personal reasons of directors themselves, ie not wanting to do two of the same thing? Schedules? Tradition of the Broccoli dynasty?

Agrippina

Schedules mainly. Martin Campbell confirmed only two weeks ago that due to other commitments he won't be able to do Bond 22.

hooray! we have a director. now they can get to work. i would've preferred if it was martin campbell, he did such a good job, but this guy sounds interesting, too, so......already, the countdown begins!

Well I loved Finding Neverland so I don't mind if he directs. I suppose it is a shame that Martin Campbell can't do it again as he did a perfect job last time, but I suppose a change of director could be interesting.

Well, I'm a little sad myself that Martin won't be onboard for the next go-round, but I'm sure Barbara would not make such a decision lightly so I'll have to trust her judgement (which seems to be pretty impeccable as I'm sure you'll all agree!)

DanielsPornStar wrote:Well, I'm a little sad myself that Martin won't be onboard for the next go-round, but I'm sure Barbara would not make such a decision lightly so I'll have to trust her judgement (which seems to be pretty impeccable as I'm sure you'll all agree!)

yes, I agree!

I agree that BB seems to be making the right choices since deciding to make Daniel the latest JB, but it concerns me, like some of you here, that MF has no experience with action movies. I didn't watch Monster's Ball because I don't care at all for Halle Berry. Again, the only thing I've liked of his is the beautiful "Finding Neverland," but I still don't see how he is going to pull Bond 22. I guess we are just going to have to wait and see.
I wonder if DC had any say on who the director should be? I wonder how he feels about MF? I know he is going to support him publically , he has to, but I wonder how he really feels about it...

Marisa wrote:I wonder if DC had any say on who the director should be? I wonder how he feels about MF? I know he is going to support him publically , he has to, but I wonder how he really feels about it...

I guess that's what his 'business meeting' was about

Anglophile wrote: I guess that's what his 'business meeting' was about

You mean the one at Sony in LA?

My two cents: Martin Campbell was exceptional. He filled practically every frame with close ups of DC....intentionally showcasing the new man in town and making sure that his superb acting and facial nuances came through in every shot. Campbell seems very skilled at this and I personally think that he truly helped to put Daniel Craig on the world stage in a cinematic sense.

I recently saw Layer Cake and although DC is in it - the shots of him were not nearly as good as Campbell's. Too many foreground / background shots and not as many close ups of Daniel to work more drama into the shot. Daniel was headlining that movie also but not in the same way or as cleverly as CR was. CR is more Daniel's signature break out film than Layer Cake was and Martin Campbell had a lot to do with it. He seemed to know exactly what both women and men would like to see in the central character.

I agree with you in that the director's vision is crucial and in the end what dominates the film. But you have to remember that Layer Cake and CR were totally different films. First of all, in LC that was the main thing both actor and director were trying to achieve, for XXXX to be someone that could go almost unnoticed in a crowd, and, of course, the audience has to perceive it that way. If you have seen LC interviews with both actor and director that is the thing they keep mentioning.
Not to mention the fact that London, the city itself was a character. We have to be able to "see" it.

Layer Cake is a deeper movie and has definitely more "layers," in my opinion you have to see it more than once to really get it; it also has some beautiful shots of DC, like the shower scene, or when he is taking all those pills and drinking after he's killed the gangster or when he is in bed thinking and disturbed. He looks beautiful, and they are very moving in that you know that emotionally and psychologically there's a lot going on and actor and director managed to convey that beautifully.

As for CR, JB has always been the "main body" in the film. He is the man they all go to see and he has to be highlighted and showcased. Even the girls have been just adornments around JB. So it was a natural thing for DC to be beautifully photographed, more so in his case since he's the best looking JB ever (in our opinion).
Now, the question is, will MF do the same? We probably can find the answer in his previous films. I totally loved the look and feel of Neverland, so I'm hopeful.