New updates abound for the troubled pre-production of the 23rd film in the James Bond franchise. For a while work on the film had come to a standstill when its studio, MGM, was forced into bankruptcy. But recently, MGM got a bunch of their financial woes sorted out, acquired some new leadership, and the green light on more Bond seemed to be glowing. The only problem was that MGM didn’t have the resources to distribute the film themselves, so they had to find another studio to sign on to handle the distribution duties. Enter Sony. Sony was the studio with the rights to Bond 21 and 22, which ended up being Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. Before these productions we were still in the Pierce Brosnan era of Bond, and while that started pretty strong the petals had come off the rose a bit. After decades of James Bond being a dark haired gent that had over the top, cartoony adventures, Sony took a big risk by pushing fair-haired Daniel Craig into the Bond role and changing the look and feel of the series to something more grounded and real. And they spent a lot of money promoting the changeover. That’s a lot of time, effort, and money put into a franchise that got handed over to MGM. Sony didn’t like this, Sony wanted back in. And getting the distribution rights to Bond 23 was their ticket to doing so. But there were several other studios vying for that [Due to Content Scraping and Theft, we have been forced to try abbreviated feeds. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and woud very much appreciate you clicking through to view the full article on FilmSchoolRejects.com]

Every day, come rain or shine or internet tubes breaking, Film School Rejects showcases a trailer from the past. John Barry passed away yesterday. One of the best film composers of all time, he was hailed as a classically-rooted but diverse talent that won a few Oscars and composed his themes into the minds of movie fans everywhere. Today’s trailer is from one such movie, and it’s not hard to guess which one. It’s Bond, baby. James Bond. In his very first outing, no less. Think you know what it is? Check the trailer out for yourself:

John Barry, the prolific and almost peerless film composer, has died of a heart attack. The beauty and complexity of his work cannot be overstated – a fact bolstered by his five Oscar wins (for Out of Africa, The Lion in Winter, Born Free (2 wins), and Dances With Wolves). Of course, Barry will be less known for the statues and more known for his decades of collaboration on the James Bond franchise. He worked on eleven of the first Bond movies starting with Dr. No and ending with The Living Daylights. Barry worked on or has had his music included in 143 films. It’s a massive achievement, and one that leaves the question of which score is the best open to a wild range of interpretation. Do you go with the brassy edge of the Bond music? The sheer hugeness and intensity of the Zulu score? The sophisticated jungle rhythms of the 1976 King Kong remake? The man left behind some impeccable work – film scores that should be studied and emulated for years to come. Not to mentioned enjoyed by movie fans of all stripes. He will absolutely be missed.

Javier Bardem is now an Oscar-nominated actor who is every bit as in-demand as after his career was launched in earnest by a cattle gun in No Country. However, instead of stories about him being cast, it’s all stories about the roles he’s being offered. Last week it was the massive commitment to playing the lead for The Dark Tower franchise – which comes with something like three movies, a television movie, a radio play and several mall appearances. Today, Deadline Bluthton is announcing that Bardem has been offered a leading role for Bond 23. The phrase “leading” may mean he won’t be playing a Bond girl (in a seriously progressive chapter in the character’s life), so it’s far more likely that MGM wants him as a villain. Perhaps with a cattle gun. There’s no denying he’s a great choice (unless they shave his head and give him a cat to stroke), so now it’s a question of whether he’ll take the gig or not. Fingers crossed that he does, because the prospect of Daniel Craig and Javier Bardem staring eye to eye before beating the living daylights out of each other has me waiting in a theater seat in anticipation already.

MGM’s financial woes did a number on a handful of films that audiences were truly looking forward to, and with The Hobbit coming together so nicely (and yet, mostly without MGM), it seems as if the time is right for the next Bond installment to start heading down the pre-production path again. The Hollywood Reporter has reported in the barest sense possible that Daniel Craig will return as James Bond for the 23rd film, directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes, and written by Bond veterans Neal Purvis and Robert Wade alongside Academy Award nominee John Logan. The movie will shoot later this year, and attempt to toast martini glasses on November 9, 2012 for a release in everyone’s neck of the woods. All I can say is, it’s about time. Sam Mendes is an amazing talent, and his version of the spy is sure to be something intimate and heartbreaking. Of course, we’ll be planning a list of our favorite twenty-thirdquels in anticipation.

Last November seems like decades ago at this point, especially in the business life of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. A little over a year ago, they were trying to sell themselves on the street to the highest bidder. Now, they’ve entered into bankruptcy with a court-approved plan in place, and they’ve raised $500 million to finance their return to greatness. The press release doesn’t mention specific films, but the abandoned slate (of in-development and ready-for-release films) includes the next Bond entry, Red Dawn, Jeepers Creepers 3, the animated Bunyan and Babe, Biblical biopic Mary Mother of Christ, and continued partnerships for the Hobbit films, The Matarese Circle, and The Cabin in the Woods. The big question is how MGM plans to spend that cash. It seems like a huge amount, but The Hobbit will eat up a decent chunk of it for second breakfast, and Bond 23 will most likely make a decent divot, too. MGM might essentially be gambling a fragile fresh start on two films.

It’s a miracle that any movie gets made at all. Even after the green light is given, schedules and budgets have to work out, mechanical sharks have to stay operational, and weather has to play nice. Plus, there are a million other pieces that have to fall into place just right or the whole thing could be off. The film geek news of the week is that Clint Eastwood was offered the roles of Superman and James Bond, which is incredibly cool, but it would have created a far different career for the man. It may have changed his trajectory completely, but if he’d accepted the Bond role, there are at least 6 films that either wouldn’t have been made or wouldn’t have been the same without him.

Every so often, a film emerges from the fray to prove its popularity and warrant a sequel. More and more, franchises are planned out in advance, but when one film turns into a franchise, a cash register sound goes off in the ears of the studio. Even though the kid stays in the picture, sometimes the director does not. Maybe the director is done working with the material. Maybe the producers want a more seasoned hand. Maybe a simple schedule conflict keeps him or her out of the chair for the next round up. But the show must go on, so the producers find another director to fill the slot – a director who ostensibly inherits all the strengths and weaknesses of a franchise birthed by someone else. Cinematic sloppy seconds that could have easily turned into sloppy sequels if it weren’t for a steady, talented director guiding the ship. Here’s a list of the ten best.

It’s not the first time another author has filled in for Ian Fleming, but Jeffery Deaver is the latest to take on reviving Fleming’s popular spy.

In case you were wondering where all those spy film elements come from, it’s this film – the Grandfather of Modern Spy Thrillers. James Bond owes Fritz Lang his life.

EON Productions partners Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, the producers of the James Bond franchise, announced today in a press release that they have suspended development on the upcoming Bond 23. Sad times, indeed.

Sure, picking up a shotgun and mowing down the men who killed your family is easy. Defying the law of gravity is a bit tougher. Here are a few iconic characters and the laws they take (and break) into their own hands.

We are not a publication that covers sports. I’m aware. But every once in a while the world of movies intersects with the world of sports, creating an awesome experience for everyone involved. Such is the case with South Korean figure skater Kim Yu-Na, who earlier this evening brought the house down at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver with a short program set to a medley of James Bond theme songs.

Don’t you wish you’d created the most well-known spy in history? Then James McAvoy could play you in a movie!

This week’s Culture Warrior gives an exhaustive review of the decade that you won’t find anywhere else on the Interwebs.

What smells like money and workout sweat? According to the LA Times Hero Complex Blog, that smell is probably New Moon star Taylor Lautner’s potential next project: Max Steel.

Our good friends over at We Are Movie Geeks have what could very well be a very big scoop this evening, assuming of course, that it turns out to be true.

A hitman who kicks unprecedented amounts of ass gets an assignment to kill the man who he believes killed his parents. The plot thickens when he falls for the man’s daughter and must decide between leaving her an orphan or forgoing the revenge he’s waited for his whole life.

After a reboot and a successful sequel, could Daniel Craig’s Bond finally come face to face with one of the most famous villains? And could that villain be played by Tony Blair?

Peter Morgan, the writer behind Frost/Nixon and several other political dramas, will be joining the team of Purvis and Wade to craft the next installment of 007.