LOS ANGELES, Oct. 4 (UPI) — Dive into the captivating world of the James Bond movie franchise, which has thrived since its inception in 1962, with the new season of Icons Unearthed. Uncovering the behind-the-scenes turmoil that has shaped the series, the season premiere of this intriguing series is available to stream on Vice TV on Wednesday at 10 p.m.
Unveiling the origins of James Bond, the premiere delves into author Ian Fleming’s vision and creation of the iconic character.
Fleming initially rejected producer Irving Allen’s offer for the movie rights in 1954. However, in the early 1960s, Fleming was ready to sell the rights to Albert “Cubby” Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, the producers behind EON Productions, securing the future of the James Bond franchise.
An obstacle arose when Kevin McClory, a co-writer for the screenplay of “Thunderball,” claimed rights to elements of the story. This led to a legal battle, with McClory eventually winning certain rights to “Thunderball.” Nevertheless, Fleming managed to sell movie options for all his works except “Casino Royale” to EON, as he had already sold the rights to that particular novel for television. The movie rights to “Casino Royale” were acquired by EON in 2006 for the film featuring Daniel Craig.
Creator of Icons, Brian Volk-Weiss, states that the producers never expected to adapt every book written by Fleming. In fact, he describes James Bond as the first cinematic universe, serving as the inspiration for subsequent franchises explored in Icons. According to Volk-Weiss, other franchises followed in the footsteps of Bond, emulating what worked well and avoiding the pitfalls.
Upcoming episodes of Icons will shed light on the conflicts between Sean Connery, who portrayed James Bond, and the production companies owned by Broccoli and Saltzman, EON and Danjaq. Since the original contract did not anticipate the creation of annual sequels, Connery had the opportunity to renegotiate his contract several times.
Volk-Weiss reveals that the producers had a tumultuous relationship with Connery, which further deteriorated with George Lazenby, who only appeared in one film, “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.”
The repercussions of the contract disputes during the early years of the franchise continue to be felt in the industry. Volk-Weiss points out that Marvel, for example, now signs lead actors for multiple films in case further installments are planned.
Lazenby, who initially believed the franchise was coming to an end, declined a seven-film contract after “On Her Majesty’s.” In his interview with Volk-Weiss, Lazenby expresses his candid thoughts, promising fascinating insights that will be included in the show.
By the time Roger Moore was signed on for three films, the producers had learned from their previous contract disputes and ironed out the agreements with the talent. Moore even extended his contract with EON by starring in four additional films after fulfilling his initial agreement with “The Spy Who Loved Me.”
Timothy Dalton, who succeeded Moore, experienced lower box office figures with “The Living Daylights” and “Licence to Kill.” Legal battles between Danjaq and MGM-Pathe caused a hiatus in the franchise, resulting in no new films being released between 1989 and 1995.
The success of “Goldeneye” in 1995 rejuvenated the franchise and introduced Pierce Brosnan as James Bond for a four-film stint. This moment was a critical turning point, following two consecutive films that underperformed with Dalton in the lead role.
Unfortunately, if Brosnan had not delivered as Bond, Volk-Weiss suggests there may not have been a second film with him as the iconic spy.
The episode of Icons featuring Dalton’s films unravels yet another layer of behind-the-scenes drama. During that time, Cubby Broccoli’s health was declining, and his daughter, Barbara Broccoli, was learning the ropes as an associate producer.
Volk-Weiss reveals that Barbara initially had strong reservations about Dalton as James Bond.
Barbara took over EON after her father passed away before the completion of “Tomorrow Never Dies.”
Over the course of 60 years and 25 films, Volk-Weiss highlights the evolution of the Bond franchise to align with societal changes. The portrayal of women has improved, and recent films boast a far more diverse cast compared to those featuring Connery and Lazenby.
Volk-Weiss, despite having no connection to EON, offers his prediction for Craig’s successor in the role of James Bond. He believes it will be an unknown actor, most likely a person of color, who embodies a similar vibe to Idris Elba.
With the renewal of Icons for six more seasons, including the James Bond edition, Volk-Weiss has already planned the next five subjects but has yet to announce them.
