Well, I’ve got it as confirmed as it can be: Sam Mendes is the definite director of Bond 24 and most likely Bond 25. He’s in, after exhaustive negotiations. Mendes obviously got what he wanted and will be a rich, rich man when his time with James Bond is over. The director of “American Beauty” did want to keep his theater career alive and will, even with the long planning for the Bond movies. But “Skyfall” was too much of a hit to let him go, and really no one else compared to him. Mendes and Daniel Craig will see “Bond” through to the end.
As for Adele singing more theme songs, that is not at all done or arranged or even talked about, I am told. Adele has to get cracking on her new album first.
With the possible exception of “After Earth,” Sony and Amy Pascal are rocking with the Bond movies, “Zero Dark Thirty,” and a summer – fall 2013 slate including “White House Down” and the comedy “This is the End.”
Last night “After Earth” played for the press at 5pm and at a premiere at 7 (really 7:45pm) at the Ziegfeld. Bruce Willis showed up to support M. Night Shyamalan, who keeps getting to make big budget movies despite no feel for them whatsoever. I did get to meet Will Smith’s dad, who is a very nice, older gentleman, also named Will, lanky and tall like Will, with members of the extended Smith family from Philadelphia.
