MGM rumour a 3 year gap before Bond 21 in 2005

12-Dec-2002 • Casino Royale

Yahoo News are reporting that due to "Die Another Day"`s success, MGM may not want the next Bond film until 2005 - to protect the quality of the franchise:

The 20th official mission of British agent 007, now playing in theaters, is expected to reap $400 million to $450 million in global ticket sales, more than any other Bond movie, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Chief Executive Alex Yemenidjian said at a conference in New York on Wednesday.

In recent years, MGM has tried to release a Bond movie about once every two years. But Yemenidjian said that was too fast in this case due to the strong success of "Die Another Day."

"We are going to take three years to do the next one, because if this one does $500 million in worldwide box office, the next one should do more," he told the investors at a UBS Warburg investors` conference.

"I think there is a very big risk in rushing these things and screwing up the value of your franchise," he added.

In interviews to promote the film last month, producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson said they would not even begin working on a new Bond script until early next year.

MGM had been extremely careful with production of "Die Another Day," and the character Jinx - Bond`s curvaceous new love interest and U.S. agent played by Oscar winner Halle Berry - has helped excite a new generation of Bond fans, Yemenidjian said.