Tabloids cook up phony fan war on Bond 23 movie title

13-Feb-2010 • Skyfall

With all things quiet on the Bond 23 front for now, the tabloids have to scour the internet for something to stetch in to a print article. Today, the Daily Star (UK) claims there is a war on between groups of 007 fans eyeing different titles for the next movie.

UPDATE: MGM have confirmed the story is bogus and the quote was fabricated by the newspaper.

According to the red-top rag, "Bond fans are being shaken and stirred into action over the title of the 23rd blockbuster 007 film due to hit cinemas next year. Makers MGM admit they are running out of names based on the best-selling novels of Ian Fleming. But James Bond addicts are lobbying studio executives to choose between the names of two Fleming short stories with box office appeal. And theyâve also designed their own promo posters to show how good theyâd look. In an elaborate online battle of wits, one army of 007 fanatics is promoting Risico, originally written as part of the For Your Eyes Only novelettes. A rival group wants the next film to be called The Property Of A Lady, another Fleming short story."

Here come the made-up quotes from anonymous sources: "A senior MGM executive told the Daily Star Sunday that director Sam Mendes has been âblown awayâ by fansâ creativity, adding: 'The posters look incredibly professional. The title of Bond 23 is still in the melting pot and itâs true that there arenât that many of Flemingâs major works to choose from. We and Sam are listening very closely to what the fans are saying and there is every possibility that we might latch on to one of their ideas.'"

Perhaps the title has not been decided because a) the script is not complete yet, b) there is no director officially attached yet, c) the studio green-light is being held off until MGM's future is determined.