Writer Peter Morgan talks at length about his involvement on Bond 23

25-Oct-2010 • Skyfall

Further to his brief remarks last week, award-winning writer Peter Morgan has talked in length about his work on the 23rd James Bond film, how he got to be involved, where it was left, and his thoughts on Sam Mendes directing Daniel Craig as 007.

Speaking to Indie Wire, Morgan said: "[Working on Bond 23] was short lived. I started work on it and then the whole thing went to hell. Now, I'm so happy doing something else, I wouldn't [necessarily go back] even if the whole thing came back. They've got a tough job. When I was involved last year it was from scratch. I have no idea if they've even regrouped yet with the situation being the way it is. There came a point where we all just had to say, 'look, I'm just going to step off'. I just wrote a treatment, never a script."

"I went [to EON Productions] with an original idea. I pitched the idea. They had already expressed interest and we had met a year before in 2008. So I said, 'if I come up with something, I'd be interested, but if I don't come up with anything, I'm probably not your man'. But then I came up with something and everyone was interested in the idea, so I wrote the treatment, and it remains to be seen what they do! I suspect if they start again, they'll start entirely again [from scratch]. I think there was momentum behind my idea for the moment, and I suspect that moment's probably gone."

"I feel far more liberated working on the Freddie Mercury project. I think for most British men, especially those over 40, the Bond idea is heaven. I was thrilled to be involved... But I feel like it's a dated idea now. Having tried to do it, I'm not sure it's possible to do it. But I wish them luck, because I'm first in line [to see it]. I do think that the absence of social reality in the Bond films [is a problem] - and I do hope they manage to get that in a script - that you can believe in him and he's not just a man in a dinner jacket. He's a creature of the Cold War. I personally struggle to believe that a British secret agent is still saving the world."

"I'm very encouraged if Sam Mendes [directs the film], because I'm sure he wouldn't put his name to a load of nonsense. He's smart and he's British and he would care deeply about the franchise. He's got his feet on the ground and understands what's going on in the world. He wouldn't want to do a James Bond film to make it a pantomime. The holy grail is to combine thought and action, and if you can deliver a mainstream piece of entertainment that is also highly provocative, and original... Everybody's got their fingers crossed that [they can raise the bar]."

Bond 23 is officially on hiatus until MGM's financial future is assured. MGM's debt-holders are currently considering restructuring offers from Spyglass and Lionsgate, with a vote scheduled for 29th October.