Danny Boyle was, at one point, set to directJames Bond 25. Unfortunately, theSlumdog Millionaireand28 Days Laterfilmmaker wound up departing the project just months before production was set to get underway. This was chalked up to “creative differences” by both sides of the aisle, but the in-depth drama behind the scenes was surely much more interesting than all of that. While we may never get the full scope of what led to Boyle’s departure, his experience has led him to a place where he’s likely never going to try and tackle a franchise movie again.
The acclaimed director has started making the rounds to promote his upcoming movieYesterday, which puts a unique twist on the music of The Beatles. During a recent interview, he was asked about his very brief time spent with 007. WhileDanny Boyledoesn’t sound bitter or anything like that, he clearly isn’t interested in doing something like that again in the future. Here’s what he had to say about it.
“I learned my lesson that I am not cut out [for franchises] otherwise you’re digging in the same hole. I am better not quite in the mainstream franchise movies, is the honest answer.”
For those who may need a refresher,James Bond 25was without a director for some time after it was finally confirmed thatDaniel Craig would indeed be coming backfor a final installment. A shortlist of directors, including Dennis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049) emerged. Yet, out of seemingly nowhere, Danny Boyle landed the gig. Boyle agreed to do it under the condition he could write his own script with his frequent collaborator John Hodge (Trainspotting). The producers agreed and off they went.
However, a few months ahead of shooting, it was revealed that Danny Boyle was leaving. There was speculation this had to do with the possibility of killing off 007 in the movie, which was apparently a sticking point. In any event, that forced a delay in production, a heavy rewrite and eventually paved the way forCary Fukunaga(True Detective,Beasts of No Nation) to step behind the camera. The movie is now currently in production, though, things have been far from smooth. Aside from reports of the script being rewritten constantly, Daniel Craig also broke his ankle during filming. There was also the rather uneventful and highly-scrutinized televised cast announcement, in lieu of the traditional press conference. And most recently, a contained on-set explosion got out of hand, injuring one crew member and destroying parts of the set at Pinewood Studios.
For fans of Danny Boyle, it’s kind of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, we’ll get to see him do his own thing for years to come. On the other hand, as tempting as it may be in some cases, he’s probably never going toput his twist on a popular franchise, which is kind of a bummer.James Bond 25is currently set to arrive in theaters on August 01, 2025.Yesterdaywill hit theaters on June 28. This news was previously reported byMetro.
