Word over at Cinematical is that the upcoming Bond 23, scheduled to be directed by Sam Mendes, has been permanently canceled, which is a real shame. As the linked article states, MGM, the studio behind the franchise since 1962's Dr. No, has a staggering debt of nearly $4 billion. This also casts doubts on the increasingly delayed adaptation of The Hobbit, with Sir Ian McAwesome stating that he will eventually pull out of the film if it doesn't start pre-production soon enough. You can rant about how big studios keep making the same crap over and over again year after year, but there's no denying that they've also brought us classic franchises, and to see two of them in danger at once is disheartening to say the least. Still, hopes are higher for 007, as the franchise is far and away one of the most successful in history, and I wouldn't be surprised if we heard news about various (stable) studios bidding to produce the next installment. The only downside is that the reliable Daniel Craig may be too old (regardless of how ripped he is) to play the role for a studio's liking. This is the real tragedy of the situation, because Craig's Bond, while certainly a tougher, more Bourne-esque figure, certainly had his strengths, best displayed in his first outing in the excellent Casino Royale. Personally, I'm hoping that the franchise finds a new home quickly, so that a third Craig-led Bond film can get underway. Besides, shouldn't Craig's Bond get a better final installment than Quantum of Solace?
