Similar to Christopher Nolan's Batman, when James Bond got the reboot treatment a few years back, it came with a new darker, more serious tone. Daniel Craig's version of 007 is a seemingly much more damaged individual than the incarnations played by the likes of Pierce Brosnan and Roger Moore. It's been successful thus far, with Casino Royale and Skyfall being considered two of the greatest Bond movies ever made, but it's still interesting that the franchise would turn its back on that part of its legacy. So what's the reason? According to Daniel Craig, it's all Mike Myers' fault.
With a big announcement about the upcoming Bond 24 set to arrive tomorrow at around 6am EST, MI6-HQ has dug up a few interesting quotes that Daniel Craig made a couple years ago revealing why we shouldn't expect a level of goofiness in the mayhem of the franchise's next installment. Discussing the ways in which Skyfall was a reaction to Quantum of Solace and Casino Royale - as well as the history of the James Bond series as a whole- Craig explained that making the films with a more dramatic tone was entirely necessary simply because of the degree to which the old moves have been lampooned. Said Craig,
"The truth of it is that I always had this plan in my head is that we got to make them and begin them again and bring all that back in, but it had to happen the way it did. I can't see it happening any other way. We had to destroy the myth because Mike Myers fucked us - I am a huge Mike Myers fan, so don't get me wrong - but he kind of fucked us; made it impossible to do the gags. What I am proudest of in Skyfall is the lightness of touch we've been able to bring to back into it but not lose the drama and the action."
In case you haven't caught on by this point, Daniel Craig is indirectly blaming the Austin Powers films, which were made entirely to make fun of the ridiculousness featured in James Bond movies. From the bizarre gadgets to the overtly-sexual femme fatales to the cast of strange villains, the Jay Roach-directed comedies took every 007 trope to its furthest limit. Given the impact of those movies on pop culture, one can see how it would be tricky to treat that kind of stuff seriously once again back in the James Bond franchise.
We'll have more for you about Sam Mendes' Bond 24 tomorrow, as production is getting underway and MGM plans to announce the title and cast for the movie. If we get a plot description as well, don't expect it to be filled with ridiculousness.
