How do you solve a problem like killing James Bond? Many villains have tried, and ultimately only one seems to have done the job correctly, causing his 25th adventure, No Time To Die, to be the only film so far that’s actually extinguished 007. When you have a twist like that in the works, how do you sell it so that it feels appropriate? Co-writer/director Cary Joji Fukunaga, as well as producer/star Daniel Craig, recently talked the other ways it could have happened, and it only further highlights how the ending we got turned out to be the best possible outcome.

How James Bond Could Have Died In No Time To Die

As part of a longer Q&A that will be released by Variety later this week, Cary Fukunaga and Daniel Craig were part of the panel on hand to really dig into the latest Bond film, which also happened to be Mr. Craig’s final ride in the tuxedo. After Craig divulged the story of how he asked producer Barbara Broccoli if he could kill 007 off in his final installment as early as the Berlin premiere of Casino Royale, the question of whether the Commander’s death was “baked into” the framework before Mr. Fukunaga was hired as a co-writer/director was asked. His response to that portion of the subject was as follows:

The conversation surrounding Daniel Craig’s request to kill James Bond at the end of his contractual obligation has been a lively one as of late. With the revelation that, yes indeed, this has been in the works since the actor's 2006 debut as Ian Fleming’s literary creation, all sorts of developments have kept that subject front and center. It’s even more surprising to see that it’s taken so long for this former “secret” to be openly discussed, and even Barbara Broccoli seemed pleasantly surprised to know that it wasn’t spoiled too soon. 

But what were some of the other ways that Cary Joji Fukunaga and Daniel Craig were thinking of enlisting to take out Commander Bond? Well, further along in the conversation, there seemed to have been a mix of seriously grounded ideas and Craig having fun with the room. Everything seemed on the table, but as Fukunaga hammered home in his part of the conversation, not just any death would do for 007: 

While these methods of killing James Bond are rather interesting to discuss, there’s a portion of one of the serious concepts that Cary Joji Fukunaga mentioned that you can see for yourself. In the portfolio of concept artist Tim Browning, a member of the art department on every Bond film from Skyfall to No Time To Die, there are some rather interesting pieces of alternate designs present in his work on Daniel Craig’s big finale. Among those artistic renderings is the potential rocket that could have killed 007; which would have absolutely been more fitting than just getting shot by a random assassin with a non-golden gun.

Why No Time To Die’s Chosen Ending Is The Most Fitting, According To Daniel Craig

Ultimately, it would be the DNA-targeting weapon known as “Project Heracles” that would led to James Bond’s undoing. Infected by Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek) with a variant that was made specifically to kill Dr. Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), as well as their daughter Mathilde, Bond would never be able to see his loved ones again without threatening to kill them almost instantaneously. Sacrificing himself in the barrage of missiles that destroyed Safin’s poison island, the world’s best secret agent died protecting those he valued most; and that ties directly into why Daniel Craig prefers the ending that was selected. In the actor's words:

Daniel Craig wasn’t dead set on killing James Bond in the name of pure spectacle. Were that his rationale, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson probably wouldn’t have even entertained his suggestion from day one. The stakes had to be appropriate, and the story rightfully closed, by Bond’s demise; and director Cary Joji Fukunaga helped complete the team that stuck the landing. Completing the arc of the Craig era, No Time To Die ended the actor’s record setting tenure in an appropriate fashion, with the results undoubtedly ready to be discussed for years to come. 

No Time To Die is currently available for rental or purchase, in both digital and physical formats, so you can judge for yourself whether it went with the right ending or not. Don’t forget to keep your eyes and ears open for the many announcements that will be coming throughout the year, with new information on how you can celebrate the 60th anniversary of James Bond. All others can turn their attentions to the 2022 release schedule, in hopes that there's a movie distracting enough to draw your attention from this somber subject. 

As the world continues to unfold the mysteries of No Time To Die at their own pace, the James Bond franchise has reached another massive milestone. With Daniel Craig’s departure from the role that he’s held for the past 15 years, a new era is set to dawn. It’s an occasion that brings to mind the time Sean Connery left the 007 saga, making way for the changes that On Her Majesty’s Secret Service would embody. That’s no coincidence either, as in his research to craft No Time To Die’s story, co-writer/director Cary Joji Fukunaga was so "blown away," he knew it had to be the cornerstone of the 25th James Bond film. 

Coming into the Bond world as a creative collaborator, Fukunaga was already a fan of the famed franchise. Citing A View to a Kill as an important childhood favorite in his 007 education, No Time To Die’s helmer coincidentally embraces the humor of the Roger Moore era by injecting it back into the franchise. But as you’ll see in his remarks from my interview with Cary Joji Fukunaga, his recent viewings of 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service were planted so firmly in his mind that the influence on the finished product was unavoidable: 

It’s not unlike James Bond fans of more recent generations to skip over On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, so the historical significance of the film tends to be understated. This being George Lazenby’s single Bond film, it was released at the time when Sean Connery departed the role and the 007 series was riding high. So the unexpected curveball into emotional drama, mixed with a new actor and the longest James Bond movie at the time, was something that shook fans up. All of which are factors that sound very familiar in the wake of No time To Die’s theatrical opening. 

Over time, the entry that was once considered a huge let down, and enough of a motivation to win Sean Connery back for his final official James Bond film, has been the subject of much reevaluation. Even throughout the classic run of films, there are certain installments that use On Her Majesty’s Secret Service as a touchstone for the events at hand. For Your Eyes Only saw Roger Moore’s 007 educating Carole Bouquet’s Melina Havelock about the need for revenge, while Timothy Dalton’s second Bond movie, License to Kill saw David Hedison’s return as Felix Leiter referencing how “he was married once. But it was a long time ago.” 

Even Tomorrow Never Dies seemed to allude to Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond sharing that same burden, through his inability to maintain a relationship for too long. Embodying a loose continuity launched by the black sheep of the Bond family, these films took their cues from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’s huge swing at something different. As Cary Joji Fukunaga further explains, that stuck with him, inspiring some very specific choices made in No Time To Die’s content: 

The influence of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service has never totally been lost on the James Bond franchise. However, nearly 60 years and 25 entries later, one can’t be blamed for focusing on some of the more popular stories in the Bond pantheon. But those digging for the last time the long-running series met an Avengers: Endgame-style event don’t need to look any further than the George Lazenby-starring tale of heartbreak and romance. And after seeing No Time To Die, younger fans will be able to see just why it’s recommended to watch that very film either before, or after, Daniel Craig’s big finale. 

In a movie that went to great lengths to not only show us the pinnacle of what a Bond woman could be like through Léa Seydoux’s Dr. Madeleine Swann, as well as creating the most bespoke villain for the Daniel Craig era in Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek,) No Time To Die clearly took its cues from this still underrated gem. Once again, a huge swing has been taken in the James Bond series, and Cary Joji Fukunaga has delivered an appropriate end to the serialized story we’ve been watching since 2006. We still have time to wait and see who will be the next James Bond, which means that No Time To Die, and the Craig films in general, will definitely be dissected and discussed in the meantime. 

Depending on where you live, No Time To Die is either in theaters or on its way to the big screen in the coming weeks. So check your local listings carefully and be cautious that spoilers are now out in the open. For all of you looking to plan your next night out to a theater near you, check the 2021 release schedule and see what’s in store throughout the rest of the year. 

Daniel Craig says farewell to James Bond this weekend with the release of No Time To Die, his fifth turn in a fifteen-year run. Acclaimed director Cary Joji Fukunaga joins the show to chat about sending off Craig’s iteration, shooting on IMAX cameras, designing the opening credits, practical effects and more. 

It’s an all-out James Bond episode this week as CinemaBlend Sr. Movie Contributor, and 007 expert, Mike Reyes, joins in for a review of the epic conclusion.

Timestamps (Approx. Only)

• 00:03:32 - Weekly Poll
• 00:09:35 - Cary Joji Fukunaga Interview
• 00:32:15 - This Week In Movies
• 00:35:38 - Lamb Review
• 00:41:29 - Mass Review
• 00:52:51 - No Time To Die Review
• 01:12:39 - Our Favorite James Bond Films
• 01:35:52 - Outro

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No Time To Die stars Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, Jeffrey Wright, Billy Magnussen, Léa Seydoux and director/writer Cary Joji Fukunaga discuss their new James Bond film in this interview with CinemaBlend's Mike Reyes. They talk about Craig’s legacy as 007, what sets this era apart from Bonds of the past, how they constructed his final sendoff with No Time To Die and more.

Video Interview Chapters

• 00:00 - Intro 
• 00:35 - Rami Malek on what makes Safin the deadliest Bond villain 
• 01:45 - How Cary Joji Fukunaga borrowed from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service for No Time To Die
• 03:05 - Daniel Craig and Lashana Lynch on having two 007s in No Time To Die
• 05:03 - The No Time To Die cast reflects on Daniel Craig’s Bond legacy 
• 07:30 - Rami Malek on the rumors that he is the new Dr. No 
• 08:22 - Jeffrey Wright on the honor of being the longest incarnation of Felix Leiter 
• 09:20 - Léa Seydoux on why Dr. Madeleine Swann is unlike any other Bond girl 
• 10:34 - What Daniel Craig drank to celebrate his last wrap as Bond 
• 11:10 - Would Lashana Lynch come back for a Nomi spinoff? 
• 12:00 - How A View To A Kill inspired Cary Joji Fukunaga for No Time To Die
• 12:52 - Léa Seydoux on shooting the dramatic conclusion of No Time To Die

When lockdowns went into effect last spring, No Time To Die was gearing up to hit theaters, just weeks away from release. Delay after delay happened, and after a year-and-a-half Daniel Craig’s final time playing James Bond is now finally being seen by its first audiences – and it looks like it has been worth the wait. The first numbers are in for No Time To Die as it has its first day in U.K. cinemas, and it looks like 007 will be serving up a lot of martinis on the house tonight. 

The 25th James Bond movie will make a reported $6.2 million to $6.8 million in its first day alone between midnight Wednesday and Thursday showings in the United Kingdom, per Deadline. This places No Time To Die above 2015’s Spectre by 13 percent and below 2012’s Skyfall (which came out on a Friday) by just 26 percent. Apparently 1.62 million advance tickets were sold for No Time To Die in its home country for its first four days in cinemas. 

No Time To Die reportedly had 30,000 people attend midnight screenings on Wednesday, and it will set a record as the widest theatrical release of all time in the U.K. and Ireland. The movie is also already playing in Korea along with other major markets including Germany, Brazil, Italy, Japan, Mexico and Spain. The movie will be released in the U.S next week on October 8 and come to China on October 29. 

It’s projected that No Time To Die will finish out the weekend with international numbers around $90 million, but per the opening day number it could even do better than that. If so, it could come close to Spectre’s $123 million and Skyfall’s $109 million. Those are some solid numbers when considering that the world is still battling the on-going pandemic.

No Time To Die premiered in London at Royal Albert Hall on Tuesday and has been met with positive reviews by critics overall, including CinemaBlend’s own Michael Reyes, who awarded the movie a perfect five out of five in his review, tapping it the “best possible ending” to Craig’s Bond, which started back in 2006 with Casino Royale. 

The movie stars a massively talented cast, including Rami Malek taking on the Bond villain, Léa Seydoux returning as Madeleine Swann, Ralph Fiennes as M, Christoph Waltz as Blofeld, Ben Whinshaw as Q, Naomie Harris as Eve Moneypenny and Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter. Captain Marvel’s Lashana Lynch joins the franchise as a new agent named Nomi and Ana de Armas becomes a Bond Woman named Paloma who assists 007 on a mission. 

We’ll keep you updated here on CinemaBlend as the weekend box office numbers for No Time To Die roll in for the weeks to come. 

The James Bond franchise has been entertaining audiences for decades, and is showing no signs of slowing down. The beloved property will finally return to theaters with No Time to Die, which will also be Daniel Craig’s final outing as 007. And it turns out that director Cary Joji Fukunaga really pushed for the movie’s female characters to have more equity on screen.

The Bond movies have had a somewhat storied history with its female characters, especially during its early stages. Daniel Craig’s tenure has certainly seen women treated less like objects, and No Time to Die will feature two new agents in Nomi and Paloma, played by Lashana Lynch and Ana de Armas respectively. Lynch spoke to how Cary Fukunaga advocated for No Time to Die’s female characters alongside Barbara Broccoli and Craig, saying:

It certainly sounds like we’re in a new era of Bond. Because on top of No Time to Die featuring a number of significant female characters, special care was given to each one. That’s especially true for Lashana Lynch’s Nomi, who takes on the mantle of 007 after James Bond retires in the new movie.

Lashana Lynch’s comments to THR come from a long-form piece about the work of No Time to Die director Cary Fukunaga. The movie broke new ground when Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge joined the writing team to help punch things up. Add in a quartet of capable female characters, and it’s clear that those involved in Bond 25 were trying to do better than the franchise’s somewhat bumpy past.

As previously mentioned, Lashana Lynch’s character Nomi is far from the only femme fatale involved in No Time to Die. Ana de Armas is making her franchise debut in the upcoming movie, playing a CIA agent who assists Bond. There are also two returning female characters with Léa Seydoux’s Dr. Madeleine Swann and Naomie Harris’ Eve Moneypenny. Many of these actresses have praised the way their character was treated in the upcoming sequel, especially when it comes to being independent of Bond.

Luckily for fans of James Bond our questions about No Time to Die will be answered shortly. Daniel Craig’s final bow in the franchise hits theaters on October 8th. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

For about a year-and-a-half, the anticipation surrounding Daniel Craig’s final James Bond film, No Time To Die, has been at a fever pitch. Ever since the star announced this film would be his swan song in the franchise, the rocky road to release has been watched with a very keen eye by fans and spectators. Additionally, co-writer/director Cary Joji Fukunaga, the first American to ever direct a 007 adventure, faced some serious pressure after inheriting the blockbuster following a creative shake up behind-the-scenes. Now it's safe to say that, in light of such factors, No Time To Die absolutely lives up to the promise of being an adventure that changes everything, as it is a pure Bond spectacle that will take your breath away.

Picking up after their supposedly happy ending in Spectre, James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux) find themselves thrown right back into danger and intrigue. Retired from active service as a 00 agent, Bond is eventually drawn back into the world he tried to leave, which basically brings the world up to the point that No Time To Die really starts to kick off. A massive threat is lurking in the shadows, thanks to Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek), a mastermind who is planning something so large that James Bond might not know who to trust.

No Time To Die doesn’t waste a moment of its record setting screen time.

With a runtime that is nearly three hours, No Time To Die’s story gets off to a rousing start and doesn’t let up. In the run up to its debut, there have been promises that the Daniel Craig era of films was going to have a proper ending, tying together the five movie saga in an epic conclusion. That claim has absolutely been fulfilled, as the usual franchise antics are mixed in with a story that very much has history, especially Casino Royale, firmly in mind. With Bond truly trying to let go of the past, the shadow of prior events is harder to shake than ever.

This hook leads to a huge deviation in formula for No Time To Die, which is thanks to a script by Bond franchise stalwarts Neal Purvis and Robert Wade – with contributions from Cary Joji Fukunaga and Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge. That collective brain trust makes the blockbuster unique, as all of their influences are felt, but none conflict. Whole segments of Fukunaga’s movie delve into other genres, such as an opening flashback that makes Madeleine’s tragic past play out like a pseudo-slasher. The sum total of story beats and voices lead this final Daniel Craig era adventure in directions even the most die hard fans won’t expect.

Daniel Craig’s Bond finally gets a chance to flex some muscles that James Bond has needed to use for some time.

No Time To Die does not feel like a typical James Bond movie, as Daniel Craig’s variant of the secret agent actually gets to explore a more emotional side to the character. While there’s still top-notch action for those in need of some adrenaline, James and Madeleine’s love story at the heart of this narrative is allowed to be the franchise's most moving romance since On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. If there’s any James Bond movie that No Time To Die owes a huge debt to, it's the George Lazenby classic that pushed the boundaries of the 007 franchise in very similar fashion.

There is also a lot of genuinely funny dialogue and scenarios that let Daniel Craig play to his comedic strengths – which also delivers his scenes with characters played by Lashana Lynch and Ana de Armas some well-earned levity. But most notable is the fact that after four previous films of mostly stoic action, Craig finally gets to handle some Roger Moore style one-liners. Complimenting the deadly serious moments and utterly heartbreaking moments that No Time To Die has up its sleeve, there is a lightness that makes this final film in the Daniel Craig arc a true celebration of all things James Bond.

Consider the landing stuck, as No Time To Die is the best possible ending to this chapter of James Bond history.

There’s a line in Quantum of Solace that comes to mind when thinking about how No Time To Die ultimately lands. When instructing Olga Kurylenko’s Camille Montes on the moment of revenge she’s waited for years to enact, Daniel Craig’s 007 tells her, “Take a deep breath. You only need one shot. Make it count.” The same could be said for Craig’s decision to come back for No Time To Die, after teetering on the edge of quitting after Spectre. Put your fears to rest, because Daniel Craig and Cary Joji Fukunaga make their shot count, as this last ride for the rebooted Bond is one for the ages.

No Time To Die wraps up the Daniel Craig era of James Bond with the bow tie it’s always been destined to wear. This is going to be a conversation piece for fans and non-fans alike, as Craig’s Bond is allowed to go places other 007s haven’t dared to visit. With the modern era being a serialized story leading up to one gigantic ending, this is the best possible outcome that anyone could have expected. Borrowing from the past, and reinventing for the future, Cary Joji Fukunaga has given a new generation of James Bond fans a masterpiece on the level of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service that should be revered for years to come.

Having been hired to direct Daniel Craig’s fifth and final outing as James Bond, the soon-to-arrive No Time to Die marked Cary Fukunaga’s first time helming a movie since 2015’s Beasts of No Nation. However, there was a time when Fukunaga was attached to direct the film adaptation of the Stephen King novel IT, but he stepped away from the project in 2015 and was succeeded by Mama’s Andy Muschietti. Now Fukunaga has delved into why he left behind the opportunity to bring Pennywise the Dancing Clown to the big screen.

It was reported in 2012 that Cary Fukunaga had been hired to direct and co-write IT, and he’s still credited on the final product as a writer alongside Chase Palmer and Gary Dauberman. However, in 2015, just three weeks before production was set to begin, Fukunaga departed IT, and in an interview with THR, he noted that the reason for his exit boiled down to creative differences over what kind of horror story would be told. In the filmmaker’s words:

Naturally when making an IT movie, one needs to pull from the original Stephen King-penned novel that was published in 1986 and previously adapted into a miniseries starring Tim Curry. That being said, taking creative liberties comes with the territory in adaptations, and ultimately Cary Fukunaga and New Line Cinema disagreed about how deeply the IT movie would delve into horror, with Fukunaga wanting to tackle with a more dramatic sensibility and New Line wanting to go all-in on the scares. In the end, Fukunaga decided that the version of IT that would be brought to life wasn’t a good fit for him and severed ties.

The silver lining to this story is that Cary Fukunaga noted that there was no “bad blood” as a result of him exiting IT, as evidenced by him still collaborating with IT producers Dan Lin and Roy Lee. Nevertheless, the IT journey continued on, with Andy Muschietti being hired to helm what would end up becoming a two-part adaptation, with principal photography on the first movie beginning in June 2016. While Midsommar’s Will Poulter had been selected to play Pennywise in Fukunaga’s version of IT, he later had to bow out due to a scheduling conflict, and Bill Skarsgård took over the role. IT finally came out on September 8, 2017, with IT Chapter Two following on September 6, 2019.

As for Cary Fukunaga, you can see his latest contribution to the cinematic landscape when No Time to Die opens in US theaters on October 8. If you’re wondering what movies are left to come out this year, browse through our 2021 release schedule, or get a head start on next year with the 2022 release schedule.

Some fan theories are so popular that not even the truth will stand in their way. So while No Time To Die director Cary Joji Fukunaga has finally addressed that long-standing rumor that Rami Malek’s Safin is secretly Dr. No, don’t expect that to turn fans off of that potential trail. Though, for the record, Fukunaga’s reason why that classic Bond villain hasn’t returned sounds pretty legit.

In an interview with SFX Magazine, Cary Fukunaga supposedly cleared the air about Safin and the persistent need to connect him to that first classic James Bond villain. What’s more, No Time To Die’s villain was apparently so difficult to create that Fukunaga, along with Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, all got a little frustrated during the process. As you can see from the filmmaker's below comment, creating a new villain in a world like the James Bond franchise has some very unique ups and downs:

While Rami Malek has enjoyed the ambiguity that surrounds his No Time To Die villain, he’s definitely fed into the sort of baddie Cary Joji Fukunaga is hoping to land. Given the opportunity to help craft his antagonist, even before accepting the role, Malek feels as close to Safin as Fukunaga is. And thanks to their efforts, the Academy Award-winning actor claims that his No Time To Die character is certainly, “a nasty piece of work.”

But again, that sort of villain isn’t easy to create, even in the world of 007. Just look at Spectre’s reintroduction of Blofeld, which, quite frankly, rubbed some fans the wrong way. More specifically, the twist where James Bond and his classic arch-nemesis are revealed to be adopted brothers had some series loyalists crying foul, as that same twist was deployed in Austin Powers in Goldmember. Which, strangely enough, seems to be a touchstone that Cary Joji Fukunaga kept in mind when crafting Safin for No Time To Die:

There’s an established pedigree of James Bond villains, and films like The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard have absolutely played to the sillier side of that formula. But as Daniel Craig’s serious era of rebooted continuity comes to a close in No Time To Die, times call for a menace that’s more complicated, while remaining severely deadly. But even with all of the talk of serious Bond villains, could Safin be another Franz Oberhauser situation? This fall will see the truth about Rami Malek’s Safin revealed to the public at large when No Time To Die heads to theaters on October 8.

After multiple delays, No Time to Die will finally arrive later this year. Unfortunately the film will serve as Daniel Craig’s swan song in the long-running franchise. Some critics and fans have referred to Craig’s time as one of the best James Bond runs in decades. For many Bond fans, this latest film will be a sad affair as Craig’s run ends. But sentimentality isn’t the angle No Time to Die director Cary Joji Fukunaga is going for. With the film serving as Craig’s farewell movie, the director revealed the film will feature one major hallmark from other Bond films.

Bond fans have been waiting for years to see Daniel Craig’s final Bond outing. Some might feel Craig deserves a long, drawn-out goodbye, but that isn’t the James Bond way. Cary Joji Fukunaga will follow the traditional Bond approach with a certain ending. The No Time to Die director spoke to Total Film about Craig’s final foray as the international spy:

For anyone who has watched James Bond films over the decades, Cary Joji Fukunaga’s approach is business as usual. The transition from one Bond to another is treated like the passing of the torch from an outgoing CEO to a new one. So Daniel Craig’s exit is being treated no differently than when he replaced Pierce Bronson. But the attachment and love for Craig differ as his run had an emotional thread that connected every film. As such, fans might be a little more sentimental when it comes to the Knives Out star. While some traditions have stayed, others needed to be updated for today’s generation.

While speaking with Total Film, Cary Joji Fukunaga revealed how Daniel Craig’s final Bond outing will be different from the others. He admitted bringing in Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridges to revise No Time to Die’s script helped to subvert some Bond tropes. Waller-Bridge’s work will be most obvious in the female characters like newcomers Lashana Lynch and Ana de Armas. That means things will be different for James Bond this time.

This evolution in the James Bond franchise probably wouldn’t have happened if things went differently. As many know, Daniel Craig almost stepped away from the franchise over not feeling physically up for the heavy action. Luckily, Craig changed his mind and participated in No Time to Die. Now, Bond fans get to bid farewell to the actor when his final Bond film arrives in theaters on Oct. 8.

No Time To Die director Cary Fukunaga has been one of the most intriguing filmmakers to watch for some time, from True Detective’s stunning first season anf the critically-acclaimed Netflix film Beasts of No Nation to his offbeat sci-fi drama Maniac. As we wait for his take on James Bond, Fukunaga has already lined up his next project, and it’s going to be an adaptation of a stylistic comic book series.

Legendary Pictures is making a movie based off the Image Comics series Tokyo Ghost, and Cary Fukunaga has been tapped to direct it. The 10-issue science fiction series that was published from 2015 to 2017 is a cyberpunk comic that takes place in an imagined 2089 where humanity has become completely addicted to technology to fully escape reality. The comic book’s creator, Rick Remender, will pen the script for the Tokyo Ghost movie, per The Hollywood Reporter.

The comic focuses on two main characters, Debbie Decay and Led Dent, who are peacekeepers working in Los Angeles until they are given a job to venture in a tech-less country known as the Garden Nation of Tokyo. Tokyo Ghost could draw comparisons to Mad Max: Fury Road, Blade Runner or Akira, with roots in classic literature likened to 1984 or Brave New World. There’s an expansive sci-fi world at play here that could spawn sequels if the first movie becomes a hit.

Rick Remender previously worked with the Russo Brothers to bring to life his other famous comic book series, Deadly Class. The series was given one season on Syfy in 2019 and starred All the Boys actress Lana Condor and Doctor Strange’s Benedict Wong, but it was unfortunately cancelled by the network. On the other hand, a recent adaptation of the Image Comics’ serie, The Old Guard made a huge splash on Netflix last year and may spawn sequels.

Hollywood has had mixed success with the publisher’s series. The Walking Dead is the most popular example of Image Comics' capacity for success, but other properties that have derived from the publisher are 2008's Wanted, the Kick-Ass movies and 1997’s Spawn. Tokyo Ghost is a great example of an untapped sci-fi property that has major potential, but we’ll have to follow along and see how its development shakes out.

Next up for Cary Fukunaga is No Time To Die, the long-awaited finale to Daniel Craig’s 007, which was initially going to come out in Spring 2020 before theatrical shifts had to be made due to COVID-19. The movie that will also feature Lashana Lynch and Ana de Armas in action, Rami Malek playing a nefarious villain, and an already award-winning theme song by Billie Eilish is slated to come out on October 8. Until then, you can check out the full 2021 release calendar here on CinemaBlend.

When you’re wading in the waters of the 007 legacy, playing the Blofeld card like 2015’s Spectre did is a pretty big move. Once you’ve established James Bond’s most notable arch-nemesis, and the crime organization he’s most famous for organizing, it’s a pretty tight spot you’ve put yourself in when you have to dream up a villain like Rami Malek’s Safin. However, if No Time To Die co-writer/director Cary Joji Fukunaga is to be believed, the adversary of the 25th James Bond film is going to make Ernst Stavro Blofeld quite obsolete.

As No Time To Die has been pushed to April 2021’s release window, there’s still plenty of press coverage coming from the hype machine surrounding the film. Just as Rami Malek has been talking up the presence of Safin, Cary Joji Fukunaga threw in his two cents about how much of a big deal Daniel Craig’s final cinematic opposition actually is. That led Fukunaga to tell GQ the following about Safin:

This pretty much tracks with what we’ve both seen and heard about No Time To Die, as even Rami Malek went on record as saying that Safin is quite the unsettling character to play. For a man who's tackled projects like the USA thriller series Mr. Robot, that’s saying something. Though, of course, the more we learn about the mystery surrounding Safin’s plot and personal backstory, it becomes easier to see just what makes him so frightening.

Not only is Safin personally responsible for murdering the mother of Dr. Madeleine Swann, but he’s also a former assassin coming from the ranks of Ernst Stavro Blofeld’s SPECTRE. Now, Rami Malek’s No Time To Die baddie is calling the shots, making himself an adversary for Christoph Waltz’s currently captive madman. And while we don’t know the exact details of what his evil plot pertains to, everything from genetic manipulation to biological warfare seems to be on the table, as millions of lives are on the line.

No Time To Die had to come up with a big villain who could walk right behind Christoph Waltz’s Blofeld, but easily overtake him without diving back into the more ridiculous end of the James Bond pool of villainy. All of the clues we’ve seen in interviews and footage surrounding Rami Malek’s Safin seem to confirm that not only has this task been accomplished, but the results will truly be something worth waiting for. No Time To Die plans to end that wait, in theaters thank you very much, on April 2, 2021. But should that change in either direction of the calendar, CinemaBlend will be there to break the news. James Bond will return.

2020 has been filled with delays for film fans, as many of the year’s top movies have either shifted or vacated 2020 altogether in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. No Time to Die, the latest installment in the 007 franchise is one of the biggest projects to have been delayed, and fans are eager to see what’s in store for Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond. Director Cary Joji Fukunaga is as anxious about the film’s release as anyone, and he’s now opening up about how he felt when the movie’s first delay hit.

No Time to Die was originally set to be released back in April, but it was delayed to November in light of the ongoing global health crisis. Cary Joji Fukunaga admitted that when he first heard the move was coming, he was disappointed. However, he quickly saw that it was the right decision for the project:

No Time to Die was recently delayed again, this time to April 2021. Although Fukunaga is eager to share his film with the world, he told The Wall Street Journal that he’s fully conscious of the bigger issues affecting society during this pandemic:

Waiting for No Time to Die to finally be released can’t be easy for Fukunaga or his cast and crew. Nevertheless, it’s good to see that he’s showing concern for others have been greatly affected by COVID-19.

The filmmaker’s sentiments also seem to line up with those of his star, Daniel Craig. Like Fukunaga, Craig has no problem waiting for the film’s release, as he only wants people to see it when it’s safe enough to do so.

It’s good to know that the creatives behind No Time to Die are taking the film’s delays in stride. Admittedly, it the wait has been hard, especially for the 007 faithful but, based on what we’ve seen from the film so far, it should be more than worth it.

No Time to Die is currently set to hit theaters on April 2, 2021.

The finale of Spectre saw James Bond and his new lady driving off into the sunset, which felt like a nice farewell to Daniel Craig’s Bond. Many including Daniel Craig himself thought this would be his final run, but he felt an itch that he needed to do one more and here we are with No Time To Die. And, as it turns out, director Cary Fukunaga had some out-there ideas on how to send him out with a bang.

While speaking with Interview Magazine, Cary Fukunaga, who grabbed the attention of audiences everywhere with his amazing work on the first season of True Detective, spoke in-depth about the James Bond franchise. Then he spilled a wild idea he had for No Time to Die, saying:

That is indeed a wild idea, and interesting to say the least. The James Bond franchise is practically as old as Hollywood itself and most of their movies have a scene where he’s at the mercy of the villain, but I can’t recall a time where everything he is experiencing is in his head.

In No Time To Die we'll find James Bond in retirement in Jamaica, enjoying a peaceful life, before he’s thrust back into the fray when CIA agent Felix Leiter asks for his help. He needs Bond to rescue a kidnapped scientist, but the mission will be a slippery slope into the mouth of a new dangerous villain and a deadly new technology.

It was recently announced that the release date for No Time To Die would be pushed back, to the dismay of fans everywhere. Many questioned if that meant Cary Fukunaga would do more edits during that time, but he confirmed there will be no changes.

Personally, I’m very glad he didn’t go ahead with this wild idea, considering it’s an old cliché that’s practically a punchline at this point with the “it was all dream,” revelation a la Jacob’s Ladder.

No Time to Die is currently set to arrive in theaters on November 25th. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

If everything had been going according to plan, we probably would have spent a lot of time on CinemaBlend this week talking about James Bond. No Time To Die was supposed to be released this past Friday, so we would have seen the end of Daniel Craig's time as the super spy, and we'd be breaking down what happened, and what it could mean for the future of the franchise.

Alas, it was not to be. No Time To Die was the first major release to push back its opening in response to the global pandemic and that means we're back to playing the waiting game. It seems we have a bit more time to die that we previously thought. On the plus side, there's still plenty of material that can be used to keep us excited while we wait until the film's new November release. The official James Bond Instagram dropped an image of Daniel Craig in conversation with director Cary Fukunaga on the set of M's office.

It's a simple image that certainly doesn't show us anything we haven't seen before, but considering we were expecting to have an entire movie at this point, we'll take what we can get. Clearly Daniel Craig has something to say here and director Cary Fukunaga is listening. From all reports, these two had a solid relationship on set, even though this was the director's first project with Craig and James Bond.

It was early March when No Time To Die made the decision to hold off on release until November. At the time, coronavirus wasn't a problem everywhere. However, the feeling was that it was enough of a problem in enough places, that the movie, which has a lot of international appeal, would suffer at the global box office because of theater closures in places like China. We still fully expected movie theaters to be open in April domestically, though that didn't end up working out either.

No Time To Die ended up leading the pack as all the other major film releases scheduled for April and beyond would postpone their release. Many have now been rescheduled for mid-summer or later, other are still just sitting in limbo with no release date, waiting to see when things actually start to get back to normal.

At this point, it feels like the new November release date is safe, although, at this point, it's hard to be sure of anything. Cinemark, one of the nations largest theater chains, seems to be putting together a plan that would reopen theaters on July 1, though certainly time will tell if that's truly going to work out.

Certainly, the competition in the theater business won't want to be opening any later than the other theaters for fear of losing business, so it seems likely that if one theater chain really is ready to open July 1, the others will be there in short order.

Over the past few weeks, the entertainment industry has come to a screeching halt. Movie theaters closed, blockbusters were delayed, and film sets stalled indefinitely over global health concerns. One of the movies to be affected is No Time to Die, which will mark Daniel Craig's fifth and final time playing Bond. The blockbuster was pushed back a whopping seven months, so does that mean director Cary Joji Fukunaga and company will be making edits during this time?

No Time to Die is just one of many movies to be pushed back, to the chagrin of the rabid fandom. And since other blockbusters like Black Widow are making changes behind the scenes during this time, fans have been wondering if Bond 25 would do the same. One fan recently asked director Cary Joji Fukunaga that very question on social media, to which he responded:

Well, that was pretty cut and dry. Despite the long seven months between No Time to Die's release dates, it looks like the movie's theatrical cut is complete. And as such, the Fukunaga and his crew likely aren't doing additional work to the long awaited Bond flick.

Cary Fukunaga's update about No Time to Die comes to us from his personal Instagram page. The filmmaker recently posted a professional portrait of himself, and then eventually engaged with the public in the comments section. Obviously one of the biggest points of conversation is No Time to Die, especially following its change in release date. But despite the long wait until November, they're not going to be making any more changes.

It's been a long road to get No Time to Die to theaters, including a series of delays. Daniel Craig was injured while filming, and there was some on set controversy as well. And while the highly anticipated blockbuster was finally going to hit theaters on April 2nd, it was once again pushed back. Bond 25 is now going to arrive at a more traditional date in November, but the next few months should be excruciating for moviegoers.

It's probably a good sign that Cary Joji Fukunaga isn't going to be making any drastic changes to No Time to Die before it hits theaters. It indicates that Fukunaga had already accomplished his vision for Daniel Craig's final gig as James Bond. In fact, he's so confident that he's not going to mess with the theatrical cut before its finally released.

No Time to Die is now set to arrive in theaters on November 25th. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

It’s no easy task for a director to take on a blockbuster. Big-budget projects often come with massive expectations from audiences, and there’s a lot of studio money on the line too. With 2020 in particular, there’s a ton of filmmaking talent taking on these kinds of projects for the very first time. Bad Boys for Life directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah kicked things off in a big way with the record-breaking success of their action film, and there’s plenty of blockbuster debuts to go.

Get to know the directors helming giant movies for the first time in 2020. You might want to remember some of these folks:

Cathy Yan - Birds of Prey

Release Date: February 7

Back in 2017, Warner Bros took a chance on Patty Jenkins and she made history. The Wonder Woman director was the first woman ever to be given a project as big as the DCEU film was, and it became a phenomenon. Cathy Yan is following in Jenkins’ footsteps with Birds of Prey coming this weekend. She helmed her first feature just two years ago after writing and directing three of her own shorts. A little while after the Chinese-spoken Dead Pigs premiered at Sundance to positive buzz, Yan had coffee with Birds of Prey writer Christina Hodson, and it resulted in her becoming the movie's director.

Jeff Fowler - Sonic the Hedgehog

Release Date: February 14

Taking on the first live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movie as your directorial debut takes some serious fortitude, and Jeff Fowler was the man for the job. Back in 2004, his animated short Gopher Broke was nominated for an Oscar, and he worked on the animation for 2009’s Where the Wild Things Are. Other than that, he kind of came out of nowhere. Following the release of Sonic the Hedgehog’s first trailer, the design of Sonic was met with viral backlash. Fowler listened to fans and redesigned the character's features, and it looks like this will benefit Sonic’s success.

Dave Wilson - Bloodshot

Release Date: March 13

Another first-time director who comes from the visual side of moviemaking is the director of Bloodshot, Dave Wilson. He has long been the supervisor and director of creating trailers for video games at Blur Studios, including Mass Effect 2, various Star Wars games and Bioshock Infinite. Wilson also worked on Avengers: Age of Ultron as well and directed an episode of Netflix’s Love, Death & Robots last year. His first movie stars Vin Diesel and is based on Valiant Comics’ Bloodshot. The superhero is a biotech killing machine with a tragic backstory.

Josh Boone - The New Mutants

Release Date: April 3

Josh Boone is no stranger to a high-profile project. He directed the adaptation of the beloved teen romance novel The Fault in Our Stars back in 2014, which starred Ansel Elgort and Shailene Woodley. Made on a reported budget of just $12 million, the movie went on to make $307 million worldwide. That helped launch the two actors careers who are popular for their work in Baby Driver and Big Little Lies, respectively. His next project has had a troublesome time reaching the big screen since it was filmed two years ago, but it’s finally coming this spring. The New Mutants is a horror take on the X-Men property with the same name.

Cary Joji Fukunaga - No Time To Die

Release Date: April 10

Following 1917’s Sam Mendes' two-film stint in the James Bond franchise for 2012’s Skyfall and 2015’s Spectre, Daniel Craig’s final hurrah as 007 will be directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga. This filmmaker has shown promise to helm a big-budget movie for a few years. He had built up his resume as the filmmaker behind the latest adaptation of Jane Erye, the first season of HBO’s True Detective and one of Netflix’s first award contenders, Beasts of No Nation. Fukunaga was also the mind behind the script for 2017’s IT and Netflix’s Maniac. It’ll be exciting to see how he closes out Craig’s tenure as Bond.

Cate Shortland - Black Widow

Release Date: May 1

Believe it or not, the first Marvel movie to be directed solely by a woman is this summer's Black Widow. Captain Marvel technically was the first female director hire with Anna Boden, but she shared the responsibility with Ryan Fleck. Cate Shortland is an Australian filmmaker who started making her own short films in the late ‘90s. Throughout the years, she’s made a few critically-acclaimed small movies, including Somersault, Lore and Berlin Syndrome, but there’s no question that Black Widow is her most high-profile work to date.

Tony Cervone - Scoob!

Release Date: May 15

Another highly-anticipated feature-length animated feature to get a first-time director is Scoob! The Scooby-Doo property has been rebooted again and again, but it’s been some time since moviegoers could enjoy Shaggy, Velma and the gang on the big screen. Following a couple live-action films in the early ‘00s, Scoob! will take the franchise back to animation with a 3-D look. Tony Cervone has spent his career directing and producing television programs starring Tom & Jerry, Daffy Duck and Scooby-Doo. We’ll have to see how he does with Scoob!

Nia DaCosta - Candyman

Release Date: June 12

The horror genre has been finding a successful resurgence in recent years, especially with the help of Jordan Peele’s genius. Following Us, the acclaimed filmmaker has written a “spiritual sequel” to 1992’s Candyman. However, he’s stepping back from directing duties. In turn, Nia DaCosta gets to helm her first major feature film this summer. Last year, she was the director of the underrated crime-drama Little Woods, starring Lily James and Tessa Thompson. The upcoming Candyman will follow the eponymous character returning to the Chicago neighborhood from the original, but now it’s gentrified.

Chloé Zhao - The Eternals

Release Date: November 6

Not one, but two out of two Marvel movies in 2020 will feature the work of first time big-budget directors. Chloé Zhao is a Chinese filmmaker who also started making short films before moving to small indie films in Songs My Brother Taught Me and The Rider. The latter film was nominated for four Independent Spirit Awards, including a nod for her directing. Now she takes on one of Marvel Studios’ most ambitious projects yet with The Eternals. The movie stars including Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Salma Hayek, Gemma Chan, Kit Harrington and follows immortal heroes over thousands of years.

Paul Briggs And Dean Wellins - Raya And The Last Dragon

Release Date: November 25

Closing out the year, are first-time directors Paul Briggs and Dean Wellins, who will direct Disney’s next animated film, Raya and the Last Dragon. The animated movie will follow a re-imagined Earth inhabited by an ancient world. A warrior called Raya is on a quest to find the last dragon. Crazy Rich Asians’ writer Adele Lim is behind the script, and it will star Awkwafina and Cassie Steele. Both first-time directors have been working for Disney in the art and animation department for two decades. Briggs started on Hercules as an in-between artist, and Wellins was on the Gargoyles video game before working on the studio’s modern animated films.

Do you have faith in these new directors? Sound off in the comments!

In the most recent generation of the James Bond franchise, the character arc of Ernst Stavro Blofeld got off to a bit of a rocky start. Though the production certainly got an ace performer to play the role in two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz, but his introduction in Spectre was fumbled with a mix of less-than-stellar plotting and unfortunate marketing.

The legendary villain will soon be getting his chance at redemption, however, as Christoph Waltz will be reprising the role in director Cary Fukunaga's No Time To Die. Having been revealed as the head of the world's most sinister organization, his role in the new movie will be very different this time around, and Fukunaga confirmed as much during a recent interview:

Cary Fukunaga sat down with Empire in coordination of the release of the first trailer for No Time To Die, and while the director was certainly a big cagey about the topic, the role of Blofeld in the new blockbuster was among those brought up in conversation. As noted by Fukunaga, the villain will be in prison at the start of the movie, but that doesn't mean that he's rendered harmless.

In Spectre, audiences learned that Ernst Stavro Blofeld is actually Franz Oberhauser, who was James Bond's brother growing up following the death of 007's parents. By the end of the 2015 film, Bond was able to unravel Blofeld's plot and have him arrested, but given both his intelligence and connections, it's really impossible to stop a man like him from doing what he is intent on doing.

Plus, it's worth noting that imprisoning a terrifying villain isn't really something that remains as a permanent status in these films. Those of you who saw Skyfall will remember that MI6 was able to capture Javier Bardem's Raoul Silva and put him behind bars, but that didn't last very long at all (in fact, it lasted exactly as long as Silva wanted it to last).

It should be noted that while Blofeld will presumably have a key supporting role in No Time To Die, he won't be the film's central antagonist - as that particular honor this time out belongs to Academy Award winner Rami Malek, who is playing a new villain named Safin.

Daniel Craig as James Bond, Rami Malek, and Christoph Waltz together make for an impressive trio to star in a blockbuster, but the are really only a fraction of the awesome ensemble that has been brought together for the 2020 release. Léa Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, and Ralph Fiennes are all set to reprise their roles from the previous set of three James Bond movies in No Time To Die, while Ana de Armas and Lashana Lynch will be introduced as original characters.

The story begins with James Bond being out of active service, but being called upon by Felix Leiter with a mission. A scientist on the CIA's radar has gone missing, and Bond's assisstance is needed to find out where he has gone. Like all of the franchise's films in the past, it will lead to a globetrotting adventure that sees him squaring off against a maniacal new evil.

No Time To Die will be in theaters on April 8, 2020, and stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more updates about the film. To see what else is heading to theaters in the coming new year, be sure to check out our 2020 Release Calendar.

James Bond fans have been chomping at the bit for new footage from Cary Fukunaga’s upcoming 007 thriller No Time to Die. We figured that a new trailer would be coming soon enough, probably attached to the two Sony movies reaching theaters in the next few weeks: Jumanji: The Next Level or Little Women. Well, now we know that the full trailer is dropping Wednesday, and in anticipation, we get a :15 tease. Check it out.

Granted, we’re going to get a lot more later this week. But there’s still enough for us to dissect in the very quick images shown, so let’s see what we can see.

There are a lot of new characters being added to the James Bond mythology in No Time to Die, and I think we get our first look at Lashana Lynch’s Nomi as she poses from behind the wheel of a sports car in the following shot:

The other shots in the trailer mostly catch us up with familiar faces form the Bond series. We know that Daniel Craig is back for his fifth turn as 007, the secret agent with a License of Kill. We see him in London, and we see him participating in a motorcycle chase that has him making an incredible leap.

In the process of the trailer’s tease, we also do manage to see that James Bond’s signature Aston Martin is going to be receiving a few major upgrades, particularly in the weapons department.

But there are still several mysteries that can be answered in the full trailer for No Time to Die, which arrives on Wednesday. For instance, there are some key figures from the cast that we didn’t get to see in this new footage, including the return of Christoph Waltz as Ernst Stavro Blofeld. I think that’s Ana de Armas firing off the weapon, and that means we didn’t see Lea Seydoux or Naomie Harris playing Moneypenny once again. And we didn’t see Jeffrey Wright’s take on classic Bond ally, Felix Leiter.

But I’m willing to bet all of the money that this shot, which closes the trailer, is Rami Malek’s mysterious villain.

Let’s make a deal. Meet us back here on Wednesday, and we’ll have the full trailer for James Bond’s next adventure, No Time to Die. Until then, drop your best guesses as to what we’re watching in the comments section below. The movie opens in theaters on April 8, 2020. And click here for a full rundown of all the major movies opening in theaters next year.

By the time No Time To Die, the film previously known to the world solely as Bond 25, hits the world, it will almost have been 5 years since James Bond’s last adventure hit theaters. With a lot riding on what could be Daniel Craig’s final adventure as the famed superspy, there’s a lot of information that’s still hidden for a film that’s going to be released in the near future.

While some details are concealed under No Time To Die’s veil of secrecy, we also do know a bit about this mysterious film that hasn’t dropped a trailer just yet. And, looking at all of that information at once shows us where our gaps in knowledge may be leading in the long run. As we put together the pieces that are out there, here’s what we know so far about No Time To Die.

When Is No Time To Die Being Released?

Atypical to the traditional model of releasing a James Bond movie in November, No Time To Die will be released in theaters on April 10, 2020. Originally, the film was slated for release on November 8, 2019, but a production delay then pushed No Time To Die to a tentative February 14, 2020 release date. One more delay was implemented, putting the film in its current release slot, though it still wouldn’t be surprising if someone decided to push the film to a November release, in the name of tradition and post-production.

What Will No Time To Die Be Rated?

There’s no way to tell how No Time To Die will be rated at this moment, but it’s a pretty easy guess to make. With the Bond series being historically a PG-13 rated affair, it looks like the 25th film in the series will carry the rating that’s been the franchise’s bread and butter since 1989’s License To Kill.

What Will Be The Story Of No Time To Die?

Per the official announcement of production starting on No Time To Die, the story of the film was laid out in the following synopsis:

While we don’t know it for sure, Bond’s retirement at the end of Spectre, with Dr. Madeleine Swann by his side, may yield some more personal stakes that haven’t been revealed just yet. Let’s just say the series has been playing around with the On Her Majesty’s Secret Service influences to a point where James may see his most devastating loss since Vesper Lynd’s death.

Will Blofeld Return In No Time To Die?

One of the biggest mysteries about No Time To Die has been whether or not Christoph Waltz’s arch-nemesis to James Bond, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, will be returning for this new James Bond adventure. There’s been no official confirmation as to whether Blofeld will factor into this new film or not, but not only have rumors persisted that Waltz was spotted on set filming some content, even director Cary Joji Fukunaga has stated that there was potentially room for his comeback. That said, we really don’t know at this point, but will probably find out some time before No Time To Die is released.

The Director (Cary Joji Fukunaga)

Originally, Yesterday mastermind and British film icon Danny Boyle was to direct No Time To Die. But, creative differences led to his departure, and eventually director Cary Joji Fukunaga took over the directing duties. Previously known for directing films like Sin Nombre and Beasts of No Nation, as well as the TV series Maniac, Fukunaga has a taste for seriously offbeat stories that allow the viewer to unfold the mysteries at the center along with the characters on screen. Pair that with Cary Joji Fukunaga’s eye for action, as seen in the first season of HBO’s True Detective, and you’ve got a pretty impressive mix of talents that could serve this story exceedingly well.

James Bond (Daniel Craig)

The legendary superspy created by Ian Fleming through his initial series of books, James Bond has been the subject of 25 films, with six actors playing the role throughout. The most recent actor in the role is Daniel Craig, who since 2006’s Casino Royale has been the cinematic face of 007 in the past four films. No Time To Die is allegedly his final outing in the role, though there’s yet to be total confirmation that this assumption is correct.

Dr. Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux)

First seen in 2015’s Spectre, Dr. Madeleine Swann was the daughter of Quantum/Spectre agent Mr. White, and the companion that accompanied Craig’s Bond throughout that previous adventure. At the end of the film, after Bond saved Dr. Swann from the clutches of the villainous Blofeld, the two rode off into the metaphorical sunset with Bond retiring from active service. Her return in No Time To Die raises some questions, especially since franchise history has proven fatal to the women 007 tries to keep in his life after blissful retirement.

M (Ralph Fiennes)

Formerly the chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, Ralph Fiennes’ Gareth Mallory was promoted to the post of M at MI6 after the untimely death of Dame Judi Dench’s version of the character in Skyfall. Returning for a second outing as the head of the British clandestine services, No Time To Die sees the infrastructure of James Bond’s support network remaining pretty intact.

Eve Moneypenny (Naomie Harris)

Also returning to the MI6 cast of characters is Eve, better known as Moneypenny in Spectre, played by Naomie Harris. Traditionally a foil who adds a bit of office-bound flirtation to James Bond’s life, her evolution through the last two films has seen her go from a mere secretary to a vital piece in Bond’s intelligence gathering efforts. Just don’t expect the two of them to ever get too close at the office.

Q (Ben Whishaw)

If M gives Bond guidance, and Moneypenny helps gather intel, then Ben Whishaw’s Q is the person to go to for the right tools of the trade. The gadget master of MI6, Whishaw will be reprising the role he originated as part of the rebooted James Bond franchise in No Time To Die. Much like Naomie Harris’ Moneypenny, Q has been a part of the Bond dream team since 2012’s Skyfall, providing a younger depiction of the, formerly, much older character.

Bill Tanner (Rory Kinnear)

As one of the people who has always stood at the side of MI6’s head honcho, Bill Tanner has been the chief of staff for M in several films reaching back to 1974’s The Man With The Golden Gun. Rory Kinnear’s reprisal of this role in No Time To Die not only sees him continue to maintain his position between two different people heading up MI6, but also makes him the longest recurring actor in the role as he’s played Tanner through all but one of Daniel Craig’s films in the series.

Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright)

Another classic fixture of the 007 mythos, CIA agent Felix Leiter has been counted on as one of James’ most trusted allies when the chips are truly and firmly down. Played by Westworld’s Jeffrey Wright, the character did have a moment where he returned for the franchise’s more modern reboot in 2006’s Casino Royale, as well as 2008’s Quantum of Solace. No Time To Die sees James Bond’s “brother from Langley” returning to bring the legendary character back to life, and Bond back to Her Majesty’s Secret Service, after being absent in the last two 007 adventures.

Nomi/007 (Lashana Lynch)

With James Bond retiring from his 007 callsign in Spectre’s finale, someone had to take the legendary label forward into the future. Enter Nomi, a new intelligence agent played by Captain Marvel’s Lashana Lynch. The latest recipient of the 007 number, she will become one of MI6’s elite operatives that ensure world security, and while she’ll certainly have fun interacting with Bond when No Time To Die calls for the two to team up, she’ll be more immune to his charms than most.

Paloma (Ana de Armas)

It’s uncertain if Ana de Armas’ Paloma will be the kidnapped scientist that Daniel Craig’s James Bond will have to rescue in No Time To Die, or if she’ll play another character in the film’s ultimate plot. However, it wouldn’t be that much of a surprise if the Knives Out and Blade Runner 2049 actor would play a secondary villain that could try to kick Bond’s ass across Europe as he investigates the central villainy at hand.

Waldo (David Dencik)

We’re similarly unsure if the character simply known as Waldo will be a force for good or evil in No Time To Die. However, what we do know is that the role will be played by Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Chernobyl actor David Dencik. Knowing the actor’s range through such works, no matter which side of the coin he falls onto, it’s going to be fantastic to see Dencik interacting with the rest of the No Time To Die cast in either context.

The Villain (Rami Malek)

Last, but not least, Academy Award winner Rami Malek has been cast as No Time To Die’s enigmatic villain. While we don’t have any deeper details as to what he’ll be doing as this film’s antagonist, his casting was one of the most hotly anticipated announcements, as the powers that be really wanted Malek as James Bond’s latest nemesis. With certain conditions surrounding the role met, Rami Malek was brought on board rather quickly, allowing him to antagonize Daniel Craig for what could be his final 007 adventure.

Will No Time To Die Be Daniel Craig’s Final James Bond Movie?

It’s widely been speculated, and pretty much accepted, that Daniel Craig’s time as James Bond would come to an end after he has completed No Time To Die. Not only is this film supposed to wrap up the story started in Skyfall, but, allegedly, getting Craig back for the 25th Bond film was a challenge in and of itself, so it feels like it could be the end.

That being said, there have been recent rumors and interpretations of remarks from Craig, and other key players in the 007 franchise, that suggest there could be at least one more film in the actor’s future. While this is mere speculation, the fact that No Time To Die has three different endings rumored to have been filmed for its finale, lead to the possibility that Daniel Craig might still be deciding what his fate with the franchise will be, meaning that there’s enough leeway for him to take his time to decide.

We’ll have to wait until next April to see what No Time To Die has in store for its audience. In the meantime, you can bookmark this handy guide, and check back often to see what new developments have occurred. And, if you’re interested in seeing what the competition looks like for the film, head over to our 2020 release schedule and see what other films are looking to make April 2020 a blockbuster affair.

The newest James Bond movie is a film that has had a lot of trouble making it this far. First Daniel Craig had to be convinced to return to the role. Then the movie's original director left the project. The script ended up going through numerous hands in order to become something that everybody was happy with. Even once filming began under new director Cary Fukunaga, there were even more difficulties as Daniel Craig was injured on set. This movie has had issues, but Fukunaga says scheduling has not been one of them.

There have been many rumors regarding what's been happening on the set of Bond 25, and one of the more curious ones recently indicated that the production schedule for the film has been something of a mess. The rumor accuses director Cary Fukunaga of showing up late to set and, in order to not fall further behind schedule, crew has been asked to work late and over weekends, including the recent Father's Day Weekend. Fukunaga recently decided to address the rumors via Instagram and he claims that any especially long hours that anybody has been working has all been part of the planned schedule and come from dedicated individuals. According to Fukunaga...

It's rare for somebody in a position like that of the director to even address rumors like this. There are often these sorts of stories that come out from the set of high profile films and whether there's any truth to them or not, most directors just put their head down and get the work done. However, Fukunaga apparently decided that something needed to be said about this one, probably because the rumor indicates that Fukunaga isn't showing the crew much respect, and that idea clearly upsets him a great deal.

Fukunaga almost certainly decided to address these reports because they clearly don't paint him in a very good light. The initial rumor claimed that Fukunaga showing up late to the set was due to the man sitting around and playing video games, which certainly doesn't sound good. The director categorically denies that this part of the rumor is true. While Cary Fukunaga is absolutely a fan of video games, he says that he hasn't been able to touch them in months, which is frustrating, because he still hasn't had a chance to beat Red Dead Redemption 2 yet...

Fukunaga still has a sense of humor about the whole thing, but at the same time, it has to be a little frustrating for stories like this to be coming out. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess Cary Fukunaga isn't holding up a multi million dollar production to play Red Dead Redemption 2. One doesn't get to his position in Hollywood by making decisions like that.

However, because of the various issues that Bond 25 has had, it probably makes stories like these seem more plausible which may be why the director felt the need to respond to the story rather than simply ignore it.

There almost certainly have needed to be changes to the schedule, if nothing else, Daniel Craig's on-set injury would have required things to get shifted around during the period where he was unavailable due to the medical treatment that was required.

The injury, combined with Rami Malek's own schedule, led to rumors that "key scenes" planned between the two, Malek is set to play the film's villain, would not be able to be filmed, but Malek has said that changes to Bond 25's schedule have ensured there won't be any problems...

It's possible that the need to rearrange the schedule due to Craig's injury led to the delays and working weekends that was originally reported. While such things certainly aren't fun, they are sometimes unavoidable and are far from unusual when it comes to making movies of this size. While everything is always planned out in advance as Fukunaga says, there are also always unexpected things that get in the way that require adjustments.

Whatever changes that have been necessary, they don't appear to be serious enough to impact the release date. The film is still set to bow in April of 2020, although, that date was chosen after the film did see one release date delay. The film was originally set to debut in February. It's unclear exactly why the move was made, though it may have been because of reported difficulties coming up with a final script.

Bond 25 is a movie that a lot of people have fought hard to make. Daniel Craig literally hurt himself trying to get the project done. Since we know little about the movie at this point, it will be very interesting to see what the final result is. Movies that go through these sorts of trials either fall victim to them, and end up with a lesser product, or the cast and crew fight together to make something special. We'll find out which one Bond 25 will be next year.

And then, once it's all done, hopefully Cary Fukunaga can get to finish Red Dead Redemption 2 without it being spoiled for him.

In the past few weeks, the postmortems of two box office disappointments in established franchises have revealed behind-the-scenes drama and huge changes that may have contributed to their failures. Now another big film in a famous franchise may be going through its own difficulties. That film is Bond 25, and rumors indicate that there may be major drama on the set of the 007 film.

According to The Sun, Bond 25 director Cary Joji Fukunaga, who officially joined the production last fall, showed up to set three hours late because he was playing video games. The director of Beasts of No Nation and the heralded True Detective Season 1 was apparently engrossed in a particularly intense gaming session on his PlayStation, causing him to miss his scheduled arrival time by a few hours. The crew was waiting for him on location until he finally arrived.

This apparently had a cascading effect of consequences to the already delayed film. To not fall behind schedule any further and to make up for the time lost to the director’s gaming, the production staff supposedly told the crew that they had to work over the weekend, including the Father’s Day holiday. The Sun’s sources say this led to something of a mutiny as many of the crew members refused to work over the weekend.

The director showing up so late and the crew being asked to make up for it has evidently made a lot of people angry, with the crew unwilling to give up their holiday for Bond 25. The has allegedly led to a bad environment on the set of the film, with one person describing Bond 25 as “doomed.”

Missing a call time by a few hours because of a video game session resulting in a mutiny on set is a pretty wild thing to hear and obviously this would look pretty bad for Cary Joji Fukunaga if true. It wouldn’t be the first time the director has had some bit of drama surrounding him either.

There seemed to be tension between Cary Joji Fukunaga and True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto, and Fukunaga did lose the director job on IT because according to him, the studio didn’t think it could control him. Despite that, for now this Bond 25 set drama should be taken with a grain of salt until there is further verification. It’s definitely not great if true, but even if it isn’t, Bond 25 still has its plate full with issues.

Bond 25 has gone through multiple directors and there have been reports of script issues as well. More recently, a crew member was injured on set and star Daniel Craig also suffered an ankle injury that required him to go through rehab after surgery. This has all resulted in the film being delayed from November of this year to February of next year and now April 2020.

Basically, this is a movie that can't afford more issues, so hopefully this latest drama is just the result of someone with an overactive imagination and a desire to stir the pot, because we all want to see 007 back on the big screen sooner rather than later.

Bond 25 is still scheduled for release on April 8, 2020. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to see what’s headed your way this year.

Bond 25 has been moved once again. This time it was pushed from February 14, 2020 to April 8, 2020.

So, if you were planning to take your Special Someone to see the next James Bond movie next Valentine's Day, it's back to flowers and candy for you. Or it's back to the Disney film that's supposed to be opening that day. Or it's back for another viewing of the DCEU's Birds of Prey.

This is just the latest date change for what is expected to be Daniel Craig's final movie as James Bond. Production was supposed to start in December 2018 with a release date of November 8, 2019 in the U.S. But some twists entered the story through director Danny Boyle quitting from creative differences. Cary Joji Fukunaga was hired as the new director, with production rescheduled to start on March 4, 2019 for a release date of Valentine's Day 2020. But that was just recently changed to April 8, 2020.

April 8, 2020 is actually a Wednesday, the Wednesday before Easter weekend. So that gives Bond 25 -- or whatever it will eventually be a titled -- a headstart for a long opening weekend at the box office. In semi-related news, Fast and Furious 9 recently vacated its April 10, 2020 opening, moving to Memorial Day 2020.

Right now, there doesn't seem to be much competition for Bond 25 on April 8. That should change, but it was probably smart to leave February 2020.

Right now, Warner Bros. has Harley Quinn's Birds of Prey opening February 7, 2020, a week before Bond's previous release date. There's also an Untitled Disney Live Action movie opening February 14, 2020. You might think Disney and Bond don't have much overlap, and you might be right, but better to find some fresh air away from the current releases.

All of this could change in the next year, maybe even next week. Keeping up with movie release date changes is a full-time job, and it wouldn't be shocking if studios lost track of their own releases themselves. In this day and age, just getting a theatrical release date vs. going straight to Netflix or VOD is a win.

Bond 25 will definitely be coming to theaters, and it sounds like it'll still be in 2020. This film will follow Daniel Craig's Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), and Spectre (2015). From what little we know of Bond 25, it sounds like director Cary Fukunaga plans to continue the Bond character arc that started with Casino Royale.

It's not clear yet which past characters will return, but apparently Cary Fukunaga plans to bring back Lea Seydoux's Dr. Madeline Swann, Ralph Fiennes's M, Ben Whishaw's Q, and Naomie Harris' Moneypenny, among others. With filming set to start in March, we should get some confirmed answers very soon.

So Bond 25 is currently opening April 8, 2020, but let's see what happens from here. For now, bookmark our 2019 movie release date schedule to keep up with everything coming out this year.

Cary Fukunaga has barely gotten started on Bond 25 and he's already shaking and stirring The Rumor Mill. The director recently addressed reports -- in one instance, from one of the actors -- that Christoph Waltz's Blofeld and Ben Whishaw's Q would not be returning for the 2020 film.

Cary Fukunaga's response came during a Philippine Daily Inquirer profile. The answer to his question on the Blofeld rumor is Christoph Waltz himself. Last year, the Spectre star told an Italian movie news site that he would not be in Bond 25. It's not a lost-in-translation issue either, because you can see Waltz answer in English in a red carpet video.

Granted, Christoph Waltz said that a year ago, and a lot has changed since then. Director Danny Boyle left Bond 25 as director, and Cary Fukunaga was hired to take over. It's not clear yet how many changes will be coming with that, but Fukunaga did just say that they weren't even finished with the new script.

Back in May, Ben Whishaw -- who has played Q since Skyfall -- told The Hollywood Reporter he was contracted to be in the next film, but that was as much as he knew. At that time, Danny Boyle was still attached. Since Cary Fukunaga and company are now reworking the script, it's not clear who will land where.

It's at least safe to say Daniel Craig will be back as James Bond, for what is expected to be his final 007 film after Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, and Spectre. Other than that? Cary Fukunaga gave the Philippine news site more information on his vision:

Props to him for that Road to Perdition shout-out. I might make an argument for Paul Newman, but my arm could easily be twisted toward Daniel Craig. Anyway, Bond 25 is meant to start production in March 2019 for its current February 14, 2020 release date. It was initially scheduled to begin production right about now for an October 2019 release date, but that was pushed back after Danny Boyle left.

Now we'll just have to wait and see who gets Bond's Valentine's Day 2020 love, once the script for the untitled Bond 25 is complete. Here's what's still ahead at theaters in the rest of 2018, plus the many films ahead in 2019.

Emma Stone and Jonah Hill's Netflix limited series Maniac, which won't be returning for Season 2, feels at times like a showcase of each actor's array of talents. The premise allowed each to step into the kinds of roles they haven't previously played on the big screen, and act out situations viewers have never seen them in. That wasn't always a good thing according to director Cary Fukunaga, who said Emma Stone actually hated playing the drunken elf ranger Annia:

Emma Stone may be down for future projects on streaming services, but Amazon's Lord of The Rings television series doesn't appear to be on her list of interests. Despite that, Stone soldiered on for the good of Maniac and delivered a elven performance in Episode 7 that gave little indication of her loathing every minute within that character's headspace. Cary Fukunaga admitted he sort of leaned on Stone's attitude for the episode, which was focused on her character Annie taking the "confrontation" drug, since going with a role she wasn't entirely comfortable with helped to sell the performance. Stone was no doubt jealous of co-star Jonah Hill during that episode, since he filmed a much more realistic fantasy sequence where Owen was an informant for the feds on his crime family.

Cary Fukunaga told Insider Emma Stone was against playing an elf because she didn't want to portray anything that's not based in reality. Looking across her career in Hollywood, one can see this isn't a decision she made specifically for Maniac, since her roles in Zombieland and The Amazing Spider-man films also indicate she didn't want to play fantastical characters there either.

Emma Stone is at a stage in her career where turning down high-profile projects carries some weight, so the fact she gritted and bared her teeth all the way through it to push on for Fukunaga shows how much she trusted his vision and/or the premise of the series as a whole. Which might have led to a completely different outcome had the elf role gone on for more than one episode. Unfortunately, the experience doesn't seem to have changed her thoughts on fantasy roles all that much, so viewers should embrace her role as Annia for all its worth.

Maniac is up on Netflix and is currently streaming the entire first and only season. Lots of new and returning television is flooding the airwaves at the moment and it can all be a little disorienting, so be sure to visit our fall premiere guide to keep track of all the shows coming up.

Cary Fukunaga was only just announced as the new director of the James Bond franchise but we don't waste any time here at CinemaBlend. Our own Corey Chichizola had a chance to speak with Fukunaga earlier today at a press event for his new Netflix series Maniac and Corey asked him how he felt about taking over such a storied franchise. As one might expect, he's really excited about it. According to Fukunaga ...

While so much of Hollywood today is focused on building franchises, one of the longest running of them is James Bond, covering 24 previous films over the last 56 years. James Bond is one of the most popular characters in fiction, so it's little surprise that Cary Fukunaga feels honored to now be part of it.

Cary Fukunaga is a surprising choice as a new James Bond director, if only because his name wasn't one of those that was being rumored. Still, while we may not have seen the decision coming, it's a welcome announcement. Cary Fukunaga is a talented and creative filmmaker and it makes the future of James Bond feel full of potential. We don't know what we're going to get, but we can't wait to find out.

The other reason we don't know what we're getting is that the script for the new James Bond movie has gone back to the drawing board. While the script was being handled by Danny Boyle's go-to screenwriter John Hodge back when Boyle was on board to direct, when Boyle left over the ever-nebulous "creative differences," the script was handed back to longtime Bond screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. These changes have combined to cause a delay in production, as the film, which was previously set to release in November of 2019 is now set to open on Valentine's Day in 2020.

That only put the movie back by about 90 days, so expect Cary Fukunaga to still hit the ground running, as the movie is set to go into production next March and quite a lot will need to happen between now and then. One assumes that Fukunaga, the screenwriters, the producers, and Daniel Craig, have all talked things through and are on the same page, in order to prevent another set of creative differences. At the same time, I certainly hope that Fukunaga is given enough of a free hand to create his own sort of James Bond movie, as that sounds like something I would want to see.

Are you as super excited as Cary Fukunaga is that he's taking over Bond 25? Let us know in the comments section.

James Bond has lost his way. Slightly. The franchise has been chugging along for decades, but the current stint of stories presided over by Daniel Craig have suffered from a Good One-Bad One pattern, with the most recent one (Spectre) being an example of the "bad" ones. Bond 25 has had its own ups and downs, shuffling its director decks a few times before landing on a new hire in Cary Fukunaga, and that has us very excited.

In a statement confirming the hire, producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli Tweeted:

Cary Fukunaga steps into a director seat that most recently was occupied by Danny Boyle, yet another exciting hire that promised to take the James Bond franchise to new heights -- and in new directions. There was word that Boyle wanted to tell a standalone Bond story (still structured around Daniel Craig) that wouldn't look to continue any of the narrative presented in Spectre, the way that all four Craig Bond movies -- Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre -- seemed to be telling chapters of the same story. Now, though, the storyline goes back to being a mystery.

Deadline suggests that the "creative differences" that led to Danny Boyle's departure was a big swing of a story that would have been written by Danny's longtime collaborator, John Hodge. Instead, with Cary Fukunaga in the seat, the Bond franchise will go back to the story that they wanted to tell originally, with regular screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade handling scripting duties.

This also means that Bond 25 will get a new release date. Once due to reach theaters in November of 2019, the sequel has now been shifted to February 14, 2020. Spending Valentine's Day with The Spy Who Loved You? Priceless.

Cary Fukunaga is an exciting hire because he has brought grit and style to his previous projects, and demonstrates a storytelling skillset that should fit the James Bond franchise like a custom-designed suit. Anyone who watched his entire first season of HBO's True Detective knows that he can coach incredible performances out of damaged actors, so there's a strong chance he will push Daniel Craig in ways that Sam Mendes did for Skyfall -- but not for Spectre. And then there was that BRILLIANT single-cam shot in True Detective that still has us gawking, wondering how Fukunaga and his team pulled this off.

What do you think of the hire? Does this make you more, or less, excited for Bond 25? Let us know in the comments section below.

Once upon a time, broadcast network and cable TV were the only platforms that could provide small screen entertainment. The emergence of Netflix and other streaming platforms has given consumers more options about how they want to consume their television, and Netflix shows no signs of slowing down on attracting big names to produce new original content. In fact, Netflix could begin outspending all the other networks combined in the not-too-distant future. Renowned director Cary Fukunaga of True Detective fame has a new project set to debut on Netflix in September, and he had this to say about how writing a Netflix series different from writing a network TV series:

Netflix has always been stingy with its viewership numbers, and there's not a whole lot of hard data about how its shows perform in the ratings compared to shows with numbers measured in traditional ways. Still, Netflix's model of releasing full seasons of shows at once (with the exception of talk shows) means that it goes about producing series differently than shows on HBO or AMC or any of the major broadcast networks. According to Cary Fukunaga in a chat with GQ, Netflix has an algorithm that can break down what works to win and hold an audience as well as what doesn't. A lot of Netflix users like to binge-watch their shows; if shows don't appeal on a binge-watching level, those shows may not be hits on the streaming service.

Prior to arriving at Netflix for his upcoming series Maniac, Cary Fukunaga's main TV experience was on the first season of HBO's True Detective. He won an Emmy for directing an episode of True Detective, and while he didn't actually write for that show, he knows what it takes to bring episodes of complex shows to life on the small screen. On the writing front, he's probably best known for 2015's Beasts of No Nation, which released on Netflix. He also wrote an early draft of the IT movie as well as for TNT's hit The Alienist, which recently scored an order for a follow-up limited series. It should be interesting to see how Maniac compares to his past projects on the big and small screens alike.

Maniac stars Emma Stone and Jonah Hill as two strangers who are part of the late stages of a mysterious pharmaceutical trial. As you can probably guess by the fact that it's called Maniac and not Two People Who Have Super Normal Pharmaceutical Experiences, not everything will go as planned. You can see the story for yourself when Maniac premieres on Friday, September 21 at 12:01 a.m. PT on Netflix. For more of what is on the way to the streaming service, swing by our 2018 Netflix premiere guide. If streaming isn't always your style, take a look at our fall TV schedule for more options.

It's no secret that Warner Bros. had been attempting to adapt Stephen King's classic novel, IT, for the big screen for years, with numerous starts and stops plaguing the production for assorted reasons. Eventually, the studio found its way through with Mama director Andy Muschietti at the helm, and they're currently hard at work on a second chapter that will follow up on the extremely successful IT from 2017. But prior to Muschietti, Cary Fukunaga of True Detective and Beasts of No Nation fame took a pass at IT and thought he secured the gig, only to lose it. And in a recent interview, Fukunaga revealed why he thought he got fired, explaining:

This is the hindsight opinion of Cary Fukunaga regarding the opinion around "town" that he's difficult to work with. Is it true? Only few know, and those people likely worked with Fukunaga on either his adaptation of Jane Eyre (with Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender) or that masterful first season of True Detective. Would Fukunaga be willing to have creative conversations with the producers at WB to bring his vision of Stephen King's IT to the big screen? We will never know -- as that ship has sailed -- but in this interview with GQ, the writer-director sure makes it sound like he would be willing to trade a few things to get the story that he wants to tell. Fukunaga went on to say:

Welcome to the business of show. No movie makes it to the big screen without compromise. Would Cary Fukunaga's vision of IT been worth the compromise, either on his part, or on the studio's part? It's hard to say, though it's not really on anyone's part to complain. He went on to make more of the projects that really stimulate him -- he's being interviewed on the cusp of Maniac reaching Netflix (see the mind-bending trailer below), and IT broke box office records by connecting to audiences on a grand scale. This sounds like it ended up being a win-win.

Andy Muschietti's IT Chapter Two will be in theaters on Sept. 6, 2019... just about a year from now. Do you think Cary Fukunaga will go see it?

It’s not everyday that movie stars sign on to lend their acting prowess to a regular gig on a television show, but that very thing has just happened for the half hour dark comedy, Maniac. The show has nabbed Emma Stone and Jonah Hill for roles on the show.

According to Deadline, Jonah Hill and Emma Stone are very close to finalizing their deals to star in Maniac for Paramount TV and Anonymous Content. Director Cary Fukunaga (Beasts of No Nation and the first season of HBO’s True Detective) would helm the series. The director will executive produce the series along with Hill and Stone.

Maniac is based on a 2014 Norwegian series of the same name about a man who lives a wonderful life. He’s in his thirties and everyday is like a party; with exciting experiences and every problem easy to handle. The only problem is that this life is only in his dreams. In reality, he’s a patient in a mental institution. His vivid imagination, though, sees him taking down Hitler, slaying zombies and scoring the winning touchdown. In the original Norwegian show, the man’s world has only come apart recently, since he’s only been institutionalized for less than a year. Emma Stone and Jonah Hill will both be signing up to play fellow patients at the institution.

Emma Stone made her debut on The New Partridge Family in 2005 and went on to appear in shows like Medium, Malcolm in the Middle and Lucky Louie before getting her role in the raunchy comedy hit Superbad in 2007. Since then, she’s become a bona fide superstar with leading parts in films like Zombieland, Easy A, Crazy, Stupid, Love, The Help and the rebooted Spider-Man series with The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel. In 2015 she was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Birdman.

Jonah Hill got his start on camera with an appearance in I Heart Huckabees, and then had roles in a variety of projects, including NYPD Blue, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up and Evan Almighty. He also starred in Superbad and has nabbed starring roles in Cyrus, Get Him to the Greek, 21 Jump Street and its sequel 22 Jump Street. In 2012 and 2014 he received Best Supporting Actor Oscar nominations for Moneyball and The Wolf of Wall Street respectively.

No doubt Maniac is billed as a dark comedy because it deals with mental illness, and a director like Cary Fukunaga sounds like a good fit. He deftly handled the intense, freaky and sometimes rather scary moments of True Detective, and the lighter moments on the show with ease and helped make the combination of the two moods fit together just right. And, since Emma Stone and Jonah Hill have experience with broad and subtle comedy, and dramas of various stripes, they should be more than equipped to handle the dark aspects of the comedy.

There’s no word yet on when or where Maniac will debut, but we’ll keep you apprised of any developments as they arise.

I’m going to guess that many of you, like myself, think that Idris Elba is basically unbreakable. Just look at him. The man is an Adonis. However, it turns out that there is one person who has the capabilities to kill Idris Elba, and that is Idris Elba himself. The actor just revealed that he was almost the architect of his own death on the set of his new film, Beasts Of No Nation.

During a recent expose for Variety on Elba and the film, the actor explained that he almost plunged to a rather gory and horrific death while filming the Cary Fukunaga-directed drama. This incident occurred while Elba was out in a Ghanaian jungle for the low-budget flick, which has been described as a “guerrilla-like shoot.” The piece explains:

Well, that would have been a rather unceremoniously end to one of the most talented actors of the modern age. Elba is now able to see the funny side of his brush with death, however, he admitted that he was just one big branch away from slipping to his death.

Luckily for us, and for the cast and crew of Beasts Of No Nation, who would have had a very hard time explaining the circumstances that led to Idris Elba plummeting to his death, the actor survived. Elba admitted during the same piece, “It was a moment where I was like, ‘This is the real deal’.”

There is a lot of pressure on Beasts Of No Nation. Netflix put $6 million into the film, which is based upon Uzodinma Iweala’s 2005 book of the same name. Starring Idris Elba, Ama K. Abebrese, Gracey Nortey, and David Dontoh, it is set in a West African country that is being torn apart by a civil war. In the midst of this horror, a small boy named Agu (Abraham Attah) joins a group of mercenary fighters, led by Idris Elba’s Commandant.

The above trailer certainly suggests that Beasts Of No Nation is an authentic look at some of the real-life horrors that are genuinely taking place in parts of Africa. It also looks as though it will have a ruthlessness that is often missing from more sugary mainstream productions.  

Written and directed by Cary Fukunaga (True Detective and Jane Eyre), Beasts Of No Nation will show at the Venice, Telluride, and Toronto film festivals, which will give us an indication of its prowess before it premieres on Netflix on October 16.

Sadly, we will never get to see a Cary Fukunaga-directed adaptation of Stephen King's It. The filmmaker started working on the big screen project all the way back in 2012, but wound up having too many disagreements with the studio and ultimately left the production behind. As a result, we'll now only ever have the director's descriptions of what his version of the story would have been - and from the sound of things, his version of Pennywise The Clown would have been truly terrifying.

It was just last month that Fukunaga opened up about his parting of the ways with It, but it's in a new interview with Variety that the filmmaker has revealed his special approach towards making the central villain scare the souls from viewers. According to the director, New Line wanted "a much more inoffensive, conventional script," and one of the sticking points was the way Fukunaga wanted to do Pennywise. He explained,

The director went on to say that all of this character building led to a version of It that was more of a slow burn, and the studio just didn't have the patience for it. He still has all the confidence in the world in his approach, though, as he told the trade, "It’s a slow build, but it’s worth it - especially by the second film, but definitely even in the first film it pays off."

Before he left the project, Cary Fukunaga cast Will Poulter to play the role of Pennywise in his version of It - and while the casting selection was surprising just because of how different Poulter is from It mini-series star Tim Curry, it also suggested a fantastic new approach to the character. It could have been fascinating to see Fukunaga's vision of "really sadistic and intelligent" methods of torture coming from a much younger actor, but sadly the horror genre will have to do without.

While Cary Fukunaga and his co-writer Chase Palmer are no longer involved with the project, It is still a developing project at New Line. As we learned back in July, the studio has filled the director's chair by hiring Mama director Andy Muschietti. There is still a plan in place to make the movie as two separate features, though the film has obviously been pushed off schedule (filming was originally going to start in June). The current status of the project is unknown, and no release date has been announced - but Fukunaga's comments certainly are helping it from a PR perspective.

The impending adaptation of Stephen King’s horror novel It has already had its share of trouble, and it hasn’t even started filming yet. One of the big blows came just before production when director Cary Fukunaga, who had been deeply involved with the development, walked away. Now the filmmaker has opened up about why he left.

Talking to Entertainment Weekly, the Beasts of No Nation director discussed why, after working on It for so long, he ultimately felt that he had to separate himself from the film. He said:

If that sounds very close to the "creative differences" line cited by so many filmmakers who leave movies after realizing their vision clashes with the studios, you’re not alone. As cliché as it sounds, however, this is maybe the most legitimate reason for a split like this. If you already know that you and the studio are going to butt heads constantly, and that it’s unlikely the movie won’t wind up being the film you want to make, why not walk away and find someone whose vision matches your own?

Selma director Ava DuVernay didn’t direct Black Panther because she realized ahead of time that she and Marvel had different ideas that were never going to coexist peacefully. That choice probably saved big headaches on both sides of the equation. All you need to do is look back a few days to Fantastic Four to see what kind of mess can result when directors and filmmakers fight. No one walks away unscathed.

So, for now, Cary Fukanaga’s two-part adaptation of It joins the ranks of other "what if" movies in the annals of cinema history. Coming off of Season one of HBO’s True Detective, Fukunaga is still a hot commodity, Beasts of No Nation is set to debut on Netflix this October, and you can bet he’ll have other high-profile projects line up.

As for It, Warner Bros. moved the film to its more genre-centric New Line imprint, and though the budget has reportedly been cut, the two-part structure is reportedly still in play. They’ve also pushed forward, as the producers recently hired Andy Muschietti, who directed the Jessica Chastain-starring horror film Mama, to helm the Stephen King-penned story. Originally scheduled to shoot this past June, there’s no word on a timeline just yet, as they’re still hunting for a new writer.

It continues to be a struggle to bring a fresh adaptation of Stephen King’s masterful novel It to the big screen. Which sucks beyond belief, because the presence of director Cary Fukunaga (Jane Eyre, True Detective) suggested that this new take was on the right track. Only, Fukunaga no longer is attached to the project, and the reason for his departure has us deeply concerned.

The Wrap breaks the news that Cary Fukunaga has departed the It adaptation that has been in the works at New Line for some time. Sources close to the production tell the trade site that the sticking point in the argument between Fukunaga and the studio was the need to spread King’s story over two films. New Line seems to want to keep the story limited to one film, likely because of budgetary concerns, as is stated on The Wrap. Fukunaga fought hard to give his story some necessary breathing room, then walked when it became clear that a two-part It never was going to be a reality.

This should be a major problem for any Stephen King fan anticipating a rich, detail-oriented translation of the author’s fantastic tome. Without dabbling in too many spoilers, King’s book follows a set of characters and close friends as they confront the ultimate evil on two separate occasions – first as children, and later as adults. King weaves the stories together, and spends a lot of time with the characters in each time period, making their interactions integral to the success of the story. A proper adaptation was always going to be a challenge. Trying to reduce It to one movie sounds downright impossible.

Heck, It barely fit in a two-part miniseries that ran on ABC back in November 1990. This show – much like the book – tried to divide up the narrative and spend time with the contemporary, haunted adults as well as the innocent childhood friends. But something about the storytelling felt rushed, as if there’s too much in King’s book to ever properly fit on the screen.

The site now says that It has been delayed indefinitely. We recently reported that Will Poulter had been hired to play Pennywise, the terrifying "It" of the title who mostly appears to residents of the fictional (and horrific) town of Derry in the form of a menacing clown. The Wrap notes that New Line might have tracked the relative soft opening of Poltergeist this weekend and got cold feet about their clown movie. But It is supposed to be so much more than that. If New Line can’t figure that out, then it makes more sense for them to scrap the movie and step away now, rather than delivering a half-hearted attempt of a story too many of us love.

The upcoming new film adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, It has just cast the story’s evil eponymous pronoun of a character. In a surprisingly out-of-the-box move, it is being reported that actor Will Poulter will be donning the bright, demonic digs of the one and only Pennywise The Clown for the remake project directed by True Detective visionary Cary Fukunaga.

According to Variety, Will Poulter, seen recently in The Maze Runner and memorably busting impressive rhymes covering TLC in We’re the Millers, will be taking the role of Pennywise, the homicidal harlequin who lures young children into the sewers to be murdered - but not before feeding on their fears. For the 22 year-old English actor, this will be a major step up in prestige, as he takes the next evolutionary sinister step for which his villainous repertoire of roles in The Maze Runner and the upcoming Leonardo DiCaprio vehicle, The Revenant have him prepared.

Cary Fukunaga’s film will serve as the first proper feature film adaptation for Stephen King’s 1986 horror novel, It, and will reportedly be divided into two films due to the enormity of the story. The book actually saw a live-action rendition in the form of two-part TV movie that aired on ABC in 1990, boasting a packed cast headed by TV A-listers at the time like John Ritter, Richard Thomas and Harry Anderson. However, it was horrifyingly memorable for Tim Curry’s iconic, categorically chilling portrayal of Pennywise The Clown (pictured at the top of this article). To this day, Curry’s nightmarish visage as the puffy-buttoned parasite who freaked out an entire generation of viewers remains the gold standard by which Will Poulter will be judged as he gets set to tackle the role. Yet, things sound promising, since, according to Variety’s sources, Poulter’s audition for the role left Fukunaga "blown away."

The traditional story of It focuses on seven children in a Maine town who are stalked and tormented by Pennywise, a sinister shapeshifting killer creature, whose fun-loving façade of a clown is ironically no-less creepy than his elusive sewer-dwelling unhuman form. The creature also has the power to use the fears and phobias of people to bend them to his will, which makes him a particularly formidable adversary to children and adults alike. That aspect becomes more consequential, since the story takes place between two distinct time periods, documenting the group’s first confrontation with Pennywise as children, as well as the period 30 years later with the kids grown to adults whose lives have been shaped by the emotional scarring of the ordeal, and must go back to face him again.

Both the original novel and the ABC TV movie depicted a dynamic of dual time periods set in the late-1950’s when the group were children, and the contemporaneous period of mid-1980’s in the book and 1990 in the TV movie. At this point, it has yet to be confirmed if we will see a change in chronological setting, although, Fukunaga has hinted about what he said would be "changed names, dates dynamic" – though vowing to maintain the spirit of the original story. It's possible that the casting of the 22 year-old Poulter could be indicative of a general direction pointing to a younger cast with the adult group. An alteration of the length of time between the two primary periods could allow for a younger set in the adult cast, opening the possibility of actors in their 20's or 30's playing opposite the updated, younger-looking clown played by Poulter.

Regardless, this sounds like an inventive casting choice to take the mantle of Pennywise and moviegoers will undoubtedly look forward even more to sleepless nights from the horrifying images that he’s sure to generate. However, no details have been revealed regarding when the It films will commence production or see release.

Knowing that Stephen King's It is headed to the big screen, fans of the book are left to wonder whether the feature adaptation will maintain the timeline of the novel, or if the time periods will be adjusted to modernize or drastically alter the story. From what director Cary Fukunaga reportedly said in a recent interview, it sounds like the time period could be different.

Before we get to what was said, it needs to be noted that this information was passed from a reader to Bloody Disgusting from a Brazilian newspaper called O Globo. It was translated by the reader, so there's a chance the context shifted through that process.

The mention of the change in the time period was included when True Detective's Cary Fukunaga was commenting on Stephen King's approval of the adaptation:

His mention of changed names, dates and dynamics is too vague for us to do much more than speculate at this point. Dynamics could mean anything, really. But "dates" is particularly interesting, as it's unclear yet what time periods this story will be set. Stephen King's It is actually set in the late 50s and the mid-80s. The story is split between the past and the present, as it centers on a group of kids whose lives came together over during a summer when a number of mysterious and brutal child murders took place. The present day is nearly three decades later, when they reunite in Derry after they learn that "It" has come back and bad things are happening again.

The book hit shelves in 1986 and was adapted in 1990 for a TV miniseries. The time period then was similar enough to when the book was first published that the past and present settings didn't need to be drastically altered. But today's "present" is 25 years from the book's present-day setting, which leads us to wonder if the story will shift the time period and set the present around 2015. Assuming the ages of the characters (past and present) aren't drastically altered, that would put the flashbacks somewhere in the late 1980s.

The alternative to shifting the timeline up to suit a modern-day set adaptation would be to do a period piece, where the timeframe remains as it is in the book (Past: 1950s, Present: 1980s), or to leave the past in the 1950s and make the present 2015, in which case instead of the characters being in their late thirties or early forties in the present day, they'd be in their late 50s or early 60s, which would obviously have an impact on the present part of the story.

The tricky thing about Fukunaga's quote is that it still leaves a lot open to speculation, as the changed "dynamics" could certainly tie into a change in the dates, if they're shifting the past and present to modernize the story, or they're only shifting the present, and making the characters older.

We'll have to wait and see what additional details emerge, and we'll likely have a better idea of just how drastically things are changing once the casting process begins. From what Fukunaga says, he's on the hunt to find "the perfect guy to play Pennywise." Personally, I wouldn't hate it if Tim Curry returned for that role, as it's impossible to imagine anyone playing that character any better than he did. With that said, there are different ways to approach something so terrifying, and I'm sure there is someone out there who could bring their own chilling brand of horror to the scary clown.

At present, we know that the It movie is expected to be two movies, and from these latest comments from Cary Fukunaga, it sounds like we shouldn't anticipate a page-for-page adaptation. But if what he says is accurate, the "spirit" is similar, so that's something.

Until we have more info, beep beep, Richie.

True Detective director/producer Cary Fukunaga's latest project, Beasts of No Nation, starring Idris Elba, will make its theatrical debut sometime later this year. But if you plan on seeing it on the big screen, you'd better hope you live near an arthouse theater, or you may just be out of luck. That’s because four major theater chains are now boycotting the film due to Netflix’s plan to release the movie simultaneously on their streaming service.

Beasts of No Nation follows a child soldier named Agu as he fights a brutal civil war in an unnamed country in West Africa. It turns out the film has found itself waging another war, though, this time with the country's four largest exhibitors: AMC, Cinemark, Regal and Carmike. It was earlier this week when news hit that Netflix purchased Beasts of No Nation for $12 million, with plans to debut the film simultaneously both in theaters and on its streaming service. Now, according to Variety, the streaming giant's controversial release strategy has the aforementioned major theater chains refusing to show the war drama, calling it a violation of the typical 90-day theatrical debut window adhered to by traditional films prior to hitting the home entertainment market.

Netflix's theatrical release plan for Beasts of No Nation is directly related to their award's push for the film. In order to qualify for next year's Academy Awards, something they're absolutely seeking with the feature, it must be shown on the big screen during the calendar year. Lucky for Netflix, it looks like they'll have no issue securing a release in "select theaters." While their upcoming film may be completely shut out by "the big boys," independent theater chains like The Alamo Drafthouse – which operates 19 theaters across Texas, New York and California - are open to screening the picture. The company's founder and CEO, Tim League, had this to say about the whole ordeal:

League went on to explain how it stepped up in the past, running films like Snowpiercer, a popular sci-fi film that had a similar on-demand release strategy last summer. He doesn't view himself as a competitor to companies like Netflix, but rather more of a companion distributor. Insiders say Beasts of No Nation could potentially secure screenings at 200 to 250 theaters.

This is just another step in the changing media distribution landscape. Netflix previously announced plans to release the sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon through its streaming service, and have set it to debut August 28th. With content streaming becoming increasingly popular, we're bound to see many more situations arise just like these in the coming years. If the Netflix home release strategy for the above-mentioned films proves successful, we could be amidst a game changer.

Hot off of the success of his HBO-series True Detective's stellar first season, American director Cary Fukunaga is on the hunt for a new project. He has found it in a biopic championed by Grammy-winning singer-songwriter John Legend.

Deadline reports Cary Fukunaga has signed on to write and direct The Black Count, a depiction of the incredible life and adventures of French Revolution-era General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas. John Legend will produce the period piece picture alongside Mike Jackson under their Get Lifted Film Co. banner. Sony is on board to oversee and distribute.

Fukunaga's source material for this intriguing biopic is Tom Reiss's Pulitzer-winning biography, The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, And The Real Count of Monte Cristo. If it's hero's name sounds familiar to you, that's probably because of the writings of Thomas-Alexandre's son, Alexandre Dumas, who fashioned his father's life into his historical novels The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers. While he and his son both had their share of accomplishments, Thomas-Alexandre Dumas came from very humble beginnings. His father was a white French nobleman, but his mother was an African slave of Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti). Dumas himself was born into slavery, but was rescued from bondage when his father took him to France at the age of 14 to be educated. His arrival in France made him a free man, as slavery was illegal there.

Dumas went on to learn sword fighting, then enrolled in the military. Through the French Revolution, he rose up the ranks and became the highest-ranking person of color in the continental European army. It's a title he holds to this day. Get a glimpse of the grandeur of Thomas-Alexandre Dumas through this portrait painted by Olivier Pichat.

Let's assume that after True Detective set audiences, the web, and critics afire with its heady mysteries, brooding swagger and cryptic style that Cary Fukunaga had his pick of projects. This would speak well for the prospects of The Black Count. Previously, Fukunaga wrote and directed his feature debut Sin Nombre, a Spanish-language drama that launched him and drew acclaim around the world. Then in 2011, he directed (though didn't write) the adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's classic novel Jane Eyre to sweeping praise. Fukunaga is hands down a director to keep an eye on, and if he thinks The Black Count is worth his time, we expect it should come to be something pretty outstanding.

Should that prove true, The Black Count would be a major boost to John Legend's Get Lifted Film Company. The recently founded production house surfaced in 2012 with the prison documentary The House I Live In, and has a documentary (Southern Rite), and a musical drama (Breaking Through) in the works. But at this point neither of these projects seems likely to draw the kind of attention and prestige that a Fukunaga-helmed historical drama will. We'll give you more on this story as it develops.

Ever since director Cary Fukunaga hit it big on the critical front with his 2009 drama Sin Nombre, I’ve been waiting for his career to blow up. Sadly, the only feature he’s put out since then is 2011’s Jane Eyre, and while it was a solid adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s novel, it’s also the umpteenth time that story has been told on screen. He is now being attached to a different adaptation, but this time for a book that hasn’t even been published yet. Deadline reports DreamWorks has acquired Noble Assassin, a book proposal by Paul Kix, and they’re interested in putting Fukunaga at the helm.

Noble Assassin will dive into the insane war-time life of the Paris-born Robert de La Rochefoucauld, whose bravery knew no bounds. A member of Charles de Gaulle’s army, de La Rochefoucauld was brought into the British Special Ops, where he was trained in explosives, close combat and other forms of all-around badassery. Back in France, he helped the French Resistance hold off German forces, at one point barely escaping his own execution. It’s a story that would work wonderfully as a feature, though it’s unclear whether the book will be a historical biography or a fictionalized version.

As this is a slightly more limited story than the usual war film, it seems like Fukunaga would be able to turn this material into something visually amazing. But he’s only attached at this point and hasn’t signed anything official. And given the book will probably take some time to get a release, we might not be seeing this project come together for quite a while.

That fits right into the other projects that Fukunaga has been attached to in the past year or so. Most notably, he was tapped to direct and co-write a new two-feature adaptation of Stephen King’s monstrous monster epic It for Warner Bros. He’s currently in pre-production stages for the adaptation of Uzodinma Iweala’s novel Beasts of No Nation, which just added Idris Elba to its cast yesterday, making this film more likely to get completed before anything else.

Fukunaga also directed the upcoming HBO crime drama series True Detective, starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, which will follow the years-long investigation of a serial killer in Louisiana. The series doesn’t have a release date yet, but it will reportedly follow Treme whenever it returns for its fourth season in December.

Most recently, Fukunaga released the excellent short film Sleepwalking in the Rift, which you can watch below.

In 1990, a TV miniseries based on Stephen King's It aired on television, and since then, I've been uncomfortable around clowns. That's a mark of just how unnervingly creepy Tim Curry's portrayal of the red-haired, sharp toothed clown-monster was. ("Oh yes... They float, Georgie. They float. And when you're down here with me, you float too!") I was a bit too young to be reading King at that point, but I've since faced my fear of Pennywise and found that It is a pretty fantastic read, and well worth picking up if you can stomach the creepier scenes. So it is with cautious optimism that I share the news that the feature adaptation of King's novel now has a director and a writer.

King's It follows a group of adult friends who reunite in their hometown of Derry, Maine when they learn that the child-murdering evil monster that haunted their lives for a summer during their youth is back and killing once again. The story jumps between the present and the past, revisiting the days when they first found each other, and faced the clown (and the demon beneath). It's a scary story, but beyond the horror is a tale of friendship, fear, bravery and loss of innocence. If you're looking to lose yourself in a book this summer, add It to this list.

The Hollywood Reporter posted the news tonight, stating that Cary Fukunaga is set to direct Warner Bros.' feature adaptation of It. He's also going to be co-writing the script along with Chase Palmer. Among his directing credits is the 2011 adaptation of Jane Eyre. He's also listed as a director for the upcoming HBO series True Detective. Producing the film are Roy Lee and Dan Lin, as well as KatzSmith Production's Seth Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg.

On the subject of readapting the novel, I'm actually a fan of the miniseries version of It, which in addition to Curry, also starred Annette O'Toole, Tim Reid, John Ritter, Seth Green and Richard Thomas. Even after I read It and found that there was a lot of story and character development that got trimmed for the miniseries, I still like the original adaptation enough to say that it doesn't really need to be re-adapted, especially as I can't picture anyone other than Curry playing Pennywise. With that said, as mentioned, there were things that didn't make it into the TV movie, and from what THR is reporting, they're aiming to make the big screen version of It into two movies. That may be the biggest source of my optimism here. With two movies, they might be able to dig a bit deeper into the story, perhaps exploring the history of the "It" and the town of Derry, as well as other bits of character development built into the story.

It's definitely going to be interesting to hear further developments on this project, including who is cast in the lead roles. I'm thinking it may be time for an It reread.

"They ALL float down here. When you're down here with us, you'll float too!"

Since breaking out among indie film fans with his committed and unforgettable performance in Steve McQueen's Hunger, Michael Fassbender has worked with a dream team of directors: Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds), Steven Soderbergh (the upcoming Haywire), David Cronenberg (the upcoming A Dangerous Method), Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank) and, yes, Matthew Vaughn (this little thing called X-Men: First Class). But for Jane Eyre, Fassbender teamed up with 33-year-old director Cary Fukunaga, whose single previous feature Sin Nombre was outstanding, but not exactly a career that speaks for itself like Cronenberg's or Tarantino's.

Not only that, but Fassbender was tackling the role of the moody, imperious romantic hero Edward Fairfax Rochester, the enigmatic love interest played in the countless Jane Eyre adaptations by the likes of Orson Welles, George C. Scott and William Hurt. But together with co-star Mia Wasikowska as Jane, Fassbender and Fukunaga pulled off the unthinkable-- an adaptation of Jane Eyre that makes the story feel fresh and vital again. I talked to Fassbender a few weeks ago in all the challenges of making that happen, from wrapping his mind around the complicated language of Charlotte Bronte's novel to moving away from the Welles performance, which with all due respect he calls "dated." He also talked about the other directors he's worked with recently, and how Fukunaga's style compares to Cronenberg and Soderbergh, among others.

Check out my interview below, and if it's playing near you please see Jane Eyre this weekend or as it rolls out into wider release throughout March. It's wonderful.

Did you watch the version of Jane Eyre that starred Orson Welles?

To be honest with you it's dated for me. Orson Welles is amazing, but it's very dramatic, that performance. I watched all of them really, right up to Toby Stephens.

You seemed to recognize that the story has been done a million times. What convinced you it was worth doing again?

My mother and my sister, who are big fans of the book from when I was a teenager and growing up. I read Jane Eyre six or seven years ago, and it's a classic for a reason, because the characters are so fantastic and so complex and so detailed. I's an age-old story. That battle for love, and the fight that goes on until Rochester can finally… well both of them end up healing each other. They're both sort of wounded animals, and together they can find peace.

Even though you're trying to get away from old-fashioned interpretations of the story, you've still got this older language to deal with. Is that a hurdle in getting the more modern version of the story across?

You have to work a lot at the language, because the language is the music of the piece. To try and find the right rhythms for that is the key. Sometimes the more dramatic the line, the flatter you would play it, but not always. When I watched Orson Welles, he's like "Jane, Jaaaaaane" and all these crazy faces. The gothic element of it, it comes through with the character is, that he's this Byronic hero. He encompasses the idealism, the destruction, the intelligence, the shady past, the passion and courage.

And there's this wild secret that's just part of who he is. It's not a big bombastic thing.

And I wanted him to be carrying it on his shoulders all the time. She's [Rochester's first wife, who lives in the attic] got a hold on all of them-- Rochester, Fairfax, Mrs. Poole, Jane by coming in the house. She starts to inhabit the house, and there's a living, breathing human being.

You've been doing all this work in the last year with this long list of amazing directors, to the point that it seems like you're choosing projects based on the director. Are you doing that, and how does Cary line up with all of these experienced directors you've worked with?

Cary, I just saw SIn Nombre and thought, this is a beautiful film. Cary has a real understanding of human beings and knows how to tell a story. And it's delicate and sensitive and violent and aggressive and uncompromising, I just thought he's a serious talent. That's kind of the only way I go about it. That really is what I do, I go by the director and the script. That's the easiest way to choose, it makes things pretty simple.

Is it different working with someone like Cary or Steve McQueen, who are new to filmmaking, and Soderbergh, who's made so many films?

It's just different techniques.What I found is, they're really nice. There's a sort of respect there, they kind of let you do your thing. They kind of sway you or nudge you, but there's no real direct direction. They're real filmmakers that understand the moment to moment stuff. They just have an awareness of how to go about a set. Soderbergh and Cronenberg, they're like engineers or scientists, they're so precise and clear. I'm pretty sure both of those guys are editing as they shoot. Cary is very quiet and reflective, and he does an awful lot of prep, and he's got a great eye for a free. And Steve McQueen, I'm working with him at the moment again [on Shame, currently filming in New York City], and he's pretty unique. When you're in good hands, you look good.

You've got these two huge movies coming [X-Men: First Class, in June, and Prometheus with Ridley Scott filming this year], where the acting is part of something much bigger than you. How is that different, and that director relationship different?

It's different but the nuts and bolts remains the same. What my job entails kind of remains the same. All the other stuff going on is different--it's much bigger, waiting for people. But it's also fascinating for me to look around and learn other things. What I like about the film thing is it's a coming together of people, and everybody has something to offer. Most people read the script, and you'll see it one way and I'll see it another way, and everyone will come with their thing. You put it in the middle and you sort the most interesting thing out of that.

How much of that do you do on a movie like Jane Eyre, where the book is already there and it's so totemic?

Well the book's got everything in it. There's no reason to change something. Like people say, oh, do you improvise with Quentin Tarantino? There's no point. You can't really write anything better. He's written it, and you're not going to write it any better. You deal with what you've got to deal with, then you make sure you're not lazy with it. Every line is in there for a reason. Because the book is so dense, the tricky job for Cary and a writer is condensing it into an hour and a half.

What would getting lazy mean?

I don't know. I think with Rochester, for me it was trying to find what was going on in every scene. It was so easy to say, oh, I'll do moody over that. But why did he say that? Where did that line come from? Was he thinking about Jamaica there, or what's going to happen with Jane? It's not the obvious is what I'm saying. You don't want to fall back on tricks. He's so weird, and you want to find that weirdness as well as possible.

Now that The Kids Are All Right has proven she can act after all the aimless wandering she did in Alice in Wonderland, Mia Wasikowska is due to become a bona fide star. Is playing a classic literary heroine the way to do it? Well, it can't hurt. Coming to theaters March 11 next year, Jane Eyre stars Wasikowska as the titular governess with Michael Fassbender as Rochester, her employer and secret love. The film is directed by Cary Fukunaga, who made an impressive debut last year with Sin Nombre and is shifting gears considerably to take on this English period piece.

Over at the film's official Facebook page they're ramping up the publicity campaign by releasing two stills from the film, both featuring Wasikowska done up in her mid-19th century best. The stills don't tell us all that much, to be honest, but Wasikowska looks perfect for the role, and it will be interesting to see how Fukunaga tackles the traditional settings of the period piece and adds something fresh to it (if he takes a page from what Joe Wright did for Pride and Prejudice, I won't complain). Anyway, check out the two stills below, and look for your gloomy romance on the moors come March 11.

I know adaptations of centuries-old novels aren't usually the things that get the movie fan community's blood pumping, but I am excited about the upcoming movie version of Jane Eyre, and you should be too. Not only is it directed by Sin Nombre up-and-comer Cary Fukunaga, not only are the likes of Judi Dench and Sally Hawkins showing up in lead roles, but it stars two of the most promising recently famous actors out there-- Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender.

Wasikowska, who you know as Tim Burton's Alice, and Fassbender, who you know as Sgt. Archie Hicox from Inglourious Basterds, will star their tortured love affair on the English heaths shortly. Focus announced this week that filming begins next week. Based on Charlotte Bronte's novel, Jane Eyre stars Wasikowska as the titular heroine, a governess hired to care for the children of the cold, imposing Mr. Rochester (Fassbender). Per the press release, "The isolated and imposing residence – and Mr. Rochester’s coldness – have sorely tested the young woman’s resilience, forged years earlier when she was orphaned. As Jane reflects upon her past and recovers her natural curiosity, she will return to Mr. Rochester – and the terrible secret that he is hiding…" Those of you who remember freshman year English can fill in the rest.