Cary Fukunaga Originally Wanted NO TIME TO DIE to Take Place in James Bond's Head
The upcoming James Bond film No Time To Die would have had a very weird twist if director Cary Fukunaga’s original vision of the story would have been greenlit. He initially pitched a version of the film that took place completely in James Bond’s head. In a recent interview with Interview Magazine, the filmmaker said:
“Miranda, I swear to god. I had an idea that this movie could all be taking place inside the villain’s lair from the last film. There’s this scene where a needle goes into James Bond’s head, which is supposed to make him forget everything, and then he miraculously escapes by a watch bomb. And then he and Léa blow up the place, and go on to save the day. I was like, ‘What if everything up until the end of act two is all inside his head?’”
Fukunaga must have been watching the James Bond-inspired animated comedy Archer because there have been several seasons where the stories have taken place completely the main character’s head while he’s been in a coma. So, this isn’t necessarily an original idea, but it would be strange to see it in an actual Bond film.
In the end, the idea was shot down, which was probably the right move. Fukunaga also talked about his personal relationship with the Bond franchise, admitting he really wasn’t a fan until Casino Royale.
“Yeah. I don’t think I’d seen every single James Bond film, but I was pretty well-versed on it. I don’t think I became a fan of the franchise until Casino Royale. Prior to that, my only in-depth James Bond experience was at my cousin’s house playing Golden Eye.”
Well, better late than never! Here’s the synopsis for No Time To Die:
In No Time To Die, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.
The movie stars Daniel Craig as the secret agent, Ralph Fiennes as M, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, and Ben Whishaw as Q, with Rory Kinnear as Tanner, Lea Seydoux as Madeleine Swann, Christoph Waltz as Blofeld, and Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter. New cast members include Rami Malek as the main villain, Safin, Dali Benssalah, Billy Magnussen, Ana de Armas, David Dencik, and Lashana Lynch.
What do you think about Fukunaga’s initial idea of having the film take place inside Bond’s head?