James Bond is doomed! Doomed I tell ya!
Fri Aug 20, 2004 6:04 pm
Ian Fleming Publications announced in April this year that a new series of James Bond books was on the way. Rather than picking up from where Raymond Benson left the traditional literary canon, IFP unveiled Charlie Higson as the latest author - but this time the adventures would be of a 00-13 year-old James Bond.
This week Charlie Higson, famous in the UK for his "Fast Show" television characters, has revealed the first snippets about the `young James Bond` stories.
Speaking to The Independent (UK newspaper), Higson said: "I was approached by Kate Jones, who'd been my editor at Hamish Hamilton, and was working with the Fleming estate. She knew I liked James Bond, and there were Bond references in my earlier books. The estate was looking for ways to reawaken interest in Fleming. Penguin had republished nice editions of "Dr. No" and "Casino Royale". Now they wanted someone to write books for nine-to-12s, to show that Bond was a literary character before he was a movie character."
Higson had completed the first of his five-book contract before the news of the series was formally announced. To be published by Puffin (the young readers arm of Penguin) in March 2005, Higson went on to reveal some details about the new lineage.
The 13-year-old Bond is at Eton in the 1930s, and is drawn into an adventure on a remote Scottish island. There's a villain, and a villain's henchman. There's even a love interest. "She's called Wilder Lawless. But it's a fairly chaste relationship. She's older than him, and he's got an older friend who fancies her. There's a lot of confused pre-sexuality. She wrestles him to the ground and pins him down with her thighs, and he likes it but he doesn't know why ... "
To research the book, Higson re-read the complete Bond oeuvre, in search of biographical clues.
"There are only tiny nuggets of information, because Bond is a fantasy figure on to which anyone can project themselves. The books were like a textbook for the dull, grey, Fifties, British chap on how to be a man. It was the early-Playboy time. This is how you order a steak in a restaurant. This is what you should be drinking and wearing. This is how you treat a lady. That's why they were so popular and why they're interesting now, for what they tell us about Fifties aspirations."
Last month Miramax announced they had bought the rights to publish Higson's first two novels in North America, due out in March 2005 and November 2005.
http://www.mi6.co.uk/sections/articles/literature_yjb_first_details.php3?t=&s=articles
This week Charlie Higson, famous in the UK for his "Fast Show" television characters, has revealed the first snippets about the `young James Bond` stories.
Speaking to The Independent (UK newspaper), Higson said: "I was approached by Kate Jones, who'd been my editor at Hamish Hamilton, and was working with the Fleming estate. She knew I liked James Bond, and there were Bond references in my earlier books. The estate was looking for ways to reawaken interest in Fleming. Penguin had republished nice editions of "Dr. No" and "Casino Royale". Now they wanted someone to write books for nine-to-12s, to show that Bond was a literary character before he was a movie character."
Higson had completed the first of his five-book contract before the news of the series was formally announced. To be published by Puffin (the young readers arm of Penguin) in March 2005, Higson went on to reveal some details about the new lineage.
The 13-year-old Bond is at Eton in the 1930s, and is drawn into an adventure on a remote Scottish island. There's a villain, and a villain's henchman. There's even a love interest. "She's called Wilder Lawless. But it's a fairly chaste relationship. She's older than him, and he's got an older friend who fancies her. There's a lot of confused pre-sexuality. She wrestles him to the ground and pins him down with her thighs, and he likes it but he doesn't know why ... "
To research the book, Higson re-read the complete Bond oeuvre, in search of biographical clues.
"There are only tiny nuggets of information, because Bond is a fantasy figure on to which anyone can project themselves. The books were like a textbook for the dull, grey, Fifties, British chap on how to be a man. It was the early-Playboy time. This is how you order a steak in a restaurant. This is what you should be drinking and wearing. This is how you treat a lady. That's why they were so popular and why they're interesting now, for what they tell us about Fifties aspirations."
Last month Miramax announced they had bought the rights to publish Higson's first two novels in North America, due out in March 2005 and November 2005.
http://www.mi6.co.uk/sections/articles/literature_yjb_first_details.php3?t=&s=articles
Fri Aug 20, 2004 6:06 pm
oh good lord no
Fri Aug 20, 2004 6:32 pm
HMMM....."the young indiana jones".......hmmm.......
Fri Aug 20, 2004 6:38 pm
Oh HELL NO!!!
Fri Aug 20, 2004 6:52 pm
Yeah, I can see it now. The 10 year old Bond is an exchange student in America and gets his first piece of tail because he goes to a Florida school (remember the hot blonde teacher). This changes his lifelong ambition of becoming a nuclear scientist to a 'Licensed to Kill' shagmaster. He then proceeds to get more ass than a toilet seat.
Fri Aug 20, 2004 7:00 pm
"Q, where is that robotic masterbator that I ordered?"
Fri Aug 20, 2004 7:01 pm
GAY!
Fri Aug 20, 2004 8:51 pm
John Kerry could be taking over!
Fri Aug 20, 2004 9:19 pm
so sad that this is happening
Fri Aug 20, 2004 9:25 pm
Well, with the trend of Freddy vs. Jason, and Predator vs. Aliens, do you guys think they'll make James Bond vs. Agent Cody Banks?
-Bagginses
-Bagginses
Fri Aug 20, 2004 9:45 pm
Originally posted by Bagginses
Well, with the trend of Freddy vs. Jason, and Predator vs. Aliens, do you guys think they'll make James Bond vs. Agent Cody Banks?
-Bagginses
Fri Aug 20, 2004 11:49 pm
Sir Ian Flemming must be rolling in his grave!
Another typical move in the name of capitalism, next, to recuperate from the terrible Catwoman, Hollywood plans to make a movie called "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowships of Paris Hilton" with sequels entitled "The LOTR: The Two Pitts and Afleck", with the final in the trilogy called "The Return of J-Lo's Gigli".
Another typical move in the name of capitalism, next, to recuperate from the terrible Catwoman, Hollywood plans to make a movie called "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowships of Paris Hilton" with sequels entitled "The LOTR: The Two Pitts and Afleck", with the final in the trilogy called "The Return of J-Lo's Gigli".
Sat Aug 21, 2004 3:22 am
Seriously though the 'fast show' is bloody funny so i imagine he'll be writing the books tongue in cheek. Still seems like a bad idea but perhaps not as bad as writing them straight faced.
Sat Aug 21, 2004 10:49 am
I remember seeing a show on VH1 about classic sitcoms and how they always end up adding the "annoying kid factor" when the show gets stale.
It is so true, whenever a movie, show, etc. wants to refresh the script they add a kid. WTF is up with that?
It is so true, whenever a movie, show, etc. wants to refresh the script they add a kid. WTF is up with that?
Sat Aug 21, 2004 4:26 pm
Looks like Bond is about to jump the shark. Sad, very sad