No Time to Die director Cary Fukunaga considered having the movie take place in James Bond’s mind. Production on the latest installment in the beloved 007 franchise has been consistently plagued by issues, with a seemingly endless supply of rumors connected to its plot. Arguably its greatest challenge, however, has been the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the spy thriller to move its release date. It’s a fate that's unfortunately been met by every film production at the moment, but for Bond fans, news of No Time to Die's delay was yet another issue in a lengthy list that dates back years.
It seems each time No Time to Die has found secure footing, something inevitably goes wrong. While the frustration has been substantial for fans, it surely can’t compare to what Fukunaga has gone through to get the film made. Thankfully for the director, however, the battle has almost been won. No Time to Die is set for a November release, and the sole challenge that remains is whether or not audiences will approve of his efforts. The 42-year-old filmmaker has found much success with past projects and taking on Bond will mark a new creative journey.
At present, fans still don’t know just what awaits them in No Time to Die, but judging by a recent interview that Fukunaga did with Interview Magazine, the film’s plot could have been far different from past Bond adventures. At one point, when asked about No Time to Die’s possible metaphysical elements, Fukunaga admitted that he had considered making at least two acts of the film take place inside Bond’s mind. It’s a pretty big risk for a Bond director to take and Fukunaga explains below the concept he had toyed with:
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?”
In terms of a drastically new concept in a decades old franchise, this arguably takes the cake. It’s a downright revolutionary idea for something as enormous as a Bond film, and it clearly could have been either amazing or downright disastrous. Throughout the entire history of the 007 franchise, Bond has never once been in a situation where his actions were just a figment of his imagination. He has, of course, been drugged by his foes or placed in challenging situations. However, his own mind is one battleground that Bond has yet to take on. It would take a very careful and clever director to successfully navigate such a concept, and Fukunaga has repeatedly proven his worth over the years. That being said, such a seismic shift for the franchise would never be forgotten if it were to fail, and this had to be a concern for Fukunaga.
As fans patiently await the arrival of No Time to Die, Fukunaga’s revelation about what could have been is the mark of a very creative mind at work. Many Bond fans will be completely opposed to the idea of a Bond film having taken place inside the character’s mind. That’s understandable – it’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, and it’s likely for this reason that Fukunaga ultimately jettisoned the idea. However, it does show that No Time to Die is in the hands of a director who’s interested in taking an unorthodox approach and that in itself is exciting to many.
Source: Interview Magazine
