Oldboy director Park Chan-Wook would like to shepherd a James Bond movie, but he doesn't think fans would enjoy the finished product.
"Yes, that would be fun," Park told Deadline, who translated the director's responses to the idea of directing a Bond film. "But I'm not sure if the people watching it would have as much fun as I would making the film." Park also said that watching Bond films as a child inspired him to become a director. "Those of you who've seen my latest film might find this hard to believe, but I think it all started with a Bond movie," the filmmaker said. "I was in elementary school at the time. I think it was maybe Moonraker, but it was certainly a Roger Moore [one]. I got really into the film, and I had fun imagining different stories from it in my head when I was home by myself."
Growing up in South Korea, Park said he connected to the globe-trotting nature of Bond. "At that time, Korea was a military totalitarian society, so they didn't allow everyone, or they only allowed particular people, to be able to travel outside the country," he said. "Which is, I think, why I particularly enjoyed imagining myself in an exotic place, interacting with different races of people and going on fun adventures."
Park credits the Bond franchise for developing his directorial skills as he often wondered how he would stage the superspy's daring escapes. "So those crazy traps and weapons made with special technology and effects and the ingenious ways in order to escape from them, I had very detailed, imaginative stories in my head of how that would happen," he said. "It went into so much detail that I also imagined the placement of the camera or the movement of the camera filming those situations. And I think that was my first storyboard in my head, even though I didn't draw them out."
If the producers' search for a new Bond director is anything like their search for Bond himself, the likely candidate may be years away from discovery. Longtime franchise producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson recently said they were pushing the search for Daniel Craig's replacement to next year. Wilson also said Bond will remain in his 30s, dispelling rumors that the next iteration of the character would be played by a younger actor. "We've tried looking at younger people [to play Bond] in the past. But trying to visualize it doesn’t work. Remember, Bond's already a veteran. He's had some experience," the producer said. "That's why [the role] works for a thirty-something."
All 25 official James Bond films are available to stream on Amazon Prime. Meanwhile, fans of Park Chan-Wook can see the director's latest film, Decision to Leave, which is now in theaters.
Source: Deadline