How a rejected screenplay and a legal battle shaped the Bond legacy
In short: The James Bond franchise is one of history's longest-running film series, but its start was far from smooth. From a rejected script featuring a monkey villain to a high court copyright battle, the path to 007 was paved with unexpected pivots and high-stakes legal drama.
The Eon Productions series, which has been in ongoing production since 1962, faced significant hurdles during its inception. Originally, the producers intended to film Ian Fleming's novel 'Thunderball' first. However, a legal dispute arose when Kevin McClory took Fleming to the London High Court for breach of copyright, forcing the studio to pivot and film 'Dr. No' instead.
The creative process for the first film was equally turbulent. The initial screenplay for 'Dr. No' was rejected after writers Wolf Mankowitz and Richard Maibaum accidentally made the villain a monkey. This led to a second version by Maibaum, with script doctor Johanna Harwood refining the British characterizations. Even the casting of the iconic lead was a matter of elimination; Sean Connery was selected only after Patrick McGoohan and Richard Johnson turned down the role.
As the franchise grew, so did its complexity. While Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman co-produced the early films, Broccoli eventually became the sole producer in 1975. The series has also navigated a complex web of distribution, moving from United Artists to MGM, and later involving partnerships with Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures. Despite these shifts, the series has maintained remarkable continuity in its production crews, including directors, writers, and composers.
By 2021, Eon had produced 25 films, achieving a combined gross of over $7 billion. This makes the franchise the fifth-highest-grossing film series in history. The series has survived a six-year hiatus between 1989 and 1995, remaining a cornerstone of cinematic history for over six decades.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Production of the James Bond films
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