‘No Time to Die’: Director Danny Boyle Left the Film Because He Had ‘Crazy, Madcap Ideas’

After delays, James Bond will finally be able to see No Time to Die in cinemas starting September 30, 2021. This ends the five-year 007 drought since Spectre left some audience members scratching their heads.

However, it was not an easy road from inception to final release. Health regulations were only one of the roadblocks; replacing the director and the vision for the movie was another one.

Initially, Danny Boyle, the mastermind behind Slumdog Millionaire, intended to direct the film. He seemed like the ideal choice given his resume as well as his ability to imbue a project with a unique artistic vision. However, he dropped out.

This led to a mad dash of finding the right director who would see off Daniel Craig in his final rendition of the debonair spy. The winning combination came when Cary Joji Fukunaga became the director behind the new James Bond movie.

Why did Boyle decide to quit the movie?

Boyle had a vision for taking Bond in a new direction. As noted by the Observer, he wasted no time pitching the idea to Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, the heads of Eon Production.

Everyone was on board for about five months. Yet, there came a time when the direction diverged too far from where the producers felt comfortable taking the franchise.

Production designer Mark Tildesley called Boyle’s Bond idea “extraordinary.” However, he remarks that Boyle’s “crazy, madcap ideas didn’t quite tie up with what Barbara and Michael had planned.” Boyle referred to his departure’s reason as a “script dispute.”

However, when speaking to the Evening Standard, it became clear that the dispute had to do with breaking up writing partnerships. Boyle said:

“I learned quite a lot about myself working with Bond. I work in partnership with writers, and I am not prepared to break it up.”

A shortlist of potential directors

Replacing Boyle was no easy feat. Time was ticking. Of course, it helps that Craig has range when it comes to acting, so working with a replacement would not be a problem.

Broccoli and Wilson were already eyeing Fukunaga even as they considered Jean-Marc Vallée, David Mackenzie, Yann Demange, and Edgar Wright. News 18 is quick to point out that Boyle wishes his replacement the best. It is fair that no matter who was to take the lead, Craig was going to work with the changes.

After finalizing the replacement, as noted by the Evening Standard, the movie’s producers announced that they are “delighted” to work with their new crew. Moreover, “His versatility and innovation make him an excellent choice for our next James Bond adventure.”

The announcement also put to rest the rumors that possible replacements could include Christopher Nolan or Lynne Ramsay, which would have netted the James Bond empire its first female director.

Who is Fukunaga?

IMDb notes that the American director has already won a Primetime Emmy for True Detective. Sundance took a liking to his first film, which propelled him closer to the big leagues. His trademarks are long tracking shots, which he may have brought to Bond.

Fukunaga began accumulating directing credits in 2003 with the short Kofi. A familiar production a few years later was Jane Eyre. Next, there was the True Detective and Maniac television series.

Now, he will leave his mark on the Bond franchise while directing one of the highest-paying Hollywood actors. Craig was set to earn $25 million for playing his role.