The word on the street is Bond (James Bond). With the movie franchise celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, it seems 007 chatter is all over. Now, an unlikely director has said it would be “fun” to helm a Bond movie: Oldboy director Park Chan-wook.
On Deadline’s video interview series “The Film That Lit My Fuse”, Park Chan-wook (Stoker, The Handmaiden) was asked what movie, well, lit his fuse. “It all started with a Bond movie…I think it was maybe Moonraker, but it was certainly a Roger Moore.” Now that would be a hot take, since Moonraker–despite its strange devoted fanbase–is considered one of the worst–if not the worst–Bond movie ever.
But Park Chan-wook’s admiration for the Roger Moore Bond movies has a lot to do with his youthful admiration and regional upbringing. He said, “I had fun imagining different stories from it in my head” and especially liked “those crazy traps and weapons made with special technology and effects.” He also noted Korea’s “military totalitarian society”, saying, “They only allowed particular people to travel outside of the country, which, I think, is why I particularly enjoyed imagining myself in an exotic place.”
When asked if he would ever want to direct a Bond movie, Park Chan-wook said, “That would be fun, but I’m not sure if the people watching it would have as much fun as I would making the film.” Oh come on, Oldboy in Outer Space would be a fantastic movie!
“The Film That Lit My Fuse” focuses on the “creative ambitions, formative influences and inspirations of some of today’s great screen artists. Every installment asks the same five questions.” No, the question is not, “So do you love Moonraker or what?”
Park Chan-wook’s most recent film, Decision to Leave, was nominated for the Palme d’Or at this year’s Canne Film Festival.
Other recent Bond news stories include buzz over the casting, John Williams saying he’d “love” to score an entry and a stunning new pinball machine from Stern, the trailer of which you can watch below.
What do you think? Would you see a Park Chan-wook-directed Bond movie? Give us your best plot below!