Le Monde is not enough on France 3: why was Peter Jackson excluded from the film?

The world is not enough : atomic threat for 007

In 1999, James Bond no longer holds any secrets for Pierce Brosnan. After GoldenEye and Tomorrow never dies, the actor plays the British spy for the third and penultimate time in The world is not enough. An opus in which 007 is supposed to watch over a protégé of M (Judi Dench). A mission that once again plunges him into the heart of an infernal scheme.

When the oil magnate Sir Robert King is assassinated, the secret agent is tasked by his superior with keeping his daughter Elektra (Sophie Marceau) out of harm’s way. Very quickly, the heiress of a colossal empire makes her understand that threats do not frighten her and that she intends to complete the construction of her gigantic pipeline.

A site around which roams the formidable Victor Zokas (Robert Carlyle), lover of nuclear missiles nicknamed “Fox” who kidnapped Elektra in the past. With the help of scientist Christmas Jones (Denise Richards), James Bond will do everything to prevent the terrorist from detonating a plutonium bomb.

Robbie Coltrane, Colin Salmon and Samantha Bond complete the cast of this 19^e license opus. The film marks the final appearance of Desmond Llewelyn, who died a month after the US release, as Q. A character he has played in 17 parts of the franchise since With love from Russia. In The world is not enough, he gave up his place as gadget specialist to John Cleese, who would return three years later in Die another day. The feature film also stands out as the biggest success of the saga in the 20th century, pocketing nearly $ 362 million in global revenue.

Barbara Broccoli not a fan of Peter Jackson’s ghosts

At the helm, Michael Apted succeeds Roger Spottiswoode. But the director of Gorillas in the mist and Gorky Park, died in January 2021, is not the first choice of producers. Joe Dante (Gremlins, Howls) is notably offered the project. Peter Jackson also attracts the attention of Barbara Broccoli.

The producer loves Celestial creatures, fourth feature film by the author of Bad taste and Braindead. When she is interested in the filmmaker, the latter has just finished the fantastic comedy Ghosts vs. Ghosts. A screening is therefore organized so that she can see the film worn by Michael J. Fox. And what she discovers on the screen cools her completely. Barbara Broccoli hates the director’s style and calls on Michael Apted. Peter Jackson says on this subject:

So that was the end of my chances with Mr. Bond!

The Lord of the Rings influenced by James Bond

Big fan of the license, the filmmaker therefore does not have the opportunity to work on it. A missed opportunity that Peter Jackson sees as “an unrealized dream”, as he confides in the book Peter Jackson: A Film-maker’s Journey by Brian Sibley, released in 2006. The author specifies that the director has become too famous with the success of the trilogy The Lord of the Rings to now be entrusted with the reins of a James Bond opus.

Nonetheless, the filmmaker paid tribute in his own way to the franchise on the character created by Ian Fleming. In addition to having directed a short film called Coldfinger in his youth, Peter Jackson thought of the opening of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring keeping in mind the prologues of the adventures of 007. He explains thus, quoted by Allocine :

I wanted a big opening battle, to immediately captivate. I saw it as the opening of a James Bond. These films always have a breathtaking action scene as a prologue. It’s a concept that has always appealed to me. It tears the viewer out of reality to throw them right into the film in the middle of this incredible action scene. He has no time to think, he is overwhelmed by everything that is happening on the screen. And, the prologue finished, it is in the hands of the director. I wanted, while telling the story of the Ring, to have a battle that would make a good start.