Leonardo DiCaprio may portray Ian Fleming - Britmovie

DB7 · 14-05-2008, 08:35 PM

Leonardo DiCaprio may portray Ian Fleming
The actor's company will produce a film about the creator of James Bond.
By Jay A. Fernandez, Special to The Times
May 14, 2008

The Oscar-nominated actor's Appian Way company recently came on as producer of "Fleming," an original screenplay written by Damian Stevenson about the life of the British author and journalist who created James Bond.

"It's going to be very different from the Bond films," says producer Andrew Lazar ("Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," "Get Smart"), who first championed the project. "There are a lot of different ways to crack biopics, but we're not trying to emulate a Bond movie . . . The idea that this guy's life informed the James Bond character is pretty fascinating."

In fall 2005, just before the lucrative Bond franchise rebooted with Daniel Craig, Stevenson made his first script sale to Warner Bros. He then spent months mollifying the WB legal department about the historical accuracy of the Fleming story and worked through dozens of drafts with Lazar.

"It's the real James Bond," says the 35-year-old Stevenson, who previously worked as a development executive at Kopelson Entertainment and DreamWorks. "In England, Ian Fleming's exploits are much better well known. Talking to people out here, no one had any idea that M was based on a real person, Miss Moneypenny was based on a real person."

The London native scoured the underground stacks of the University of Oxford's centuries-old Bodleian Library for out-of-print Fleming biographies.

His latest version of the screenplay begins on the eve of Fleming's Jamaica wedding in 1952, just before his first Bond novel, "Casino Royale," was published (a wedding present to his new wife).

It then flashes back to Fleming's years as a Reuters journalist stationed in Moscow and then a Commander of Naval Intelligence (MI6 code name "17F") during World War II who devised innovative spying plots.

Fleming later drew from his own playboy life and his espionage contemporaries' to invent one of literature and film's most enduring characters.

During the writers' strike, DiCaprio showed interest in Fleming and his world, but he's looking to take the script in a different direction with a new writer.

christoph404 · 15-05-2008, 08:23 PM

Thought as much, the creator of James Bond with an American accent and a boy in the part! Sounds dreadful to me. I thought De Caprio was totally miscast as Howard Hughes, a teenager playing the part of a powerful man,but De Caprio as Ian Flemming sounds ludicrous!
I think Jeffrey Rush would be better in the part, he even looks like Fleming and is a fine actor. If not Rush why not a British actor?

vladpyre · 16-05-2008, 02:01 PM

quite agree, I prefer generally to see British performers in British roles. DiCaprio I fear would be wrong for the role

Lord Brett · 16-05-2008, 02:21 PM

The London native scoured the underground stacks of the University of Oxford's centuries-old Bodleian Library for out-of-print Fleming biographies.

Huh? There haven't been all that many - I can only think of three (The Man With the Golden Typewriter; John Pearson's official biography, and the great Andrew Lycett one). He could have come to my house and I'd have lent him them!

batman · 16-05-2008, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Brett

The London native scoured the underground stacks of the University of Oxford's centuries-old Bodleian Library for out-of-print Fleming biographies.

Huh? There haven't been all that many - I can only think of three (The Man With the Golden Typewriter; John Pearson's official biography, and the great Andrew Lycett one). He could have come to my house and I'd have leant him them!

I have two of those as well .... they're not exactly difficult to get hold of!

Moor Larkin · 16-05-2008, 02:52 PM

Where's David Niven when you need him?

How come the British never thought of this?

I hope there's no chimbley-sweeps in it

Buffalo_Chuck · 16-05-2008, 03:05 PM

I'm very excited about this - just imagine, a biopic written by a chap who looks in centuries-old libraries for Fleming's apparently centuries-old biographies. Interesting. And that comment about him spending "months wrangling with Legal" about facts.

Oh yes, I'm SO excited about the possibilities of this. I think a boy will be a great choice for such a reliable project. If DiCaprio ends up finding another writer entirely, I'd be pleasantly surprised. Maybe he can pass a love-note to his 2nd Grade classmates and find someone as qualified.

rskershaw · 16-05-2008, 06:49 PM

Oh god, no. Please.

donna · 16-05-2008, 06:51 PM

I think the actor has matured greatley didnt see the film about the Diamond mines but son praised it, he may give us a shock.

batman · 16-05-2008, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donna

I think the actor has matured greatley didnt see the film about the Diamond mines but son praised it, he may give us a shock.

I think Leo is a fine young actor .... he just isn't the right person to play the very English Ian Fleming.

christoph404 · 16-05-2008, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by batman

I think Leo is a fine young actor .... he just isn't the right person to play the very English Ian Fleming.

Careful Bats, like Bond himself Fleming was very much of Scottish heritage

batman · 16-05-2008, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by christoph404

Careful Bats, like Bond himself Fleming was very much of Scottish heritage

Oops .... I should have said British (or Scottish).

john audley · 16-05-2008, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by batman

I think Leo is a fine young actor .... he just isn't the right person to play the very English Ian Fleming.

I missed the Aviator on release but caught it on TV a little while ago and thought 'little Leo' made a good job of it and the film was well made.

Lord Brett · 16-05-2008, 08:23 PM

The best screen Fleming to date for me was Charles Dance in Goldeneye in 1989, the existance of which is presumably why the Bond movie with the same name is officially known as GoldenEye.

batman · 16-05-2008, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Brett

The best screen Fleming to date for me was Charles Dance in Goldeneye in 1989, the existance of which is presumably why the Bond movie with the same name is officially known as GoldenEye.

Jason Connery had a go as well .... IIRC his film was called The Secret Life Of Ian Fleming and was dreadful.

14-05-2008, 08:35 PM	#1
DB7 is just a prescription talkin' Administrator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Shrops Posts: 6,088 My Mood: Country: iTrader: (10)	Leonardo DiCaprio may portray Ian Fleming Leonardo DiCaprio may portray Ian Fleming The actor's company will produce a film about the creator of James Bond. By Jay A. Fernandez, Special to The Times May 14, 2008 The Oscar-nominated actor's Appian Way company recently came on as producer of "Fleming," an original screenplay written by Damian Stevenson about the life of the British author and journalist who created James Bond. "It's going to be very different from the Bond films," says producer Andrew Lazar ("Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," "Get Smart"), who first championed the project. "There are a lot of different ways to crack biopics, but we're not trying to emulate a Bond movie . . . The idea that this guy's life informed the James Bond character is pretty fascinating." In fall 2005, just before the lucrative Bond franchise rebooted with Daniel Craig, Stevenson made his first script sale to Warner Bros. He then spent months mollifying the WB legal department about the historical accuracy of the Fleming story and worked through dozens of drafts with Lazar. "It's the real James Bond," says the 35-year-old Stevenson, who previously worked as a development executive at Kopelson Entertainment and DreamWorks. "In England, Ian Fleming's exploits are much better well known. Talking to people out here, no one had any idea that M was based on a real person, Miss Moneypenny was based on a real person." The London native scoured the underground stacks of the University of Oxford's centuries-old Bodleian Library for out-of-print Fleming biographies. His latest version of the screenplay begins on the eve of Fleming's Jamaica wedding in 1952, just before his first Bond novel, "Casino Royale," was published (a wedding present to his new wife). It then flashes back to Fleming's years as a Reuters journalist stationed in Moscow and then a Commander of Naval Intelligence (MI6 code name "17F") during World War II who devised innovative spying plots. Fleming later drew from his own playboy life and his espionage contemporaries' to invent one of literature and film's most enduring characters. During the writers' strike, DiCaprio showed interest in Fleming and his world, but he's looking to take the script in a different direction with a new writer.

16-05-2008, 02:21 PM	#4
Lord Brett is too blinking busy and needs a lie in Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire Posts: 935 My Mood: Country: iTrader: (2)	The London native scoured the underground stacks of the University of Oxford's centuries-old Bodleian Library for out-of-print Fleming biographies. Huh? There haven't been all that many - I can only think of three (The Man With the Golden Typewriter; John Pearson's official biography, and the great Andrew Lycett one). He could have come to my house and I'd have lent him them! Last edited by Lord Brett; 16-05-2008 at 02:28 PM.

16-05-2008, 06:49 PM	#8
rskershaw is pottering about. Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bolton Posts: 262 My Mood: Country: iTrader: (0)	Oh god, no. Please. __________________ 4,000 holes in Blackburn, Lancashire.

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15-05-2008, 08:23 PM	#2
christoph404 has no status. Moderator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: London central Posts: 1,486 Country: iTrader: (0)	Thought as much, the creator of James Bond with an American accent and a boy in the part! Sounds dreadful to me. I thought De Caprio was totally miscast as Howard Hughes, a teenager playing the part of a powerful man,but De Caprio as Ian Flemming sounds ludicrous! I think Jeffrey Rush would be better in the part, he even looks like Fleming and is a fine actor. If not Rush why not a British actor?

16-05-2008, 02:01 PM	#3
vladpyre is yummy Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Nottingham Posts: 55 My Mood: Country: iTrader: (0)	quite agree, I prefer generally to see British performers in British roles. DiCaprio I fear would be wrong for the role

16-05-2008, 02:52 PM	#6
Moor Larkin has no status. Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North West Frontier Posts: 1,609 Country: iTrader: (0)	Where's David Niven when you need him? How come the British never thought of this? I hope there's no chimbley-sweeps in it

16-05-2008, 03:05 PM	#7
Buffalo_Chuck has no status. Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: USA Posts: 42 Country: iTrader: (0)	I'm very excited about this - just imagine, a biopic written by a chap who looks in centuries-old libraries for Fleming's apparently centuries-old biographies. Interesting. And that comment about him spending "months wrangling with Legal" about facts. Oh yes, I'm SO excited about the possibilities of this. I think a boy will be a great choice for such a reliable project. If DiCaprio ends up finding another writer entirely, I'd be pleasantly surprised. Maybe he can pass a love-note to his 2nd Grade classmates and find someone as qualified.

16-05-2008, 06:51 PM	#9
donna is give peace a chance Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Scotland Posts: 778 My Mood: Country: iTrader: (0)	I think the actor has matured greatley didnt see the film about the Diamond mines but son praised it, he may give us a shock.

16-05-2008, 08:23 PM	#14
Lord Brett is too blinking busy and needs a lie in Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire Posts: 935 My Mood: Country: iTrader: (2)	The best screen Fleming to date for me was Charles Dance in Goldeneye in 1989, the existance of which is presumably why the Bond movie with the same name is officially known as GoldenEye.