MI6.co.uk reports that Bond 22 director Marc Forster and writer Paul Haggis both talked about the anticipated film at the Los Angeles Film Festival last week.
The interviews revealed that Haggis was offered the director’s chair, but he declined due to the long commitment. They are both still very busy working on their individual projects — Forster on The Kite Runner and Haggis on In the Valley of Elah — before they can take on the next 007 installment.
Haggis, who also polished the Casino Royale script, said that the next film won’t be a “direct continuation” of the 21st installment. “I wouldn’t describe it as such,” he said. “I think it’s going to stand on its own although it does follow right on the heels of ‘Casino Royale.'” he added that he didn’t come up with the chase sequence at the beginning of “Royale,” that was director Martin Campbell, but for the new film he does have a “couple of those [action scenes] planned.”
Forster talked about why he hasn’t been able to address 007 yet. “I’m just literally mixing ‘The Kite Runner’ in July and then sometime in August or September, I start [Bond],” he said. “To be honest, I haven’t put any thought because really, my mind is in ‘The Kite Runner’ and scoring and finishing that up. I haven’t really spent any time with that stuff. I wish I could tell you. Maybe in a later period.”
Daniel Craig will return as Bond in the film, targeted for a November 7, 2008 release.
