Thunderball film rights to book

Thunderball has a great plot, great locations, a great villain and some great one liners. Thunderball was the first bond film shot in widescreen panavision and the first to have over a twohour running time. While that tactic failed, mcclory eventually pursued further legal action that granted him the literary and film rights to thunderball, leaving ian fleming with the rights to the novel he wrote. Thunderball has a policy against accepting unsolicited literary, dramatic, scripts, submissions of concepts, creative ideas, suggestions, stories, artwork or other materials for consideration. James bond heads to the bahamas to recover two nuclear warheads stolen by s. Thunderball is a 1965 spy film and the fourth in the james bond series produced by eon productions, starring sean connery as the fictional mi6 agent james bond. No 1962 launched the james bond cinema franchise, from russia with love 1963 is embraced by many fans as the best of the series, and goldfinger 1964 is still the iconic 007 film of the 1960s. Nothing came of the film at that time and fleming needed a new book, and took parts of the plot and turned it into the novel we are considering now. Ian fleming wrote 12 james bond novels and 9 short stories published in two collections. The film was written by kevin mcclory, jack whittingham, richard maibaum, and john hopkins and was directed by terence young. E, which stands for special executive for counterintelligence, terrorism, revenge and extortion. In the late 1950s, fleming worked with mcclory to develop a script for the first james bond feature film.

Thunderball james bond original series book 9 kindle edition by fleming, ian. Thunderball only accepts submissions of literary, dramatic, or other materials from franchised literary agencies, tv and motion picture producers with. The basis of the whole thing was when kevin mcclory had won a plagerism suit against ian fleming he won coauthorship to the novel thunderball. Thunderball was reprinted in 2005 by titan books as part of the dr. This study guide consists of approximately 39 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of thunderball. Kevin mcclory bankrolled the fleming screen treatment that was eventually published in book form as thunderball. The lyrics of cashs thunderball describe the film s story. Ive never been a huge fan of either the film thunderball or never say never again so i was very curious to read this one.

Reading it, the story is still a bit tepid bad guys steal nuclear war heads and threaten the world however, the descriptions in the book of everything that surrounds the plot i. The first novelization of an unfilmed james bond screenplay, it was born from a collaboration by five people. Fleming then incorporated the ideas from that script in his 1961 novel thunderball. Thunderball novel project gutenberg selfpublishing. This lawsuit prevented eon from filming thunderball as the second 007 film. Torturing a woman in the 1960s was not exactly all that intense. James bond, agent 007 with her majestys secret service, is sent to a health clinic to recover from overdrinking. The story of the fourth james bond film, thunderball. The film had a complex production, with four different units and about a quarter of the film consisting of underwater scenes. Thunderball is the ninth book in ian flemings james bond series, and the eighth fulllength bond novel. Jan 15, 2015 16 the thunderball book remained attributed to fleming, with the proviso that a note was inserted into the book that it was based on the screenplay written by the three men. Thunderball 1965 is the fourth spy film in the james bond series starring sean connery as the fictional mi6 agent james bond.

What was the dispute over eons rights to the james bond. Mcclory sued the film s producers and fleming, whose ordeal in court led him to a premature death. It was based of ian flemings 1957 novel of the same name. But thunderball 1965, the biggest, most lavish, and longest bond film at that time, was the most popular of its day. Thunderball is the ninth book in ian flemings james bond series, and the eighth fulllength james bond novel. The book details the collaboration among film producer kevin mcclory, novelist ian fleming, screenwriter jack whittingham and others to create the film thunderball. Ian flemings 9th james bond book thunderball 1961 has been steeped in. Thunderball james bond original series book 9 kindle. High hopes for this one because, according to my sources, the movie was the most successful of the bond franchise at that point. Kevin mcclory won the film rights and chose a single coproduction deal with. The novel had come out recently in 1961, when eon productions got the film rights to the bond books, but the producers top pick was embroiled in scandal. Thunderball is a 1965 british spy film and the fourth in the james bond series to be produced by eon productions. James bond rights dispute ends after 50 years variety. The battle for spectre the rights war that complicated james.

A big rights battle ended up with mcclory sharing producer credit. I must have watched thunderball about a gazillion times since i was a kid and i still couldnt say what the film was about. It was the third and final bond film to be directed by terence young, with its screenplay. When two atomic bombs are stolen by spectre countdown begins to locate them before time is up. Mcclory reportedly wanted richard burton to play james. After the huge success of goldfinger, producers albert cubby broccoli and. The battle for bond 2007, by robert sellers, is a cinema history book of how the literary character james bond metamorphosed to the cinema james bond. Thunderball is easily one of the more complicated bond. Mar 11, 2015 spoilerladen commentary on the ian fleming novel and its 1965 movie iteration.

Agent 007 sean connery scuba dives after largo adolfo celi hijacks nuke bombs. This is the first james bond film, i watched in the cinema back in 1972. Mar 16, 2016 there was a competing bond film in 1983. Thunderball is the ninth book in ian flemings james bond series, and the eighth fulllength. Thunderball is the ninth book in ian flemings james bond series, and the eight novel, after a seriously good collection of short stories.

Fleming had been working with kevin mcclory and jack whittingham on a film project, and when it fell through fleming turned the material he had into thunderball once published he found himself in court and subsequently lost the case in favour of mcclory and whittington. Brilliant posters, stills and ephemera of the james bond. However, when fleming wrote the book on which the film is based, the latter two got no credit. The eighth novel in his series, his 1961 book was a creation that drew on a. Released in 1965, the film was a critical and commercial success. Whittingham, and the author and mcclory was left with the film rights. The producers decision to change the films theme song so close to the release date meant that only some of the films soundtrack had been recorded for release on lp.

Additionally, mcclory was given the right to make a film adaptation of the book as well as the rights to all aspects of thunderball, which supposedly included the. The lyrics of cashs thunderball describe the films story. Dec 08, 2012 by the time the rights issue had been finally settled, eon productions had already made the first three james bond films adapting flemings novels for the screen. Mcclory sued and subsequently gained film rights to the story.

Mar 28, 2015 it lasted for nine days, and in the end, mcclory and fleming decided to settle. So, to celebrate its enduring legacy five decades after its. Jul 19, 2016 nothing came of the film at that time and fleming needed a new book, and took parts of the plot and turned it into the novel we are considering now. Initially the eon series of films were fairly straight adaptations of the novels but over time they tended to deviate more and more. Thunderball started life as a film project separate from the official bond series.

Fleming had already sold the film rights to his bond novels to. Anyway, for something that caused so much drama thunderball is one of the best of the best when it comes to both the book and the movie adaptation. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Thunderball a redchairdiaries bookintofilm youtube. With kevin mcclory owning the rights to thunderball, this kind of threw. Apr 25, 2020 in the late 1950s, fleming worked with mcclory to develop a script for the first james bond feature film. Led by oneeyed evil mastermind emilio largo adolfo celi, the terrorist group spectre hijacks two warheads from a nato plane and threatens widespread nuclear destruction to extort 100 million pounds. Every unmade james bond movie and why they didnt happen. It lasted for nine days, and in the end, mcclory and fleming decided to settle. Ian fleming, kevin mcclory, jack whittingham, ivar. However, legal battles over story rights led producers to choose dr. Once published he found himself in court and subsequently lost the case in favour of mcclory and whittington.

Kevin mcclory, ian fleming and jack whittingham collaborated on an original story and screenplay for what would have been the very first 007 film, entitled james bond, secret agent. Mcclory tried to get an injunction to stop the book being distributed that failed, but a subsequent court. Thunderball, which is the ninth bond book by ian fleming, was supposed to be the first film in the series. No anthology that also includes diamonds are forever and from russia, with love. Brilliant posters, stills and ephemera of the james bond film. Two years later in november 1963 mcclory pursued the case again, this time settling out of court gaining the literary and film rights to the screenplay while fleming retained the rights to the novel but had to acknowledge. But did a deal with kevin mcclory, as he had the film rights to thunderball. The producers decision to change the film s theme song so close to the release date meant that only some of the film s soundtrack had been recorded for release on lp. It was created with the intention of being turned into a film, and is officially credited as being based on a screen treatment by kevin mcclory, jack whittingham and ian fleming, a shared credit which has been the subject of much controversy. The novel was published in 1961 and stands, technically, as the.

A 1983 remake titled never say never again, also starring connery, was made outside eon productions control. Spoilerladen commentary on the ian fleming novel and its 1965 movie iteration. Shortly after, the film rights to moonraker were sold to a british film company, but the. One of the main teaser posters for thunderball said it all. Mgm and danjaq have acquired all of the rights and interests in james bond held by the estate of kevin mcclory, ending more than 50 years of litigation between the producers of. The bond of the books never tosses out bon mots after a narrow.

The battle for spectre the rights war that complicated. The thunderball film rights were awarded to mcclory along with all the. Mar 02, 2020 the basis of the whole thing was when kevin mcclory had won a plagerism suit against ian fleming he won coauthorship to the novel thunderball. Thunderball bored the socks off adventurehungry kids in the 60s, and time hasnt done it any favors. And it was just the beginning of seeing this super spy take on any one who got in his way and win. No was united artists second choice for the first bond movie, after thunderball. Thunderball is the fourth film in the james bond film series, and the fourth to star sean connery as james bond. The literary bondthunderballthe basicsnovel vs the original film. Thunderball cast and crew cast photos and info fandango. It is an adaptation of the 1961 novel of the same name by ian fleming, which in turn was based on an original story by kevin mcclory, jack whittingham, and fleming. With sean connery, claudine auger, adolfo celi, luciana paluzzi.

It generally went down well with most critics, good living, sex and violent action. Country musician johnny cash also submitted a song to eon productions titled thunderball but it wasnt used. Agent emilio largo in an international extortion scheme. The action was unsuccessful and the book was published soon after.

Robert sellers wrote a book about the court case titled the battle for bond. Thunderball, although the fourth film, was actually the ninth james bond book and the eight fulllength novel. Mcclory sued ian fleming over thunderball, a james bond novel. Sean connery plays an admirable bond, but he doesnt have enough opportunity to cap off his victories with suave witticisms. Mcclory sued the films producers and fleming, whose ordeal in court led him to a premature death. Mcclory reportedly wanted richard burton to play james bond. Thunderball finds james bond matching wits with the sinister espionage organization s. Thunderball is the fourth spy film in the james bond series starring sean connery as the fictional mi6 agent james bond. Nov 11, 2019 thunderball, although the fourth film, was actually the ninth james bond book and the eight fulllength novel. It was first published in the uk by jonathan cape on 27 march 1961, where the initial print run of 50,938 copies quickly sold out. The spy who thrills us, the most controversial bond. Apr 20, 2014 torturing a woman in the 1960s was not exactly all that intense. In the history of the film adaptations to ian flemings james bond novels. Mcclory gained the literary and film rights for the screenplay, while fleming was given the rights to the novel, although it had to be recognised as.

Mcclory tried to get an injunction to stop the book being distributed that failed, but a subsequent court case did give him certain rights over the story and book. Thunderball is the eighth novel, and ninth book, in ian flemings james bond series. Apr 12, 2019 while that tactic failed, mcclory eventually pursued further legal action that granted him the literary and film rights to thunderball, leaving ian fleming with the rights to the novel he wrote. At the end of ww ii, a chance meeting with a beautiful, mysterious female archeologist sweet talks two hotshot b17 pilots into helping her locate a lost treasure protected by a bizarre, curseridden idol called the blue monkey. The producers made a deal with mcclory to make thunderball the fourth film in the series. This book now bears the authorship of fleming on most editions, but it was really the collaboration of several people, and a legal agreement at one time insisted that kevin mcclory and jack whittingham be. Includes quotes by james bond, fiona volpe, q, patricia fearing, emilio largo, domino derval, count lippe and miss moneypenny. The result of the case is that all copies of the book since state that the story is based on a screen treatment by k. A collection of some of the best quotes from the 4th film in the james bond series, thunderball. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by ian fleming, which in turn was based on an original screenplay by jack whittingham. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading thunderball james bond original series book 9.