‘It’s time for new Bond director’ – Williams, Knight join ‘Man From Earth’ sequel

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HAY-ON-WYE, Wales, May 29, (Agencies): Sam Mendes is finished with James Bond. The acclaimed British director of “Skyfall” and “Spectre” said Saturday he will not direct the next installment in the popular spy series that started with Sean Connery’s startling 1962 performance in “Dr. No.” “It was an incredible adventure, I loved every second of it”, Mendes said of his five years working on the thriller franchise. “But I think it’s time for somebody else.”

Mendes revealed his plans to step down from the series to an audience at the Hay Festival of literature in Wales. A former theatre director whose films include the Oscar-winner “American Beauty” and the somber “Revolutionary Road”, Mendes said he hoped the next Bond director would come from an “unexpected direction”, just as he had.

His first effort, “Skyfall”, was a huge hit with critics and fans alike, with many saying he brought new depth to the characters. “Spectre” was also a substantial success, although some critics said it seemed a bit tired. Mendes himself indicated a desire to work on something fresh. “I’m a storyteller. And at the end of the day, I want to make stories with new characters”, he said. Mendes’ announcement clarifies that he won’t direct the next film, but it’s not yet clear if Daniel Craig will return for a fifth turn as 007.

Tom Hiddleston and Idris Elba are among his rumored replacements. Both are popular with moviegoers, but Mendes said lobbying by fans is pointless because the decision will be made solely by the series’ producer, Barbara Broccoli. “It’s not a democracy … Barbara Broccoli decides who is going to be the next Bond, end of story”, he said.

Mendes said that worked out well when Broccoli chose Craig, a little-known actor, for the key role at a time when he had “zero” support from fans. Many fans now consider Craig’s portrayal of the suave spy as having revitalized the Bond series.

 Vanessa Williams, Sterling Knight, Brittany Curran, Carlos Knight and Akemi Look are joining “The Man From Earth: Holocene”, a sequel to 2007’s sci-fier “The Man From Earth.”

David Lee Smith, who portrayed the lead character John Oldman, and William Katt will return. The storyline for the sequel is being kept under wraps until the film’s release in 2017.

The 2007 original, penned by sci-fi writer/author Jerome Bixby, centered on a college professor who’s actually a centuries-old caveman. Richard Schenkman is returning to direct with shooting starting next week in Southern California.

The original script was the last work from Bixby, best known for his 1953 story “It’s a Good Life”, which was the basis for a 1961 episode of “The Twilight Zone” and was included in “Twilight Zone: The Movie.” He also wrote four episodes for the “Star Trek” series and co-wrote the story upon which the movie “Fantastic Voyage” was based.

“The Man From Earth” made its debut at the 2007 Comic-Con, then hit the festival circuit before being released by Starz/Anchor Bay Entertainment.

“People have been asking for this since the first movie became a viral phenomenon”, Schenkman said. “Over the years, I’ve spent time developing this property with the ultimate goal of creating a long-form series. I’ve had a lot of help from a number of really talented people, and stunning support from fans all over the world. It’s been a long road, but now that we’re about to start shooting, I could not be more excited.”

Schenkman and Eric D. Wilkinson are producing the sequel. Schenkman is directing from a script he co-wrote with Jerome Bixby’s son, Emerson Bixby, who also serves as executive producer through his Falling Sky Entertainment Banner. “The Man From Earth: Holocene” is based on a story by Schenkman and Wilkinson.

 Twelve years ago, Jessica Elbaum was Will Ferrell’s assistant, a post she admits is already “the best job ever.” Her first day on the job was on the set of reshoots for the first “Anchorman” film. Nine years later, on the set of “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues”, of which she was an executive producer, she approached the Gary Sanchez team with the idea of a female-centric counterpart, Gloria Sanchez Prods.

“From the start, they liked the idea”, Elbaum recalls. “They said, ‘let’s do it.’ Never once did they doubt it.”

“Jess is an awesome producer and we thought it was a great idea”, concurs Ferrell. But more than that, says Gary Sanchez topper Adam McKay: “It’s selfishly good business. Women have been taking over comedy for the past 10 years. Jessica was establishing all these great relationships with female directors and writers, it just made sense.”

In fact, the company had already enjoyed success with projects featuring strong women both in front of and behind the camera, including two Melissa McCarthy hits, “Tammy” and “The Boss.” They also supported female filmmakers such as Leslye Headland, who wrote and directed “Bachelorette”, and Shira Piven, who directed “Welcome to Me”, starring Kristen Wiig. The first film produced under the Gloria Sanchez banner was Headland’s follow-up, “Sleeping With Other People”, which received a warm reception at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival before opening in last fall.

The company currently has a full slate of projects in various stages of development, from a Comedy Central TV show produced by Olivia Wilde called “Best Seller” to the film “Women in Business” with Emma Stone, Jillian Bell and Kate McKinnon. It is also partnering with Annapurna Pictures on two films, “Booksmart” and “The Hustlers at Scores”, based on a magazine feature by Jessica Pressler. “It’s strippers taking down rich white men”, says Elbaum. “McKay described it perfectly as ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ meets ‘Thelma and Louise.’”

Women writers are further represented by upcoming projects. They’ll also be producing Wiig’s untitled directorial debut, based on a script by Wiig and her “Bridesmaids” co-writer Annie Mumolo. There’s a script called “Step Friend” by “Bride Wars” writers Casey Wilson and June Diane Raphael in the works, along with April Prosser’s “Plus One”, which has Jessica Chastain and Cecily Strong attached, plus Harper Dill’s “Friend of Bill” with Lizzy Caplan.

Everything set up at Gloria has a female-centric storyline, and often a woman filmmaker, though there are exceptions. “Women in Business”, for example, is being helmed by Jake Szymanski. “He’s right for the material and I want to get the movie made”, Elbaum reasons. “We want to make as much as possible with the right people.” And while their focus is primarily comedic, Elbaum says they hope to branch out, like McKay did with “The Big Short.”

Since the formation of the company was announced in February 2014, Elbaum says the response has been overwhelming. “It’s changed my life”, she enthuses. “It’s validating, it’s exciting, and it’s everything I hoped it would be. It’s fun to be supported not just by the guys, but by the community. And we’re a go-to place for so many women, it’s great to get those calls, from writers, directors, actresses.”

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