Neal Purvis, Robert Wade And Peter Morgan To Write 'Bond 23'

The first major Bond 23 news broke today with the announcement of the film’s screenwriting team: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Peter Morgan.
Peter Morgan

Peter Morgan

Purvis and Wade are familiar names to the world of James Bond, having written or co-written every James Bond film since 1999’s The World Is Not Enough, as well as the ill-fated Jinx spin-off.

Peter Morgan is the Oscar-nominated writer of such films as The Queen, The Last King of Scotland, and most recently, Frost/Nixon.

Morgan appears to have replaced Paul Haggis, who up until this week was tipped to return, as the film’s critically-acclaimed heavy-hitting scribe.

No shooting start date for Bond 23 has been announced, and all three writers are currently working on other productions.

The full press release follows.

Morgan, Purvis and Wade to work on Bond, James Bond

LOS ANGELES, June 12 – Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli of EON Productions Ltd and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures have today announced that Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon, The Queen), Neal Purvis and Robert Wade (Quantum of Solace, Casino Royale) will be the screenwriters of the 23rd James Bond adventure.

Daniel Craig will reprise his role as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007 in the film, which will be a MGM release of an EON production. Bond 23 is the latest installment in the longest-running franchise in motion picture history and will be produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. A date for the start of production is yet to be confirmed.

“Peter, Neal and Robert are extraordinarily talented and we’re looking forward to working with the three of them,” commented Wilson and Broccoli.

Peter Morgan is the award-winning writer of such films as The Last King of Scotland, The Queen and Frost/Nixon, which was based on his play. He has also scripted the upcoming The Special Relationship for HBO and Hereafter for DreamWorks. He will turn his attention to Bond 23 on completion of these duties. Morgan is represented by UTA (US) and Independent Talent Group (UK).

Since 1991 Neal Purvis and Robert Wade have collaborated on a diverse range of projects including The Italian Job, Johnny English and the past four Bond films. They recently adapted John Le Carre’s The Mission Song and are also working on the upcoming sequel The Brazilian Job. Purvis and Wade are represented by Endeavor (US), Casarotto Ramsay & Associates (UK).

There is still no word on when Bond 23 will hit cinemas, but sources tell Variety that EON and MGM are eyeing a 2011 release.

http://commanderbond.net/article/6302