Andor Creator Details Scrapped James Bond Pitch (Could It Happen Now?)

Tony Gilroy must be on top of the world right now. His latest project, Star Wars: Andor, just wrapped up its two-season run on Disney+, and it’s safe to say that it’s one of the biggest wins in Lucasfilm’s history. The show is receiving universal praise for its storytelling, and not just in an “It’s good for Star Wars” kind of way. No, Andor is a revelation, and while it would be easy to connect Gilroy to another project set in a galaxy far, far away, there’s no reason to put him in a box. In fact, he’s had his eye on another franchise for a number of years, and it could be the perfect time for him to take the reins.

Prior to helping flesh out Rebellion spy Cassian Andor on the small screen, Gilroy worked with another secret agent, Jason Bourne. He wrote the first three Bourne movies before jumping into the director’s chair for the fourth, The Bourne Legacy. In the middle of making Matt Damon’s character a thorn in the government’s side, though, Gilroy found time to work with Steven Soderbergh’s Section Eight Productions on Michael Clayton.

The collaboration clearly worked because Gilroy and Soderbergh came up with an idea for a James Bond movie that the Ocean’s Eleven director pitched to Barbara Broccoli and her colleagues. During an appearance on The Playlist’s The Rogue Ones podcast, Gilroy pulled back the curtain on what his version of 007 would have been like.

“We wanted to go back to the ’60s and do it in black and white and do Carnaby St. and do the whole thing,” he said. “I thought it was a really swinging idea, like $30 million [budget], but he couldn’t get them to… they just wouldn’t give anybody control.”

Gilroy also mentioned that he had come up with a great villain but didn’t want to divulge any details. And it’s hard to blame him because it feels like the Bond franchise is up for grabs right now.

Read Next

James Bond Sean Connery 4K Blu-ray Steelbook Box Set Details Unveiled

Tony Gilroy Could Throw His Hat Back Into the James Bond Ring

Filmmakers having to beg for creative control of Bond appears to be a problem of the past, as Amazon MGM Studios now holds all the cards. It purchased the creative rights to the franchise from Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson and appears ready to take the character in a new and exciting direction. Edward Berger, Denis Villeneuve, Edgar Wright, Jonathan Nolan, and Paul King are all in the mix to helm the next movie, and Alfonso Cuarón removed himself from consideration earlier this year.

Gilroy’s name isn’t on the shortlist, but that doesn’t mean his hopes are dashed. Amazon pitched TV shows to Broccoli and Co. before the acquisition was finalized, and while they got rejected at the time, they could get another shot under new leadership. Maybe Gilroy’s villain has enough potential to lead their own series, one that sets the stage for a future appearance on the big screen.

A connected franchise in the same vein as the Marvel Cinematic Universe doesn’t sound like Bond’s style, and there are already concerns about Amazon stretching the character too thin. However, bringing in talented artists and letting them cook should never be frowned upon. The Bond franchise has so much potential that’s gone untapped for decades, and it’s about time for it to step into the modern age.

Star Wars: Andor is streaming on Disney+.

Would you like to see Tony Gilroy helm a project in the James Bond franchise? What kind of villain do you think he came up with? Let us know in the comments below!