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Enjoyment in Pushing Boundaries | 007 Director Cary Joji Fukunaga on “No Time to Die”
The son of a Japanese father and a Swedish mother, he studied history, and with his cinematic debut drama “Sin nombre”, Cary Joji Fukunaga received a double accolade at the renowned Sundance Film Festival in 2009. For his historical drama “Jane Eyre”, Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender starred in front of the camera. This was followed by the HBO series “True Detective”, as well as the war drama “Beasts of No Nation” with Idris Elba, which premiered in Venice in 2015. The remake of “Stephen King’s It” fell through after differences with the studio.
The same thing happened to Danny Boyle with the 25th Bond film – and Cary Fukunaga then took over, with “No Time to Die” becoming Daniel Craig’s farewell adventure. Our [030] contributor Dieter Oßwald spoke with the director.
Mr Fukunaga, what attracted you to 007?
Fukunaga: There were many things that interested me. The mere fact that it was to be a new Bond with Daniel was fascinating to me. I met with Barbara Broccoli, the producer, quite a few years ago and asked her then what would happen with Bond after Daniel Craig. We chatted about possible successors, but none of them could hold a candle to Daniel. When Danny Boyle dropped out as director of the latest Bond project, I wrote to Barbara and asked if I could be considered among the possible director candidates.
Apart from Daniel Craig, what else appeals to you?
Fukunaga: When do you ever get a character as iconic as James Bond? When do you ever get the chance to write a final chapter for 007? Not to mention the sheer scale of the production. It’s like living toys in thrilling settings. You just can’t pass up an opportunity like that.
What’s the secret formula for 007’s success?
Fukunaga: I don’t know. My own formula is: do everything to make the story work. A good story is always crucial to success. I know plenty of spectacular films where I thought: they could have put more work into the story!
Names like Pussy Galore from Connery’s era would be unthinkable today. Conversely, a Bond who is too politically correct wouldn’t really fit. How do you modernise such a genre dinosaur without turning him into a softie, into a woke 007?
Fukunaga: Daniel has already done a very good job in his previous films in that regard. He has his own views on the matter. It’s no accident that “Casino Royale” already featured a very strong, independent female character. We are carrying on that tradition with “No Time to Die”. And it only works if you have a good story.
For the first time, a woman – “Killing Eve” writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge – co-wrote the script. Have the Bond girls switched to the creative side? Is there more girl power in 007 than ever before?
Fukunaga: That’s what you might suppose, looking at things from the outside. In fact, my conversations with Phoebe were about all sorts of topics and every single character. Phoebe is a talented writer who develops very interesting situations and creates a completely unusual dynamic in the scenes. Her particular eye for conflict makes it very rewarding for the viewer.
In the current documentary “Being James Bond”, producer Barbara Broccoli laments that the homoerotic hint between Daniel Craig and Javier Bardem in “Skyfall” was hard to push through at the studio. How far can you go with 007?
Fukunaga: It’s always fun to test and push boundaries. Any unexpected action by a character makes them all the more interesting. But it can’t come at the expense of credibility. If you overdo it and go for effect alone, it doesn’t work. You mustn’t lose sight of the context and the story.
How much do you feel the pressure of expectation on set? Can you simply switch off from all the hype?
Fukunaga: At the end of a shooting day, all I care about are the results of our work; I don’t think about the fact it’s a film with a budget of over $200 million. I focus solely on sticking to the shooting schedule and making sure every department of the crew is as well prepared as possible.
How sentimental was the last day of filming?
Fukunaga: The last day of shooting was very emotional, which surprised me. Usually, the final day isn’t anything special. Some people are thinking of post-production, others about their next projects. This time it was different. Bond is something special. Even more so when it’s Daniel’s last Bond. Especially since many of the crew have been there since “Casino Royale”. You could sense on the last day that an era was ending. First the make-up people started to cry, then the stunt double and, finally, Barbara Broccoli as well.
What is it that makes Daniel Craig so special?
Fukunaga: Daniel has a very strong masculine presence. Yet he also shows vulnerability. He’s not afraid of violence, but there are moments when he completely opens up. He masters complexity at a very high level.
Who do you think would be the right person to take over as 007?
Fukunaga: (Laughs) I don’t know. I’ve never thought about it because it’s not my decision. Thankfully, I don’t have to decide, as it would only be a lose-lose situation. There will always be people immediately disappointed with the successor. The real question is: what percentage of people do you want to disappoint? I was happy I could work with Daniel. Who knows, maybe Daniel will come back for another Bond…
Cover photo ©: Nicola Dove/2019 DANJAQ, LLC AND MGM. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.