The next James Bond movie, "Spectre," is massively over budget and on track to be one of the most expensive films ever made, costing more than $300 million. - That's according to internal memos from the president of MGM Studios. Sony Pictures is the distribution partner for the 24th Bond film. CNNMoney is reviewing thousands of documents leaked online by hackers who broke into Sony.
MGM president Jonathan Glickman sent emails in early November explaining how the studio is scrambling to cut costs.He says the current budget "sits in the mid $300Ms," but the studio has to drastically cut back to $250 million. And the shooting period already costs $50 million more than the previous film, "Skyfall."
His suggestions show some Hollywood tricks:
- Villa in Rome? It's a nighttime scene, so try doing it in London instead.
- There's fighting on a train! Again! But use fewer carriages -- three instead of four.
- Forget the dramatic finale in the rain. It'll lower the cost of visual/special effects.
- Earn an extra $6 million by showing "the more modern aspects" of Mexico to maximize "the Mexican incentive." (The makers of Spectre are getting paid to film there.)
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On the positive side for the studio, though, the major product placement deal struck with Heineken is helping reduce the budget, Glickman says.
http://money.cnn.com/2014/12/10/technology/security/bond-movie-budget/