James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson developing Chitty Chitty Bang Bang remake
While they’re twiddling their thumbs on the next James Bond movie, producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson need something to do.
The pair’s Eon Productions is developing a new version of the beloved 1968 children’s musical movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which was adapted from a book by Ian Fleming, the author of the Bond novels.
Eon is working with Amazon MGM Studios, which acquired the rights to the Bond films when it bought out MGM in 2022.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.According to Deadline, the production is still in the early stages and has not yet attached any writers, directors or actors. It is slated for a cinema release.
Fleming published the book, Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car, in 1964. The 1968 film was directed by Ken Hughes from a screenplay by Hughes and Roald Dahl.
It starred Dick Van Dyke as Caractacus Potts, a widowed failed inventor with two young children who buy and restore a race car. It also starred Heather Ripley, Adrian Hall, Sally Ann Howes and Lionel Jeffries.
The film was nominated for an Oscar for best original song for a ditty written by Robert and Richard Sherman, who were best known for their work with Disney.
A musical stage production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang opened in London’s West End in 2002, followed by Broadway in 2005. It also played in Australia, Germany and Singapore.
The 1968 movie was produced by Albert R. Broccoli, the father of Barbara Broccoli and stepfather of Wilson. The younger Broccoli and Wilson have been shepherds of Eon since Albert’s death in 1996.
Eon has yet to confirm the future of the James Bond franchise since Daniel Craig’s last film as the super spy in 2021. Fevered speculation has surrounded the casting of the next iteration with Aaron Taylor-Johnson linked to screen tests for the lucrative role.
A month ago, Broccoli said the next Bond will likely be a man in his 30s but that “whiteness is not a given”.
Sean Connery originated the role in 1962 in Dr No and Bond has been played by George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan. David Niven also played Bond the non-canonical, non-Eon version of Casino Royale.
