MovieChat Forums > Never Say Never Again (1983) Discussion > Why isn't this now (retroactively) consi...

Why isn't this now (retroactively) considered an 'official' Bond movie?


At the time this was originally made it was made by a competing studio, not MGM. That said, back in 1997 MGM acquired the rights to this film and now controls it's distribution. Why then, as it is now under the same ownership as the other Bond films, has it not been retroactively made 'official'? Just from a sales point of view on DVDs and Blu-Rays, it seems like the film would sell better if it was part of the official Bond collection.

Also, Connery is arguably the most popular Bond of all time. A 7th Connery Bond film has to hold some value to MGM.

Back in 1983 when this was made, it was obvious why this one wasn't considered 'official'. All these years later with the film now being controlled by MGM, it makes little sense to me. I recently bought the Sean Connery collections vols 1 and 2 on blu-ray, and I wish this had been included. It's a Connery Bond film controlled by MGM....why not?

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NSNA is an MGM film, but it's not owned by EON (the subsidary which originally founded the series).

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I'm guessing because EON already "has" their Never Say Never Again w/ Sean Connery in Thunderball. Therefore, labeling NSNA as an "official" Bond movie would be pretty redundant.

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[deleted]

But don't they all basically stand alone? It just seems like MGM would make more money off of the film if they retroactively made it 'official'. It's not like the Bond films have any true canon anymore anyway.

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[deleted]

It's a Bond remake with no sequels. It should remain sold on its own.
Who cares? Put it in the box set. It's time to recognize this film as 'official' because not doing so at this point is just lame.

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But its not an official movie. Be playing James Bond in a remake of Goldfinger would have the same effect. Just because it stars Connery doesn't make it official. It's not owned by EON, it doesn't have the gun barrel, doesn't have the James Bond theme, doesn't have the usual actors playing Q, M, Moneypenny, etc. Its a remake of a Bond movie made by someone other than the official Bond team.

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I agree, it belongs in the same box set as the others, except that purists would throw a hissy-fit. I'll wager most who own a complete set of Bond movies also own Never Say Never Again, though. I know I do. And as much as Sean Connery hates it, and as "unofficial" as it may be, it's still a Bond film to me. And far from the worst.

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I disagree.

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Why bother? The only tangible difference it would make is that you could have it in the same case as all the other movies if it was released in the official collection.

Its one of the least popular Bond movies, and I don't think that there is a strong incentive to put much effort into selling a lot of copies of it.

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this is the weirdest movie phenomena ever, an unofficial bond flick starring former bond actor connery while moore was in the official streak at the same time, if i had a time machine to be honest this would be one moment i would want to experience, some might say check out dinosaurs, but with the kind of actors today that's sort of the same thing, isn't it, imagine in 1983 having moore and connery at the theatre playing bond and the papers buzzing about it, one thing i don't understand is why this title never got translated to my own language, let me tell you that is very odd for that time with an extended english title, at this point only one word titles had made it, also growing up this was never as easy to access as the others, well it still isn't, i'm amazed how you see spots on the screen and the sound damped, is it impossible to remaster this or something, it is after all a bond flick, while this is the only bond flick not british it feels lower in quality, british movies often look cheaper, in this case it's the other way around, otherwise you can tell it's expensive, a famous director and music producer, though it feels badly placed at times, of course this soundtrack is also not a part of any collection, it's neat how they manage to get around making an alternative gun barrel opening and closing, since everything belonged to the official they had to start from scratch i suppose, except for connery. to this day i forget about this movie when i think of the franchise, it's funny how people personally edit on this to make it fit the rest, i did the same as a kid, i also edited out the dark ending to "on her majesty's secret service", i wonder if someday this will be a part of the bond collection released.



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The purpose of writing is to communicate. Your writing will function more effectively as communication if you use periods and capital letters.

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I was around in 83 and vaguely remember the 2 movies coming out the same year (NSNA came out late 83 with Octopussy in summer) . I think NSNA was the bigger deal in the media (although looking at the box office figures now it made slightly less). I was taken to see NSNA at the cinema but not Octopussy. I remember my dad and older bro went to see that but I wasn't allowed (maybe due to the risqué title? Idk) so my first Bond at the cinema was actually Connery despite being born into the Moore era! I must've seen a couple of Connery and Moore 007 movies on TV by then though. And then the 1st Moore 007 at cinema for me was obviously View to a Kill in 85.. and then saw every Bond at cinema since (aside LTK where I was too young as it was rated 15 in uk)

I guess it'd be like now if Brosnan came back in an 'unofficial' Bond film to be released late next year (with No Time To Day released in summer) .. the Brosnan comeback film would be the more interesting one for everyone

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“Phenomena” is plural.

This would be a phenomenon.

Yeah. Words matter.

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Wow, what a tool. Maybe English isn’t his first language, you condescending db.

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Another weird one which was 1983 as well was Halloween 3 (the night no-one came home). Where was Michael Myers? Hated by nearly all back then. A bit like Never Say Never Again..... a lot more people appreciate it now.
1983 was the year for it.

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Halloween 3 was 1982.. but 83 you had Star Wars III, Superman III, Bond (all in same summer)... then winter it was Bond again..(not forgetting the likes of Scarface, Krull, Twilight Zone, 48 Hrs, Blue Thunder throughout the year) 83 was such a boss year

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You would NEVER want to piss off the EON folks.

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I'd rather watch a quasi-competent remake like NSNA over Diamonds are Forever or Die Another Day. However, it isn't good enough to make me miss it in a marathon or collection. Its greatest value to me is the nostalgia I get remembering the time when I saw it in the theater.

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Indeed.

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Seen Octopussy in the cinema when I was wee. Would love to have seen NSNA this then as well. Still like them both today as with all the old ones even up to Licence to kill. Must be nostalgia and I have to say I like the lazyness of Connery in DAF also. The newer Bonds like Die Another Day dont really do it for me and never did although could still waste time watching them when they are on.

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i never even knew about this bond movie until today. it was so awesome to see another sean connery bond made in the 80s. more "official" than todays sjw bond if u ask me

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It's not

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