Jonathan Pryce has claimed Danny Boyle left the next James Bond film because the producers didn't want a "socialist" 007.
Jonathan Pryce at the Raindance Film Festival
The Oscar winner dropped out of 'Bond 25' earlier this week due to "creative differences" with Barbara Broccoli and the production team and the hunt is now on to find a new director.
Now, Pryce - who played the villain Elliot Carver in 1997 Bond film 'Tomorrow Never Dies' opposite Pierce Brosnan as the big screen spy - has given his opinion on why Boyle was not the right man for the job, cheekily claiming his left wing political leanings may not have been right for such a big blockbuster franchise.
Speaking to the Daily Mail newspaper, he said: "They obviously couldn't take a socialist Bond! You see, there are the Dannys of this world and then there are people who do the blockbusters."
Back in 2012, Boyle, 61, was entrusted to direct the opening ceremony of the London Olympics and used the platform to celebrate modern Britain and institutions like the National Health Service (NHS), and was criticised for overtly promoting left wing ideology. He did also include a scene between current James Bond Daniel Craig and Queen Elizabeth II, with the MI6 agent escorting her to the event.
There has been speculation that Boyle's script for the landmark movie had contained a number of current social themes, including Britain's political tensions with Russia and references to the #MeToo and Time's Up movements that began after the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse scandal.
Pryce, 71, ultimately believes that there is no place for personal politics in filmmaking, especially when it comes to a series like Bond.
Speaking at the Raindance Film Festival where Terry Gilliam was receiving the Auteur Award at The Dorchester hotel in London, he said: "You do bring some kind of personal sensibility to your work, but it shouldn't be too obvious, unless it's a film which is overtly political.
Edgar Wright and Jean-Marc Vallee are now among the frontrunners to replace Boyle on 'Bond 25', which could lose its release date slot if a new director is not found in 60 days.
The film will be Craig's fifth and final outing as 007.
Tagged in Daniel Craig Edgar Wright Jean-Marc Vallee