After “Licence to Kill,” there were plans to bring Timothy Dalton back as Bond for the 17th film in the franchise. Unfortunately, a tricky legal situation prevented that from happening. As late as April 1994, a year and a half before the actual Bond 17, “GoldenEye,” hit theaters, Dalton bowed out citing his belief that it was “time to leave that wonderful image [of 007] behind and accept the challenge of new ones.”
Speaking to The Week, Dalton clarified the chain of events, saying:
“Because of the lawsuit, I was free of the contract. And [producer Albert] Broccoli, who I really respected as a producer and as a friend, asked me what I was going to do when it was resolved. I said, ‘Look, in all honesty, I don’t think that I will continue.’ […] When [the next movie] did come about, it was probably four or five years later. [Broccoli] asked if I would come back, and I said, ‘Well, I’ve actually changed my mind a little bit. I think that I’d love to do one.'”
According to Dalton, Broccoli and Eon Productions — the company responsible for the Bond movies —wanted the actor to sign on for a further “four or five” films, which he just wasn’t prepared to do. And so, despite changing his mind and saying he’d return to the role, Dalton left the series just as Eon had put their legal issues behind them, leaving his two portrayals of Bond to be forever underappreciated.
But what about those legal issues? What kind of lawsuit could have caused such a delay that Eon lost their James Bond? Well, the kind that arises from a bewildering combination of corporate acquisitions, rights issues, and corrupt businessmen.
Source From: www.slashfilm.com
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