Dr. No: MGM Nixes James Bond Musical

Earlier this week, word spread that a James Bond stage musical is in the works, created by Merry Saltzman, the daughter of noted Bond film producer Harry Saltzman. According to published reports, the production was to have a score by country song writer Jay Henry Weisz and a book by Dave Clarke.

But Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Danjaq LLC have effectively shut down the proposition. A statement on the James Bond 007 Facebook page reads: "Danjaq LLC and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc confirm they have not licensed any rights to Merry Saltzman or her production company to create a James Bond musical. Danjaq and MGM jointly control all live stage rights in the Bond franchise, and therefore no James Bond stage show may be produced without their permission."

The James Bond character was created by Ian Fleming in his series of 14 novels published between 1953 and 1966. The ongoing film series currently stars Daniel Craig as the Secret Service Agent 007, following in the footsteps of Sean Connery, David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, and Pierce Brosnan.

Whether this shoots "the living daylights" out of the plan is anyone's guess…but as we all know in theater, one should "never say never" (again). Because "tomorrow never dies," and this musical may live to "die another day." But not without MGM's permission.