And with any luck, James Bond will be re cast.
No chance of Bond being recast. Daniel Craig has the most critical praise of any Bond actor since Sean Connery and his two films are the highest grossing of the entire series. They'll hold onto him as long as they possibly can. Hell they upped his contract from 3 films to 5 film after the last one. He is in it for the long haul. They just can't continue till they actually have the money to fund it. Nothing to do with the franchise itself.
MGM's problems also halted The Hobbit. I doubt the first one will be ready by 2012 (the original date was 2011 but was pushed back to 2012 due to all this mess) at this rate if they aren't bought quickly.
It's crazy the studio with The Hobbit and James Bond still can't find someone to buy them.
MGM didn't want to be bought. They also didn't want to sell properties. Everyone is in line to do so, but MGS insisted on waiting for some financiers to bail them out, but time ain't stopping.
Halting Hobbit, and now James Bond, is just more fuel to the fire. They are going to either get bought, or sell their properties till they have enough money.
And whoever gets James Bond, will put their own producers on it, and depending on the studio they might very well not bring back Daniel Craig, in favor of an actor that has closer ties to the studio.
Daniel is only in it for the long haul, if MGM themselves make James Bond.
fact: Pierce Brosnan was the biggest bond since Connery, and each Bond of his broke previous records.