Nothing can keep a good spy down. Not even after fifty years of movies or the financial troubles of the studio paying for them

It was an open question whether "Skyfall" would ever get a chance to be shot. It first saw trouble in 2010, when Bond's home studio MGM went into bankruptcy. It was unclear whether the studio would stay solvent or the rights to Bond get sold off in a fire sale. It also remained an open question whether director Sam Mendes, best known for "American Beauty" and "The Road to Perdition", would stick by the film. If he left, the entire production might have had to start over.

Fortunately, Mendes stuck by the film and MGM managed to clean up its books. So we'll be enjoying Bond's fiftieth with "Skyfall" this November.

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