In what has to be a disappointing development for the publishers of Sebastian Faulks' best-selling James Bond novel Devil May Care, the 007 film producers have passed on the notion of adapting the novel to the screen. Producer Barbara Broccoli spoke glowingly of the book's merits but said that because it is set in the Cold War, it would be out of synch with the latest Bond films which take place in contemporary times. Aside from the original works of Ian Fleming, no other Bond novel has been transferred to the screen including those written by John Gardner, Raymond Benson and now Sebastian Faulks. Beginning in the 1960s, many elements of Fleming's stories were completely discarded with only the titles used, as well as character names and certain specific scenarios. The publishers of Devil May Care will not be able to approach other film producers to adapt the novel to the screen, as Eon has exercised iron-clad legal rights that preclude alternate versions of the films being made outside the control of the company. The only exceptions pertained to Casino Royale and Thunderball. Royale was Fleming's first novel and he sold the screen rights before making the deal with Eon Productions for the screen rights to his other works that followed. That novel was made into a 1954 TV production and later a big budget comedy in 1967. The story rights to Thunderball were the subject of protracted lawsuits that extended for decades but did finally allow another company to remake the film as Never Say Never Again in 1983. Subsequent attempts to make alternate screen stories involving James Bond have been successfully thwarted by Eon, who has also now acquired the rights to both the original screen version of Casino Royale as well as Never Say Never Again. By doing so, the company has tightened their controls over one of the industry's most proiftable enterprises. - Lee Pfeiffer For more click here