James Bond in film of the funding for the Bond films, fell into financial difficulties following the box office failure of "Heaven's Gate" (1980), bringing uncertainty to the future of the funding. The situation was resolved in May 1981, when Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquired United Artists. Following "For Your Eyes Only", Roger Moore had expressed a desire to stop playing James Bond. His original contract had been for three films, a requirement fulfilled with "The Spy Who Loved Me". Subsequent films had been negotiated on a film-by-film basis. The producers engaged in a semi-public quest for the next actor to play Bond, which would be for
Force 10 from Navarone (film) and Guy Hamilton got along well when both worked on "Superman" (1978). However Fraser is not credited on the film. Several actors in the film either had already played roles in the James Bond 007 franchise or would go on to appear in the series. In addition to Shaw (from "From Russia with Love"), was Bach (fresh off playing the Russian spy Anya Amasova in "The Spy Who Loved Me"), and Edward Fox (who went on to play M in "Never Say Never Again"). Bach's co-star from "The Spy Who Loved Me", Richard Kiel, also appears, as a vicious and