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
James Bond in film plan changed within weeks of the 1977 release, following the box office success of the 1977 space-themed film "Star Wars". With a budget of $34 million "Moonraker" cost more than double any of the previous Bond films, although both Broccoli and United Artists agreed to the costs because of the profits from "The Spy Who Loved Me". Lewis Gilbert was again appointed as director, and a number of the crew from "The Spy Who Loved Me" also joined the production. Gilbert and Tom Mankiewicz wrote the initial story, but Christopher Wood turned this into the final screenplay. Many of the