News of the developing Section 6, Universal's film about the origins of MI6 which necessarily contains some James Bond-ish elements, set temperatures rising at MGM and Bond rights-holders Danjaq. A lawsuit against the film was launched last April, but it's now been settled - or at least, abandoned for the time being - with the studios and Danjaq reaching an agreement. So director Joe Cornish and his star Jack O'Connell can carry on spying for now{
Section 6 is a historical spy drama with a screenplay by newcomer Aaron Berg. The basic concept, as the name suggests, follows the agents involved in the founding of MI6, also known as the Secret Intelligence Service (or to give the acronym its full explanation, Military Intelligence, Section Six). MI6 is the organisation that deals with security risks outside the UK and gathers information on foreign threats. O'Connell is set to play the protégé of the as-yet-uncast Sir George Mansfield Smith-Cummings, the real-life inspiration for Ian Fleming's M.
MGM and Danjaq were distinctly twitchy about a film involving a "daring, tuxedo-clad British secret agent, employed by 'His Majesty’s Secret Service,' with a 'license to kill,' and a 00 (double-O) secret agent number on a mission to save England from the diabolical plot of a megalomanical villain", among other alleged similarities.
Universal responded that the lawsuit was ridiculous because Section 6 hadn't even been greenlit and its story details were still in flux. "Threadbare allegations about hypothetical future infringement in works yet to be produced are simply not actionable," they countered. "It would be a patent waste of resources for the parties and the court to entertain this action at such a premature stage."
The courts actually disagreed with Universal, with US District Judge James Otero deeming MGM's action fit for pursuing. But MGM, Danjaq and Universal have now reached their own terms allowing Cornish and co. to proceed. MGM and Danjaq have, however, reserved the right to sue again should they dislike the results.
Still at the script stage, Section 6 doesn't have anything like a start date yet, so clearly still has some distance to travel. The 24th Bond movie SPECTRE, meanwhile, is underway as we speak, with a release date of October 23. Matthew Vaughn's also rather espionage-y Kingsman: The Secret Service is out on January 24. MGM haven't taken issue with that one.