20 Things You Didn’t Know About Octopussy (1983)

20. “Thank God For Hard Currency!”

Western epic, Heaven’s Gate (1980) earned only $3.5 million against a $44 million budget, leaving United Artists close to bankruptcy. When MGM merged with United Artists, it pumped $27.5 million into the budget for Octopussy - the latest instalment in one of its flagship properties - to try and save the company with a hit film.

Roger Moore wished to retire as Double-0 Seven after For Your Eyes Only (1981), so producer, Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli started screen testing other actors, including Michael Billington [who had portrayed ill-fated KGB agent, Sergei Barsov in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)], Timothy Dalton, and American actor, James Brolin.

Brolin was on the verge of moving to London to star as James Bond when plans suddenly changed because Irish filmmaker, Kevin McClory’s rival Bond film, Never Say Never Again (1983) starring Sir Sean Connery would be released in competition with Octopussy.

Negotiations with Roger Moore then became serious as it was felt that only an established actor could compete with Connery's Double-0 Seven. Moore secured a $4 million salary plus a ten per cent share of the film’s box office gross to return as James Bond.