Remember the phrase, “Behind every great man is an even greater woman”? Well, in the world of Skyfall, it might be more like, “Behind every great Bond is a very careful scriptwriter.” As the twenty-third film in the James Bond series, it didn’t just raise the bar; it set a new one entirely. It’s like Daniel Craig stepped into 007’s tuxedo, zipped it up, and suddenly, the Bond universe was transformed, unapologetically raw and real.

With this flick, the classic suave agent’s world was no longer just about gadgets and girl-chasing—there was a pulse. But, as we all know, things aren’t always as smooth as they seem behind the scenes. And Sam Mendes, the director, understood that perhaps better than anyone.

Judi Dench, Daniel Craig, and Rory Kinnear in Skyfall (2012) | Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing

In an interview, Mendes opened up about the early drafts of Skyfall,...