Next James Bond Film "Skyfall" Has Begun Production - Release Date October 2012

[Hardrock69]

http://news.yahoo.com/craig-bardem-star-bond-thriller-skyfall-152230438.html

http://i44.tinypic.com/ipr2hi.jpg



LONDON (AP) — Ah, Mr. Bond, we've been waiting for you — and at last 007 is back, several years after his last screen adventure.
Producers announced Thursday that filming has begun on "Skyfall," the delayed 23rd film in the series and Daniel Craig's third outing as the suave British superspy.
Craig, who has brought a hard edge to his portrayal, told reporters that the movie, directed by Sam Mendes and shot in London, Scotland, Turkey and China, would be "Bond with a capital B."
Craig said he was "tremendously excited" to be stepping back into the role for the first time since 2008's "Quantum of Solace."
Work on the film was postponed, and Bond's future looked uncertain, when studio MGM filed for bankruptcy in 2010. But MGM's new management and EON Productions announced earlier this year that the spy would live to fight another day.
Craig will be joined by Spanish star Javier Bardem as Bond's nemisis, while British actors Albert Finney, Ralph Fiennes and Ben Whishaw will play as-yet-undisclosed roles.
Judi Dench returns as spy chief M and the film introduces two new Bond girls — English actress Naomie Harris as a field agent named Eve and French performer Berenice Marlohe as "a glamorous, enigmatic character" named Severine.
"There's lots of surprises," said Mendes, who won an Academy Award for his 1999 film "American Beauty."
"I think this has all the elements of a classic Bond movie, including — to quell any rumors — a lot of action," Mendes said.
Some have questioned the choice of Mendes, best known for his stage work and emotionally intense dramas like "Revolutionary Road" and "The Road to Perdition."
But he and the producers said they did not plan to take the series in a radically new direction.
Producer Michael G. Wilson said the series had "started down a path" with Craig's first appearance as a gruff, muscular Bond in "Casino Royale" in 2006.
"And we're sticking to that path," Wilson said. "An interesting story, well written, with a great cast and plenty of action."
Mendes said action movies were "a world that's new to me, and I've embraced it."
"The action needs to coexist with the drama, and that's the balance we've got to strike," he said.
Filming will take place in London's government district of Whitehall, at Pinewood Studios outside the British capital and on location in Istanbul, Shanghai and the Scottish wilderness.
Early reports that the film would shoot in India and South Africa have not materialized, but the producers insisted they had not trimmed Bond's budget since "Quantum of Solace," which was widely reported to have cost roughly $200 million.
"It is in the same range as the last one," Wilson said. "We haven't had to change anything in the script to get what we want."
Cast members said they had been training hard for their roles — Craig, it seems, by growing the designer stubble he sported at Thursday's press conference.
Bardem joked that the hardest part for him was "learning the English vowels." Harris said she had been doing practicing yoga, learning stunt driving and firing machine guns, "which I've discovered I have a real taste for."
Producers Wilson and Barbara Broccoli — old hands at building suspense around the movies — kept many details under wraps.
Of the plot, they revealed only that "Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her" and MI6 comes under attack.
As for the meaning of the title, Broccoli said it "has some emotional resonance which will be revealed in the film."
Broccoli said the producers hoped Mendes would sign up for a second film, and "definitely" wanted Craig to return as Bond.
"Skyfall" is due to be released on Oct 26, 2012 in Britain and Nov. 9 in the United States, 50 years since the release of the first 007 film, "Dr. No."
There will be no change to one part of the series' winning formula — attractive women and hunky men. Asked whether Craig and Bardem would take their shirts off, Broccoli sought to reassure fans.
"Damn right," she said.
"If Barbara gets her way," Wilson added, "it'll be more than just their shirts."

[jhale667]

This will probably be pretty cool, the last two were among the best Bond films since the Connery years, IMO. As for the new Bond girls, I've never seen the french brunette before but pretty sure Naomie Harris is the chick from Ninja Assassin - and she is smokin' hot (more so than that photo suggests- matter of fact, Daniel Craig looks half-crocked in that photo). Judi Desch has turned out to be a brilliant choice for M, too.


:guitar:

[Hardrock69]

I agree with all of that. I was so tired of seeing "suave" Meestair Bond with Dalton, Moore, and uh...Remington Steele.....I was so glad to see the Daniel Craig version return to the "asskicking" Bond.

[Kristy]

I have to hand it to the James Bond franchise - how one single and repetitive plot can keep on going for 40+ years is beyond me

[Coyote]

This will probably be pretty cool, the last two were among the best Bond films since the Connery years, IMO.

Amen.

Although, "Casino Royale" had that one gal (Caterina Murino) who should've gotten a bigger role...

[Hardrock69]

I agree Kristy. I mean, you only have so many different kinds of villains, and they have rehashed them mercilessly. Mostly it is some kind of megalomaniac with delusions of Godhood who is plotting to take over or destroy the world.

The cars and women are interchangeable.

But they do make some of the best action films there are, with new and inventive ways for stuff to get blown up, people to die in horrible ways, etc.

Only too bad Bruce Lee died so young. He was making such great action films.

[Dan]

This Is Great News.:D

[Nitro Express]

I actually think it's time to hang up the James Bond franchise. It has had it run. The cold war ended a long time ago.

[POJO_Risin]

I've liked all the Bonds in one way or another...grew up with Roger Moore, and don't mind admitting that I liked the campiness of those films...didn't find the Connery films until Connery did the unofficial Bond film...Never Say Never Again...

That's when I went back and watched them all...rather liked Connery in the role...but in a much different way...Connery was funny as hell...but dead damn serious when he had to be...Moore was never convincing in that role.

I even liked the Lazenby movie for what it was...

Now...Timothy Dalton gets a damn bad rap. Those fucking two movies he did were damn bad ass. They were Daniel Craig before Daniel Craig. I rather missed the Bond humor in both films...but liked that Bond was one dark-ass motherfucker...and no doubt Dalton would have continued as Bond had their not been a fight over the films after License to Kill...

Brosnan brought back the humor to Bond...and maintained a bit of the darkside...but also brought a bit of that Moore campiness to the films. There wasn't anything wrong with that...the films were fine for what they were...

IMO..Craig brings the same sort of brutality to Bond as Dalton did...maybe even not quite as much...

Dalton did most of his own stunts...and brought a bit of realism to the part. I think if there would have been a bit more creative direction...the films could have been larger than life...

wasted potential...no doubt about it.

Craig has it back...but NOBODY brings the same mix of asskicking and humor that Connery did....absolutely fucking nobody...

[Kristy]

I always thought Timothy Dalton was fucking gorgeous especially in his Remington Steel prime. As Bond, he fit the whole playboy spy part quite well making the character to be believable more than any other of them could ever do. And Xenia Onatop is by far the best Bond villain (or villainess?).

[Dan]

I always thought Timothy Dalton was fucking gorgeous especially in his Remington Steel prime. As Bond, he fit the whole playboy spy part quite well making the character to be believable more than any other of them could ever do. And Xenia Onatop is by far the best Bond villain (or villainess?).

Remington Steel?

[lesfunk]

I thought Pierce Brosnan played R.S.

[Kristy]

Jam sandwich right there.
http://www.webtvwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/remington-steele.jpg

[Kristy]

Eeeeekkkkkkkkk:boom: I sit corrected.

Look, I am not a product of the 80's and all limeys look the same to me.

[Nitro Express]

Bond for me was always Sean Connery. My dad used to blast the song for Goldfinger over his huge sound system. The man would tell me to turn my rock and roll down but he absolutely cranked the shit out of his stuff.

[Hardrock69]

Like my Dad cranked the shit out of his Mahler and Beethoven, lol.

Yeah, Pierce Brosnan. Could not remember his name. So I called him by his TV name.

[Seshmeister]

Eeeeekkkkkkkkk:boom: I sit corrected.

Look, I am not a product of the 80's and all limeys look the same to me.

Racist and stupid.

He's Irish.

[clarathecarrot]

Pojo's post is about where I am so I won't rewrite similar words.

I will add my special 2 cents right here> the Craig films are almost unwatchable not very Bondlike, as movies they are entertaining stand alone flicks, but as part of the, franchise Bond, they don't seem to be included .

Brosnan seems to be what I call a actor that makes movies believable...I look forward to his version or situation, like, Never Say Never Agian.. where Conery made a Bond film outside of the Bond controlled studio.

I doubt he ever will but ...

I see no reason to go out of my way to see the Craig films....I watch them on TV with commercials but highly doubt they will be included in box sets and collector box sets of prior Bond film..


.perhaps some day I will get it ,<( added to be a PC Pussy)

EDIT: If you don't "get " Brosnan see a film called, Taffin ,if you still don't get it ..to each his own.

[chefcraig]

...like, Never Say Never Agian.. where Conery made a Bond film outside of the Bond controlled studio.

Most people don't realize that Never Say Never Again was in fact a remake of Thunderball, made 18 years later and only after some complicated legal wrangling. It's one of the few times I can think of that an actor made the same film twice.

[Hardrock69]

And the second time was nowhere near as great as Thunderball.


If any of you guys have not done so, get the remastered Bond box set. I think it is 4 boxes, each with a buttload of DVDs. Long ago I posted about these. The production company doing the remastering actually developed an entirely new process to do the film remastering, and as a result of their painstaking work, Dr. No, Thunderball, and all those films made almost 50 fucking years ago look and sound as if they were just made yesterday. And the extras are fucking incredible. News reports by local news stations about filming on location. In-depth discussions about every aspect of the franchise. Numerous interviews, documentaries and bios of everyone involved. If I remember right, there is also a documentary on the remastering process.

Even if you are not a Bond fan in particular, but if you are fan of Film in general, it is very much worth having.

I also am of the mind that if they hung it up tomorrow, I would not be bummed out, as it is (as pointed out above) the only fucking film franchise to last for 50 fucking years.

Kudos to Ian Fleming for his baby growing up and being a great part of pop culture!

[clarathecarrot]

Most people don't realize that Never Say Never Again was in fact a remake of Thunderball, made 18 years later and only after some complicated legal wrangling. It's one of the few times I can think of that an actor made the same film twice.

It isn't the same movie but based on the same characters. It is impossible to make the same movie twice even for a existentialist such as myself,.. ahhh words lo live by. lol..

It is a great franchise of flicks. I just think if it wasn't for Brosnan we wouldn't be discussing a Bond movie made since the 1980s.

The series was still producing good movies but was being viewed by people whos attitudes had reached higher senses of privileged negative opinion, than that wich was portrayed by the fictional larger than life Bond characters possitive outlook towards booze broads and unbelievable action , .

[clarathecarrot]

And the second time was nowhere near as great as Thunderball.


If any of you guys have not done so, get the remastered Bond box set. I think it is 4 boxes, each with a buttload of DVDs. Long ago I posted about these. The production company doing the remastering actually developed an entirely new process to do the film remastering, and as a result of their painstaking work, Dr. No, Thunderball, and all those films made almost 50 fucking years ago look and sound as if they were just made yesterday. And the extras are fucking incredible. News reports by local news stations about filming on location. In-depth discussions about every aspect of the franchise. Numerous interviews, documentaries and bios of everyone involved. If I remember right, there is also a documentary on the remastering process.

Even if you are not a Bond fan in particular, but if you are fan of Film in general, it is very much worth having.

I also am of the mind that if they hung it up tomorrow, I would not be bummed out, as it is (as pointed out above) the only fucking film franchise to last for 50 fucking years.

Kudos to Ian Fleming for his baby growing up and being a great part of pop culture!


Those were good threads.

[Kristy]

Racist and stupid.

He's Irish.

Again, they ALL look the same to me. And it's not racist, it's cultural.

[Seshmeister]

60 million people look the same?

[Kristy]

60 million people look the same?

Yes. If they happen to live in the U.K.

[binnie]

Well, I'll see it when it get's released but to me, as good as the last two films were, they felt more like Bourne films than Bond films.

[Kristy]

Speaking of bad movies due to be released this year....:behindsofa:

[chefcraig]

At the seven second mark, the Sony logo is amended to read "Home Entertainment" just below it. In other words, this movie is skipping a theatrical run and is headed straight to DVD. Which also means it will be on the SyFy channel inside of three months.

[SunisinuS]

Again, they ALL look the same to me. And it's not racist, it's cultural.

Sorry you don't understand Red Heads and the Irish!

Rock On!

Since we been on the Island we are not racist. Sorry...that is for the rest of Europe.

[Seshmeister]

I'm actually a small minded person with little experience or knowledge of anything outside my small world

Ok I get it now.

[SunisinuS]

Well, I'll see it when it get's released but to me, as good as the last two films were, they felt more like Bourne films than Bond films.

You are off by one Binnie.

Casino Royale was the first novel written by Fleming and the last to be seriously filmed. It tells you why Bond is Bond.

From here on out...the bond films are using NEW writers.....the 16 original novels have been written long ago.....this is the first in the series of "Gone with the Wind" new people trying to recreate Butt.

:focus:

[Kristy]

Ok I get it now.

I love how Chief applies his shortcomings in life as a Denny's short order cook to my profound ignorance of limeys.

[Kristy]

At the seven second mark, the Sony logo is amended to read "Home Entertainment" just below it. In other words, this movie is skipping a theatrical run and is headed straight to DVD. Which also means it will be on the SyFy channel inside of three months.

Try late-night cable or one of those Netflix rent 10 and watch this crap for free offers. No aliens, zombies, sea creatures or homicidal axe-wielding rednecks with personal mother issues for this to be on SyFy.

Maybe chainsaw homicidal/psychopaths but it's just not the same.

[Kristy]

Oh, and let's not forget this:


Seems your 80's nostalgia bubble just burst.

[chefcraig]

I love how Chief applies his shortcomings in life as a Denny's short order cook to my profound ignorance of limeys.

That was Sesh, not me. Try to keep track.


Try late-night cable or one of those Netflix rent 10 and watch this crap for free offers. No aliens, zombies, sea creatures or homicidal axe-wielding rednecks with personal mother issues for this to be on SyFy.

Maybe chainsaw homicidal/psychopaths but it's just not the same.

I'm not kidding ya. Both of the Hostel movies were on just about three times a week each during October, under the thin excuse as being Halloween-related "entertainment."

The thing is, from what I've gathered this isn't even a planned Hostel film. Apparently, Sony took a fairly anonymous, D grade horror film and slapped the title on it in order to make back the few thousand dollars used in making it. Then again, Universal did pretty much the same thing with Halloween 3, Season of the Witch. The film had absolutely nothing to do with the series, and oddly enough became one of my favorite horror films ever.

[POJO_Risin]

There was something about Casino Royale that innately WAS a James Bond movie...

However, I do agree with the "stand alone" sentiment for Quantum of Solace...I actually didn't care for the movie all that much.

Brosnan really did carry the franchise, although I don't agree that we wouldn't have heard from Bond since the 80's. Dalton's Bond made a bunch of money, and while Brosnan's made more (inflation helped), you could make a very large case that six years without Bond while in production squabbles was the reason. What WOULD have been interesting would have been had Brosnan been able to take the role when he was initially asked, instead of Dalton.

Either way... I miss the wit, although like the darkness of both Dalton and Craig...which is more true to Ian Fleming's novels, although after Connery, even Fleming changed the character of Bond in the books because of the portrayal on screen...

[chefcraig]

Brosnan really did carry the franchise, although I don't agree that we wouldn't have heard from Bond since the 80's. Dalton's Bond made a bunch of money, and while Brosnan's made more (inflation helped), you could make a very large case that six years without Bond while in production squabbles was the reason. What WOULD have been interesting would have been had Brosnan been able to take the role when he was initially asked, instead of Dalton.

Interesting point. In a weird way, by the time Brosnan came on board, he seemed about 10 years too old for the role. He wound up being not only the first depressed-seeming Bond, but a tired and cranky one as well.

It's funny how divisive people can be regarding the Connery/Moore debate. Being a fan of the novels (which more often than not had little if anything to do with the movie treatment), I tended to prefer the Connery ones but pretty much rolled my eyes at the over-the-top Moore versions (James Bond In Space!), which more or less saw him re-portraying his character in The Saint tv series. Still, I went to see each one that came out, and thoroughly enjoyed them at the time. Maybe it's because of that excessive way of doing things, or just the dated jokes in the Moore movies, but to me they simply don't hold up as well as the more straight forward seeming Connery films.

[POJO_Risin]

For what it's worth...I thought Henry Cavill would ultimately be Bond in the future...but his turn as Superman may kill that...

I think he'd be a worthwhile look though...a bit like Brosnan with the wit...and definitively with the ability to play the dark side...

[POJO_Risin]

Interesting point. In a weird way, by the time Brosnan came on board, he seemed about 10 years too old for the role. He wound up being not only the first depressed-seeming Bond, but a tired and cranky one as well.

It's funny how divisive people can be regarding the Connery/Moore debate. Being a fan of the novels (which more often than not had little if anything to do with the movie treatment), I tended to prefer the Connery ones but pretty much rolled my eyes at the over-the-top Moore versions (James Bond In Space!), which more or less saw him re-portraying his character in The Saint tv series. Still, I went to see each one that came out, and thoroughly enjoyed them at the time. Maybe it's because of that excessive way of doing things, or just the dated jokes in the Moore movies, but to me they simply don't hold up as well as the more straight forward seeming Connery films.

The other thing to take into account is what filmmakers COULD do.

If you take each actor's BEST film...it does get interesting. While I enjoyed all of Connery's films, I don't rank them 1-7 at all...

My favorite Connery flick is From Russia With Love (which I'd also rank the top in the franchise by a hair)

My favorite Moore flick is The Spy Who Loved Me, which I'd definitely put in the top five...loved Jaws in that film...as ridiculous as he was...and the opening ski scene was as good as it gets.

My favorite Dalton flick is The Living Daylights...which if it isn't top five for me, is absolutely top 7 or 8...while Dalton got rid of the campy Moore bullshit, he had some with showing off there...and showed an interesting capability to kick the shit out of folks (funny...I just remembered him as the guy in Flash Gordon)...great film...that License to Kill wasn't as good was a bit of a letdown...but had the films not been halted for six years...Dalton would have assuredly seen at least three more films...

My favorite Brosnan film is Goldeneye, even though I'm not a fan of the opening sequence...what did it for me was about a half hour in...when Bond finds himself sitting at a casino table...and we're introduced to Famke Janssen's Xenia Onatopp...another great baddy...and a chick to boot. Add Alec Trevelyn (006), Boris (I am invincible!) and a hot Natalya...and you have on fucking bad ass flick...especially after a big layoff...certainly a top 10 flick.

I also would have On Her Majesty's Secret Service top 7-10 as well.

[Seshmeister]

The other thing to take into account is what filmmakers COULD do.

If you take each actor's BEST film...it does get interesting. While I enjoyed all of Connery's films, I don't rank them 1-7 at all...

My favorite Connery flick is From Russia With Love (which I'd also rank the top in the franchise by a hair)

My favorite Moore flick is The Spy Who Loved Me, which I'd definitely put in the top five...loved Jaws in that film...as ridiculous as he was...and the opening ski scene was as good as it gets.

My favorite Dalton flick is The Living Daylights...which if it isn't top five for me, is absolutely top 7 or 8...while Dalton got rid of the campy Moore bullshit, he had some with showing off there...and showed an interesting capability to kick the shit out of folks (funny...I just remembered him as the guy in Flash Gordon)...great film...that License to Kill wasn't as good was a bit of a letdown...but had the films not been halted for six years...Dalton would have assuredly seen at least three more films...

My favorite Brosnan film is Goldeneye, even though I'm not a fan of the opening sequence...what did it for me was about a half hour in...when Bond finds himself sitting at a casino table...and we're introduced to Famke Janssen's Xenia Onatopp...another great baddy...and a chick to boot. Add Alec Trevelyn (006), Boris (I am invincible!) and a hot Natalya...and you have on fucking bad ass flick...especially after a big layoff...certainly a top 10 flick.

I also would have On Her Majesty's Secret Service top 7-10 as well.

I think you got that all about spot on correct.

I also didn't rate Quantum of Solace, it was a bit of a mess of a movie. I heard they were rewriting it as they filmed it which is never a good sign.

[Hardrock69]

Well, when you have 20-something films in a franchise with half a dozen actors playing the title role, many different directors, etc. etc., you are going to have some duds here and there in all departments.