Co-Producing 'Casino'
With James Bond set to pack his bags and head abroad for filming of the 21st 007 pic, Casino Royale, Eon Productions will enlist the aid of Stillking Films in the Czech Republic.
Barrandov Studios
For Casino Royale, the company will assist with local production, particularly in Prague, where the film will be shot in Barrandov Studios (most recently, the 74-year-old studios have played host to The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (starring Sean Connery), Van Helsing and xXx). Other Czech filming is scheduled to take place in the countryside and in the spa town of Karlovy Vary.
Established in 1993, the company has offices in six cities worldwide, producing, co-producing and financing feature films and television series’. Stillking also produces commercials and music videos.
Stillking Films bear an impressive cinematic resumé, having co-produced numerous blockbuster films that have been shot in the Czech Republic, an increasingly popular location to shoot pictures. Over the past few years, the company have worked on The Bourne Identity, xXx, Alien vs. Predator, Van Helsing, Doom and current hit, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Their involvement in Casino Royale was first announced in October.
The spa town of Karlovy Vary will play a role in ‘Casino Royale’
Stillking’s Matthew Stillman and David Minkowski will serve as local co-producers on Casino Royale (the duo have received co-producer credits on most of the aforesaid films; the occasionally reliable IMDb anticipates they will be credited likewise for their work on Casino Royale).
Shooting is expected to take six months, beginning in January 2006. An announcement concerning casting for the film is anticipated next month.
Casino Royale is the 21st James Bond film produced by franchise holders Eon Productions. The MGM/Columbia Pictures production begins shooting in January and is due for release worldwide on 17 November 2006. Starring Daniel Craig as James Bond, it will be filmed in the Czech Republic, the Bahamas, Italy and the UK.