/ International Events / James Bond Calendar /
Ian Fleming’s first James Bond novel, Casino Royale, was released in 1953. 53 years later, Casino Royale will finally be faithfully adapted for the silver screen. It
is the only Ian Fleming James Bond novel Eon Productions has yet to produce. Casino Royale will be the 21st James Bond film produced by Eon and will star Daniel Craig as James Bond 007. The MGM/Columbia Pictures production begins shooting this January in the Czech Republic, the Bahamas, Italy and the UK. It will be released in the United Kingdom and the United States on 17 November 2006. See this article for a list of release dates for other countries.
2006 only sees two film anniversaries. In December Sean Connery’s last “official” James Bond outing, Diamonds Are Forever, will turn 35 years old and in June Roger Moore’s fifth outing as James Bond, For Your Eyes Only, will turn 25. Eight novels will also have an anniversary this year: three by Ian Fleming, four by John Gardner, and one by Raymond Benson.
‘For Your Eyes Only’ Litho by Jeff Marshall
Ian Fleming Publications plans on releasing two sequels this year. On 5 January, Charlie Higson’s second Young Bond™ novel, Blood Fever, will be released in the United Kingdom. It will be released in the United States in June. Player One Limited, the leading global publisher of games and entertainment content for mobile phones, will release the first ever Young Bond themed mobile game, Young Bond - SilverFin, in January to coincide with the UK’s release of Blood Fever. In October, the currently untitled sequel to The Moneypenny Diaries: Guardian Angel by Samantha Weinberg (Kate Westbrook) will be released in the United Kingdom.
The release of a James Bond video game by Electronic Arts has become an annual event. 2006 will see the release of Casino Royale, a tie-in to the 21st James Bond film. It will feature the voice and likeness of Daniel Craig as well as other actors from the film. It will be released for the current generation consoles (Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation 2, and Nintendo GameCube).
Titan’s Golden Ghost
The graphic novel James Bond: The Spy Who Loved Me by Ian Fleming, Jim Lawrence and Yaroslav Horak was released by Titan Books on 1 January in the United States — it also features The Harpies. On 21 April James Bond: Golden Ghost by Jim Lawrence and Yaroslav Horak will be released in the United Kingdom. On 30 May James Bond: Colonel Sun by Kingsley Amis & Jim Lawrence will be released in the United States.
This year Sir Sean Connery turns 76 years old, George Lazenby turns 67, Sir Roger Moore turns 79, Timothy Dalton turns 62, Pierce Brosnan turns 53, and Daniel Craig will be 38 years old when he debuts as James Bond in Casino Royale in November.
Overall, the year 2006 looks great. Ian Fleming Publications, Eon Productions, and Electronic Arts are using their James Bond licences to their fullest capacity to bring us a few novels, a movie, and a video game. For many of us, the release of Casino Royale will be the highlight of the year. It’s about time for James Bond to return to the silver screen because it’s been over three years since Die Another Day was released worldwide.
Looking Forward will return in 2007…
Film Anniversaries (UK & US)
- 35th: Diamonds Are Forever (1971) - 30 December & 17 December
- 25th: For Your Eyes Only (1981) - 24 June & 26 May
Novel Anniversaries
- 50th: Diamonds Are Forever (1956) -by Ian Fleming
- 45th: Thunderball (1961) -by Ian Fleming
- 40th: Octopussy & The Living Daylights (1966) -by Ian Fleming
- 25th: Licence Renewed (1981) -by John Gardner
- 20th: Nobody Lives Forever (1986) -by John Gardner
- 15th: The Man From Barbarossa (1991) -by John Gardner
- 10th: Cold (1996) -by John Gardner
- 5th: Never Dream Of Dying (2001) -by Raymond Benson
Film(s) Releases
- 17 November: MGM/Columbia Pictures’ Casino Royale (UK & US)
Novel(s) Releases
- 5 January: Blood Fever -by Charlie Higson (UK)
- 6 January: Live And Let Die (Large Print) -by Ian Fleming (US)
- 1 April: SilverFin (Paperback) -by Charlie Higson (US)
- 11 April: SilverFin (Audiobook) -by Charlie Higson (US)
- 8 May: The Moneypenny Diaries: Guardian Angel (Paperback) -by Samantha Weinberg (Kate Westbrook) (UK)
- 1 June: Blood Fever by Charlie Higson (US)
- ? October: The Moneypenny Diaries: Book 2 -by Samantha Weinberg (Kate Westbrook)
Video Game(s) Releases
- 5 January: Player One Limited’s Young Bond - SilverFin (Mobile)
- 14 March: Electronic Arts’ From Russia With Love (PlayStation Portable) (US)
- ? November: Electronic Arts’ Casino Royale (Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation 2, and Nintendo GameCube)
Titan Books
- 1 January: James Bond: The Spy Who Loved Me -by Ian Fleming, Jim Lawrence & Yaroslav Horak (US)
- 21 April: James Bond: Golden Ghost -by Jim Lawrence & Yaroslav Horak (UK)
- 30 May: James Bond: Colonel Sun -by Kingsley Amis & Jim Lawrence (US)
Sideshow Collectibles
- Unknown perhaps a 1/4 Scale Roger Moore?
007 Actor Birthday’s
- 2 March: 38 y/o Daniel Craig (2006- )
- 21 March: 62 y/o Timothy Dalton (1987-1989)
- 16 May: 53 y/o: Pierce Brosnan (1995-2002)
- 25 August: 76 y/o: Sean Connery (1962-1967;1971;1983)
- 9 September: 67 y/o: George Lazenby (1969)
- 14 October: 79 y/o: Roger Moore (1973-1985)
