By johncox on 2005-10-09
After reviewing a final series of screentests shot by director Martin Campbell and director of photography Phil Meheux during the last week of September, sources close to the production are telling CBn that a decision on who will play 007 in Casino Royale is “expected soon,” despite Campbell’s comments last week that there is currently “no frontrunner.”
What does “soon” mean? “This week,” reports the source.
Furthermore, because the news will no-doubt “get out,” an official announcement by Eon and Sony is expected to be made as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, in an interview with The San Francisco Chronicle former James Bond Pierce Brosnan sounded a highly conciliatory note in his answer to the question of whether he’d be willing to return as Bond.
“No question; it’s unfinished business,” said Brosnan, who was in Mill Valley to introduce his new film The Matador, which opened the Mill Valley Film Festival. “Would I go back if they asked me back? Sure I’d go back.”
The four-time Bond actor, who was sporting a grey beard for his upcoming role in the Civil War film Seraphim Falls, added, “Michael and Barbara, our families have known each other for many, many years — it’s very hard to talk about their feelings or why they had a crisis of confidence in doing a fifth. There have been preposterous ideas that I was asking for $40 million and $30 million, which is not true. There was certainly a salary there that was not out of the ballpark, that other men and women have received for the same (type of film). Everything’s movable and doable. Nothing’s set in stone.”
However, despite rumours that Sony wants Brosnan back, CBn sources contend that the only thing all parties have consistently agreed on is the need for a new 007 for this 21st adventure, which will portray an early formative mission in the career of Agent 007.
The Legend of Zorro
In related news, director Martin Campbell has screened his new film, The Legend of Zorro, for producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. According to a source, the James Bond bosses are said to have “loved it.”
Likewise, Ain’t It Cool News has given this sequel to 1998’s The Mask of Zorro (also directed by Campbell) the thumbs up in one of the first online reviews.
Campbell is currently on a press junket promoting his new Zorro film which opens October 28. However, from the flurry of stories that appeared last week, it seems most reporters are more interested in talking about the man in the gunbarrel than that the man behind the mask.
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