Another Swiss in 'Bond 22'?

Philipp von Schulthess

Swiss-born actor Anatole Taubman, who landed a role as villain in Bond 22 and
director Marc Forster, who grew up in Switzerland are possibly not the only
Swiss working on the latest James Bond film. The German-speaking online magazine
20minuten
reports today that Zurich-born actor Philipp von Schulthess has auditioned for a
role in Bond 22.

His press agent Sohela Emami told the magazine: "He in fact auditioned for a
role and it doesn’t look to bad for him. He could land a role in the latest
James Bond film". No contracts have been signed yet. The 32 year old is a
well-known Swiss stage actor, who recently landed his first big cinema role
alongside Tom Cruise in Valkyrie, a film about von Schulthess’s grandfather,
Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg, who failed in assassinating Adolf Hitler in
1944.

As the key roles for Bond 22 are already casted, speculation is that Philipp
von Schulthess’s possible role will be a minor one.

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest news and details on Bond 22.

'Bond 22' Shooting In Panama Confirmed

Panama’s El Casco Antiguo (Old Quarters)

As already
assumed, James Bond will
head to Latin America in Daniel Craig’s second outing as Agent 007.

Associated Press reports today, that shooting will begin in the middle
of February in a colonial neighbourhood of the capital of Panama City.

Filming will take place in at least two sites of the so-called Casco Antiguo
(“old quarter”) of the city on the Pacific coast, which has been declared a
World Heritage Site by UNESCO. According to AP, the seat of the National
Institute of Culture and some private buildings will be used for shooting. The
filming will last about a week and will be conducted mainly in the afternoon and
evening, according to Ariel Espino, director of the Office of the Casco Antiguo.

Espino met with the head of location scouting of EON Productions a month ago.
"We offered full cooperation, helping to manage traffic and isolate the area of
cars and people during the shooting", said Espino, who hopes that the finished
Bond film attracts tourists from around the world to Casco Antiguo. Additional
scenes for Bond 22 will also be shot in the province of Colon, north of the
capital. As reported by CBn
in December, approximately 700 Panamanian extras will be needed for shooting.

It is not yet known whether Panama will be Panama in the finished film or
double for another, possible fictious South American country. To avoid problems
with South American governments, the fictious country of "Isthmus" was created
for 1989’s License To Kill. In 2002, after the release of Die Another Day,
people from both Koreas demonstrated against the 20th James Bond film, as people
felt that North Korea was portrayed as being an evil country. Furhermore, it was
reported that Panama will
double for a South American country back in September. In other words, there is
a relative high possibility that Panama will not portray Panama.

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest news and details on Bond 22.

Press Release: 'Bond 22' Starts Production At Pinewood Studios, London

The official press release announcing the start of principal photograhy on Bond 22 (title still to be announced), the 22nd James Bond film starring Daniel Craig, has just been released:

Daniel Craig is James Bond / Olga Kurylenko is Camille / Mathieu Amalric is Dominic Greene

Bond 22 Starts Production Today at Pinewood Studios, London

Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli of EON Productions Ltd, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios announced today the start of principal photography on the eagerly anticipated 22nd James Bond adventure. Daniel Craig reprises his role as 007 in the film which is directed by Marc Forster and follows the success of CASINO ROYALE, the latest and highest grossing film in the series.

Starring alongside Craig is an impressive international cast led by the critically acclaimed French actor Mathieu Amalric as the sinister villain, and the Ukranian actress Olga Kurylenko who plays 007’s leading lady.

Returning to Bond 22 (working title) from CASINO ROYALE are Judi Dench in her role as M, Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter and Giancarlo Giannini as Mathis. Newcomer to the Bond franchise, Gemma Arterton, will play the role of MI6 Agent Fields.

Commenting on the announcement, Wilson and Broccoli said, “We are fortunate to continue in the Bond tradition of attracting the finest international actors for our starring roles. Mathieu in the role of Dominic Greene, a leading member of the villainous organization introduced in CASINO ROYALE, will be a powerful counterpart to Daniel’s portrayal of Bond. Olga Kurylenko will play the dangerously alluring Camille, who challenges Bond and helps him come to terms with the emotional consequences of Vesper’s betrayal.”

MGM and Sony Pictures will share distribution rights worldwide with Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Releasing International distributing the film to theaters worldwide on November 7th, 2008. Marc Forster directs the screenplay by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Paul Haggis. The unit includes Production Designer Dennis Gassner, Director of Photography Roberto Schaefer, Editors Matt Chesse and Rick Pearson, and 2nd Unit Director Dan Bradley.

MATHIEU AMALRIC, one of France’s leading screen stars, is best known for his roles as Jean-Dominique Bauby in Julian Schnabel’s award-winning film, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and as the French information broker, Louis, in Steven Spielberg’s Munich. Last year, he was awarded Best Actor at France’s Cesar Awards for his role in the internationally acclaimed comedy Kings and Queen, directed by Arnaud Desplechin. Previously, Amalric won the Cesar for Most Promising Actor for his role in Desplechin’s My Sex Life.

Amalric began his career as an actor in 1984, appearing in Otar Losseliani’s Les favoris de la lune, and went on to serve as an assistant director to Louis Malle on Au Revoir Les Enfants. As an actor, he has since worked with many leading directors including Andre Techine, Olivier Assayas, Jean-Claude Biette and the Larrieu Brothers. His latest films include Desplechin’s Un conte de Noel, Claude Miller’s Un Secret, Nicolas Klotz’s Heart Beat Detector, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi’s Actrices and Vincent Dieutre’s Fragments sur le grace. He also appeared in Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. Amalric has written and directed a number of films including Wimbledon Stage and, most recently, the documentary short Let Them Grow Up Here. This year, he directs Tournee, about American burlesque girls on tour in France.

OLGA KURYLENKO recently co-starred opposite Timothy Olyphant in Hitman and opposite Elijah Wood in Paris, je t’aime. She also appeared in starring roles in Eric Barbier’s thriller The Serpent and Diane Bertrand’s The Ring Finger, for which she received the Best Actress award at The Brooklyn
International Film Festival in 2006. She recently had a role in Tyranny, directed by John Beck Hofman.

On French television, multi-lingual Kurylenko appeared in the mini-series “Suspectes” and the drama “The Good Luck Charm.”

In her career as a top European model, Kurylenko has appeared in numerous advertising campaigns, including Kenzo, Helena Rubenstein and Just Cavalli. Her magazine covers include US Glamour, French Elle, Madame Figaro and Marie Claire.

GEMMA ARTERTON graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) and made her film debut with Dame Maggie Smith and David Walliams in Stephen Poliakoff’s Capturing Mary for BBC Films. She currently stars in the hit British comedy St. Trinian’s. Arterton recently made her
professional stage debut as Rosalind in “Love’s Labour’s Lost” at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

About EON Productions

EON Productions/Danjaq, LLC, is owned by the Broccoli family and has produced twenty-one James Bond films since 1962, including Casino Royale (2006). The James Bond films, produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, make up the longest running franchise in film history and include the recent blockbuster films GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough, and Die Another Day. EON Productions and Danjaq, LLC, are affiliate companies and control all worldwide merchandising of the James Bond franchise.

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and
distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution, operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in more than 100 countries. Sony Pictures
Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.

About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., through its operating subsidiaries is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive media, music and licensed merchandise. The company owns the world’s largest library of
modern films, comprising around 4,000 titles. Operating units include Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc., Ventanazul, MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM Distribution Co., MGM International Television
Distribution Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Worldwide Digital Media, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive. In addition, MGM has ownership interests in international TV channels reaching nearly 110 countries. MGM ownership is as follows: Providence Equity Partners (29%), TPG (21%), Sony Corporation of America (20%), Comcast (20%), DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%) and Quadrangle Group (3%). For more information, visit http://www.mgm.com.

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest news and details on Bond 22.

Olga Kurylenko Is 'Bond 22's' Female Lead

Olga Kurylenko

According to trade paper

Variety, Ukranian actress Olga Kurylenko has been cast as the female
lead girl in the newest James Bond film, the still untitled Bond 22. According to the official press release, Kurylenko will be playing the role of Camille, who ‘challenges Bond and helps him come to terms with the emotional consequences of Vesper’s betrayal.’

Kurylenko, born in 1979 in Berdyansk, former USSR, recently co-starred in Hitman
and with Elijah Wood in a segment for Paris, je t’aime. She began her film
career in France in 2005. She received the certificate of excellence award at
the 2006 Brooklyn International Film Festival for her performance in L’Annulaire.

So far, it has been reported that Eon Productions was looking for a
Latino-style Bond girl. It is not known whether these plans were rejected or whether Kurylenko is going to play a South American character.

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest news and details on Bond 22.

Plot Detail Revealed?

Yesterday, Variety reported that “the Marc Forster-helmed film, loosely based on the Ian Fleming short story “Risico,” finds 007 (Daniel Craig) dispatched to infiltrate a drug ring flooding Britain with heroin.”

You may remember that in August, screenwriter Paul Haggis, denied that Bond 22 will be based on an Ian Fleming short story. However, he added that the script is “steeped in a lot of Fleming’s ideas.”

Is this drug ring plot one of the Fleming ideas Haggis alluded to or is Variety exhibiting poor reporting by rehashing an old rumour? Only time will tell.

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest news and details on Bond 22.

Looking After 'Bond 22'

News & Star carries an article today centering on unit manager Mally Chung–who is currently working on, you guessed it, Bond 22.

Earlier this week Chung travelled 5,000 miles from his Carlisle home to the Central American country of Panama (one of the key locations in Daniel Craig’s newest James Bond film). He will spend the next three months there as this new 007 adventure begins to take shape.

He is one of two unit managers on the Panama shoot with responsibility for the smooth running of the working lives of the 400-strong crew.

‘It’s the day to day stuff, making sure everything’s all right, setting up all the logistics to make sure it works,’ he said shortly before departure. ‘We’re like a travelling army.’

With ninety-hour weeks being nothing out of the ordinary for a unit manager, Chung is usually the first to arrive and the last to leave. He is the first point of contact for local councils, emergency services and the general public. ‘If there’s a problem people come to me,’ is how he sums up the job.

With working conditions and hours like those, there are always going to be sacrifices. Working on Bond 22 means Chung will miss his daughter Leila’s sixth birthday. ‘That’s one of the biggest decisions I’ve had to make about doing Bond. But my wife Rachael said, if there’s one film worth being away for, it’s this.’

And when he returns to Carlisle, what then? ‘Where do you go from here? The logical next step would be production manager. But if you’re doing films of the calibre of Bond it’s quite hard to take a step back from that.’

‘When it comes out it will be the biggest film in the world. It might be horrible to work on. I might hate every minute of it. But in years to come I can turn to my grandkids and say “I did James Bond”.’

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest news and details on Bond 22.

Gemma Arterton Confirmed For 'Bond 22'

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Eon Productions, Danjaq, as well as her agent have confirmed that Gemma Arterton has been cast as “Fields” in Bond 22 earlier today.

CBn first reported the Gemma Arterton rumour on 14 December but this is the first time her casting has been confirmed. THR also reported that details of her character were not available but a Danjaq rep said “it’s a nice-sized role.”

Arterton, 22 years old, is the first confirmed Bond girl in Bond 22 but the female lead, presumingly a Latina actress, is still expected to be announced within two weeks.

British newcomer Gemma Arterton’s latest film is St. Trinian’s, where she played schoolgirl Kelly, opposite Colin Firth and Rupert Everett. The film, a comedy about the eccentric adventures of a group of unruly girls at a boarding school, is an updated version of a movie franchise from the 1950s and ’60s.

Keep watching CBn for all the latest coverage as the Bond girl casting heats up.

Dame Judi Dench Spotted During 'Bond 22' Filming

Dame Judi Dench

Following up the previous photographs from the Bond 22 production, Pure People have just added their own pics from the newest James Bond film online–this time featuring 007’s boss.

Dame Judi Dench as ‘M’ can be seen in London outside of her usual office. Several shots of Daniel Craig and the Bond 22 crew have also been posted online.

Click here to view the new Bond 22 photographs featuring Dame Judi Dench.

Other recent photographs from the Bond 22 production include those taken London’s Sculpture Garden at the Barbican and reportedly The Water Gardens, near Edgware Road (the latter featuring Craig and director Marc Forster).

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest news and details on Bond 22.

More 'Bond 22' Photos Online

It was only yesterday that CommanderBond.net exclusively revealed the first photographs from the production of Daniel Craig’s second James Bond film, and just jared have followed up today with more than 20 additional ones.

The shots feature a very sharp looking Craig along with Bond 22 director Marc Forster.

While the actual location has not been confirmed, several 007 fans on the CBn Forums are speculating that this may be The Water Gardens, near Edgware Road in London. Yesterday’s shooting took place at the Sculpture Garden at the Barbican.

Click here to view the new Bond 22 photographs.

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page. We’ll keep you updated with all the latest news and details on Bond 22.

Spies at the Barbican

A few days ago, CBn reported
(via The Times) that shooting for Bond 22 would take place this week in
Sculpture Garden at the Barbican in London. Well, it took place yesterday, and
with a location that much within reach of a great amount of Bond fans, spy pics
were soon to be expected. Without further ado, here they are, the first pics
from the 22nd James Bond movie, send in by faithful CBn reader Jonathan.

 

Spy pics from Barbican Venue