Bond 23 pre-production put on hold

Daniel Craig is James Bond in Quantum of Solace

As already reported, MGM, the studio behind the James Bond films, is facing immense financial problems, resulting in a sale of the studio. Screenwriter Peter Morgan already hinted at the delay of pre-production due to these difficulties. Until today, no official confirmation has been given for a halt.

Today, the Sunday Express reports that not only pre-production of Bond 23 has been halted, but that the “future of the Bond franchise hangs in the balance.” The paper indicates that if the MGM situation remains unclear, the film rights of the franchise could be sold off to another studio.

Producer Michael G Wilson, who produces the Bond films with Barbara Broccoli, admitted to the paper: “We just don’t know enough about the situation to comment but we know it’s uncertain.”

Dame Judi Dench and Daniel Craig already confirmed that Bond 23 was only due in 2011, making the gap between Quantum of Solace and the next film the longest one between two films in Daniel Craig’s term as James Bond, but with a possible sale of either the studio or the filming rights, even a longer gap does not seem to be unlikely at all.

Keep your browsers pointed to the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest Bond 23 news.

A shocking story for Bond 23

Peter Morgan

After weeks and weeks of more or less silence regarding what 007 fans can expect from the 23rd James Bond adventure, a new interview with screenwriter Peter Morgan reveals some slight bits of information.

Currently situated in Vienna, Austria, Morgan was at work on the Bond 23 script from July to October of this year.

While cautioning to the local press that he couldn’t discuss a great deal about the film, he did describe it as ‘a shocking story’.

Morgan further described his coming to terms with the levels of excitement and anticipation that a new James Bond film creates. He states: ‘There is a level of hysteria that I haven’t seen before. [Bond] is a magnet for publicity—everyone wants to know what is going on with the new film.’

Unfortunately, it was also revealed that work on Daniel Craig’s third 007 outing has been put on hold until February 2010 as a result of the ongoing sale of the MGM studio.

While no specific release date has been announced by Eon Productions, it is strongly expected that Bond 23 will arrive in theatres sometime in late 2011. As previously reported on CommanderBond.net, Craig was quoted as saying that work is expected to commence in late 2010 in order to be ready for a 2011 release. This timeline was further supported by additional comments from Dame Judi Dench.

Keep your browsers pointed to the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest Bond 23 news.

Dame Judi Dench lined up for Bond 23 filming in Spring 2011

Dame Judi Dench

Following Daniel Craig’s recent comments regarding the start-up date for his third James Bond film, Dame Judi Dench has now chimed in with some brief details as well.

In an interview with MTV News, Dame Judi mentioned that she would likely be filming her scenes for Bond 23 towards the beginning of 2011.

She said: ‘I think I’m going to be needed in Spring of 2011. That’s a message I got. It would mean I could do something at the end of next year, something else, maybe be in the theater.’

These comments, like Craig’s earlier statement that production is planned to kick off in late 2010, point to a late 2011 release for the 23rd Bond film.

There is still no official announcement regarding the release date of Bond 23. As always, CommanderBond.net will keep you updated with all of the latest news and details as they become available.

Daniel Craig confirms Bond 23 is due in 2011

Daniel Craig is James Bond in Quantum of Solace

In mid-October, CommanderBond.net was the first site to report on Daniel Craig’s recent comments that work was set to begin on Bond 23 towards the end of 2010. Since then, the James Bond star has confirmed his statement once more when 007 was brought up for discussion on his 29 October appearance on Live with Regis and Kelly.

While the overwhelming majority of the talkshow segment was dedicated to Craig’s performance in the Broadway play A Steady Rain opposite Hugh Jackman, as expected, the topic of his third James Bond film came up.

When asked what the plan was for the next Bond, Craig responded: ‘The plan is to start shooting the next one at the end of next year so it’ll be ready for 2011. So we’ve got a lot of work to do.’

Click here to watch the entire video segment [James Bond is brought up at the 4:40 mark].

For CommanderBond.net’s complete coverage of Bond 23, visit our dedicated section on the main website. Be sure to also check out our Discussion Forums to catch up with all the latest news and topics.

Daniel Craig on Bond 23: 'We start the end of next year.'

Daniel Craig has just put the Bond 23 timeline into perspective, stating that production is set to kick off in the second half of 2010.

Daniel Craig

The comment was made by Craig after a performance of his Broadway play A Steady Rain alongside Hugh Jackman. While signing autographs and posing for photos with fans, one female member in the crowd asked when the next James Bond film was coming out—to which Craig replied ‘Uh, we start the end of the next year, so…’

To view the brief Craig comment, visit this YouTube link (and scroll forward almost one minute in).

CommanderBond.net readers will recall that producer Michael G. Wilson had stated that work had begun on Bond 23 earlier this year, although he failed to divulge any specifics. With Craig’s latest comment now, it seems fairly certain that we’ll be back to a three-year wait between Bond films.

As always, keep turning to the CommanderBond.net main page for the most up-to-date Bond coverage on the net.

Bond 23 Abu Dhabi location rumours denied

Reports that the world’s most famous spy might be sipping Martinis in Abu Dhabi have been denied.

The British press claimed producers of the next James Bond movie, known only as Bond 23 at the moment, were eyeing Emirates Palace hotel as a location for filming of the latest in the cult series of 007 films starring Daniel Craig.

One report claimed sources close to Abu Dhabi ruler and President of the UAE High Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan said the producers of the forthcoming film had contacted the royal office to discuss the possibility of shooting scenes at the multi-million dirham resort.

However, it looks unlikely the shaken-not-stirred hero will be swinging from the gold-leaf ceilings of the seven-star hotel.

A spokesman for the resort said: “It is not true. No-one has been to visit. We know nothing about it.”

As always, keep turning to the CommanderBond.net main page and our Twitter feed for the most up-to-date Bond coverage on the net.

MGM debunks rumours of Fox takeover of James Bond

James Bond will be staying with the lion.

A few days ago, the We Are Movie Geeks website ran a report claiming that 20th Century Fox was supposedly in line to acquire the marketing and distribution rights to the 007 series from the troubled MGM studio (and current home of Bond).

That report, which met with some skepticism amongst online Bond fans, has now been debunked by MGM itself.

Film School Rejects reports that an official source has confirmed that the James Bond franchise remains with MGM and that they will announce the release date and distribution strategy [of Daniel Craig’s Bond 23] in due time.

As always, keep turning to the CommanderBond.net main page and our Twitter feed for the most up-to-date Bond coverage on the net.

Muse: 'we'd probably say yes' to recording a James Bond song

Even though Bond 23 is barely a speck on the horizon at the moment, suggestions for who should perform the film’s title song are already coming in.

One musical group currently up for discussion is British alternative rock band Muse. Composed of members Matthew Bellamy, Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard, the group has released numerous albums thus far with their latest, The Resistance, due out this month.

‘It’s something we’d probably say yes to, or at least give it a good go,’ drummer Howard told the BBC News.

‘Certainly some of our music fits with the James Bond vibe—and I think it could work,’ Howard said. ‘The last few [007 title themes] have been pretty good, but I think we could do a good job.’

Adding that bassist Wolstenholme was a big Bond fan, Howard also made mention that one of their latest tracks from The Resistance album had that Bondian sound. ‘United States of Eurasia could have worked but it’s probably a bit late for that now,’ he said.

Do you think Muse is the right choice for a James Bond theme song? Voice your opinion here on the CommanderBond.net Forums.

As always, keep turning to the CommanderBond.net main page—and our brand new Twitter feed—for the most up-to-date Bond coverage on the net.

Michael Sheen shuts down Bond 23 villain rumours

Welsh actor Michael Sheen has publicly shut down the rumours that he’s lined up as a villain in what will be the 23rd James Bond film.

In the following news release, Sheen states there is no truth to the tabloid rumours started earlier this year that he would star as supervillain Ernst Stavro Blofeld opposite Daniel Craig’s 007…

Michael Sheen has denied he will be in the next James Bond film.

The Frost/Nixon star was rumoured to be playing villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the 23rd outing of the famous spy movies, with Daniel Craig as 007, but said the stories are untrue.

“The rumours are I might be playing Blofeld, the Bond villain, because Peter Morgan, who I’ve done Frost/Nixon, The Queen and The Damned United with, is writing it – there is no truth to those rumours,” he insisted at GQ’s Men Of The Year awards, where he won Actor Of The Year.

The Welsh actor added, with a smile: “I wish I could tell you different, but no.”

Bond or not, Michael knows how to keep himself busy. The 40-year-old has recently finished filming Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland alongside Johnny Depp and Anne Hathaway, Unthinkable with Samuel L Jackson, and the part of vampire Aro in the upcoming Twilight sequel, New Moon.

Keep turning to the CommanderBond.net main page—and our brand new Twitter feed—for the most up-to-date Bond coverage on the net.

Empire Magazine champions Kathryn Bigelow for Bond 23

It may be many months away before an official announcement is made, but Empire Magazine’s Empire Blog is putting forth their suggestion on who should take the director’s chair for the 23rd James Bond film.

Their selection: Kathryn Bigelow. While her highly acclaimed film The Hurt Locker was just recently released in theatres around the world, she is also known for K-19: The Widowmaker, Point Break and Blue Steel.

Pushing the fact that Daniel Craig’s 007 needs to have a little more fun, Empire states: ‘If [Bond is] to be brash, rash and go ballistic once again, why give the megaphone to a woman? Because the woman is Kathryn Bigelow and with The Hurt Locker she shows she knows what Bond is all about: adrenaline … The Hurt Locker is one long high: set-piece after set-piece, bomb by bomb, always explosive. This is what Bond is supposed to be.’

They further put for the suggestion of Ralph Fiennes (who has a starring role in The Hurt Locker) as the lead villain in Bond 23. ‘Imagine the bickering, the banter and the peculiarly British cruelty of Craig vs Fiennes—and Bigelow’s fiery feminine touch. Bring on Bigelow, bring back the kiss kiss, bang bang…’

Do you agree with these suggestions from Empire Magazine? Voice your opinion here on the CommanderBond.net Discussion Forums.

Keep turning to the CBn main page—and our brand new Twitter feed—for the most up-to-date Bond coverage on the net.