Sean Connery Takes Charge Of Latest Film

Ex-James Bond Sean Connery has taken charge of the big-budget blockbuster film “The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen”.

He has been overseeing the editing process of the film from bases in the Bahamas, New York and Los Angeles.

Filming of the movie, which ended earlier this year, was dogged by a series of arguments between the actor and director Stephen Norrington.

It was also disrupted when flooding on location in Prague damaged sets worth £7 million.

A spokesperson for Connery told the London Evening Standard: "Sean often sits in on the editing of his films. He’s simply living up to his responsibilities."

The film is based on a graphic comic book series about a group of characters from literature’s most famous action, fantasy and adventure novels who are commissioned by Queen Victoria to prevent a madman from taking over the world.

Connery plays adventurer Allan Quatermain, with Jason Flemyng, Stuart Townsend and Richard Roxburgh taking on some of the other roles.

“The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen” opens in the US in July, with UK dates still being decided.

Source: Ananova

Pike: 'Role Was Terrifying'

Former Bond girl Rosamund Pike today spoke of her terror at taking on the spy film’s swashbuckling role.

The actress played spiky fencing champion, Miranda Frost, in the last James Bond film, Die Another Day.

She told the Independent on Sunday’s Sunday Review magazine that the prospect of getting “seriously fit” was terrifying.

Pike said: “People don’t give you credit for nerves when you’re done up to look completely sophisticated and cool.”

She is now performing in a play, Hitchcock Blonde, in which there is a 10-minute nude scene.

Of that role, Pike said: “I don’t know what kind of emotions it conjures up in the audience. Whether it’s titillating or disturbing or embarrassing … or shamemaking.”

Source: Ananova / SkyNews

Be sure to discuss the news in this thread of CBn’s Die Another Day Forums!

2003 Stunt Awards

The 3rd annual Taurus World Stunt Awards are set to take place at Paramount Pictures in LA later today. Amongst this years nominee’s are blockbusters such as “xXx,” “Blade II,” and “The Bourne Identity.“

Also included is “Die Another Day” – With the action-unit headed up by Bond veteran, Vic Armstrong, and stunt co-ordinator, George Aguilar. Nominated for 5 different categories, stunt-artists; Ben Bellman, Mark Mottram, Nikki Berwick, Jamie Blake, Amanda Foster, Derrick Doener, Laird Hamilton, Dave Kalama, Roy Alon, Jordi Casares, Stuart Clarke, George Cottle, Ray de Haan, Dereck Lea and Vincent Wang, are all set to be honoured for their unique efforts to their industry.

In addition to this, George Aguilar and Vic Armstrong are also nominated twice in the category of “Best Stunt Coordination and/or 2nd Unit Director” for their work on the 20th Bond film, and also for their involvement with the Martin Scorsese picture; “Gangs Of New York.”

CommanderBond.net would like to offer its best wishes and good-luck to all the nominee’s.

If you’d like to discuss the nominations please visit this thread of the Die Another Day Forums.

Vanquish Moves To Germany

Production of the Aston Martin Vanquish’s 5.9 litre V12 engine will soon be leaving the UK. Production of the engine, which provides the Vanquish with its 190mph top-speed, will halt at its current home in Northampton, UK. Beginning at the end of next year, production of the V12 engine will take place at Ford’s factory in Cologne, Germany.

The move takes place, as Aston’s Gaydon facility prepares for the construction of the recently announced V8 Vantage model, a direct competitor for the hugely successful Porsche 911 series. The V8 Vantage is scheduled for release in 2005, making it the current favourite for James Bond’s motor in Bond 21.

Demise Of The Bond Cars…

2003 has taken off to be a sad year for the Bond cars. Although production of
007’s latest motor, the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish continues, I am sad to
report that a number of past favorites are set to be scrapped.

To begin with, the famous “Wet Nellie,” or perhaps more widely known as the
Lotus Esprit received its last orders earlier this year. The Esprit made
famous in The Spy Who Loved Me, after being driven into the ocean, and converted to a submersible, began production in the early seventies. Lotus sales rocketed after the success of the movie, and the Esprit went down in both Bond and motoring history as a classic.

The most recent Esprit carried an $85,000 price tag, and boasted a top speed of 175mph. It could achieve 0-60 in just over 4 seconds, proving that despite its age, the Esprit sill had what it takes to hold off some of today’s most hardened super cars. Although the classic shape of this Lotus has gone forever, the company have announced that a replacement will be released in 2005 that will be able to achieve an amazing 90 miles per gallon. Perhaps this is to be the most economical super car in history.

Released in 1996, the BMW Z3 is the second of the Bond cars cancelled this year. Although never featured in any action scenes, 1995’s GoldenEye, which previewed the Z3 to an eagerly awaiting public was to be the start of a hugely successful marketing campaign, tying the Z3 with the Bond franchise. A limited edition “007 edition” model was launched which sold out immediately. This 140bhp sports car will be replaced around the world by BMW’s successor vehicle, the 155mph Z4 roadster.

The third BMW to be kitted out by Q-branch for a Bond movie was the $128,000 Z8 roadster. Capable of achieving 0-60mph in just 4.2 seconds, the Z8 has been amongst the most exotic of all 007’s vehicles to date. However, poor sales have caused BMW to stop-production of the beautiful
Z8. Designed to appeal to American markets, the Z3’s “big brother”, did not live up to its less-expensive sibling’s success.

Tuning-brand, “Alpina”, will continue to produce a set of limited edition Z8’s, removing the BMW 5-series engine, and replacing it with another to target the car as a highway-cruiser. This move will be set to erase the confusion surrounding the exact type of car, the Z8 was. A track-day exotic? Every-day practical? Etc, etc.

Finally, the last car to be scrapped this year is the most recent. Die Another Day saw Bond girl, Halle Berry driving a limited edition “Coral” Ford Thunderbird. Sadly, as a result of bad-reviews, and poor-sales figures, the much-publicized T-Bird, will stop production later in the year.

Although all of these have left the modern world of production-sports cars, they will forever be remembered by Bond fans for their addition to the 007 legacy.