Two New Aston Martins in 2003

Aston Martin will unveil two new cars this month at United States auto shows.

It has been confirmed that the Los Angeles Auto Show, further details here, will see the unveiling of the ‘Aston Martin DB American Roadster 1’, or the DB AR1. .

Aston Martin DB American Roadster 1

Courtesy Aston Martin Owners Club

The DB AR1 is a lightweight concept roadster aimed specifically at the US market and is based upon the Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Volante. It has been confimred that the DB AR1 is only considered a concept car, and as such will only be produced, in limited numbers, depending on viewers reactions and interest.

With an estimated price tag of US$230,000, and it’s intended US market, it is unlikely that the DB AR1 will feature in Bond 21 as Aston Martin are keen to use the film to market a lower price ranged car.

Recent news from Motor Trend that Aston Martin will be relaunching the DB5 line was denied by sources for CommanderBond.Net today.

Very little is known about the new car, bar to say it’s production title is the Aston Martin 305. Further details won’t be released until later this week.

With the line known to be direct competition for Porsche 911 it is believed that the new car will have a price tag around the US$100,000 mark.

While 2003 may seem early to unveil a car that won’t feature in a Bond film that isn’t anticipated until 2005 it should be acknowlged that the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish was first unveiled in the 1990’s and appear briefly in 2001’s Tomb Raider before going on to appear in Die Another Day.

If you’d like to discuss the new Aston Martins, please visit this thread of the Bond 21 Forums. Thanks to the Aston Martin Owners Club and SeanValen00V for contributing to this article.

Source: Aston Martin Owners Club

$150 Million Mark Passed in US

Recent box-office figures for Die Another Day have been released by MGM with the filming making more at the United States box-office on New Years Eve than originally estimated.

New Years Eve saw the film rise to 8th position at the box-office with a taking of US$1,080,112.

New Years Day box-office taking pushed Die Another Day‘s US takings beyond the US$150 million mark to $150,061,815. New Years Day, which was the films forty-first day of release, saw the film take US$1,296,256.

Internationally, Die Another Day has lost its top spot due to the release of The Two Towers. In Australia it fell to fourth position, after spending the last two weeks in the top spot, having taken an impressive US$7,975,355 to date. In the United Kingom, with accurate figures on released up until December 29, the film has dropped to third position with a taking of US$$50,317,101.

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

Source: Box Office Mojo

Bond 21 Car May Be Called DB5

In 2002, after having announced their involvement with Die Another Day, sources at Aston Martin revealed that the motor company had signed a three picture deal, which would see Aston Martin’s appear in Die Another Day, Bond 21 and Bond 22. With the announcement came the news that Bond 21’s car would be from a lower price range and quite possibly around the $100,000 range.

In August 2002 pictures reached the Internet of Aston Martin’s latest development, the Aston Martin 305. The pictures showed the 305 in prototype stages, but it was revealed that the car would be aimed as competition for Porsche 911. The prototype did, however, draw heavily upon the DB7 whereas Aston Martin had hired designers to redesign the car more in the vein of the Aston Martin DB5.

Motor Trend today took a glimpse of what car enthusiasts can expect from the LA and Detriot Auto Shows in 2003. In a list of “world debuts for production vehicles and concept cars” Motor Trends has included an Aston Martin DB5, indicating that the Aston Martin 305 may have been renamed as expected.

It does have to be acknowledged, however, that Motor Trends line up could mistakingly refer to the Aston Martin DB5 as the car has featured at previous Detroit Auto Show’s.

The 2003 North American International Auto Show opens to the general public January 11 and closes January 20.

CommanderBond.Net’s editorial team would appreciate it if any attendees of the motor show could contact them through [email protected].

If you’d like to discuss this news, please visit this thread of the Bond 21 Forums. Thanks to john007 for the tip-off

DAD Still In Top Ten in US

Die Another Day remains in the top ten at the United States Box Office in its seventh week of release.

In a box office estimate for New Years Eve Die Another Day has shifted back up to eigth position, after the weekend in tenth spot. New Years Even gave the film an estimated take of US$1,025,000 on 1,875 screens across the United States. The Christmas season was, however, more benefitial to the film. On Boxing Day it took US$1,275,225 on the same amount of screens, which only gave it ninth ranking at the box office.

The increased takings continued across Friday and Saturday with takings of US$1,460,002 and US$1,634,423, respectively. Sunday saw takings drop to US$1,271,111 with a taking of US$985,566 on Monday.

While New Years Even estimate will not be revised until Thursday, it does see Die Another Day‘s United States total rise to US$148,710,000, indicating that the film will surpass US$150,000,000 by the end of the week.

If you’d like to discuss the earnings please visit this thread of the Die Another Day Forums. Thanks to mario007 for the tip-off.

Source: Box Office Mojo

Details About Real Switchblades

They may seem an ‘out-there’ element of Die Another Day, but the switchblades that feature in the film are very real, and can fly.

The switchblade was designed by Jack McCornack, owner of Kinetic Aerospace. It wasn’t the switchblade, however, that was McCornack’s first outing in the world of James Bond. For The World Is Not Enough McCornack was approached to provide the Parahawks.

For Die Another Day McCornack set out to “come up with the absolutely most minimal single-person aircraft that was Bond-like”, what resulted was the invention of the switchblade solely for its appearance in the film.

During tests of the switchblades McCornack determined that the craft could glide up to speeds of 200mph, thanks largely to its carbon filament and epoxy Fiberglass construction. The vehicles weighs around 50 pounds and has a wingspan on 8 feet, when the wings aren’t retracted.

During filming of Die Another Day the crafts were piloted by stunt doubles for both Halle Berry and Pierce Brosnan. Allan Hewitt, who also doubled for Gustav Graves during his flight over Buckingham Palace, is a former British military stunt team parachutist and was required to stand in for Brosnan for the switchblade sequence. The reason is, as McCornack explains, the craft is a “Bic airplane”, designed to be thrown away in mid-air. Hence, a seasoned parachutist is required to perform the stunt.

For more details, visit the Statesman Journal, who have also provided a rare picture of Halle Berry’s stunt double on a switchblade.

Thanks to Mourning Becomes Electra for the tip-off

Source: Statesman Journal

Korean Protest Fail To Kill DAD

Continuing its box office success Die Another Day opened to threatres across Korea on Monday, despite the best attempts of minority groups and the North Korean government.

Prior to the films release the North Korean Government slammed the film saying through the North Korean Central News Agency that the “U.S. should stop at once this dirty and cursed burlesque aimed to slander [North Korea] and insult the Korean nation”. The news agency was quoting the Secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland who is seemingly under the misapprehension that Bond is an American agent, or at least performing propaganda work for the CIA. The news agency further stated that Die Another Day was a “premeditated act of mocking at and insulting the Korean nation.”

At the same time in South Korea minority groups were calling for a boycott of the film. The groups contended that the film portrays South Korean soldiers as inferior to the United States Military, depicts South Korean as a Third World country.

Despite the complaints the film performed strongly after it’s release on Monday. It opened in 145 theatres, despite protests being held outside some of the larger threatres in Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, and Daegu. Advanced ticket sales stayed at a low 30% on Monday, however, rose to near 60% on Tuesday.

Twentieth Century Fox had brought forward scheduled preview screenings last week in a succesful attempt to stem protests. In a statement, the president of Fox Korea again reaffirmed the fact that Die Another Day portrays both North Korean hard-liners and pacifists.

Yahoo News has several photos of the protestors available; 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5.

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

Sources: New York Times, The Chosun Ilbo.

Brosnan Possessive of Role

It is undoubtedly the role for which he is best known, so there is no doubt as to why actor Pierce Brosnan describes himself as “possessive” of the James Bond role.

The actor is still promoting the latest James Bond outing Die Another Day, which is currently nearing a take of US$150 million at the United States Box-office, and while in New York told reporters “It’ll be interesting to see how I really kind of deal with it, you know, letting go, before somebody says, ‘Get off the stage.’ … You become a bit possessive of the role. Especially when you’ve had the success like you do with ‘Die Another Day,’ and each one has gotten better and better.”

Brosnan has conceded, however, that one day enough will be enough. While he currently has hopes to appear as James Bond in Bond 22 he is aware that either Bond 21 or Bond 22 will most likely be his last outing as James Bond.

As for whom Brosnan is tipping to replace him, Colin Salmon. Salmon currently appears in the Bond series as Charles Robinson and is also hired by Eon Productions to stand in as James Bond during the screen tests for characters who will be seen opposite James Bond.

Gustav Graves

Gustav Graves

Gustav Graves’ popularity is perhaps best revealed by his recent Knighting. Little is known about Graves’ past by both the media and the intelligence world. It is known that Graves was born in Argentina where he worked in a diamond mine. Before being adopted by an English family, making England his adopted country, Graves learnt enough about diamonds to make them a life long pursuit.

In 2001 Graves’ company Graves Diamonds struck lucky with a mass find of diamonds in Iceland. Within month Graves was exporting his diamonds to the world, and in the continuos bid for self-promotion each diamond was laser engraved with the Graves Diamonds logo.

Aside from his entrepreneurial conquests Graves is also an known environmentalist and philanthropist, both qualities ensuring his quick Knighting. His environmental studies led him to build several biodomes in the vicinity of his diamond mine, each bio-dome featuring an Eden like array of forestry.

In a supposed gift to mankind Graves ordered the construction of Icarus, a second sun capable of illuminating the far reaches of the globe. At the unveiling of the satellite Graves told the world “Let their be light…” and there was.

A budding sportsman, Graves is also believed to be an insomniac, and as a result, require no sleep.

Despite his popularity Graves is being investigated by British Intelligence who, while having no real suspicions, want to ensure that he is legitimate.

Last Updated: December 31, 2002

Biographic and listing material is © Copyright CommanderBond.Net and Respective Authors.

Reproduction is not allowed without prior permission

Giacinta 'Jinx' Jordan

Giacinta ‘Jinx’ Jordan

The National Security Agency’s top female operative, Giacinta Jordan is best known as ‘Jinx’ to her friends; a nickname coined because of the lack of longevity in any of her relationships.

Nothing is known about Jordan’s previous misssions, bar to say they have been mostly succesful.

After the trading of North Korean terrorist Zao for Commander James Bond, on the South and North Korean border, Jordan was sent to kill Zao before he could perform further terrorist acts in the name of ‘freedom’. Her search for Zao led her first to Cuba and then to Iceland, both times her path crossed with James Bond.

Last Updated: December 31, 2002

Biographic and listing material is © Copyright CommanderBond.Net and Respective Authors.

Reproduction is not allowed without prior permission

Miranda Frost

Miranda Frost

Miranda Frost finds her self in an interesting position as an agent for the British Secret Service. She is one of the few MI6 agents to have had a ‘public’ career prior to a secret one. Before her career as a MI6 Agent Frost won a gold edal at the 2000 Sydney Olympic’s for the sport of fencing. She did, however, win the medal by default after the Russian gold medalist overdosed and Frost’s silver medal was ‘upgraded’. To this day she still pursues fencing, but only in private competition.

After the Sydney Olympics Frost began work with the cryptology department of MI6. However, it wasn’t until the emergence of of Gustav Graves that Forst made a career movie within the sercret service. She requested that she be sent to investigate Graves’ legitimacy by posing as his personal assistant. Her interest in fencing was secured her the role as Graves had a similair interest.

Last Updated: December 31, 2002

Biographic and listing material is © Copyright CommanderBond.Net and Respective Authors.

Reproduction is not allowed without prior permission