In a quick update Entertainment Tonight has reported that after her success at the Academy Awards actress Halle Berry will begin work on Die Another Day today in the UK. That is in a matter of about 6 hours I'd say.
Thanks to Jeff007 for the tip-off!
The official James Bond site has just updated with two new pieces for all fans! The most major, is footage from Die Another Day.
The footage shows Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. Brosnan's own commentry sums up the scene fairly well. "I'm in a study, I pick up a book and it's Bird of The West Indies by James Bond. So I think this will certainly think this will be a memorable scene for all the nods and winks to the past Bonds." It certainly seems that way! Spoiler Warning (Highlight To Read) It appears that in this scene Bond is in a hot locale, most likely Cuba.
The other update on the official site is a 'sit down' with writers Neil Purvis and Robert Wade. The majority of the updated is based on the question “I was just interested in knowing how the stories and scripts for the Bond films are chosen. Are they based on Ian Fleming books, or does the studio hire writers to devise the story and script?” Incorrectly, it said that the ideas from the Fleming books have long been exhausted.
“We come in with ideas, things we’ve found in science magazines, on the internet, interesting weapons and what’s happening in technology. Then we try to find a journey for Bond to go through.”
Rob adds, “Its partly what’s happening in the news then it goes off in a different direction and often ends up even more relevant”.
The do mention that news in the media recently of a diamond smuggler have some similarities to a scene in the Die Another Day script. This seems an obvious reference to Spoiler Warning (Highlight To Read) the diamond pay off in the pre-title sequence, a scene revealed by CommanderBond.Net.
If you'd like to discuss either of these updates please visit this thread of the Die Another Day Forums. See you there!
Our regular insider Vanquish has just checked in today with some big details of the happenings down at Pinewood Studios. Plot details are revealed so you’ll have to highlight the text to read it.
Well lets begin at the beginning of Die Another Day. With his cover blown James Bond jumps from a helicopter onto a hovercraft below in order to avoid getting killed. It was the filming of this scene that supposedly caused Pierce Brosnan’s recent knee injury.
Filming of this scene is currently being completed against a green screen on one of the numerous Pinewood stages. The green screen, similair to a blue screen, will be used to superimpose a background, in this case probably the sky. After his injury filming the original stunt, film crew could be looking to refilm the stunt a safer way.
On the same stage as the helicopter the nose cone of an aircraft has been constructed. Elsewhere the body of the aircraft has been constructed and ‘trashed’, giving the impression that it may have crashed. The aircraft is described as large, like a 737 perhaps.
The idea shouldn’t be knew to CommanderBond.Net forum users. In February this picture was posted in the Die Another Day forums, showing on of the numeous Pinewood Stages and the sets which had been built on it;
Notice that, running from the left of the image to the centre, is a cylindrical set that has windows suspiciously similar to an aircraft? Could this be the same aircraft that will be a part of the pre-title sequence? It certainly displays all the characteristics of an aircrafts cabin.
Now it’s time to move away from the pre-title sequence. You may remember recently I posed the question to visitors as to what the ‘Hot House’ was in Die Another Day? The existence of such a set was revealed by the official James Bond site in an update on the production in Iceland.
You’ll note that the Hot House is labelled as a miniature. This indicates that the wide shot of the Hot House will actually be a scaled model, however, we will more than likely see scenes in the building.
And Vanquish tells us we will. More then that, they’ll be action scenes.
The set, which has been built at Pinewood Studio’s, will feature an action scene incorporating about 5 people. There’s no word yet on exactly who they are (in terms of characters) but the people playing them are all trained stunt men.
Almost without a doubt this scene will involve James Bond. Perhaps this is the scene where, as Pierce Brosnan revealed, Bond will get in a hot tub with Miranda Frost? Feel free to speculate away!
And you can do so in this thread of the Die Anther Day (Bond 20) Forums.
This is a special article kindly written for us by John Romanelli, MD. It's an interesting look at the James Bond films and some of the similairities. A big thanks to John for sending this in to us!
Ian Fleming made his famous character identifiable by a number – 007. Thus, it would be interesting to take a look at the Bond films by the numbers.
As Die Another Day is in production, in this fortieth year of the cinematic superspy, it becomes interesting to look at parallels in plots and locales. Granted, some of these associations are mere coincidence – many of the settings of the original movies came directly from the words of Fleming. On the other hand, many of the post-Fleming creations bear remarkable similarities to preceding films in the series.
If you start by doubling the number of the film (counting on the Eon-produced films), there are amazing coincidences:
Dr. No (1), and From Russia, With Love (2): the continuation of the Bond vs. SPECTRE angle – Blofeld even speaks of revenge for killing their agent, Dr. No.
From Russia, With Love (2), and Thunderball (4): again, the continuation of the SPECTRE angle. This came after the Goldfinger plot hiatus.
Goldfinger (3), and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (6): the first duplicate locale – major portions of both films are set in Switzerland.
Thunderball (4), and Live and Let Die (8): both films are set in the Caribbean – Bahamas and “San Monique”.
You Only Live Twice (5) and The Spy Who Loved Me (10): the plots are eerily similar – the provoking of war between the superpowers. Coincidence, or lack of original material to base the stories on?
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (6) and For Your Eyes Only (12): The Tracy story. Bond avenges Tracy’s death in the beginning of For Your Eyes Only, killing a bald, wheelchair-bound villain we presume to be Blofeld.
Diamonds Are Forever (7) and A View to A Kill (14): both films are set partially in California.
Live and Let Die (8) and Licence to Kill (16): both are set in the only fictitious locales ever used in the series – San Monique and Isthmus City. Also, David Hedison plays Felix Leiter in both movies. And the scene (LTK) in which Felix is maimed by the shark comes directly from the novel Live and Let Die.
The Man With the Golden Gun (9) and Tomorrow Never Dies (18): both are filmed in Thailand. In fact, the bay in Bond and Wai Lin sailed was near Phuket, where the Man With the Golden Gun was filmed.
So, will Die Another Day employ some parallels from The Spy Who Loved Me? Perhaps – does a former rival agent (XXX, Falco) become an unwitting ally?
There are other interesting parallels in the series as well. As we dissected the number 2, consider the second movie, From Russia, With Love: both Venice and Istanbul were reused as locales, in Moonraker and The World Is Not Enough.
As the number 007 is a prime number, perhaps we should look at the prime numbered movies. Each of the prime numbered movies introduce a unique locale:
From Russia, With Love (2) – Croatia (Zagreb, where Bond meets Red Grant)
Goldfinger (3) – Latin America (the pre-title sequence, although one could argue “Isthmus City” is also Latin America). Also, Kentucky (Florida was reusued in Licence to Kill).
You Only Live Twice (5) – Japan
Diamonds Are Forever (7) – The Netherlands. Also South Africa, where Bond does not travel, but scenes are set.
Moonraker (11) – Brazil – the only use of South America. Also the only foray into outer space…
Octopussy (13) – India
Goldeneye (17) – Russia. Also Monaco (if you don’t count Never Say Never Again).
The World is Not Enough (19) – Azerbaijan.
So that is a look at 007 by the numbers. Any comments? E-mail [email protected] or in this thread of the CommanderBond.Net Forums.
Our source 'Mr Potato Head' has checked in today with some details on a bedroom scene in Die Another Day. There are some mild spoilers here, so you'll have to highlight to read.
A bedroom scene was filmed around two weeks ago on a Pinewood stage. And yes by bedroom scene we do mean “love making” scene. The scene was filmed in a room which had a main feature of a four poster bed. While ‘Mr Potato Head’ could say for certain, I believe this scene to be in Bond’s hotel room.
While there is no direct confirmation as to who Bond was in bed with, one could speculate that is was Halle Berry’s character ‘Jinx’. Rosamund Pike hasn’t begun work on Die Another Day yet and it is known that Halle Berry has been hard at work for sometime. She’s currently taking a break in the United States, if getting ready for the Oscars can be deemed a break, then she heads off to Spain.
A great little piece of information there. So a big thanks to 'Mr Potato Head'. If you'd like to discuss this scene please visit this thread of the Die Another Day Forums!
CommanderBond.Net has just got its hands on a new picture from the filming of Die Another Day at Holywell Bay in Cornwall.
As you can see this picture Spoiler Warning (Highlight To Read) shows the bach ‘invasion’ of Colonel Moon’s base. Whehter they are hostile or not is yet to be determined, but these are the same three characters who we have seen surfing in pictures from the pre-title surfing sequence.
Thanks to Adam A. for that picture!
German TV Station; RTL have reported some infomation on "Die Another Day". The information reveals what RTL believe are locations from 'DAD' and also hints at plot information.
It should be noted that none of this information has been confirmed.
Pinewood Studios, England
Stage D – A secret underground canal system is being built which belongs to the Chinease secret service (this would have been where Wai Lin, would have fit in). Apparently, the canal system can be flooded using a high-tech system, which we currently have no details about.
As we already know, the world-famous 007 stage, is currentley home to a huge Ice Palace, which will be destroyed by a Solaris Sattelite, a space station which is home to astronnauts. This is also being developed at Pinewood. It seem’s that most of the stages at 007’s traditional home, have been taken over by Lee Tamahori, and his crew.
Heathrow Airport, England
The world’s busiest airport will be used for filming sometime later in the year. No details on what will be shot there, are yet to arise. However its unlikeley that anything other than Bond catching a flight will be filmed.
Hong Kong
Vic Armstrong’s second/action unit will head out to Hong Kong to film some scenes in the famous Peninsula Hotel. A hotel suite is currently being built at Pinewood Studio’s, so it is likeley only exterior, and maybe reception and corridors scenes will be filmed. Also, scenes will be filmed around Hong Kong, which is to double for Myazaki/Japan.
Cádiz, Spain
Cádiz Castle, will double for a high-tech cuban hopsital. It will be here that a facial transformation operatin will take place. This builds up on earlier reports, of a facial transformation device, which is speculated to be used by Will Yun Lee’s character, Colonel Moon.
Thanks to "Tim007" who tipped us off on the infomation, also reports that the infomation was published after the tv-station had talked with Pierce Brosnan, and producer; Michael G. Wilson.
To discuss this news please visit this thread.
Dark Horizons's has published a set of four new photographs from filming in Iceland. The photo's include a picture of two Aston Martin Vanquish's (which will appear as one on screen). Other photo's include a picture of a jet-powered "Ice-Yaught". Normally ice yaught's are larger, and have sails, which can bring them to very high speed's. However the 007 crew have pushed the vehicle to its limits by fitting it with a jet engine. Being an ice yaught it's obvious that the vehicle will be used on the frozen lake, and not on snow as shown in the picture. This one has been nick-named "The Dragster".
Stuntman; Valdimar Jóhannsson who worked with action-unit director Vic Armstrong on "Gangs Of New York", has reported to an Icelandic newspaper that he will be portraying a bad-guy, on a snowmobile, chasing Bond. After parachuting onto the ice, maybe from the Chinook sequence reported earlier, Bond thinks up a cunning plan to knock Jóhannsson from his snowmobile. Bond strings his parachute beween to Iceberg's, then, as Jóhannsson speeds towards him, he tightens the cables, and he is knocked from the snowmobile, still travelling at high speed. It remains unknown as to whether Bond will now hijack the snowmobile, or if he has something else intended.
The newspaper also reports how the scene was filmed. Jóhannsson was wearing a specially made, strong vest, which was attached to a hard-wearing wire, and was attached to another object. When the stunt actor, had reached speeds of upto 50kmh, the wire, became fully extended, and he was pulled from the snowmobile.
Valdimar Jóhannsson say's that it was a fun scene to film, it was well organised, and he wasn't hurt. He also said that; "I flew off the sled, going more than 2 meters in the air".
Previous report on the pictures: click here
To discuss the news: click here
The official James Bond website has updated with details of a scene to take place in Iceland where people will be seen playing golf on ice.
While the scene will only be a passing moment in the film according to Yarborough, he's correct when he talks about the attention to detail that the Bond crew are putting into Die Another Day. Creating a fake golf course must be a major undertaking.
The scene is described by Yarborough as such; Take the shot that introduces this Iceland location in the film. Bond drives up to join Graves who is hosting a big media event in the middle of the frozen wastes of Iceland. As he arrives in the Aston Martin, 007 drives past other guests playing golf on the ice.
It will be interesting to see what the 'Hot House' is in relation to Die Another Day. It's noted in the blueprints above, which reveal that the building will in fact be a miniature.
If you'd like to discuss any details of this scene please visit this thread of the Die Another Day (Bond 20 Forums). See you there! And a big thanks to ENJ and Beamer for letting me know about the update!
CommanderBond.NET, has learned of some pick-up shots filmed in Hackney, England. Although not as exotic as Cuba, a warehouse in Hackney doubled for a cigar-factory somewhere in Cuba. It is believed that the warehouse was used only for exterior shooting, however it is known that many extra's were needed for the filming.
It has been long known that Bond will visit Cuba, in "Die Another Day", but how a cigar-factory fits into the story remains a mystery. The last time we saw 007 with a cigar, was in "The World Is Not Enough", where Maria Grazia Cucinotta played the part of "the cigar girl", an assasin, who committed suicide to escape punishment from Renard (Robert Carlyle).
It should be interesting to see how this scene fits in with the rest of the movie. Let me stress the fact, that 007 will not be visiting Hackney in "Die Another Day", these were only pick-up shots, used for what is to be a larger sequence in the finished film. As always please feel free to discuss the news in the forums.