Bond At The Box Office: Craig Comments On Success Of 'Quantum'

Daniel Craig is so far quite pleased with the worldwide success of Quantum of Solace at the box office.

For good reason, too. Shattering pretty much every record his Bond debut Casino Royale set in every single country the film has opened, Quantum of Solace is actively working towards becoming the biggest 007 blockbuster ever.

‘It’s great,’ Craig told UPI earlier this week while attending the New York premiere of Quantum of Solace.

‘I don’t really have any sort of benchmark. I’ve done one Bond movie that has been very successful and now I’ve done another Bond movie that’s appearing to be very successful. Before that, when I did movies, box office was never really at the top of the agenda. Getting people to go and see it was probably the agenda, but not the numbers.’

‘Amazing’ was the term Craig used to describe the success of Royale and Quantum. ‘Obviously, I couldn’t be happier because it might mean we might get to make another one.’

Keep your browsers pointed to CommanderBond.net for the most up-to-date and complete Quantum of Solace box office coverage.

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"We will take some more risks and shake things up a little bit more."

Spoiler warning for Quantum of Solace.

With commercial success all but guaranteed, all eyes are turning to where James Bond will go after Quantum of Solace.

“We made a decision to strip everything away. Some things will come back, some things won’t. Some things will come back in a different way.” – Barbara Broccoli

In an interview with ComingSoon.net James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli revealed fans can anticipate the series will simultaneously bring back some of the 007 staples while continuing to invert the franchise’s traditions.

Broccoli said, “In Casino Royale, the book, there was no Moneypenny or Q so that is why they are not in that story. And, in this follow-up, there didn’t seem to be a reason or a place for them. That doesn’t mean that they won’t appear later on. We made a decision to strip everything away. Some things will come back, some things won’t. Some things will come back in a different way. We will take some more risks and shake things up a little bit more and hope audiences are with us.”

The producer also reaffirmed that villainous organisation Quantum will play continue to play a role in the films. “Hopefully at the end of Quantum of Solace, we have this ‘whole’ character. And now we can do what we want. I think in some way, he will go after the organisation. So in that sense, it may become a trilogy, but we haven’t really structured it that way.”

“She is our anchor. She is the real Bond girl!” – Barbara Broccoli on Judi Dench as M

Broccoli also discussed the important role Judi Dench plays in the films. “She is our anchor. She is the anchor of the film in terms of the character. She is the only authoritative figure in Bond’s life. I think the moral conflicts between them are very interesting, and I think she is such a phenomenal actress, that as a woman, she has so much authority without having to bang her fist on the table. She had such a great relationship with Pierce [Brosnan] on the screen. And she has such a great relationship with Daniel [Craig]. She is our anchor. She is the real Bond girl! The one that keeps it all going, and I don’t want her to leave. She keeps threatening to leave but I will not let her!”

So, Judi Dench will be back, as will, Broccoli says, the gadgets. “The trouble is, everyone has gadgets. We will need to come up with a few that have not been invented by the Sony Corp!” Broccoli laughed.

“Outside of Miles Davis, he was the coolest cat on the planet.” – Jeffrey Wright on Jack Lord, the screen’s first Felix Leiter

At the end of Quantum of Solace, Felix Leiter is promoted, fuelling ComingSoon.net to speculate whether Jeffrey Wright will have an increased role to play in future instalments. Wright responded, rather intriguingly, “I don’t think anything has been written yet, but I hear some interesting things… rumblings.”

It’s a role Wright clearly relishes. He tells ComingSoon.net, “I do try to bring, particularly to [Casino Royale], my own thing to it. For me, Jack Lord sprung to mind. I mean the shades. And outside of Miles Davis, he was the coolest cat on the planet. And I was just very excited to bring some fresh life into the character and into the series to the extent that I could.”

The actor remains aware of the series’ legacy: “I think we are influenced only in that there is a previous history to these films. It’s a Bond film. There is an element of style and slickness. But at the same time, there has always been an intelligence to these films that cuts through as well.”

“The discussions we had before we started shooting were about the classic Bonds we love, the classic movies of the ’60s that we loved.” – Daniel Craig

Daniel Craig also spoke to the website about the choice of Marc Forster as a director for Quantum of Solace. “What Marc is, fundamentally, is not only a great director, but a lover of movies. He knows the process. If you look at his films, how varied they are from Monster’s Ball to [Finding] Neverland to Kite Runner, each one is so individual. You would think they were different directors if you were to look at them blindly I think, and that is what I think he brought to this. He brought this attitude of here we go, it’s a Bond movie, we don’t get to have chances like this very often, lets give this a go.”

Craig continued, “I mean the discussions we had before we started shooting were about the classic Bonds we love, the classic movies of the ’60s that we loved. And whatever we are going to do, we are going to make a movie that people remember because it is visually stunning, it goes to the best locations in the world, and that it will be remembered as a stunning Bond movie.”

Check out the full interview at ComingSoon.net.

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'Quantum of Solace' US Opening Day Haul Estimated At $27 Million

Quantum of Solace, Daniel Craig’s second James Bond film, is on course to be another mega-hit for the franchise, as Box Office Mojo estimates the film took a stunning $27 million at its US opening yesterday.

The numbers are yet to be confirmed, but it’s clear that 007 convincingly beat off competition from Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa ($8.1 million) and Role Models ($3.76 million).

At $27 million, Quantum of Solace would have the 26th highest US opening day ever. The only 2008 release to top this opening would be The Dark Knight, which took a phenomenal $67 million when it opened in July; $27 million would place it above other 2008 big-hitters Sex And The City and Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull. It would also place it above The Bourne Ultimatum.

This opening puts Quantum of Solace on track to a weekend haul of approximately $70 million.

It would nearly double the opening day takings for Casino Royale. The current opening weekend 007 record-holder is Die Another Day, which took $47 million during its first three days in 2002.

These numbers are yet to be confirmed, so keep your browsers locked on the CommanderBond.net main page.

Have you seen Quantum of Solace in theatres yet? Post your review and join in the discussion in the Member Reviews section on the CBn Forums.

'Quantum of Solace' Could Pull In $25 Million+ On US Opening Day

Both Sony Pictures and various box office trackers had high hopes for the US debut of Quantum of Solace and it looks like James Bond isn’t planning on letting them down any time soon.

According to Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood Daily blog, Daniel Craig’s second 007 film could pull in $25-28 million today alone in the US.

According to an unnamed source from a rival studio, ‘right now it looks like Quantum of Solace could do $25M-26M today. They did approximately $2M last night in midnight shows, so they could do $28M by end of today. That could translate into a $70M weekend.’

Which would absolutely shatter the expectations of a $50-60 million opening weekend and soar past Die Another Day‘s record $47.1 million opening weekend.

As a point of reference, the opening day total for Craig’s Casino Royale in the US was $14.7 million.

Keep in mind that these box office numbers are estimates and are yet to be confirmed. Much more Bond box office news will be coming in throughout this weekend. Keep your browsers pointed to CommanderBond.net for the most up-to-date and complete coverage.

Have you seen Quantum of Solace in theatres yet? Post your review and join in the discussion in the Member Reviews section on the CBn Forums.

Not Your Typical Bond Girl: Olga Kurylenko On Camille

NOT YOUR TYPICAL BOND GIRL
Olga Kurylenko On Camille

Olga Kurylenko talks about the character she plays in Quantum of Solace.

“Camille is a girl with a tragic past–because her family were killed in front of her eyes when she was young. She has been through a lot and is tough because of it. She knows the man who killed her family and her motivation is revenge.

“Camille is smart, focused and skilful. She’s got the tools to fight, but also she isn’t afraid to use her feminine charm. In fact, it’s because she is a girl, no one suspects her. When she first meets Bond she doesn’t even notice him because she is so determined and focused on her own revenge mission but, little by little, she understands they are going in the same direction, even if their goals are not exactly the same.

‘She understands they are going in the same direction, even if their goals are not exactly the same.’ –Olga Kurylenko on the Camille/Bond relationship

“I don’t think Camille is a typical Bond girl. She is one of the only Bond girls in the history of the films who does not sleep with Bond! Camille is a strong character, she knows what she wants and she is determined.”

Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko and Gemma Arterton at the Quantum of Solace Press Conference

Kurylenko was required to train extensively for the stunt sequences film, she explains: “Once I read the script I was super excited. I really liked the character and I liked that she was going to be involved in so much action. I figured there would be a lot of work with weapons and stunts, driving, freefalling and where else do you get the opportunity to do that? I worked with different people to train for different stunts: the fights, the boat, driving. The stunt guys have been so helpful to me, everything is a question of learning and they are good teachers, everything is explained so well. There was one occasion, during the party scene, when Greene (played by Mathieu Amalric) is supposed to almost push me off a very high balustrade. I’m scared of heights and when I first saw it, I thought there is no way I can do that–I can’t even walk on the balcony of my apartment. But the stunt team took me up there and went through things slowly. They were so patient and I managed to do it!”

Kurylenko is also full of admiration and praise for the director, Marc Forster: “Marc is very talented, I’ve seen all of his movies and I love them all. He is an artist and I trust him, whatever he says I believe him because I know he has a vision. He directs in such a subtle manner, it is not just about the action it is about people and what people feel.”

‘I experienced that in one scene, he just looked at me and he cuts through you with his eyes–it’s very powerful.’ –Kurylenko on Craig

As Daniel Craig’s leading lady, Kurylenko talks about working with 007: “It is great to work with Daniel. He is professional and very concentrated. He is totally focused and serious about the role but he has a good sense of humour–his jokes are very, very funny. I think Daniel has been so successful in taking over the role of James Bond because he is a great actor but I think his look is also very important. He looks so masculine and tough. The power in his eyes is incredible. I experienced that in one scene, he just looked at me and he cuts through you with his eyes–it’s very powerful.”

Kurylenko also shares a lot of screen time with Bond’s nemesis in the film, Dominic Greene played by Mathieu Amalric: “Mathieu is so thoughtful about his character. It is great the way he goes away from the cliché because he is not taking the easy path. He is not playing the villain and making it obvious, he is trying to hide it and I love what he is doing because his villain is actually terrifying. Greene is so shy, so nice and subtle and suddenly he snaps and sticks the knife in your back. Mathieu is doing really great work.”

Stay tuned to CommanderBond.net for all the latest Quantum of Solace news and information.

A Different Kind Of Bond Villain: Mathieu Amalric On Dominic Greene

A DIFFERENT KIND OF BOND VILLAIN
Mathieu Amalric On Dominic Greene

Mathieu Amalric talks about how they have modernized the ‘Bond Villain’ with his character Dominic Greene.

“What I like about this character–it was a good idea–there is a public Greene and a private Greene. The guy is shy in public, he doesn’t speak too loudly, not so good at public speaking, but in private he is totally different. He tries to kill Camille because he thinks she is using him for her own vendetta. To begin with I asked the director if I could shave my head, or have a scar, or an eye that bleeds or something to help me but he said ‘no, your eyes will be enough’. So I had to ask myself, why is a guy a villain? It can’t be only fantasy with crazy people that want to destroy the world, it’s not that. So the impulse must be psychological. If he is more a character trying to disappear, to be invisible, to be almost wallpaper, it makes sense because it is much more efficient that way. Unfortunately, today, it is quite difficult to guess who the villains are in our lives, and that is exactly what we are looking for.

‘So I had to ask myself, why is a guy a villain? It can’t be only fantasy with crazy people that want to destroy the world, it’s not that. So the impulse must be psychological.’ –Mathieu Amalric on his approach to he Dominic Greene character

“Also, I like the fact that Greene is afraid of blood, the violence is abstract and that is to do with today as well, we live in a world where you can do everything by computers. Since Casino Royale, they have changed something in the texture of the Bond films and they are looking for something else that is really connected to the times of today, to say something about the world we live in.”

On working with the director, Marc Forster, Amalric observes, “Marc is completely connected to his own make up of the film, there is something mixing around that you can really feel. For example, sometimes he likes to do two shots in a row without cutting the camera so the actors are in this abandoned state and not in control. I think he just grabs things on our faces or there is a moment of action, ultimately he is striving for something more realistic. It’s great working with Marc because he is somebody who just loves actors. For instance, I didn’t understand how it was possible for me to be a villain in a James Bond film but I think it is because Marc needs to be inspired by his actors. He likes the people he films, you can feel it in all his previous films, I’m sure it is because of Marc that I was cast.

Mathieu Amalric

“Being an actor is already a surprise for me because mostly my life is dedicated to directing films. It wasn’t my idea to be an actor but there is something challenging about using your body completely, I love the fact that it’s scary. Being cast as the Bond villain is a mixture of a big joke and a real joy. I didn’t know that my life would give me so many surprises.”

As Bond’s nemesis in the film, Amalric shares many scenes with Daniel Craig but is most excited about Greene’s fight with 007. “I’m very lucky because usually the villain never fights but in this film I have a great fight at the end with Daniel. Greene does not know how to fight so James Bond is surprised because it’s not the classical stuff of his training. It will be a fight of two animals.”

‘Greene does not know how to fight so James Bond is surprised because it’s not the classical stuff of his training. It will be a fight of two animals.’

Amalric shares many scenes with his co-star Olga Kurylenko and they have developed their characters together. “I love working on this film because it’s a work in progress and we develop and rehearse. With Olga, there is something so obvious between us that, for me, it’s a pleasure. I don’t need to act, I just have to believe it is true and we are searching together. Like all the good actors, she cannot play alone. She is the same as me in that we are both so amazed to be here, to love the physical training, learning lots of skills; how to drive a car fast, how to punch, skills that can be very useful in life. The characters of Greene and Camille are constantly lying to each other and everyone around them. We have to think about how that would work in real life, to lie so convincingly you believe it yourself because your life depends upon it.”

Stay tuned to CommanderBond.net for all the latest Quantum of Solace news and information.

Dame Judi Dench Is 'M' In 'Quantum of Solace'

DAME JUDI DENCH IS ‘M’
Discussing QUANTUM OF SOLACE With The Head of MI6

Judi Dench reprises her role as the M, the Head of MI6 and James Bond’s boss. “It is terrific to be back, just wonderful! Working with Marc [Forster] has been absolutely delightful. He knows exactly what he wants and when you get your call sheet, there is also a list of shots, I have never had that ever, it’s phenomenal. That kind of discipline is wonderful to work with.”

Dench first appeared as 007’s boss in GoldenEye when Pierce Brosnan debuted in the role. Quantum of Solace is her second outing with Daniel Craig playing role of Bond and comments on working with him. “Daniel is more relaxed now although he seems to have an unending amount of energy for the role. He is a terrific Bond, just terrific. The most wonderful thing is to be open minded so that something could surprise you or delight you or excite you. To tell a story is our business and this is a cracking story to tell.”

Dame Judi Dench, Daniel Craig and Marc Forster at the Quantum of Solace Press Conference

Although famous throughout the world for starring in feature films, Dench considers the theatre to be her home. “Theatre is where I am most comfortable, I’ve been working 51 years in the theatre and I love it. I actually came really late to films, I had done very few before Mrs. Brown. It was Mrs. Brown that changed everything and suddenly I went back to America after a lapse of 38 years. People asked ‘apart from Mrs Brown and M, have you done anything else?’ and I suddenly thought the whole of my classical repertoire had disappeared, shot down in flames, nobody had heard about it! I’m not sure my fan base has jumped, but my name as gone to a load of new chaps like my grandsons and, sometimes, their fathers. What I hope is that young people will come to the theatre, my job is to woo people to the theatre because people go to movies anyway. I just love a theatre audience and if they see you in Bond, then they might be persuaded to come and see something else.”

That said, Dench always enjoys coming back to play the character of M. “I do enjoy it, it is just irresistible! [In Quantum of Solace] you get to find out a little more about M, you certainly did in Casino Royale and even more so in this, especially the development of her relationship and interaction with Bond. It’s interesting how she deals with him and how he deals with her. She is not very sure about Bond, not too sure she can totally trust him.

“Also, MI6 has gone rather up market. All I have to tell you is, I don’t think our government has enough money to change the real MI6 into my MI6, I don’t think they will be able to manage it. It is phenomenal, we don’t do telephones anymore!”

Stay tuned to CommanderBond.net for all the latest Quantum of Solace news and information.

David Arnold: The Killers A Possibility For 'Bond 23'

Work on the script isn’t even expected to begin until next year and already the Bond 23 news and speculation is beginning to roll in.

In an interview with Q Daily, Quantum of Solace composer David Arnold has stated he’d be interested in working with The Killers on a future James Bond title theme.

Arnold stated he had brought up the idea to them a few years ago and would be interested in giving it another go in the future.

He said: ‘We were talking around about the time of Casino Royale … at that time they were working on their second album in Las Vegas. I always feel to a certain extent that when you’re choosing an artist for a Bond movie, you’re trying to find someone that could almost be in the film and belong to that world, and I think they certainly do. They’ve done amazing records.’

Fans will recall that The Killers were one of the very first musical artists rumoured for the Quantum of Solace title theme. They set the record straight in December 2006.

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest Bond 23-related news.

Daniel Craig And Marc Forster Answer 'Quantum' Questions

Daniel Craig and Marc Forster sat down to interview each other as part of Moviefone‘s Unscripted series.

Asking each other questions sent in by the fans as well any Quantum of Solace queries of their own, a number of interesting topics came up including: how the character of Jaws would fit into the 22nd James Bond film, dealing with the six-month production shoot, filming in Panama and much more.

Check it out:

Stay up-to-date with complete James Bond coverage at CommanderBond.net–your #1 source for all the latest Quantum of Solace clips and news.

Marc Forster On The Appeal Of James Bond

DIRECTING 007 IN QUANTUM OF SOLACE
Marc Forster On The Appeal Of James Bond

Quantum of Solace is director Marc Forster’s first James Bond film. He explains why the project appealed to him. “It was a huge decision for me to take on the [Bond] franchise because it’s so different from what I have done before. When you direct a Bond film you are making a movie within a given framework. There are different aspects to 007 you cannot get around; you have Bond, the girls, the cars, the history and millions of fans and this presented an incredible opportunity to me. I was excited to find a creative way to tell the story within the framework, and I knew it would also be challenging. It was exactly that challenge that really appealed to me.”

Following the huge success of Casino Royale is another challenge, Forster continues, “Casino Royale was so successful and because of that people have higher expectations. I felt the early Bond films of the 1960’s (with Sean Connery as Bond and sets designed by Ken Adam) were ahead of their time in the design, locations and feel of the films and this was my inspiration. I saw that there was room to create a new stylistic look for the Bond franchise.” Forster employed Academy Award winning production designer Dennis Gassner to help realise his vision. “One of the reasons I wanted to work with Dennis was because he created looks that you have never seen before in films like The Truman Show and his work with the Coen Brothers. All those sets were designed with a strong stylistic vision which is so essential to the world of Bond.

“The other big attraction was the opportunity to work with Daniel. He is an incredibly interesting actor. Psychologically, he has brought Bond back to realism. He isn’t an untouched hero, he has faults. He has a vulnerability and an emotional complexity which makes him human.

Quantum of Solace

“Many of my previous films feature emotionally repressed characters. When you study people who cannot express their feelings, they carry an emotional handicap with them. I’m interested in characters like that because it’s a common disease in humanity. Ultimately, if you are able to open your heart to the world, one becomes more aware and conscious. Our limitations always lead back to our inability to express ourselves emotionally, and Bond is a prime example of that. Bond hadn’t really experienced love until he met Vesper [in Casino Royale] and that love was taken away from him. Believing he was betrayed, he is slightly disorientated and unable to trust anyone. For me, the central theme of Quantum of Solace is trust.”

With a string of critically acclaimed character driven movies to his name, Forster talks about his experience working on a big budget action movie. “The thought of directing an action movie was much more intimidating to me than actually doing it. With these films, one has a great support system and a team who are experienced at working on action movies. It’s the planning and writing of action that is difficult, not the filming of it. The key to action is that it tells a story because shooting action for action’s sake is uninteresting and doesn’t contribute to anything.”

Quantum of Solace filmed in more exotic locations than any other in the forty six year history of the franchise and Marc Forster was the driving force behind the decision. “Exotic locations are a trademark of James Bond films, they are crucial in helping transport the audience to a different world. It is hard to find Bond locations because the bar has risen and the world is becoming smaller. We also had to find locations that would reflect the psychological state of Bond. For example, one of the reasons I chose the desert was because it represents solitude and loneliness – it represents Bond’s state of mind.”

Olga Kurylenko is Camille

Olga Kurylenko was picked to play Camille, a vulnerable but feisty woman focused on avenging the murder of her family. “I was looking for someone who would be the female counterpart to Bond, struggling with similar issues. Olga understood the psychological and physical aspects of the character. As she hadn’t done a big action movie before, Olga had to go through rigorous training and did a lot of the physical action stunts herself, which was crucial to make the film feel as real as possible.”

French actor Mathieu Amalric plays Dominic Greene, but is not the stereotypical Bond villain. ‘Mathieu is a very special actor, he has a very timid and loveable way about him. I thought it was more unexpected to cast an innocent looking man for a character who is really creepy and dangerous. Throughout the movie you just get glimpses and feelings about the character but in the final sequence his true nature is revealed and you see how malicious and frightening he can be.

Dame Judi Dench is ‘M’

“During the cold war, western cinema had a clear portrayal of what was good or evil. Today, however, the lines are blurred. You don’t know who the villains are, Bond could have villainous traits. I think it’s important to look at that. What does it truly mean to be good or bad? What it means to kill or lose someone? What is the psychological impact of taking some ones life?”

Judi Dench makes a welcome return as M, the Head Of MI6, Forster is enthused, “Judi is one of the greatest actresses alive. Working with someone of Judi’s stature is an honour. She has such a strong presence, I wanted to develop her character further. M is the only woman Bond doesn’t see in a sexual context and so it’s important to give the two of them more time together. As we watch their interaction, we discover a different side to Bond and learn more about both of them.”

Forster summarizes; “The central theme running through Quantum of Solace is trust. Trust itself comes in many different shades. Who do we really trust? Do you trust yourself? Do we trust others? All human beings have trust issues because, at some point in our lives, we have all been betrayed.”

Stay tuned to CommanderBond.net for all the latest Quantum of Solace news and information.