More 'Quantum' Comments From Daniel Craig And Gemma Arterton

A two brief videos posted at YouTube and Mirror.co.uk (click on ‘Name of new Bond film announcement’ on right panel) includes a few new comments from Quantum of Solace stars Daniel Craig and Gemma Arterton plus a brief look at some underwater filming.

Craig discussed the direction he wants to take James Bond his second 007 film, saying: ‘Where we’re taking this now is somewhere that hopefully is going to take the character on.’

‘Flaws are important in the character and flaws make for more interesting watching, so there will be mistakes, but hopefully he’ll win the day.’

Arterton, who has the role of MI6 Agent Fields in the film said ‘the whole experience feels like a dream. It doesn’t feel real. And I feel like I’m not going to work. It feels like it’s a game or something and I should be really scared–and I am a bit–but, it’s incredible.’

And what of the fate of this Bond girl?

‘She sort of comes to a sticky end.’

Make of that what you will.

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest news and complete coverage of Quantum of Solace.

'Quantum of Solace' Cast And Crew Interviews

After weeks and weeks of waiting and with the 24 January press conference and announcement of Quantum of Solace as the title of the newest 007 film now behind us, it seems the plot details and interviews are pouring in.

A brand new collection of video interviews with the Quantum of Solace cast and crew–Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Gemma Arterton, Dame Judi Dench, director Marc Forster and producer Michael G. Wilson–have recently been posted online at Coming Soon.

Daniel Craig was up first and quick to praise Forster at the helm of his second Bond film. ‘It has a very different feel to it. I mean, having Marc on set; Marc’s a very calm, controlled human being–or appears to be, anyway.’

‘There’s no point in going into a movie like this without making an effort to make it different. To make it a seperate entity than the previous one.’ – Daniel Craig

‘I was incredibly excited when he got involved. I mean, if you watch his movies, his versatility is quite astounding. I mean, you look at Monster’s Ball to Neverland to The Kite Runner and they’re all such different, but equally wonderful movies. And that he is bringing to this in spades because he’s very particular. Every shot counts. Every part of this process is important to him. And it’s very easy to work with people like that. He’s cares–simply put.’

‘It starts, in film time, about 20 minutes after the last one finished,’ said Craig of the film’s relation to 2006’s Casino Royale. ‘And it takes us to the conclusion; an emotional conclusion, but also to finding out who the bad guys are and this organization, which is having a serious go at taking over the world.’

Olga Kurylenko, who will play the role of lead Bond girl Camille, revealed that there couldn’t have been a better time when she learned she had gotten the role. ‘I was incredibly excited. I was very happy. I got a call on Christmas Eve and it couldn’t have been a better present.’

‘I’ve been in heavy training from morning to evening for about three weeks since I’m in London. I’ve been doing some stunts for the fight scenes and also some weapon work and body flight for some aerial scenes that I have and that’s really physically demanding and physically exhausting, but it’s very exciting also. I’m learning so many new things.’

Speaking about her character: ‘Camille is a South American woman. She is strong and independent and she’s driven by revenge in this movie. She is very persistent and very feisty.’

And, like Craig, Kurylenko pointed out Forster’s seemingly endless list of positive attributes that make him the perfect director for Quantum of Solace. ‘Marc is amazing because he is so open and very thoughtful and very precise. He’s really into the detail and very attentive. It’s really a pleasure to meet a person like this and work with a director like this. Plus, I’ve seen his previous movies and I’m so thrilled to be able to work with him.’

‘James Bond has to find out who is the villain and once he found Dominic Greene, he really continues to not understand what the guy is looking for. It has to do with, like in Casino Royale, a fantasy, but also quite realistic.’ – Mathieu Amalric

‘I’m playing Fields, Agent Fields,’ said Gemma Arterton, the film’s second Bond girl. ‘She works for MI6 and the British consulate in Bolivia and basically just has to look after Bond–or try to.’

As previously reported, Arterton also briefly mentioned a few of her scenes that will apparently be sticking in the minds of viewers longer than others: ‘I’ve done two of my “big, talked about” scenes. It was on the first two days, so I was quite nervous, but everyone makes you feel so at home here. There’s such a good feel on set.’

Dame Judi Dench, returning for her sixth time to the series as ‘M,’ revealed that her character would have ‘more to do’ this time around. ‘You see a bit more of her house and there’s more confrontation with Bond.’

When asked about working with Craig for their second film together, she answered: ‘I think he’s the most marvelous actor. He’s very relaxed and it can’t be very relaxing for him, but he has a knack for making you feel relaxed when you’re acting with him and that’s a very nice trait.’

He’s absolutely wonderful,’ responded Dame Judi when asked about Forster. ‘He’s wonderful to work with and I’m a great admirer of his. He’s funny, gentle and specific. He doesn’t watch the monitor, he watches the acting, the actors.’

Marc Forster also spoke to Coming Soon about preparing for the film and the key importance of pre-production:

‘I think the pre-production process is when I create the movie, basically. It’s all about the pre-production process. It’s all about locations to choose, how to develop the scenes, and that entire journey is where the vision of the film comes together. Ultimately, when you’re on the set, you’re jus executing the vision, which is a whole, completely different step actually.’

‘It’s hard for me to judge what kind of stamp I’m going to put on this movie. I let the audience decide that. I just have my vision of the film and will pull through and make the movie that is the most interesting and fascinating to watch.’

On the title: ‘You know, Quantum of Solace is a short story from Ian Fleming. I think it works for the film; I think it works for the story. In a sense, I think it was a good move to use an original title from Ian Fleming.’

Producer Michael G. Wilson also agreed, stating: ‘The Quantum of Solace, being a Fleming short story, means a measure of comfort. And I think it’s very appropriate for this film because based on what happened to the character of James Bond in the last film, he needs a quantum of solace, considering his mental state.’

Wilson also mentioned the impressive line-up of locations for the film: ‘We’ve been here in the studio and of course some London locations. And then we go off to Panama, then Peru, then northern Chile, and then we’re back here and then we go on to Italy and Austria. So there’s quite a number of locations and a lot of them are very challenging for our production department and to to get the work done in the time we have.’

To view the entire set of video interviews, click here to check ’em out at Coming Soon.

Quantum of Solace sees James Bond out for revenge on a mission that takes him to Austria, Italy and South America.

According to the synopsis, Bond girl Camille, played by Ukrainian-born Olga Kurylenko, leads the secret agent to Dominic Greene, member of a mysterious organization and a ruthless businessman, seeking to control huge natural resources.

Greene is played by Mathieu Amalric, who starred in the Oscar-nominated The Diving Bell and Butterfly. The plot follows on directly from Casino Royale as Bond aims to uncover the truth about Vesper, the beauty who betrayed him, and discovers that she had been blackmailed. ‘James Bond is after revenge, and Camille is after revenge and they have slightly different goals, but in the end they are going to have to collaborate,’ says Kurylenko.

Click here to view the complete Quantum of Solace plot synopsis

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest news and complete coverage of Quantum of Solace.

Bond Authors Charlie Higson And Sebastian Faulks At Oxford Literary Festival

Two literary 007 authors–Charlie Higson, creator of the popular Young Bond series, and Sebastian Faulks, author of the forthcoming James Bond novel, Devil May Care–are set to attend the upcoming Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival.

The Young Bond Dossier reports that the event will be running from 31 March through 6 April at Christ Church in Oxford.

Higson will be making an appearance at the children’s events to be held on Wednesday, 2 April at 6:00pm. Admission to this event is £6.

Faulks will be taking part in an interview with Peter Kemp on Monday, 31 March at 6:00pm. Admission costs £7.50.

For further details or to purchase tickets, visit the official website or phone 01865 276152 for a brochure.

Keep watching CommanderBond.net for all the latest literary James Bond news and coverage. To keep track of all the upcoming 007 releases, events, television shows, and more–just keep your eyes on the CBn Calendar, located on the right panel of our main page.

"As long as they are working, I'll keep on making them."

Entertainment website IGN was on hand at yesterday’s press conference for the freshly-titled Quantum of Solace and landed some revealing quotes from James Bond himself, Daniel Craig.

“This title is meant to confuse a little. It’s meant to make you wonder, and that’s what we want – we want people thinking as they come into the film.” – Daniel Craig

First up, the title that inexplicably caused much head-scratching upon its announcement. “It’s been going around for a while, we’ve been discussing it quite a while,” Craig said.

“We could have found a nippy title – we had plenty of suggestions that would look good on the poster. But we made a lot of effort last time around to take the film to a new place, and we want to continue to do that. So this title is meant to confuse a little. It’s meant to make you wonder, and that’s what we want – we want people thinking as they come into the film.”

“When we first came up with the title I wasn’t sure, but I’ve been re-reading the Fleming books, which I do when we start shooting because it passes the time. Fleming always has a very emotional line to his books, and that’s where we kind of left the last movie. It doesn’t mean that this movie is going to be some character-driven kitchen sink drama – we’re making a Bond movie – and Quantum of Solace ties in with a very strong plot point, which I’m not going to give away at this point.”

“There’s revenge. There’s a fight within him. There’s a need to do his job and to solve this riddle that’s been given to him, because basically everything he understood about the world has been turned upside down.” – Daniel Craig

When prompted if this meant a more introspective James Bond film, Craig replied, “No. There’s revenge. There’s a fight within him. There’s a need to do his job and to solve this riddle that’s been given to him, because basically everything he understood about the world has been turned upside down. All this points towards a bad organisation that’s trying to undermine the world’s economies by trying to control money around the world in a very secretive way; and he’s after them.”

“My feeling is that we owe it to the people who saw the last movie to give them something better.” – Daniel Craig

The huge success of Casino Royale in 2006 apparently hasn’t fazed the actor. When asked if how much pressure he feels for his return to the role, Craig answered, “As much as before, if not a little more, because we had a major success and people reacted beyond how we thought they would. We always knew we had a great movie, but who knew that people would respond the way they did. My feeling is that we owe it to the people who saw the last movie to give them something better.”

Off-camera, Craig has been keeping in shape for the very intense shooting periods. “I trained very differently this time around. Last time I bulked up and got big to make him look like someone who literally just dropped out of the Navy and was Special Services. But I needed to get fitter in a different way because I’m doing an awful lot of physical activity. I’ve got to get myself, and I don’t want to use these words because it sounds awful, but cardio-vascularly fit. I need to last the course on this.”

“We’re doing six-day weeks at the moment, and I’m doing dialogue scenes on this stage and as soon as I finish I change costumes and run up to the 007 stage and I’m swinging from ropes. So I have to keep myself in as best shape as I can because I’ve got to do this for six months.”

Of performing Quantum of Solace‘s stunts, Craig admits, “I think I cracked most of my demons last time. We’re doing things that you won’t have seen from Bond before. We’re always going to be pushing the envelope. Special effects are going to play a part in this movie, but they are going to be as they were before – about the plot. We’re not re-creating cities here, we’re going to locations. I’m pushing myself as hard as I can. But I’m not going to admit to you if I’m nervous or not!”

“We take [violence] very seriously, but it’s James Bond – they are violent films about violent people. That’s what the stories are about.” – Daniel Craig

The actor also addressed the issue of violence in the 007 films. “With the violence in the last movie it was very important that we showed the consequences of it. We took it on very responsibly – glamourising violence is wrong, and we’re taking that onto this movie. Look at From Russia With Love though – it’s no more violent than that. We take it very seriously, but it’s James Bond – they are violent films about violent people. That’s what the stories are about.”

Craig was also asked the million-dollar question: how long does he plan on staying in the role. Enticingly, the actor simply replied, “As long as they are working, I’ll keep on making them.”

Head on over to IGN for much more from the actor, including his feelings on the success of Casino Royale, working with Gemma Arterton and Craig’s thoughts on a return of those swimming trunks.

Quantum of Solace will shoot in Panama, Peru, Chile, Italy, Austria and London over the next six months, before hitting cinemas from 7 November 2008.

Keep watching CommanderBond.net for the most up-to-date Quantum of Solace coverage on the web.

'For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond' Cover Artwork

As reported on CommanderBond.net last year, a new book entitled For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond by Ben Macintyre has been planned for release this upcoming April and also acts to accompany the Ian Fleming centenary exhibition which goes under the same name.

The cover artwork for For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond has now been revealed and can be viewed online at amazon.co.uk. The book, published by Bloomsbury Publishing, is set to be released on 7 April (retailing for £20.00) in the UK and 29 April ($34.95) in the US. The full blurb:

Published to coincide with the 2008 Imperial War Museum exhibition of the same name, this is a thrilling stand-alone book that looks into the entwined worlds of James Bond and Ian Fleming. The book and exhibition will explore how Fleming’s 007 emerged against the background of the Second World War and the Cold War, and how Bond’s world was based on the realities (and fantasies) of Fleming’s life as a wartime spy-master and peacetime bon viveur. They will show how the film version of Bond evolved for a later age, and answer a question that has obsessed generations of Bond fans over the years: where does the world of Ian Fleming end, and that of James Bond begin? Stylishly illustrated, this book will incorporate a treasure-trove of gadgets, costumes, props, and storyboards from the films – Daniel Craig’s blood-stained shirt from Casino Royale, the Aston Martin DB5, complete with weaponry – as well as memorabilia from Fleming’s personal archive: his smoking jacket, the manuscript for Casino Royale, his golden typewriter, his guns, and much more. Alongside this array of extraordinary visuals, Ben Macintyre tells the story of how Fleming created the most popular legend of all time.

• Order the UK hardback edition of For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond from Amazon.co.uk
• Order the US hardback edition of For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond from Amazon.com

Click here for CBn’s full coverage of the Fleming exhibition, which is set to run from 25 April 2008 through 1 March 2009 at the Imperial War Museum in London.

Stay tuned to CBn for further details on Ben Macintyre’s For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond and complete coverage of the Ian Fleming centenary events.

Quantum of Confusion

Since yesterday’s announcement of the new title of the film that was formerly and temporarily called Bond 22, the educated press have been running to their dictionaries to find the meaning of ‘Quantum of Solace’. They have decreed confusion, ran to physisists, and simply pegged it as possibly the worst Bond title ever. It is also interesting that the media has even proclaimed that the title ‘has left many 007 fans baffled and confused’. We, as fans ourselves, are wondering who these baffled fans are. Yes, there are at least two, so far, of the first 231 who have voted in our forum poll that have said they do not understand. And yes, some Bond fans at CommanderBond.net do not like the title (about 6% according to our poll at last check) and some think and hope the title will grow on them (15%-ish). A solid three-quarters admit to liking the title. Judging by their comments that may be a better showing than Tomorrow Never Dies.

So how can the press immediately declare the title unsuitable for Bond? It is simple; they just don’t get it. No, not the definition of Quantum of Solace—they have looked that up by now—but the meaning of Quantum of Solace. They ask themselves, How can this be a Bond title when it doesn’t include the sex, death, or greed included in most all of the other Bond films’ titles? Well, before I spell it out for them let us look at others’ explanations.

Here is Daniel Craig explaining the title:

We could have gone for a snappier title, but that sort of suggests we’re insecure about what we’re trying to say. The statement is an Ian Fleming statement. It comes from the idea that in a relationship, if you don’t have a quantum of solace left in your relationship, then give up. Where Bond is left at the end of the last movie his heart’s been broken and he doesn’t have that quantum of solace, he doesn’t have that … closure on what happened in his life and he needs to find out. What is great about it is it also applies to something very important in the plot.

Just a Minute With: Daniel Craig &ndash Yahoo News

Since Mr Craig was good enough to bring up Mr Fleming, so shall we with a snippet of the original story.

The Governor paused and looked reflectively over at Bond. He said: “You’re not married, but I think it’s the same with all relationships between a man and a woman. They can survive anything so long as some kind of basic humanity exists between the two people. When all kindness has gone, when one person obviously and sincerely doesn’t care if the other is alive or dead, then it’s just no good. That particular insult to the ego—worse, to the instinct of self-preservation—can never be forgiven. I’ve noticed this in hundreds of marriages. I’ve seen flagrant infidelities patched up, I’ve seen crimes and even murder forgiven by the other party, let alone bankruptcy and every other form of social crime. Incurable disease, blindness, disaster—all these can be overcome. But never the death of common humanity in one of the partners. I’ve thought about this and I’ve invented a rather high-sounding title for this basic factor in human relations. I have called it the Law of the Quantum of Solace.”

“Quantum of Solace” – Ian Fleming

You see, our journalistic friends, the vast majority of Bond fans approve of this title because they not only understand the definition of Quantum of Solace, they understand the heart of it. There is no sex, death, and greed in this title, but that was the pre-Casino Royale Bond. There is love, grief, mystery, intrigue, introspection, and poetry within these three words Mr Fleming put together nearing on a half century ago. Bond fans know these are elements of this Bond that the team of Broccoli and Wilson finally have brought back in to sync his literary namesake. You see with this re-thought James Bond character it is not necessary to understand title going in—just as you weren’t expected to understand Silence of the Lambs—the understanding should be on the way out of the theatre.

Now if you in the press will be will be so kind to not use the phrase ‘007 fans’ as a replacement for ‘a very small amount of 007 fans’ (We haven’t forgotten two years ago), we might just stop using the phrase ’the press‘ in a similar fashion.

More 'Quantum Of Solace' Plot Details Emerge

In a well researched article,
BBC reveals more plot details from the latest James Bond film, Quantum of Solace.

While already revealed in some early footage that Bond has a fight outside an
art gallery in Siena, Italy, the report adds that also a “cavernous interior” of this gallery has been built in Pinewood Studios. “Several statues—some eight metres tall—stand around the gallery set, wrapped in clear plastic—presumably to protect them from the pyrotechnics.”

Producer Michael G. Wilson also revealed that the film will begin in Italy—with a big car chase in the streets of Siena. Presumably, the chase will pass
into a foot chase that partly has already been shot in Italy in August 2007.
Part of the chase could also be a complex of tunnels—the Siena cisterns—which “are so realistic that you feel genuinely deep underground when walking through them.”

Another Siena-based set is a subterranean MI6 safe-house with a deep-water
well. “It’s more like a crypt out of a Harry Potter film, with massive stone columns and huge wooden beams.” Certainly, one of the Ken Adam-like sets that producers spoke about yesterday.

Wilson also mentioned an ambitious free-fall sequence involving
motion-control cameras.

Reporters were also able to get a glimpse of scenes that were filmed in M’s
Office—“a massive two-storey interior with ultra-modern décor, marble floors and frosted glass doors.” When M wants privacy, she can touch a button and the glass wall that separates their offices frosts over. The report comments, “Not
as impressive as an invisible car—nor as ridiculous.”

CommanderBond.net will keep you updated with all the latest news and details on Quantum of Solace.

Rory Kinnear To Play Bill Tanner

As the BBC revealed today, British actor Rory Kinnear has been casted to play
Bond’s ally Bill Tanner in Quantum of Solace. Bill Tanner is an original
character created by Ian Fleming and already featured in four previous James
Bond Films.

In 1974’s The Man With The Golden Gun, Tanner was portayed by Michael
Goodliffe, in 1981’s For Your Eyes Only by James Villiers and in GoldenEye
(1995) and The World Is Not Enough (1999) by Michael Kitchen.

The BBC reports that the crew was "shooting close-ups of M as she speaks to
her assistant Tanner" while reporters visited the set yesterday.

CommanderBond.net will keep you updated with all the latest news and details
on Quantum of Solace.

'Quantum of Solace' Website Goes Live

To cap off a massive day for James Bond fans, the official Quantum of Solace website has launched.

The website currently features a pair of news releases, the official synopsis for the film, and biographies for the cast and crew working on the movie. Fans can also lay eyes on the Quantum of Solace logo.

Expect the website to gain more content as Quantum of Solace shoots around the world.

Click here to view the official website.

Keep watching CommanderBond.net for all the latest developments on Quantum of Solace, the 22nd James Bond film from Eon Productions.

Video: The 'Quantum of Solace' B-Roll

CBn is happy to bring you the complete ‘B-Roll’ footage for Quantum of Solace. While much of this video can be seen in the various news coverage of the film’s press conference. We wanted to make sure our readers could catch every second of the footage.

QuickTime is required to view the footage.