Aishwarya's Agent Denies Bond Rumours

Aishwarya Rai’s agent has denied rumours that the Bollywood actress is connected with Bond 21.

Rumours of Rai’s involvement with the 21st James Bond film first surfaced in April 2003, and it has seemed that most of them have been self-propelled with Rai revealing in interviews her supposed casting.

However, her Los Angeles based agent has reportedly denied such casting. “The entire James Bond situation is nothing more than a rumour. Ash is not the next Bond girl,” he commented, “Ash did not meet Pierce Brosnan at a Hollywood party, and no casting director has contacted us with any offer. No matter how many times the press insists that she is starring in Bond, we must continually correct the statement and confirm the fact.”

With a little over a year till Bond 21 starts lensing and a tenative release date of late 2005, casting rumours are overly premature at this stage.

To discuss the news, visit this thread of the Bond 21 Forums. Thanks to ‘ranjitkk’ for the tip-off

Aishwarya Rai Rumours Start Again

In April 2003 CommanderBond.net reported the first time that Indian actress Ashwarya Rai was going to play a Bond girl in Bond 21. The rumours were denied by both EON and Ashwarya Rai’s agent some weeks later.

In today’s "Times of India" and several other Indian news sources the rumour mill is opened again:

Aishwarya Rai has agreed to appear in the next James Bond film if its producers agree to use a body double for the sex scenes with Pierce Brosnan, who plays secret agent 007.

The British media has been speculating about Rai playing a role in the next Bond outing since early last year.

These rumours seem very likely to be untrue, as the "Pierce Brosnan stumbled into me" story has been used by several wannabe Bond girls in the past. We shouldn’t also forget the denial of EON Productions last year.

However, feel free to discuss the story in this thread in CBn’s Bond 21 forums!

Source: newindpress.com

AMC Network to Air Bond Marathon

The American cable network, American Movie Classics (AMC), will air a James Bond Marathon beginning on January 7th, and ending on January 14, 2004.

The marathon, which features only the 007 films of Sean Connery and Roger Moore, is also sponsoring a contest for viewers to win a trip to London.

To find out more information about the marathon and the contest click here.

To discuss the marathon click here.

The New CBn Forums are now online.

After months of preparations the new improved CBn forums are now online. Visit the new forums at debrief.commanderbond.net.

OP, CR & AVTAK On Oz TV

The first week of 2004 will end with James Bond taking the Sunday night movie timeslot, with Network Ten airing Roger Moore’s Octopussy.

The 1983 James Bond film will air on January 5 at 8:30pm on Ten.

Also look out for 1967’s spoof Bond film, Casino Royale, the following night. Ten will again be airing the 007 film, though at the much later timeslot of 11:30pm.

This will be followed up with Ten screening Moore’s last Bond outing, A View To A Kill, on the Tuesday night. The successive airing of Bond films promises another for the Wednesday, though details are yet to be revealed.

Titan to Release Classic James Bond Comic Strips in 2004

Updated May 13, 2004

While 2003 saw the re-release of the classic Bond novels by Ian Fleming, 2004 will see the return of yet another milestone in the life of the literary James Bond when Titan Books releases the collected Daily Express comic strip adaptations of The Man With The Golden Gun (March 2004), Octopussy (May 2004), and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (September 2004).

The strips were adapted by James Lawrence and illustrated by Yaroslav Horak and John McLusky. These new editions will feature an introduction by Ian Fleming’s niece, Lucy Fleming, and will mark the first time OHMSS has been collected in English. Octopussy and The Man with the Golden Gun were previously released by Titan books in the late 1980’s.

Concept covers

These books are available for pre-order at both Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Bond Girl Luciana Paluzzi to appear at LA Con, Jan 17 & 18

Luciana Paluzzi , the lovely and lethal Fiona Volpe from THUNDERBALL, will be appearing at the next HOLLYWOOD COLLECTORS & CELEBRITIES SHOW on Sat. Jan. 17th and Sun. 18th 2004. She’ll be signing her own pictures and whatever else you bring along (for a small fee). This show is held four times annually at the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn near Universal Studios in North Hollywood, California. Admission is $15 daily, or you can buy a special 2-day admission for $25. Guests of the hotel get into the show free. Past Bond stars who have appeared at the show include George Lazenby, Maud Adams, Richard Kiel, David Hedison, Tayna Roberts, Lana Wood, Caroline Munro, and Trina Parks.

You can get more info on the show here: hollywoodcollectorshow.com.

Sugababes Tipped For Bond 21

UK music chart show, ‘CD:UK‘ this morning revealed that British Girl Group, ‘SUGABABES‘ have been approached to produce the theme tune for Bond 21.

Although the news comes from a reputable source, the idea of a group being approached almost 2 years before the potential track will be released it seems fair to assume this should be taken with a pinch of salt, however not ruled out.

Brosnan Fans Treated Twice

British television will screen two Brosnan films this Christmas day, adding to the usuals; the Queens speech, and Only Fools And Horses.

Viewers of ITV-1 will be treated to the 1997 Bond flick, Tomorrow Never Dies, in which Brosnan co-stars with Michelle Yeoh, and Jonathan Pryce. ITV-1 will air the film at 15:10.

Later in the evening the glossy remake of of Sixties favourite, The Thomas Crown Affair, will be broadcast on BBC 1. Art thief, Pierce Brosnan, and an insurance investigator (Rene Russo), play a high-stakes game of cat and mouse in the 1999 romantic thriller to be shown at 23:20.

A New Owner For James Bond?

Hollywood observers are tracking reported early merger talks between Warner Bros Pictures owner Time Warner and MGM. A source told the Reuters news agency talks were "at very early stages".

A resulting deal would combine the world’s largest media company and its film production and worldwide distribution divisions with MGM’s enviable film library.

Various factors militate against the likelihood of a merger, not least Time Warner’s need to cut its debt rather than increase it to finance a major new acquisition.

Early last year MGM put itself up for sale for $7bn but later withdrew the offer when the asking price was considered too high.

The Hollywood rumour mill has long speculated about a take-over at MGM, which is the lowest grossing major studio in Tinseltown. Its jewels in the crown are the library of more than 4,000 films and the highly profitable James Bond franchise.

Source: The Guardian

Be sure to discuss the subject in this thread of the CBn forums!