Since yesterday YouTube offers first samples of the James Bond audiobooks that are going to be released come September by AudioGo. Here is a snippet of ‘The Man With The Golden Gun’ read by Kenneth Branagh. If you follow this link you will find samples of all the audiobooks. One particular treat for fans may be ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ read by Rosamund Pike.
Thanks to Martin Eccles for the alert.
This web documentary focuses on the creation of the iconic world inhabited by James Bond over the last 50 years. We spend time with award winning set designer, Sir Ken Adam; as well as Aston Martin’s Head of Design; along with the designers and the makers of the legendary Golden Gun.
This new web documentary details the evolution of James Bond’s personal style, meeting award winning costume designer, Lindy Hemming; and a handful of bespoke tailors who have been instrumental in shaping and crafting this icon of style over 50 years.
Today BBC announced Dame Diana Rigg – the only woman who can claim to have been legally married to James Bond in her role as Tracy Di Vicenzo in ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ -is to star in an episode of next year’s ‘Doctor Who’, together with her daughter Rachael Stirling. The script for the adventure was penned by Mark Gatiss, a major creative force behind numerous television productions, amongst which ‘Sherlock’ and ‘Doctor Who’ are just two. It will be the first time mother and daughter appear together in a production.
Read the BBC story here
Daniel Kleinman, who worked on the main title sequences for all four Pierce Brosnan Bond movies, and ‘Casino Royale’, will helm the opening title sequence for ‘Skyfall’, it has been confirmed. ‘Skyfall’ will be Kleinmans first Bond movie in 6 years, as MK-12 handled the main title sequence for 2008’s ‘Quantum of Solace’.
It was reported that work on the opening titles for ‘Skyfall’ began in May, when British model Charlotte Edwards tweeted that her and a fellow model would be working on the title sequence. As promising as this sounds, it looks like fans might be in for a more traditional sequence this time round, as the Bond series is famous for including silhouetted girls in the opening titles.
Are you happy with the return of Kleinman? You can discuss this news here.
Along with the announcement of ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ as being the second level of Activision’s ‘007 Legends’ game, the video games publisher also revealed first screenshots of the mission.
It’s obvious Activision’s people are trying hard to incorporate the spirit of ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ into their concept, and with some success. How the actual game will use this classic Bond film remains to be seen, but this announcement definitely made fans eager to get their hands on the actual article.
You can discuss this news in this thread
Activision just informs us mission two of the upcoming game ‘007 Legends’ is going to be ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE REVEALED AS
NEXT MOVIE-INSPIRED MISSION IN 007™ LEGENDS VIDEO GAME
Santa Monica, CA – June 29, 2012- The second of six Bond movie-inspired missions to be featured in this year’s upcoming 007™ Legends video game has been revealed as On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. A first-of-its-kind Bond video game, 007 Legends features an original, overarching storyline tying together five classic Bond movie-inspired missions plus a sixth mission based on this year’s highly-anticipated movie – SKYFALL – which will be available post launch as free downloadable content, to offer the most diverse Bond gaming experience yet! Planned to launch on October 16, 2012, from Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard Inc., (Nasdaq: ATVI) 007 Legends equips players with state-of-the-art spy gadgets, an arsenal of weapons and sleek vehicles as they jet off to exotic locations and utilize Bond’s quick wits, class and style to take down notorious villains and their brutal henchmen while performing impressive stunts.True love is hard to find but James Bond has finally found his equal in the beautiful Tracy di Vicenzo, the daughter of European crime syndicate head Marc-Ange Draco – Bond’s key contact for tracking down criminal mastermind Ernst Stavro Blofeld. After wooing Tracy and their ensuing whirlwind romance, they jet set off to the Swiss Alps as Bond pursues Blofeld. It’s here, in a picturesque Alpine setting, that gamers encounter an avalanche of action. Blofeld is aware of Bond’s undercover ruse and kidnaps Tracy, luring Bond into a rescue mission involving a fast-paced downhill ski chase and a confrontation in a high-flying cable car, which also uncovers Blofeld’s master plan to release a deadly virus in five of the world’s largest cities. With the help of Tracy’s father, players must infiltrate Blofeld’s private research facility in the Swiss Alps, thwart the release of the virus and save Tracy before it’s too late.
continue reading…
Today John Cox’s website The Book Bond, dedicated to the latest news in James Bond’s literary world, revealed an interesting development. Vintage Books, the current holder of a ten year licence to publish Ian Fleming’s Bond novels, intends to publish the fourteen books with two entirely different cover artworks, the classic series (see their covers here), and what Vintage call their contemporary James Bond series. The first seven of these can be seen at The Book Bond’s story here.
While the classic series adopts a distinctively minimalistic, yet ingenious approach – minus the author’s name! – the contemporary series features a much more conventional photographic artwork that nonetheless wasn’t seen in this manner on Bond covers before. The theme is a man’s silhouette alone in the middle distance, put into the various settings of the respective novels, all done in b/w, with the title in gold. The most intriguing detail is the claim ‘There is only one Bond’ on each cover.
You can discuss this news here
Read the Book Bond story here
Thanks to John Cox for the alert.
Today Mobile Magazine’s website reports the cross-company marketing of Sony Mobile’s new smartphone – as yet unnamed – that is to feature prominently in Sony Pictures’ new Bond film ‘Skyfall’. According to this, exclusive promotional links and trailers for the film are an important feature of the marketing strategy for the new device.
Mobile Magazine’s article can be found here
You can discuss this news in this thread
Thanks to CBn forum member Luigi Ferrari for the alert.
An article on Variety’s page, posted last Monday, hints at a possible early setting of course for future Bond films.
Here is the snippet:
Kevin Marks
Partner
Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown
UC Berkeley, 1982
In representing the Broccoli family, which co-owns the James Bond movie franchise with MGM, Marks has been kept busy working on all the above-the-line deals for the upcoming “Skyfall” and setting up writing deals for the next two Bond pics. He notes that Bond’s long track record as a major performer in international markets has enhanced the films’ value as the overseas box office boom continues. Indeed, overseas B.O. plays a major role these days in many decisions. “I’ve been involved in projects where … if this person or co-financier is attached we think it will be exhibited in China,” he says. Other deals include setting up David O. Russell’s follow-up to “The Fighter,” “Silver Linings Playbook”; writer-helmer Richard Curtis on three projects set to go into production; and producer Stacey Sher’s deal on Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained.”
The entire article can be found here
Note that it doesn’t concern itself exclusively with Bond films. Note also said piece doesn’t actually mention writers’ names or whether they have already started work. Nonetheless such a move would tally with intentions to get Bond to theatres more frequently than was the case recently. Speculation has it this could also indicate more of a long-term strategy in EON’s series.
You can discuss this news in this thread
Thanks to CBn forum members thecasinoroyale and Shrublands for pointing to this.
SpyVibe’s ‘For Your Shelf Only’ series of collector interviews continues.
In its second instalment Jason Whiton talks to a member of a most exclusive club: Bond continuation author Raymond Benson. He reveals some details about his own experiences with collecting Bond memorabilia, and he talks about another interesting field of Bond-related collecting.
Read the story here
Thanks for the heads-up to Jason!