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Reports from the Cannes Film Festival confirm that
James Bond production of "Casino Royale" is heading
to Prague for shooting in early 2006...
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Casino Royale - May Report
17th May 2005
UPDATE
- Official shooting and release dates...
As MI6
exclusively reported back in early April, production of the
latest James Bond film Casino
Royale is heading to Prague in the Czech Republic. The film,
scheduled for release in November
17th 2006 and directed
by Martin Campbell, will not be based as 007's traditional
home of Pinewood Studios in the UK.
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Screen
Daily today confirmed from the Cannes Film Festival
that Bond Producers are in advanced talks to shift production
to Eastern Europe. A spokesperson for Prague's Barrandov
Studios confirmed to Screen Daily that the studio is well
along in talks with Eon Productions, the production outfit
behind the James Bond franchise, to come to the Czech Republic.
007 has traditionally stayed in the UK wherever possible,
even at the sake of incurring extra costs - a prospect which
has risen dramatically with the weakness of the dollar's
exchange rate with the pound. But Barrandov's marketing
head Petr Polednak confirmed that the 21st film in the series
could spend a significant slice of its budget in the Czech
Republic.
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Above: Prague's Barrandov Studios offers
studio space at a lower production cost than Pinewood in England. |
According to the report, other productions using Prague this
year include Dino De Laurentiis' Young Hannibal: Behind The Mask
and The Illusionist, starring Edward Norton. At Cannes, the Czech
Film Commission launched its first production guide for overseas
filmmakers. Pinewood, where Bond is traditionally based, declined
to comment. Eon said that no contracts had been signed with any
studio.
MI6 reported back in September 2004 that the Bond production
team made scouting trips to the Czech Republic for potential locations.
"Casino Royale" director Martin Campbell, whose debut
007 outing "GoldenEye" in 1995 was shot at an abandoned
Rolls Royce factory at Leavesdon Aerodrome because of lack of
availability at Pinewood, is set to miss out on Pinewood again.
The last Bond film to head abroad for production was Timothy Dalton's
final outing, "Licence To Kill" in 1989, which shot
in Churubusco Studios in Mexico City for tax reasons.
Early 2006 Shooting
Meanwhile, Variety
have published more details about the forthchoming production
today, claiming that "Casino Royale will begin its shoot
in early of 2006, rather than later this year".
The report continued, "An Eon spokesperson in London was
tight-lipped about the move to Barrandov, commenting only, "we
haven't confirmed any of our locations for 'Casino Royale.'"
But sources close to Variety confirm the deal is done. The lead
is still not cast."
According to Variety, Pavel Strnad chairman of Czech producer's
association APA, could not conceal his delight: "It is great for
such a high profile film to come to Prague. This makes it clear that
the Czech Republic is still great value, despite current currency
exchange problems. What is significant is not only are we
successfully competing against countries like the U.K. and Canada,
but we are successfully competing against countries in our own region
which offer cost savings but do not have the quality of services and
facilities to be found in Prague."
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After MI6 released the news of production shifting to Prague back on April
6th, a number of 007 fansites followed up some
weeks later with an air of speculation.
Although no final deals have been done, with production
starting in 2006 and pre-production starting some months
beforehand, a final confirmation of Prague production can
not be far away. Stay tuned to MI6 for the latest and most accurate coverage
of Casino
Royale
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Above: 007 production will be moving
to Prague for "Casino Royale". |
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