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With Pierce Brosnan publicly ending his 10 year reign
as 007, the casting call has gone out to find the
sixth James Bond. Cindy Macdonald reports exclusively
for MI6 on the current status of the film...
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James Bond 21 - November Report
8th November 2004
Every month I will be updating MI6 readers on the latest status
of the 21st James Bond film with inside stories from the production
and sifting the real news from the many rumours, including a recap
on the top stories of the month. You can contact me through the
MI6
Ask The Experts page or post your comments in the "Keeping
The British End Up" discussion forums.
Casting Call
With Pierce Brosnan stating - categorically
(1) (2)
(3)
- on the record that he will never return to the role of James
Bond again, even if the reasons are still unclear, the quest
to cast the sixth 007 is now on. Despite the media's insistence
that the next Bond will come from the ranks of Hollywood's A-list,
Bond producers have historically favoured lesser known actors
when screentesting.
Three new names have entered the running this week, and for
a change, they're all British.
Geraint Owen
Swansea, Wales
38 years old
"Pobol y Cwm" (TV)
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Luke Mably
London, England
28 years old
"The Prince And Me" (2004)
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Matthew Goode
Exeter, England
28 years old
"Chasing Liberty" (2004)
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The Daily Mail (UK) this week named Matthew Goode and Luke
Mably as being in the running for the coveted role. Their well
placed "executive with knowledge of the production"
told the paper, "The idea is that the new Bond films shouldn't
be so silly and tongue-in-cheek. They'll still be spectacular,
with enormous budgets, but there won't' be that thing about:
`Oh, look, let's get to the next waterfall`. Also, you can't
joke any more about mad people trying to take over the world,
they already have".
PROGRESS REPORT - NOV 04
Pierce Brosnan confirmed he will not be returning
as 007 (1)
(2)
(3)
MGM announced the original release date of November
18th 2005 has been canned. Expect Bond 21 to hit
screens "sometime in 2006" (more)
John Cleese said he looks forward to returning,
but was unsure if Q had a role in the first draft
script (more)
Judi Dench expects to return as M for filming,
"maybe in late 2005" (more)
Matthew Vaughn said he was in talks to direct Bond
21 (more)
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Another lesser-known name broke this week
when Geraint Owen spoke to icWales about his experience
so far with the producers and the process of screentesting
for the James Bond role, "I got a call from my agent
who said I'd better get to Tunbridge Wells and he told me
it was the first audition for the part of James Bond. It
was one hell of a drive and I didn't really have to do any
lines when I got there. All they asked me to say was my
name, my address and who my agent was. But I did it a bit
differently because when it came for me to say my agent's
name I said it was James Bond, the best-known agent there
is."
At the second audition, producers and executives came in
to `have a look` before he read from an old Bond script.
He obviously impressed them as he is on the shortlist for
the screen test.
"I'm just waiting to hear where it will be, but wherever
it is, I'm going to do Bond in my own Welsh accent. It would
be nice to hear him with one. To be now up to the fifth
audition for Bond is a bit bizarre. It will certainly turn
my life upside down if I get the part".
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Recent Rumours
A selection of recent rumours (mostly from the tabloid press)
regarding Bond 21:
Colin
Farrell (Denial), Geoffrey
Moore (Bond #6), Julian
McMahon (Bond #6), Ewan
McGregor (Bond #6), James
Purefoy (Bond #6), P
Diddy (Bond #6), November
17th 2006 (Release Date), Hugh
Jackman (Bond #6), John
Cleese (Q), Dominic
West (Bond #6), Bond
#6 Odds (Betting), Sir
Roger Moore (Villain), Dame
Judi Dench (M), Sarah
Michelle Gellar (Bond #6), Dougray
Scott (Denial), Robbie
Williams (Denial), Timothy
Dalton (Commentary), Lack
of Director (Statement), Matthew
Vaughn (Director), Officially
Delayed (Release Date), MGM
to Co-Producer (Production), MGM
& Sony Finalise Deal (Production), Japanese
Islands (Location),
Bond
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