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Daniel Craig discusses making his second 007 outing
"Quantum of Solace" - I know we have something really
special...
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A Special Bond For Daniel Craig
15th November 2008
Daniel Craig returns to the role of James
Bond 007 after the smash hit success of "Casino
Royale" which
saw his debut in the role in 2006. “It’s like
I’ve never been away, I was involved for a little
longer this time and was working on "Quantum
of Solace" for
about three months before we started shooting. A Bond film
is a big piece of machinery, to get it going takes a lot
of momentum and a lot of pushing. We kicked off straight
away after Christmas and everything started falling into
place.”
Following the record breaking success of "Casino
Royale", Craig is not under estimating the task ahead. “I
don’t feel it is easier on this one, it feels harder.
We have got expectation on us now which can be double edged,
we have got to make this one better. People always talked
about the fact that "Casino Royale" was a departure
for Bond and this has to be a departure again. Having Marc
Forster involved, who is very much a visual story teller,
and getting Dan Bradley to come in and direct the second
unit, who shoots stunts brilliantly and gets as much out
of the action as possible, combining those two has been
the name of the game; it’s getting the best talent
we can to create the best Bond movie we can possibly make."
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"Everyone is very psyched about it and very
excited about the prospect of creating something different. We
are taking
the story on from the last film but we are exploring different
things. Marc (Forster) has a very different way of looking
at the movie and I’m personally very excited by that.”
"Quantum of Solace" represents the
first direct sequel in the James Bond film series, Craig explains; “We
felt we needed to tie up the loose ends from "Casino Royale" and
make sure people realize we are back making Bond movies. For
me it’s about creating something that is going to stand
alone but if you put the two films together, you’re going
to have an incredible experience because you will see one continuous
story. ”
Craig elaborates on his working relationship
with Marc Forster. “Marc and I hit it off as soon as we
met each other. I never doubted that, if we stuck together and
pulled each others ideas and emotion on this, we would make a
good film. That is really the bottom line, both of us keep talking
about it and we are on the same wave length. Marc is obviously
under a huge amount of pressure; the expectation, budget issues,
locations issues, weather changes and the list goes on but we
have to keep moving and we have to take this movie somewhere
new and make this movie individual from the last. Not because
we want to change anything but because it’s important to
keep things alive and awake. Marc has been very strong about
that and I’m incredibly happy with how he has thrown himself
in to it.”
"Quantum of Solace" promises twice as many stunts
and Craig welcomes the opportunity to train for these with a
view to doing as many of his own stunts as the production will
allow. “We have hit the ground running. There are so many
variables on a movie like this. In a way, it is still new to
me but you have got to cover yourself and try to get as much
rehearsal and stunt training time as possible. The sets are complicated
and often dangerous so we have got to be on the ball all the
time and, hopefully, it will all add to the finished product.”
"Quantum of Solace" was filmed in more countries than
any other film in the franchise, Craig explains why; “I
think the remit for the Bond movie is that we have to be taken
somewhere. It is important that we see this character go places
that excite you and make you look at the world in a different
way. For me, as a kid, the Bond movies transported you to another
world. It was important that it took you to different locations
and showed you how wonderful, amazing and diverse the world is.
If that was the only reason to make this film, we have fulfilled
it.”
Daniel Craig was part of the casting process and remembers trying
to find the right actress to play Camille; “Finding beautiful
girls who can act can be tricky but we narrowed it down and Olga just nailed the audition, she was fantastic. She is a really
good actress, plus she is beautiful, so it just fitted. She has
this fantastic icy detachment about her, which is really essential
for this part because both she and Bond are on this journey of
revenge. They become reluctant partners and that makes for a
very interesting relationship, especially because we are taking
the story straight on from "Casino Royale" where Bond
fell in love and had his heart broken. That had a very strong
knock on effect and that’s what this next movie is all
about, so meeting someone else and falling in love didn’t
make any sense whatsoever.” That said, Bond still has a
bit of fun with Agent Fields played by Gemma
Arterton. “Gemma’s
character is great and she plays it to the hilt. She’s
an agent who seems clueless at first but she is smarter than
we first think and she teams with Bond. He is hurt and damaged
so thank god for Gemma!”
French actor, Mathieu
Amalric plays Dominic Greene, the Bond
villain. “Mathieu is a tremendous actor and Bond villains
have to have an intelligence about them. He is not a mad scientist
or some crazed egg head trying to take over the world through
science. He is just an aggressive man with high intellect who
is using his talent to manipulate people and grab as much of
the world’s landmass as he possibly can in his lifetime,
he doesn’t care who he hurts, no one will get in his way.
Mathieu has just nailed it, he’s understood the part completely
and he is going for it - that’s what you want in
a Bond bad guy.”
Despite the hard work, or maybe because of it, Craig is enthused. “I’m
incredibly excited about what we have done, I’m amazed how much we have
crammed in. We have been to so many locations, the film looks stunning and I
think we have got something really special, in fact, I know we have something
really special.”
Thanks to Sony Pictures Releasing UK.