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Trade papers have linked Ralph Fiennes to a role
in Bond 23, with filming scheduled to start this
December...
[Updated 27th March 2011]: Dame
Judi Dench reveals filming to start this November... |
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Bond 23 - March Report
26th March 2011
According to trade paper Variety,
English actor Ralph Fiennes will be joining the cast of the 23rd
James Bond film. The news came tacked on to the end of an
announcement that Fiennes will play Prospero in "The Tempest" at
the Theater Royal Haymarket in London's West End from August
27th.
He is reportedly scheduled to start filming on Bond 23 in December
and his other movie commitments are considered to be 'light'
given his theater work. Fiennes was first
linked to Bond 23 last
month, but Fiennes has been routinely connected to whatever the
latest
007 movie is, and has often topped polls for 'the next James
Bond actor' in years past.
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Fiennes' other 2011 productions include "Page
Eight" (currently filming) and "Coronet" (pre-production)
- which was scripted by Bond 23 scribe John Logan. He will
be next seen in "Coriolanus" and "Harry
Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2".
Fiennes has
faced off against a James Bond actor before, in his role
as John Steed in 1997's "The Avengers" against
Sean Connery's villain Sir August De Wynter. In a recent
official statement, MGM confirmed
that shooting on Bond 23 would start in 'late 2011' for release
on November 9th. 2012. This timeline is congruent with recent
007 productions.
Due to the long delay caused by MGM's financial restructuring,
this will be longest gap between Bond film releases whilst maintaining
the same leading actor in the title role. It will be Daniel Craig's
third adventure as James Bond. |
Casting rumours on the 'Bond
Girl' front are to be expected
in the coming months from the tabloid press, even though EON
does not typically cast 007's female foils until a short time
before cameras role. In recent outings, the main Bond Girl has
actually been signed after filming has gotten underway.
[Updated 27th March 2011]:
Today, Dame Judi Dench has revealed that shooting is planned
to start
even earlier. Dame Judi revealed the start date for filming during
a visit last week to Hever Castle in Kent. She said: “I
am going to do the next Bond in November. I don’t know
the location yet but hopefully it will be somewhere nice. I can’t
tell you much more but I do enjoy playing
M as she is such a strong character. I like being bossy and my
grandson thinks its cool that I’m in Bond.”
Briefing
The 23rd James Bond
film, "Skyfall", commenced principal studio photography on 7th November
2011 for a UK
release on October 26th, 2012 and the USA on November
9, 2012. MGM will produce, finance and distribute 007's
23rd adventure in
partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Daniel Craig will
be returning as the legendary British secret agent, alongside Judi
Dench as "M", with Sam Mendes directing a screenplay written by Neal
Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan. The cast will also include Bérénice Marlohe,
Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney and Ben Wishaw.
The film will shoot at Pinewood Studios and on location in London, England;
Scotland; Shanghai, China and Istanbul, Turkey.
It will be the longest gap between Bond movies without
a change in the lead role. In addition, 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of
the EON Productions series of James
Bond films.
