2012 is the 50th anniversary of the Bond film series, so there’s going to be a lot going on I’m sure.  One thing they did was turn 007.com into the Skyfall website.  There is a short video (posted below) to welcome you that shows off some credit sequence making for the film.

Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

Skyfall is shooting now with director Sam Mendes and the cast of Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Judi Dench, Albert Finney, Berenice Malohe and Naomie Harris.  The 23rd Bond film will be released on November 9th.  Until then stay on the official facebook page and 007.com for more.

Well for those who have seen some of my posts around the City of Films, I am a huge James Bond fan. And of course I wanted to quickly share the news that Bond 23 has a title. And what is that title? Skyfall.

My initial thought was that this doesn’t sound like a typical Bond title. But if you dig back far enough you will find single word titles of such great films as: Goldfinger, Thunderball, etc. I have a feeling it will grow on me.

Either way, I am excited this project is moving forward. Daniel Craig and Judi Dench will reprise their roles from the previous 2 films. Sam Mendes will be directing, and the addition of Javier Bardem as the villain will be a most excellent casting choice.

Skyfall hits theaters November 9, 2012.

UPDATE:  Sony Pictures held a press conference today and announced many details on the 23rd James Bond film, which we now know is titled SKYFALL.  Here are some other details via Deadline.

• In regards to the title, Barbara Broccoli says, “It has emotional context which will be revealed in the film.”
• The official James Bond twitter, @007, tweeted the logline: “Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.”
• The film also stars Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney, and Ben Whishaw.
• Shooting on Skyfall began today.
• Berenice Marlohe is the new Bond girl.

It would arrive one month before The Hobbit, the studio will be seeking a partner to fund the film and if all goes according to plan, future installments will arrive every two years.

That sounds pretty swell on paper, but most actors and creative people in Hollywood move on from a project once pronounced dead.  Sam Mendes who was once attached to direct might have a full schedule to keep him away, and more importantly, Daniel Craig is a busy man more and more each year it seems – he signed up for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo—and its two sequels—along with The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn and the thriller Dream House.  So we wait.
DYK: Bond films did arrive every two years up until the 90′s when longer gaps appeared with the longest one marked by the six-year distance between 1989′s License To Kill and 1995’s Goldeneye.

“Due to the continuing uncertainty surrounding the future of MGM and the failure to close a sale of the studio, we have suspended development on ‘Bond 23′ indefinitely. We do not know when development will resume and do not have a date for the release of Bond 23.”

Now who knows what we’ll end up with and when we’ll end up with it?  What happens with the cast and crew that now have to move on to other work?  This does not mean that the Bond franchise is dead. But without a money backer, nothing further will happen.  Well, now they have time to check out The District Attorney’s wish list for a proper Bond flick.

Freida Pinto & Oliva Wilde, am I right?

MGM is in the middle of prepping BOND 23, which is being directed by Sam Mendes. Daniel Craig will reprise his role as James Bond and according to Yahoo UK MGM may have found their new Bond girls, Oliva Wilde (House M.D.) and Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire).

Pinto has apparently signed on to the film to play Bond’s new love interest, and Tron Legacy’s Oviva Wilde has been approached to play a double-crossing UN worker in the film, which will be based in Afghanistan.

An inside source had this to say about Sam Mendes and his James Bond film: Sam has been talking about Bond for months now and is so excited about it. The project has been in the pipeline for months and Freida was always the dream Bond girl, but initially she was nervous about accepting it. This is going to be the most ambitious 007 yet. Sam plans to reinvent the genre. Peter Morgan, who wrote ‘The Queen’, has penned the first draft of the script and it promises to be visually stunning.

I thought the last couple films have been a reinvention of the Bond franchise with the last one trying to put some ‘Bourne’ into the mix if you ask me.  So what will they do this time?  My guess?  Vampires.  Always with the Vampires these Hollywood types.

So the hype is gearing up again; the rumors are swirling, the buzz is building, and the martinis are being shaken. As if there was any doubt; James Bond’s return to the silver screen is quickly approaching. It seems like just yesterday that an underwhelming Quantum of Solace was debuting nationwide. But fear not, whether it is as a ‘special advisor’, or in a directorial capacity, Sam Mendes has been tabbed to helm the next 007 adventure. With such films as American Beauty, Road to Perdition, and Jarhead under his belt, fans are craving a return to Casino Royale form. With that, let’s take a gander at the District Attorney’s latest case: The City V. 007. In this case we will examine 3 areas in which Mendes can improve upon to breathe life back into this franchise.

Have some more sloppy Bond movies. I made 'em extra sloppy for yous. I know how yous kids like 'em sloppy.

1. Lose the Continuous Storyline

What was wrong with the one off adventures? With the success of Casino Royale it seems like everyone just got lazy. Why create a new adventure when you can rehash the old one right? UH UH. Don’t get me wrong, Bond and Jaws in space was wretched, but common, there’s got to be something better than a solar powered house exploding for 30 minutes. The fact that the plot is determined based upon the outcome of Casino Royale really leaves little room to flesh out the story. Instead of becoming a Bond movie, it felt more like a Hollywood action flick, and quite sloppy.

2. Bond is a chauvinistic, sexist spy who makes puns in poor taste.. make him act like it.

Okay so the title kind of sums up what I am about to rant about. I am as progressive and ‘with it’ as the next guy. I consider women equals in all aspects of life. Now that I have that out of the way let me say this, I miss Bond’s general malaise for the opposite sex. Whether it’s slapping a woman’s backside and simply saying ‘man talk’, or informing a fem that he wants to ‘get something off her chest’; the sexism and the bad puns are what shaped the Bond character in the early years, this gritty character is what endeared us to the franchise. Speaking of bad puns, upon killing Odd Job, all 007 can say, with a glimmer in his eye, is ‘positively shocking’. He just killed a man, and he still had the wit to pull off one of those trademark one liners. This is the bond I grew up with.

3. Gadgets. Where are all of the flippin gadgets?

Probably the most obvious aspect missing from the Daniel Craig era of the Bond franchise, no Q! Granted they would have a hard time replacing the late great Desmond Llewelyn; but no submarine cars, no jet pack, and no ‘Little Nelly’. For many of us who weren’t born within the last 10 years, it’s hard to imagine a 007 without such toys that help him narrowly escape death time and time again. If there is one single thing that can bring a feeling of nostalgia and can connect the new films with the legacy of the franchise, it’s the gadgets.

Hopefully Bond 23 won't be a flaming bag of poop.

So there you have it. A very quick look at what can be done to breath new life into the Bond franchise. Whether or not the folks at MGM heed my warnings is yet to be seen. With all of that being said, the court is adjourned for today.

The District Attorney Will Be Back In:  The City V. The Over Use of Billy Madison Quotes

Hopefully these will hold you over until Bond 23

Click here to view the embedded video.

Meet The Real James Bond

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Casino Royale Intro Feat. You Know My Name – Chris Cornell

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We Miss The Gadgets.. But you can watch Little Nelly in action!

Ah the question mark, could this news be a rumor?  Could be.  Could it be for real by the time you have read it?  Certainly.  Is it a slow news day so CoF has to resort to asking questions aloud?  Absolutely.

News was yesterday that the next Bond movie was slow going because MGM only has stupid Tolkien movies and James bond to work with and might be sold – now today it may have a new Director in Sam Mendes (Road to Perdition which also starred Daniel Craig, American Beauty).  Mendes will helm the 23rd James Bond film says the Hollywood Reporter, he is in negotiations with the production team to direct Daniel Craig’s third outing as 007.  He is one of my favorite Directors and let it be known that Road to Perdition is a strangely underrated masterpiece.  Another favorite Revolutionary Road had him directing his wife Kate Winslet (schwing!) alongside her soul mate Jack Leonardo DiCaprio.

Don't ask, but The District Attorney has the exact same chest hair.