007: Quantum Of Solace

[MacGuffin]

Exclusive: Bond 22 Villain Confirmed
Mathieu Amalric to face off with 007
Source: Empire

There were rumours last week that Sony was zeroing in on a villain for Bond 22 and that it was likely to be Mathieu Amalric, star of the upcoming The Diving Bell And The Butterfly. We can now 100% confirm it, having spoken to Almaric earlier today.

Amalric would not be drawn on details of the character, but said that, yes, he will play the bad guy in the 22nd Bond movie. "I will, it's true. I play the villain, yes. James Bond," Amalric said. "It has to do with childhood, you know? To be a villain in James Bond is just so funny. I never dreamt about that. It's not what I want to do with my career. It's just that I have kids and it's so funny to do that. But it doesn't mean that I'm not going to do a very small French film for free with my friends."

He seems perfect Bond villain casting to us, possessing foreignness, a slightly crazed look in his eye and a lot of acting talent (watch The Diving Bell And The Butterfly to see for yourself). Eva Green has dropped hints in the past that the villain of the next film would be her boyfriend referenced in Casino Royale. Could that be who Amalric will be playing? And are we going to be getting peeks at Bond's childhood?

[Gold Trumpet]

Next Bond Entitled Simply "007"?
By Garth Franklin
Friday December 14th 2007 12:45am

Online rumours are spreading like wildfire thanks to a UK TV interview with Daniel Craig this week.

According to AICN, Craig was asked about the title to which he said "It's more of a number. Because the first movie dealt with him earning his 00 status and now he is 007 for the first time."

Asked if 007 is actually the title, he responded that he might have said too much. If true it would be a major shake-up for the franchise, and the shortest title since the first film - 1964's "Dr. No".

Also comes word today from the British tabloids that British actress Gemma Arterton has landed one of the lead Bond girl roles.

[MacGuffin]

Arterton cast as new 'Bond' girl
Source: Hollywood Reporter

British newcomer Gemma Arterton has been cast as the new Bond girl for the latest installment of the James Bond franchise, currently filming in London for Columbia Pictures and MGM, the film's production companies said.

Arterton will play "Fields" in the Marc Forster-directed movie, which has the working title of "Bond 22" and stars Daniel Craig as Agent 007.

Talk of Arterton's casting has been swirling around the blogosphere and in British tabloids since mid-December, but have remained unconfirmed by the producers. On Friday, Eon Prods. in London and Santa Monica-based Danjaq Prods., as well as Arterton's agent, ICM in London, confirmed the casting. Details of her character were not available, but a Danjaq rep said "it's a nice-sized role."

The film will take up where 2006's "Casino Royale" left off.

Arterton's credits include the recently released comedy "St. Trinian's," where she played schoolgirl Kelly, opposite Colin Firth and Rupert Everett. The movie, about the madcap adventures of a group of unruly girls at a boarding school, is an updated version of a movie franchise from the 1950s and '60s.

[MacGuffin]

Kurylenko lands lead in Bond film
Ukrainian actress the latest love of 007
By VARIETY

Ukrainian actress Olga Kurylenko has been cast as the female lead in the new 007 movie, which will start principal photography under the working title "Bond 22."

Returning from "Casino Royale" are Judi Dench as M, Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter and Giancarlo Giannini as Mathis. Newcomer to the Bond franchise, Gemma Arterton, will play MI6 Agent Fields.

Marc Forster directs Daniel Craig in his second outing starring as James Bond. MGM and Sony share distribution worldwide, with Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Releasing Intl. distributing worldwide on Nov. 7.

Producers are Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli of EON Prods., Sony Pictures Entertainment and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios.

Kurylenko recently co-starred in "Hitman" and with Elijah Wood in a segment for "Paris, Je T'Aime."

As previously announced, Mathieu Amalric stars as the villain.

[Gold Trumpet]

Bond 22 Is "Quantum Of Solace"
By Garth Franklin
Source: Dark Horizons
Thursday, January 24th 2008 8:05am

The title for the upcoming twenty-second James Bond film has just been officially announced at a press conference in London and it's a head scratcher - certainly the most confusing title of the franchise's five decade long run.

"Quantum of Solace" is its name, the same title given to a short story in Ian Fleming's 'For Your Eyes Only' collection and one of the few Fleming titles not already used by the film franchise.

The new adventure sees James Bond (Daniel Craig) out for revenge on a mission that takes him to Austria, Italy and South America. Camille (Ukrainian-born Olga Kurylenko) leads the secret agent to Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), member of a mysterious organization and a ruthless businessman, seeking to control huge natural resources.

Kurylenko confirmed she hasn't filmed any of her scenes yet, but is doing "weapons training and body flight training for aerial scenes and stunt work for fighting." She claims her character is "a fighter, this girl is going to kick ass. She's on her own mission and she's driven by revenge."

Secondary Bond girl, 21-year-old Gemma Arterton, says she has done many of her scenes including a sex scene with Bond. Her MI6 agent character is "fresh and young, not sultry and a femme fatale."

Reporters were shown a minute of footage from the new film, including Bond (Daniel Craig) swinging on a rope after an explosion at an art gallery in Siena, Italy. There's also a scene with Bond and M (Judi Dench) having a meeting in the snow.

The original short story bears no relation to the plot it seems. In the original Bond attends a dinner at Government House in the Bahamas and the local Governor regails him with a story about the tragic love affair of two people who turn out to be fellow dinner guests.

Other short stories in the same collection have been made into other films ranging from the dreary Miami Vice-esque Timothy Dalton flop "Licence to Kill" (based on The Hildebrand Rarity) to Roger Moore's most serious, low-tech, and arguably second best adventure "For Your Eyes Only".

'Only' used much of its plot from the story 'Risico' - a title mentioned in conjuction with this film before. Certainly Olga's Camille character sounds similar to the Melinda Havelock character from 'Only' who was memorably played by French actress Carole Bouquet.

[modage]

Bond 22 Is "Quantum Of Solace"

that is a horrible title.  its the Phantom Menace of titles.

[MacGuffin]

I wanna know how they're gonna make a song of that title.

[diggler]

all i could think of when i read that was "the rural juror"

[grand theft sparrow]

I wanna know how they're gonna make a song of that title.

Only Thom Yorke can make something remotely listenable out of that title.

Or they'll pull an Octopussy and name the song something else.

[modage]

and the Chris Cornell song was You Know My Name not Casino Royale. 

[Gold Trumpet]

I actually like the title. It makes thematic sense for the story after Casino Royale and is stylized, but not in a bad action movie way. It shows some sophistication. It also will likely have more bearing on the story than even Casino Royale did.

[Gold Trumpet]

Lots More Details On 007's "Solace"
By Garth Franklin
Friday, January 25th 2008 12:19am


Loads more details have come out from the press conference yesteray for the upcoming twenty-second James Bond feature entitled "Quantum of Solace".

First off the title, which is drawing a lot of derision but mostly just plain confusion in press circles. Even actor Daniel Craig admits at first he was unsure - "It's grown on me. I was unsure at first."

Craig says that it refers to his search for closure over Vesper's death and betrayal - "Ian Fleming says that if you don't have a quantum of solace in your relationship then the relationship is over. It's that spark in a relationship that if you don't have you might as well give up" says Craig. He adds that "It ties into the plot, it's not some random title" and that there's also an "element of revenge" too it.

After the change of pace with 'Royale', 'Solace' will return to a more "classical Bond movie. There's a touch of Ken Adam (the production designer behind the giant villain lairs of the early Bond films) and '60s spy movie." Bond himself will be "misbehaving more this time" and going on the offensive, with the 'action quotient' said to be double that of 'Royale'.

Producer Michael G. Wilson has officially confirmed that neither Miss Moneypenny or Q will be involved because "moments would have to be carved out for them which would not have felt 'organic'." Wilson says they may come back in the future "but only if the story demands it." Producer Barbara Broccoli says that Eva Green won't be cameoing in the film as Vesper - "There are no flashbacks in the film, but she's certainly on Bond's mind."

Mathieu Amalric confirms that his villian character Dominic Greene will not have any facial scars or physical deformities like some famed past Bond nemeses. Rather, Greene has 'the smile of Tony Blair and the crazy eyes of Nicholas Sarkozy'. He was picked because "The director saw something in me that had to do with the devil. That was a compliment."

Judi Dench confirms her 'M' has a much bigger role this time around and thankfully her relationship with Bond will remain 'pretty prickly'. Kurylenko says of her role that she starts out as an opponent of 007 but reluctantly is forced to work together with the secret agent - "James Bond is after revenge, and Camille is after revenge and they have slightly different goals, but in the end they are going to have to collaborate."

Finally today, the official site has launched and revealed a full and in-depth synopsis of the film. Some minor spoilers ahead so beware:

"'Quantum of Solace' continues the high octane adventures of James Bond (Daniel Craig) in 'Casino Royale'. Betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved, 007 fights the urge to make his latest mission personal. Pursuing his determination to uncover the truth, Bond and M (Judi Dench) interrogate Mr White (Jesper Christensen) who reveals the organisation which blackmailed Vesper is far more complex and dangerous than anyone had imagined.

Forensic intelligence links an MI6 traitor to a bank account in Haiti where a case of mistaken identity introduces Bond to the beautiful but feisty Camille (Olga Kurylenko), a woman who has her own vendetta. Camille leads Bond straight to Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), a ruthless business man and major force within the mysterious organisation.

On a mission that leads him to Austria, Italy and South America, Bond discovers that Greene, conspiring to take total control of one of the world's most important natural resources, is forging a deal with the exiled General Medrano (Joaquin Cosio). Using his associates in the organisation, and manipulating his powerful contacts within the CIA and the British government, Greene promises to overthrow the existing regime in a Latin American country, giving the General control of the country in exchange for a seemingly barren piece of land.

In a minefield of treachery, murder and deceit, Bond allies with old friends in a battle to uncover the truth. As he gets closer to finding the man responsible for the betrayal of Vesper, 007 must keep one step ahead of the CIA, the terrorists and even M, to unravel Greene's sinister plan and stop his organisation."

[MacGuffin]

[polkablues]

Looks fan-made.  Please say that's fan-made.

[MacGuffin]

Gemma Arterton Q&A
New Bond girl spills the beans on Quantum of Solace.

Gemma Arterton has only been acting for six months, but the 22-year-old has already won plum parts in Brit flicks St. Trinian's, 3 and Out and Guy Ritchie's forthcoming RocknRolla. If that wasn't enough, she's also playing a Secret Service agent in new Bond film Quantum of Solace, and IGN interviewed her on set last week to discuss landing one of cinema's most sought after roles.

You've been a Bond girl for a little while now - is it still exciting or is the novelty starting to wear off a bit?

Gemma Arterton: No, every day there's something exciting that happens, like I just got asked to present at the BAFTAs, which I can't do because I'm filming this, but little things like that. I've only just left drama school and have been working professionally for six months, so all of this is out of this world. It doesn't feel real still. That's why I wasn't too nervous on the first day because I just felt like it was a game. The size of it hasn't hit me yet but I'm sure that it will.

Tell us a little bit about your character?

Arterton: She's called Agent Fields and she's not a typical Bond girl. She's actually quite funny, and very real, and someone that you could know from down the road. There's something very fresh about her. For me, she's got stuff that all women can identify with.

How did you get the part?

Arterton: I went to two auditions. I was in a play at the Globe in London and the casting directors came to see me in it. I was playing a very Bong girly type of role, but Shakespeare. It was Rosaline in Love's Labour's Lost, and she's very haughty and sharp. They asked me in for an audition, which I never thought I'd get. Then I got a second audition where I met the director and everyone, then I had a screen test which was petrifying, then I got the part.

Did you screen test with Daniel Craig?

Arterton: Yes. I had to do a scene from this Bond. I hadn't read the script so I didn't know anything about anything, which was quite nice actually, and it was such a bizarre day. You go in and have all your hair and make-up done, and I was so scared. They make you look as great as they can and then you go on set and there were literally about 60 people looking at you and thinking 'could she be a Bond girl?' Everyone's eyes are on you and everyone's whispering and looking. It's so uncomfortable, but you have to do it because the producers have to see what you look like. Then I acted a scene with Daniel and it was very brief. He said 'Hello, how are you' and I said 'I'm really scared' and he said 'Don't worry.'. We did the scene and he said 'Well done' and that was it. Then the director Marc Forster said. 'OK... good luck.' And I thought 'No, I've lost it'. But I didn't, so that was great.

How did you find out you had the part?

Arterton: I was filming a British film called 3 and Out and me and Mackenzie Crook were doing the last scene in Gibraltar on a diving boat in the middle of the ocean, in scuba gear. The producer got a phone call from my agent and passed the phone over and he just sang the Bond theme down the phone to me. And I was like 'Nooo! Oh my god.' And Mackenzie shed a tear because he'd witnessed such a big moment in my life, which he found very emotional. Then I had to dive off the boat. I had to pretend that I wasn't overflowing with happiness because of the scene. Then we had dinner and lots and lots of champagne to celebrate.

Why did you want to be a Bond girl?

Arterton: You grow up watching them and they're so glamorous. It's such a huge part of British filmmaking – it's just a privilege. And more than anything, it's so that my grandkids can say their gran was a Bond girl. They'll be like 'Look at her now, you'd never know!'

Who are your favourite Bond girls of the past?

Arterton: Honour Blackman is my favourite Bond girl – she's pretty and sharp and sexy – everything that you think of when you think of a Bond girl. Diana Rig too, but I love her anyway.

To what extent is your character a real Bond girl? Do you get to kiss Bond?

Arterton: Yes I do, though I don't know if I'm allowed to say that. I'm actually an agent and I work with him, though I think I'll automatically be called a Bond girl. But in that way I suppose you could call M a Bond girl. She's very typically Fleming, because in the last Bond, and this Bond with Olga [Kurylenko's] character character Camille, they're very independent and strong women out there for themselves, but my character's very, very cute. It's nice, because these Bond's are so different - there's something much more edgy about them, and my character's like an homage to the '60s Bond girls, which I love.

Is that reflected in your outfits?

Arterton: Not really. I think my hair is remioniscent of Diana Rigg's hair, and there's a scene which is an homage to something iconic, but I cannot tell you what that is. But it will be remembered.

Is it an homage to something Bond?

Arterton: Yes, it's Bond-related.

So what's up next?

Arterton: Well we're going out to Panama soon, and I've never been to South America. So all these things are very exciting. And there's some great banter between me and Bond which will be fun.

Are you going to all the locations?

Arterton: No, only London and Panama.

Are you a fighting Bond girl?

Arterton: No. I do have fight in me, and I have a little bit of a fight, but Olga's character is the fighting Bond girl.

Is your boyfriend jealous of the attention you'll get as a Bond girl?

Arterton: I think he's wary – you know, who wouldn't be? But I love him very much so I'm not interested. But I think Olga will be the one that eveyone's pining over. I met her for the first time today and though 'Oh my god – she's gorgeous.' I had no make-up on either!

Are you worried about being stereotyped as a Bond girl?

Arterton: Even though she's got this Fleming thing going on, there's something very different about my character – she's not a femme fatale and there's lots of facets to her. I've had such varied parts so far, and I've only been acting for six months, but I think I've already proved that I'm a versatile actress. I've had offers, even before I got Bond, for future work that's really different, so I'm not worried about it. There are so many actresses that's it's not hindered their career at all. If people want to typecast you, they're not very imaginative, and that's too bad for them.

Has Daniel Craig give you any words of advice?

Arterton: No – it's always brief when we're on set together. But he did re-assure me by saying 'Be confident, you look great.' Because I just don't think I'm Bond girl material, or I'd never be able to pull Bond in real life. I have to get my head round the fact that I am doing this. But it's all quite surreal.