WebProNews

Tag: Daniel Craig

  • Rachel Weisz to Star in Off-Broadway Production of “Plenty”

    Rachel Weisz to Star in Off-Broadway Production of “Plenty”

    Rachel Weisz is headed back to New York, where she is set to star in the off-Broadway production of Plenty.

    Known for her film performances in The Bourne Legacy, Oz the Great and Powerful, and The Lobster, Rachel Weisz will play the role of Susan Traherne, a former British intelligence agent who worked behind enemy lines in occupied France during World War II in the revival of David Hare’s 1978 play.

    Susan’s life has become rather mundane since that time. Following two decades of peacetime, she is the depressed wife of a diplomat.

    This won’t be the first time on a New York stage for the film star. Rachel Weisz starred alongside husband Daniel Craig in the 2013 revival of Betrayal.

    Weisz and Craig will return to the stage at the same time. Daniel Craig has lined up an off-Broadway role for this fall, starring opposite David Oyelowo in Shakespeare’s Othello.

    Have you seen Rachel Weisz on the big screen? Do you think her talent translates well to the stage?

    Wouldn’t it be fun to see both Rachel Weisz and the James Bond star in their upcoming off-Broadway roles?

  • Rachel Weisz Protects Marriage to Daniel Craig, Couple Works to Closely Guard Privacy

    Rachel Weisz is fiercely protective of her marriage to Spectre star Daniel Craig, and she works hard to guard their privacy. In the December-January issue of More magazine, the Oscar winning actress dishes on how hard it is to have a private marriage in such a very public world.

    “He’s just too famous. It would be a betrayal. You have to protect your marriage,” Rachel Weisz explains. “When you’re young, you tell your girlfriends everything. One of the great pleasures of not being an adolescent is that you don’t have to share everything. When you’re married, that door closes. The audience goes, and you’re in your own life.”

    Rachel Weisz and Daniel Craig have that wonderful foundation to their marriage called friendship. The two were friends before they even considered becoming more. Romance ignited between the two while filming Dream House in 2010, but few knew about it until they tied the knot in a surprise wedding the following year.

    Despite her protective nature, Rachel Weisz shared a few tidbits about life with Daniel Craig and her nine-year-old son from her former relationship with director Darren Aronofsky.

    “We cook a lot. Daniel is a great cook,” she said. “He doesn’t use recipes; he makes things up. He’s creative. He’s not scared. He goes for it.”

    Rachel Weisz goes on to say the family lives in New York City’s East Village. They love to eat at Japanese restaurants and take her son to Tompkins Square Park.

    There must be many facets of Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz’s life that mirror his character James Bond. How else would such a beloved pair of actors manage to live under such a veil of privacy?

    Kudos to them both for valuing that very special–and private–time.

  • Rachel Weisz Steps Out With Hubby Daniel Craig At Governors Awards

    Rachel Weisz was a first class stunner at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences’ 2015 Governors Awards on Saturday night.

    In attendance with her James Bond hubby, Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz donned a gorgeous red strapless Oscar de la Renta gown. Craig was exceedingly dapper in a classy tux.

    While the weekend was all about Spectre for the two of them and all about honoring some of their A-list friends at the awards ceremony, Rachel Weisz hasn’t just been sitting at home doing nothing.

    Though Rachel Weisz just completed Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Lobster and Paolo Sorrentino’s Youth, she is already slated to take on another major project.

    Rachel Weisz has just taken over a role formerly held by Hilary Swank in the movie Denial, which is based on Deborah E. Lipstadt’s book History on Trial: My Day in Court With a Holocaust Denier.

    The #GovAwards Red Carpet is officially open with Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz.

    A photo posted by The Academy (@theacademy) on

    The book describes Lipstadt’s court battle with David Irving after Irving accused her of libel. The drama began when Lipstadt referred to him as a Holocaust denier in a previous book.

    Bleecker Street has acquired North American rights to Denial, which will also star Tom Wilkinson and Timothy Spall.

    Bleeker Street CEO Andrew Karpen said, “Mick Jackson’s film will recount this incredible, unbelievable story of two people pitted against each other in a battle over truth, history and integrity. With David Hare’s exhilarating script combined with Rachel Weisz and Tom Wilkinson leading the cast, I’m so proud to be bringing this film to audiences next year.”

    Are you excited to see Rachel Weisz in action once again?

  • Monica Bellucci On Why “Bond Lady” is Good Match for James Bond

    Monica Bellucci plays one of the Bond girls in the latest in the James Bond films–Spectre. Since production wrapped, she has openly said she prefers being called a “Bond lady” over a “Bond girl.” In a recent interview with People magazine, Monica Bellucci–who is the oldest to ever step into the role in the history of James Bond films–talks about why she is a good match for Spectre’s James Bond, played by Daniel Craig.

    “I had to play a Bond lady not a Bond girl because Lucia is a mature woman,” Monica Bellucci explains. “[Even] though she doesn’t have the beauty of her youth any more, she still has her femininity and that actually is her savior.”

    “It is very important that I am playing an adult woman for this role and, actually, Lucia [because] she is a widow with a secret. We need to see her sadness, her desperation and also her age,” Bellucci adds.

    Monica Bellucci actually doesn’t believe that James Bond-type men exist, but she does admit to enjoying her time playing opposite Daniel Craig in Spectre.

    “Daniel is such a gentleman on screen and off screen,” she says. “Sometimes it is difficult to get intimate with somebody you don’t know, but with him it was so easy. We have this scene where we were kissing and then fighting–it was like a tango.”

    Do you think this older “Bond lady” will go down in history as one of the best?

    There’s no doubt Monica Bellucci and Daniel Craig are an intriguing pair.

    You can check them–and the two additional Bond girls in this film–out when Spectre opens in theaters nationwide today.

  • Monica Bellucci: Daniel Craig Stops Interviewer from Calling “Spectre” Star “Older Woman,” Naomie Harris Has Her Back, Too

    Monica Bellucci stars in Spectre as one of the new Bond girls to hit the big screen. She much prefers “Bond woman” to Bond girl, however.

    During a recent press interview for the film, the film’s star Daniel Craig came to Monica Bellucci’s defense. The Red Bulletin reporter had the audacity to refer to Monica Belluci as am “older woman,” and Craig wasn’t having it.

    “We’re talking about Monica Bellucci, for heaven’s sake,” he said. “When someone like that wants to be a Bond girl, you just count yourself lucky!”

    Naomie Harris plays the role of Moneypenny in Spectre. She agrees with Monica Bellucci about the term “Bond girl.”

    “”Bond girl” is outdated,” she said in an interview with The Independent. “Monica is 50 and I think it’s respectable to say she’s a Bond woman.”

    The actress definitely has the backing of her Spectre costars.

    Monica Bellucci dazzled at the world premiere of Spectre in Madrid on Monday. Wearing a stunning backless gown, she personified “Bond woman” in every sense of the term.

    Are you looking forward to seeing Daniel Craig, Monica Bellucci, Lea Seydoux, Naomie Harris, and more in Spectre when it opens nationwide on November 6th?

  • Rachel Weisz and Daniel Craig Engage in Rare PDA at “Spectre” Premiere

    Rachel Weisz and hubby Daniel Craig engaged in some rare PDA on Monday evening in London, when the two walked the red carpet for the premiere of his film Spectre. In fact, Daniel Craig gave Rachel Weisz a big kiss while the cameras were clicking.

    Known for keeping their private life private, this was rather unusual behavior for the couple. Perhaps he tired of kissing sexy Bond girls like Monica Bellucci, and longed for something real?

    Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz married in 2011, and although the two are seen in public from time to time, supporting one another’s acting careers, a display like the one seen Monday night is practically unheard of.

    According to TimeOut London, Craig may be done playing James Bond, meaning Spectre could be the last time he appears in the sexy role.

    When asked if he wants to film another James Bond movie post-Spectre, his answer was a bit harsh.

    “I’d rather break this glass and slash my wrists. No, not at the moment. Not at all. That’s fine. I’m over it at the moment. We’re done. All I want to do is move on,” he said.

    Perhaps that explains the passionate kiss Craig planted on Rachel Weisz at London’s Spectre premiere? Maybe there was a sense of relief that came from this celebration, and he wanted to share it with his beloved wife.

    Regardless of the reason behind it, people certainly loved witnessing it. Rachel Weisz and Daniel Craig are one of those mysterious couples about whom few reporters get fodder for rumors–or even reports.

    Not many couples with such enormous careers can attest to that.

    Kudos to Rachel Weisz and Daniel Craig for keeping things under wraps, but allowing fans a sneak peek at their true love.

    Fans can check out Daniel Craig in Spectre when it opens nationwide on November 6th.

  • Monica Bellucci: “Spectre” Co-Star Daniel Craig Won’t Call Her “Older Woman”

    Monica Bellucci is one of two Bond girls in the upcoming James Bond film Spectre. And while she prefers to be called a Bond woman instead of a Bond girl–Monica Bellucci is 51–Daniel Craig refuses to call her an “older woman.”

    During a recent interview with Red Bulletin, the interviewer suggested that James Bond was succumbing to the charms of an older woman in Spectre.

    Daniel Craig, at 47, wasn’t having it.

    “I think you mean the charms of a woman his own age,” he responded. “We’re talking about Monica Bellucci, for heaven’s sake. When someone like that wants to be a Bond girl, you just count yourself lucky!”

    It’s certainly interesting how, in the film world, a woman of Monica Bellucci’s age is considered an older woman, while a man of Daniel Craig’s age–just four years younger–is still considered young and virile.

    Is this yet another example of the gender inequality that plagues Hollywood? Jennifer Lawrence would no doubt love to get her hands on this juicy tidbit. She recently spoke out against men who are paid more than qualified women in Hollywood.

    Monica Bellucci is a gorgeous woman at 51. Daniel Craig is still dashing at 47. Why age has to enter into it if each can play the assigned roles seems rather ridiculous, don’t you think?

    Fans can check out both Monica Bellucci and Daniel Craig in Spectre when it opens nationwide on November 6th.

  • Ellen Pompeo: Daniel Craig Needs A Reality Check

    Ellen Pompeo tweeted on Thursday that actor Daniel Craig “needs a reality check,” pointing to an article from JustJared.com titled “Daniel Craig Would Rather Slit His Wrists Than Do Another James Bond Movie“.

    That article actually references an interview Craig did with TimeOut London. The tile of that is “My Advice to the Next James Bond? Don’t be shit!”

    The wrist-slitting thing came up when the interviewer asked Craig, “Can you imagine doing another Bond movie?”

    His response was:

    ‘Now? I’d rather break this glass and slash my wrists. No, not at the moment. Not at all. That’s fine. I’m over it at the moment. We’re done. All I want to do is move on.’

    It seems pretty obvious that Craig just really doesn’t want to go through the experience of making another one of these movies right now, and that he wouldn’t literally slit his wrists. It’s one of those things people say. You’ve probably heard someone say it before and probably will again.

    Another Twitter user suggested to Ellen Pompeo that “there is a good chance that’s not actually what he said,” and that “the media can embellish things.”

    Pompeo agreed:

    Of course there’s also a chance that it’s exactly what he said and people shouldn’t feel the need to take everything so seriously.

    Or maybe it’s the media’s fault:

  • Monica Bellucci: “Spectre” Star Says It’s Hard to Be Faithful

    Monica Bellucci is just one of the Bond girls in the latest James Bond film, Spectre. Recently admitting to the overt sex appeal James Bond–as played by Daniel Craig–has, the talk turned to faithfulness.

    That’s when Monica Bellucci said she thinks it’s “difficult” to be faithful.

    “I think it’s difficult to find the right woman for a man, to find a woman with all the characteristics that a man needs. The same thing for women,” she said. “That’s why it’s so difficult to be faithful in life.”

    Monica Bellucci is divorced, but nothing was said about wether she or her ex-husband, Vincent Cassel–was unfaithful.

    The Spectre actress did reveal that she had tried 20 years ago to become a Bond girl, but didn’t get the role.

    “A long time ago I did a screen test for James Bond, more than 20 years ago, But I was not ready,” she said. “I don’t remember the film. It was Pierce Brosnan I think – he was an amazing Bond, so sweet and so kind. Violent, but in a very nice way.”

    Monica Bellucci dishes about her sexy Spectre co-star Daniel Craig in the current issue of GQ Italia.

    “What I like about Daniel is that it’s so simple, he’s a great actor, he’s very beautiful,” she says. “It was easy to do scenes that would be difficult to do with someone else, where you have to get intimate with someone you don’t know, but with him it was easy.”

    Admitting that faithfulness is a challenge might mark Monica Bellucci as a non-dateable entity. Is it possible she’ll spend her future alone as a result?

    Do you agree with the actress’s beliefs about the difficulty of being faithful?

    Fans can check out Monica Bellucci, Daniel Craig, Lea Seydoux, and more when Spectre opens in theaters on November 6th.

  • Monica Bellucci, Daniel Craig: “Spectre” Stars Heat Up Sam Smith’s New Music Video

    Monica Bellucci and Daniel Craig star in the upcoming James Bond film, Spectre, but they’re making an early appearance in Sam Smith’s new music video.

    In “Writing’s On the Wall,” not only are fans treated to Smith’s hauntingly beautiful voice, they see some steamy PDA taking place between Monica Bellucci and Daniel Craig, too. The music video footage features some scenes of the two from Spectre.

    Sam Smith has been absent from the music scene for a while, since having surgery on his vocal cords in Boston. Now he’s back and amazing as ever. This new music video might not be what most of his fans might expect, but it won’t disappoint. If anything, it shows yet another facet to this incredibly gifted singer’s abilities.

    “If I risk it all, could you break my fall?” Sam Smith croons against a backdrop of Monica Bellucci and Daniel Craig’s intense scenes, which will surely drum up excitement for the movie. “How do I live? How do I breath? When you’re not here I’€™m suffocating. I want to feel love flow through my blood, tell me is this where I give it all up. For you, I have to risk it all. Because the writing’€™s on the wall.”

    The song has already hit the top of the U.K. music charts, but Smith was nervous when it was first released.

    “To be honest, it hasn’t set in yet,” he told ET special correspondent Elvis Duran backstage at the iHeartRadio Music Festival. “I keep looking at that Wikipedia page and just seeing my name on it–and it’s unreal.”

    Spectre, starring Daniel Craig, Monica Bellucci, Lea Seydoux, and more, is set to hit theaters on November 6th. The film is well worth seeing for Sam Smith’s accompaniment alone.

  • Daniel Craig Tries To Boost Sales Of Heineken Beer With New James Bond Ad

    Daniel Craig Tries To Boost Sales Of Heineken Beer With New James Bond Ad

    It’s no secret that James Bond loves to drink. The iconic character is known for uttering the words, “shaken not stirred” to describe the perfect vodka martini. However, Bond might be ready to appreciate a “cold one”, too.

    Daniel Craig will be reprising his role as 007 in the 24th Bond film, Spectre, which is set to launch this November. But before that, Craig will first be seen a the new Heineken commercial.

    But unlike the machismo-fueled James Bond films, the Heineken commercial will be showcasing a female sidekick of Craig’s who will be helping him out. The theme of the campaign touches on Craig’s previous statement about more personal aspects of Bond’s character. “007 is ‘lonely’ and beds beautiful women who end up leaving him, Craig said. “As a man gets older it’s not a good look.” This is coming from a man who was said to be the booziest Bond of all time. According to a study by the magazine The Grocer, Craig drank an average of 20 units of alcohol per film.

    That is compared to an average of 12 units for Pierce Brosnan, 11 units for Sean Connery, and just four or five units per film for Timothy Dalton. No, Craig is not an alcoholic; it’s just that Bond really drinks heavily in Casino Royale.

    According to the study, even though Bond was known for drinking vodka, the sales of gin went up because of the film and Craig making gin cool again. Heineken seems to be increasing their sales, too.

    “It’s no coincidence that gin’s revival began around about the time Craig first came bounding out of the sea in those too-tight trolleys (swimming trunks) in Casino Royale,” the study said.

    And now, it seems like contemporary James Bond will be occasionally seen with a beer in hand.

    Booze brands such as Bollinger, Jim Beam, Red Stripe, Belvedere, and Heineken have been partners with James Bond films, but Heineken is the only partner allowed to make an ad starring Craig.

  • Monica Belluci: Don’t Call ‘Spectre’ Star A ‘Bond Girl’

    Monica Belluci is set to star in the upcoming James Bond film Spectre as one of two Bond girls, but don’t use that moniker when addressing the actress. Belluci has nothing at all against the role. It’s simply the word “girl” that has her up in arms.

    “I can’t say I’m a Bond girl because I’m too mature to be a Bond girl. I say Bond lady; Bond woman,” Monica Belluci explains in a recent interview.

    Monica Belluci is, in fact, the oldest Bond girl–um, woman–in the film franchise’s history–so far, anyway. At 51, she is even older than Spectre’s leading man, Daniel Craig, who is 47.

    Léa Seydoux plays the second Bond woman alongside Belluci. It’s uncertain whether or not she allows people to call her a “Bond girl.”

    What’s the greatest sense of pride for Monica Belluci in her upcoming Spectre role?

    “I’m proud to be a Bond lady, because actually, Bond is the most amazing man. You know why? Because he doesn’t exist,” she says.

    Spectre, starring Daniel Craig and Monica Belluci, along with Christoph Waltz, Andrew Scott, Naomie Harris, Léa Seydoux, and more is set to hit theaters on November 6th.

    Will you be checking out the latest James Bond film?

    Bond–James Bond–is sure to have his hands full with this very mature, and very sexy, Bond woman.

  • Monica Bellucci Says She Is NOT a ‘Bond Girl,’ She’s a ‘Bond Woman’

    Monica Bellucci Says She Is NOT a ‘Bond Girl,’ She’s a ‘Bond Woman’

    Monica Bellucci, who will be the next love interest of James Bond in the latest 007 film Spectre, says she shouldn’t be called “a Bond girl.”

    The 50-year-old beauty will play Lucia Sciarra in Spectre, Bond’s love interest that is quite the departure from previous 007 films. In the last Bond films Daniel Craig, 47, was cast opposite women in their 20s and 30s. Finally, he’s up against someone his own age.

    In a new interview with The Guardian, Monica Bellucci said people need to rethink the “Bond girl” descriptor.

    “I can’t say I’m a Bond girl because I’m too mature to be a Bond girl. I say Bond lady; Bond woman, But I’m proud to be a Bond lady, because actually, Bond is the most amazing man,” said Bellucci.

    She also noted that it was a bold, revolutionary and wise move by director Sam Mendes to cast a 50-year-old, mature woman in the role.

    “The world is a man’s world. Men have the power in everything: journalism, acting, direction; in banks, finances, schools,” said Bellucci. “All the laws are made by men. Men think that women, when they’re not able to procreate any more, become old. That is not true – they are still amazing! That’s why I think that Sam Mendes, in choosing me, an adult woman, created a big revolution”

    Monica Bellucci said roles for women in Hollywood is quite different than that found in Europe.

    “I don’t know Hollywood very well. I’ve never lived in Los Angeles or New York,” explained Bellucci. “But what I can see in Paris, where I live, is that actresses like Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Charlotte Rampling, still get the chance to play strong, sexy roles even though they’re not 20.”

    Monica Bellucci, you go girl… er, woman!

  • Monica Belluci: Don’t Call Her a ‘Bond’ Girl

    Monica Belluci is set to star in Spectre, the upcoming James Bond film, alongside Daniel Craig. In addition to her strong character on the big screen, fans will be interested in learning she has a strong off-screen persona, too. One of the examples of that strength comes in something she isn’t fond of being called. Monica Belluci doesn’t want to be referred to as the latest “Bond girl.”

    It’s not that she doesn’t want to tout the upcoming film. She’s all over that. It’s the idea of the word “girl,” when she is clearly every bit a woman.

    “I can’t say I’m a Bond girl because I’m too mature to be a Bond girl. I say Bond lady; Bond woman,” Monica Belluci said in a recent interview.

    Belluci is, in fact, the oldest Bond girl–um, woman–in the film franchise’s history. At 51, she is even older than Spectre’s leading man, Daniel Craig, who is 47.

    Monica Belluci is mom to two children with actor Vincent Cassel. She and Cassel separated back in 2013. She is actually one of two Bond women starring in the upcoming film. Léa Seydoux plays a Bond woman, too. It’s uncertain whether or not she allows the moniker “Bond girl.”

    What’s the greatest sense of pride for Monica Belluci in her upcoming Spectre role?

    “I’m proud to be a Bond lady, because actually, Bond is the most amazing man. You know why? Because he doesn’t exist.”

    Spectre, starring Daniel Craig and Monica Belluci, along with Christoph Waltz, Andrew Scott, Naomie Harris, Léa Seydoux, and more is set to hit theaters on November 6th.

    Will you be checking out the latest James Bond film–replete with this new Bond woman?

  • Daniel Craig Allegedly ‘Duped Into Political Donation’ Supporting Bernie Sanders

    Daniel Craig offered financial support for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders – but it appears he may have been “dubbed.”

    According to Variety, the Spectre star donated almost $47,000 in July to Americans Socially United, which previously went by the names “Ready for Bernie Sanders 2016” and “Bet on Bernie 2016,” but concerns have been raised about the super PAC’s legitimacy.

    The Center for Public Integrity has revealed doubts about their integrity and that of its founder Cary Lee Peterson.

    The report calls out Cary Lee Peterson on issues, including outstanding warrants in Arizona and money owed to creditors.

    In the meantime, legal counsel for Sanders’ campaign sent Peterson a cease and desist letter asking him to drop the earlier names, make clear that he was not speaking for Sanders, and make his financial records available.

    In a statement to Variety, Daniel Craig explained his donation and future plans.

    “I made a donation to this organisation in good faith as I understood it to support Senator Sanders’ candidancy. Currently, I have been informed of no evidence to question that my donation has not been used as intended. Should that situation occur, then clearly, I will review my position.”

    Speaking to the Center for Public Integrity, Peterson insisted he set up the PAC because of he believes “in the cause.”

    Peterson said the group has already spent more than $1 million on field organisers, billboards and materials supporting Sanders.

    Peterson told Time magazine that getting support from Daniel Craig is “pretty cool,” but Craig seems to have been unaware of the organization’s background.

  • Daniel Craig Undergoes Knee Surgery Following Injury on the Set of ‘Spectre’

    Daniel Craig Undergoes Knee Surgery Following Injury on the Set of ‘Spectre’

    Daniel Craig has undergone knee surgery during a scheduled break from filming Spectre, the 24th installment in the James Bond series.

    “During a scheduled break, Daniel Craig had arthroscopic surgery to repair his knee injury,” the rep told the BBC.

    Daniel Craig, 47, had the “minor procedure” done in New York during a break in filming over Easter.

    “He will rejoin production on April 22 at Pinewood,” the rep said.

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, Daniel Craig injured his knee during a fight scene for the 007 film.

    The 47-year-old sprained his knee while shooting at London’s Pinewood Studios in early February.

    Roger Moore, the 87-year-old former James Bond, offered to “step in” via Twitter following news of the injury.

    Spectre is Daniel Craig’s fourth appearance in the 007 series. He debuted as James bond in 2006’s Casino Royale and followed that appearance in the role in 2008’s Quantum of Solace and 2012’s Skyfall.

    Spectre, directed by Sam Mendes, also stars Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Rory Kinnear and Ben Whishaw, as well as newcomers Dave Bautista, Monica Bellucci, Andrew Scott, Léa Seydoux, Stephanie Sigman and Christoph Waltz.

    Spectre, starring Daniel Craig, is slated to be in theaters Nov. 6.

  • Monica Bellucci, the ‘Oldest Bond Girl,’ and Daniel Craig Filming in Rome

    Monica Bellucci, who, at 50, is the “oldest Bond girl,” and Daniel Craig are currently in Rome filming the new James Bond thriller Spectre.

    Crowds have been gathering in the beautiful Italian city, from the historic center to them modern EUR neighborhood, hoping to catch a glimpse of Daniel Craig, 46, and his leading lady, Monica Bellucci, during the 20-day shoot.

    “I hope to see James Bond. Someone told me that there is also Monica Bellucci,” said Floriana Sacco, 36, as she watched an apparent funeral scene being shot outside EUR’s civic museum. “We hope that as all other film settings in Rome, it will be beautiful and it will be good publicity to this beautiful city.”

    On Tuesday, the main thoroughfare of central Rome, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, was the scene of a nighttime car chase scene featuring Bond’s silver Aston Martin. Earlier in the shoot, another car chase was shot along the bike path on the banks of the Tiber River.

    Needless to say, fans of 007 have been beyond curious to know what faces their favorite spy in Spectre. Sony tried to keep details of the plot a secret, however, an early version of the script was among material stolen in the Sony Pictures cyberattack and some details have been posted online.

    The shoot, while inconvenient, will bring some revenue to the city, with city officials expecting as much as 1 million euros ($1.1 million) in permit fees alone. Add revenue generated form the extras, security guards, film crews, catering services and hotels being used, and the Eternal City could fare quite well.

    Rome has been the scene for many films, including Woody Allen’s To Rome With Love and Paolo Sorrentino’s 2013 The Great Beauty, which won an Oscar for best foreign film.

    Sam Mendes directs the latest 007 adventure.

  • Idris Elba: Could Stringer Bell Be the Next James Bond?

    Idris Elba got loads of critical acclaim when he lit up HBO’s The Wire in the role of Russell ‘Stringer’ Bell. Elba portrayed the Baltimore area drug lord for three seasons on the show that many have joked was the most-talked-about television series until Breaking Bad.

    What many diehard American viewers did not realize was that Elba was English. And it is that edge that could get him a very coveted role.

    According to emails stolen in the recent big Sony Pictures Entertainment hack, studio co-chairman Amy Pascal wants Idris Elba for the role of James Bond once Daniel Craig’s run is over.

    Of course, Daniel Craig still has Spectre to do, and one more after that. But Craig told Rolling Stone back in 2012 that he is already over doing Bond.

    “I’ve been trying to get out of this from the very moment I got into it,” Craig said. “But they won’t let me go, and I’ve agreed to do a couple more, but let’s see how this one does, because business is business and if the shit goes down, I’ve got a contract that somebody will happily wipe their ass with.”

    If he were to get the role, Idris Elba — although English — would be the first black James Bond. Past Bonds have had various backgrounds. In the novels, Bond’s family heritage was only mentioned in a later story, after Sean Connery had played the role on film. He was then said to be of Scottish heritage.

    Actors who have played Bond include (Eon-produced only):

    Sean Connery – Scottish
    Roger Moore – English
    George Lazenby – Australian
    Timothy Dalton – English
    Pierce Brosnan – Irish
    Daniel Craig – English

  • Monica Bellucci, Léa Seydoux to Play Bond Girls in “Spectre”

    The long wait is over for James Bond fans, and many rumors have proven true. Producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli today officially announced the first details about the upcoming 24th James Bond film.

    The movie will be titled Spectre and will be released on November 6, 2015. Director Sam Mendes, who helmed
    the well-received 2012 Bond movie Skyfall, will also be in charge of the new movie. Principal photography for the movie will begin next week on December 8.

    A short teaser for Spectre featuring little more than a bullet hole through glass was posted to the James Bond Facebook page.

    Post by James Bond 007.

    Actor Daniel Craig will once again portray Britain’s famous spy, making this his fourth Bond movie. Joining him are returning cast members Ralph Fiennes as M, Ben Whishaw as Q, and Naomie Harris as Moneypenny.

    Two new “Bond girls” have been announced for Spectre: Monica Bellucci and Léa Seydoux. Bellucci is a French actress known for movies such as Irreversible and the Matrix sequels. Seydoux is also French and garnered accolades in 2013 for her performance in Blue Is the Warmest Color.

    Other Bond newcomers to appear in Spectre include Christoph Waltz, Dave Bautista, and Andrew Scott.

    Story details are thin but a statement released by the movie’s producers revealed that the movie will set 007 on the trail of a “sinister organization” while M “battles political forces to keep the secret service alive.”

    James Bond fans will also know that the new movie’s title could be a bit of a spoiler. In Bond cannon, Spectre refers to an international terrorist group led by famed Bond villian Ernst Stavro Blofeld. The organization has appeared in numerous early Bond films including Dr. No, Thunderball, and You Only Live Twice.

  • James Bond Casting Rumors: Moriarty? Monica Bellucci? Number Two?

    The world should find out tomorrow who is cast in the new Bond film, and what the title of that will be.

    What we do know is that Daniel Craig will be Bond, Ralph Fiennes will be M, Naomie Harris is Moneypenny, Ben Whishaw is Q.

    But there have also been a lot of eleventh-hour rumoring about what might be coming.

    One of the most fun rumors lately is that Christoph Waltz, known for his knockout roles in Inglorious Basterds and Django Unchained, will be playing the villain. And it is further rumored that the villain will be the classic Bond baddie, Blofeld.

    Blofeld’s full name is Ernst Stavro Blofeld, and he is the head of SPECTRE, the bad guy organization that Bond fights against. In previous Bond films, he has been played by Donald Pleasence, Telly Savalas, Charles Gray and Max von Sydow. The Blofeld character has been spoofed many times, most famously by Mike Myers who fashioned his “Dr. Evil” character in the Austin Powers movies after Blofeld.

    Accompanying Waltz, according to rumor, would be Dave Bautista, fresh from his acclaimed turn on Guardians of the Galaxy. Bautista is said to be a Blofeld “henchman.” Whether he ends up being a simple heavyweight, a la “Oddjob,” or a second-in-command character remains to be seen. The character name is rumored to be “Hinx.”

    But another potential villain name has been floated. This one is actor Andrew Scott, who played Moriarty opposite Benedict Cumberbatch in the BBC’s Sherlock series. He is said to also be a villain. Perhaps he gets the second-in-command to Waltz’s “Blofeld”? That would make him Emilio (or Maximillian) Largo, whose eyepatch and “Number 2” assignation was also spoofed in the Austin Powers universe by Robert Wagner.

    Then there are the women. Monica Bellucci, well-known as Persephone in the second and third Matrix sequels and as Mary Magdelene in Passion of the Christ, is said to be in the mix. But actress Léa Seydoux is also rumored.

    In the end, we’ll just have to wait and see who makes the cut. But there sure is a good batch to work with if the rumors hold.

  • James Bond 24 Cast To Include Batista, Lea Seydoux

    The upcoming and highly anticipated new James Bond film will see some interesting additions to its cast, which now includes former WWE wrestler Batista and Blue Is The Warmest Color actor Lea Seydoux. These new cast members will join a powerhouse ensemble already composed of Daniel Craig as James Bond and Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw and Naomie Harris as his MI6 colleagues.

    James Bond 24, which does not have a title at present, will see Craig reprising his role as James Bond and will again be directed by Sam Mendes, who directed the last James Bond film Skyfall. James Bond 24 is reportedly set to start shooting by the end of the year and will hit theaters by November 2015.

    Batista has reportedly bagged the role of the villain in James Bond 24. A casting breakdown for the part provided by Sporting News says that the villain, named Hinx, is a male role that should be played by “an imposing extremely physically fit actor” who has “several fights with Bond” and will need stunt training. James Bond 24 supposedly required “someone very unusual, possibly from a sports background” for the part, and Batista seems to fit the bill with a height of 6 feet and 6 inches and weighing 290 pounds. The role of Hinx in James Bond 24 will be another big one for Batista, who recently gained acclaim for his portrayal of Dax the Destroyer in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. The wrestler reportedly resigned from WWE in June and has since focused on his acting career, currently shooting Bus 657 with Robert DeNiro and Kate Bosworth.

    Meanwhile, Lea Seydoux has been confirmed as the next Bond girl on James Bond 24, playing the role of “femme fatale.” According to Daily Mail, the actor will be undergoing a series of costume, make-up and camera tests to determine her look in the movie before she starts script rehearsal in November.