Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Daniel Craig on the unused IAN FLEMING Bond titles

BBC News has posted an audio clip from an interview with Daniel Craig getting his reactions to the unused Ian Fleming James Bond titles. When asked if he would star in a film with the following titles, Craig responded:

Risico - "Yeah, that's alright."

The Hildebrand Rarity - "Yeah, but that one came up a few years ago, I think that did, and they've not thought about naming a film after that. Yeah, maybe alright."

The Property of a Lady - "Ohhh... Sounds a bit like sort of a ladies magazine. I'm not sure that's a [interviewer interrupts before Craig can finish]."

007 in New York - "Is that a short story? Not the most exciting title I've ever heard."

Craig is currently shooting the new Bond film SPECTRE in central London. Photos from the shoot by the Daily Mail (above) have given rise to speculation that Bond's flat will be seen in the new film. If so, this will be the first appearance of Bond's home since Live and Let Die in 1973, and only the third time it's been seen on film.

Thanks to my friends at CommanderBond.net for this tip.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

James Bond fansites take stand against Sony hacking

A group of responsible James Bond fansite edtors have drafted a joint statement agreeing to not disseminate information about the new James Bond film gathered from the recent Sony hacking. I wholeheartedly support this action and add myself to this commitment. Here is the statement in full as published at CommanderBond.net:

Joint statement by James Bond fansite editors
Regarding the leaking of the confidential SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT correspondence and ‘SPECTRE’ script drafts

As editors of the websites James Bond Brasil (jamesbondbrasil.com), James Bond-magasinet (jamesbondnorge.no), The Bond Bulletin (thebondbulletin.blogspot.de) as well as the James Bond Club Germany (james-bond-club.de), we, Marcos Kontze, Morten Steingrimsen, Benjamin Lind and Andreas Pott wish to state, that we will not publish or write about any information that has been circulating in media and on the web, and has been illegally obtained from Sony Pictures Entertainment in the recent hacker attack.

Furthermore, we refuse to comment on the content and nature of the above mentioned informations, to divulge this content in any form or respond to any queries regarding to it.

The intention of our websites and the content published within is to inform other Bond Fans about current developments, events and stories from the James Bond universe and not to damage the people who put a lot of work and effort into the making of the Bond Films that we all love and admire. We feel that enough damage and disrespect has been done and sincerely wish Sony Pictures Entertainment, MGM and EON Productions that a swift resolution of the matter can be achieved.

Marcos Kontze – Editor, ‘James Bond Brasil’

Morten Steingrimsen – Editor, ‘James Bond-magasinet’

Benjamin Lind – Editor, ‘The Bond Bulletin’ & ‘Adviser of James Bond Club Germany’

Andreas Pott – President of the ‘James Bond Club Germany’

David Winter - Editor of ‘CommanderBond.net’

John Cox - Editor of ‘The Book Bond’

Read: Official statement on SPECTRE at 007.com.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Early SHOOT TO KILL paperback cover art on Amazon

You may have noticed this cover art is now featured on the Amazon.co.uk page for the Shoot To Kill paperback due out May 7, 2015. I've been told this is not the final artwork. Indeed, the art was pulled down from publisher Red Fox's website where it had initially appeared.

I was expecting it to vanish from Amazon as well, but as it now appears to be sticking around as a place holder, I thought I'd share it here and clarify. Even though it's just a prototype, I wouldn't mind seeing a final cover that's looks like this. I think it's pretty effective.

In Shoot To Kill, Steve Cole picks up where Charlie Higson left off and sends James Bond to Hollywood on his first trip to the United States. The book was released in hardcover in the UK by Random House Children's on November 6.

Purchase Shoot To Kill (hardcover) at Amazon.co.uk.
Pre-order Shoot To Kill (paperback) at Amazon.co.uk.

UPDATE: The final cover art has now been revealed and it is indeed very close to the artwork we see here. The release date for this UK paperback is now October 29, 2015.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Chance to be named in new BOND novel raises £30,000


James Bond author Anthony Horowitz auctioned off an opportunity to be written as a named character in his forthcoming James Bond novel. The prize was offered during a fundraiser for London's Air Ambulance at the East Wintergardens in Canary Wharf. London's Air Ambulance is a charity that delivers an advanced trauma team to critically injured patients in London.

Said the author: "Some writers might simply mention the name of the successful bidder but I intend on doing something rather more. The bidder will appear both by name and by physical characteristics. Aspects of their personality and life will be woven into the story and there's a chance that the character will meet Bond - and perhaps even be killed by him!"

The Bond lot generated the greatest interest and "provoked a furious bidding war" that topped out at £30,000. Horowitz was on hand to greet and congratulate both successful bidders following an unexpected turn in events that resulted in the author agreeing to immortalize both guests in print for their significant donation to the charity.

Anthony Horowitz's James Bond novel, codenamed "Project One", will be released in September 2015.

You can read more details about the book here.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Steve Cole delivers his second YOUNG BOND novel

Here's a nice bit of Bond serendipity. Young Bond author Steve Cole reveal in a tweet that he delivered the manuscript to his second Young Bond novel on the same day the title and cast were revealed for the new Bond film, SPECTRE.


No release date or details have yet been announced for the new book, except that "it will test poor James as never before."

Click here to read my review of Steve's first Young Bond novel, Shoot To Kill.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Brush up on SPECTRE before 'SPECTRE'

The big news out of Pinewood Studios in the UK today was the announcement of the title and cast of the 24th James Bond film, SPECTRE. After announcing the title, director Sam Mendes said, "Those for you who have some knowledge of the Bond franchise and the legend of Bond will probably have some idea of what that refers to, but I couldn't possibly comment."

Of course, we know exactly what this means, and that's why Bond fans are buzzing today. S.P.E.C.T.R.E. (Special Executive for Counterintelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, Extortion) was created by Ian Fleming in his 9th Bond novel, Thunderball, released in 1961. Bond battled the worldwide criminal organization and it's mysterious leader, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, in three books: Thunderball, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and You Only Live Twice. The Bond films featured SPECTRE as an antagonist until Diamonds Are Forever in 1971. For legal reasons, the filmmakers have been unable to use Bond's most famous foe until now.

Ian Fleming's SPECTRE trilogy.
John Gardner's SPECTRE trilogy.

While the return of SPECTRE is exciting news, it's actually not the big first comeback for the organization. The "hook" of John Gardner's second James Bond novel, For Special Services, was that SPECTRE was back! Gardner created his own SPECTRE trilogy (like Fleming, interrupted by one non-SPECTRE book) with For Special Services, Role of Honor, and Nobody Lives Forever. That last book, released in 1986, saw the final appearance of SPECTRE in book or film until today.


"So, concluded Bond as he cleared the tray away and got down to his books, SPECTRE walks again! But down what road this time?"
- On Her Majesty's Secret Service

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

BOND 24 press conference streams LIVE December 4

The title and cast of the next James Bond film will be announced LIVE from Pinewood studios on December 4 at 11:00 GMT. Will the latest Bond adventure tie into the Fleming books in some way? Let the sport commence!



UPDATE:

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