Thompson on Hollywood

007 News: James Bond/Daniel Craig, The Face of Indian Railways; Adele to Record Bond Theme?

Daniel Craig, the James Bond du jour, might trade in his Aston Martin and other fancy wheels for a set of decrepit railway tracks. Daniel Craig is likely to sign on as the official Ambassador of Indian Railways, said Dinesh Trivedi, India’s railways minister. James Bond 23, the newest 007 film, directed by Sam Mendes, will film in India. The new Bond installment features an important sequence on the rails, which required many meetings with ministry officials to obtain permission. As WSJ reports, there needed to be a tradeoff, and Craig’s face on the train, or at least in a television ad, might seal the deal. The Indian railway is less than high-tech, and Trivedi hopes that Craig’s presence will give the train company an image boost.

By Maggie Lange
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September 6, 2011 7:56 AM
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Sam Mendes Will Shoot New James Bond Film in India

The Indian government has approved director Sam Mendes to film the latest James Bond feature in locations including Delhi, Goa and close to Ahmedabad, reports THR. The scene in Delhi, India's capital, is rumored to take place among the crowded bazaar Daryaganj and the famed flea market Sarojini Nagar. The Times of India reported that these areas were approved, excepting some railways because of concerns about security, but the Bond production team is talking with the Railway Ministry, because clearly Bond needs an action sequence on the rails.

By Maggie Lange
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August 31, 2011 3:32 AM
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Internet Movie Cars Database: A Ticket to Ride, from James Bond to Batman

An iconic set of wheels can be the perfect prop in a film: the right car reveals personality as well as a speedy cut to the chase. And jaw-dropping car design can add just the right tone--from the sexy masculinity of James Bond's Aston Martins and the fantasy futurism of the latest Bat vehicles to the adrenaline rush of the Formula 1 race-car documentary Senna.

By Maggie Lange
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August 12, 2011 8:46 AM
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EW Cover Sells When Bond Met Indy, Not Cowboys & Aliens

"When Bond Met Indy" is a headline to woo any fan of movies, Hollywood icons, or handsome men. That's what EW's cover story sells with a joint profile of Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig.

By Anne Thompson and Maggie Lange
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July 21, 2011 7:20 AM
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Javier Bardem Confirms He Is Bond 23 Villain, Still Hope for Ralph Fiennes

UPDATE: Javier Bardem confirms he will play the villain in Bond 23 (the title is rumored to be Skyfall), telling Nightline; "I am very excited, my parents took me to watch the movies, and I saw all of them, and to play that is going to be fun. They chose me to play this man, but I cannot give you many details." Daniel Craig hopes that both Bardem and Ralph Fiennes will be in the film. So do we.

By Anne Thompson
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July 11, 2011 5:44 AM
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Amy Winehouse Still Tops Bond Composer David Arnold’s 007 Wishlist

David Arnold, who’s scored every James Bond movie since 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies, spoke to Matt Mueller shortly before a Memorial Concert in honour of legendary franchise composer John Barry at London’s Royal Albert Hall:David Arnold knows who he’d love to sing the next 007 theme tune: Amy Winehouse. The British composer is a massive fan of her jazzy vocals and spent two days with the singer when she was being courted to sing the title track to Quantum Of Solace. Winehouse’s personal problems prevented her from taking the gig but, although recent headlines suggest the substance-abuse demons haven’t gone away, Arnold feels she’d make the perfect Bond chanteuse. “She’s absolutely the real deal and the problems she has are part of that genius,” he says. “Of course, until you read the script it’s impossible to say who would be right and you’d consider any of the current great female vocalists, like Adele, Beyonce, Lady Gaga… But if Amy was in a position to be back to full fighting strength, she would be fantastic.” UPDATE: Alas, Arnold's wishes will never be. Winehouse succumbed to her demons on July 24, found dead at her London home at age 27.

By Matt Mueller
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July 8, 2011 1:11 AM
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Five Things We Learn from Esquire on Daniel Craig: Dragon Tattoo Violence, Tintin Leotard

Esquire learned many things from Daniel Craig, much more than his favorite word being "fuck" and his blue eyes being money-makers. The British star has several anticipated movies due in theaters and in the works and plenty to talk about: Cowboys & Aliens (trailer below, July 29), Dream House (September 30), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (teaser below, December 21), The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (December 23) and Bond 23 (2012). (At the time of the interview, Craig's Dream House co-star Rachel Weisz was his girlfriend, not yet his wife.)

By Sophia Savage
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July 7, 2011 5:18 AM
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News Wrap: Green Lantern's Campbell Badmouths Solace, Entourage Chases Weiner, Patti Smith Acts

Green Lantern and Casino Royale director Martin Campbell, says Quantum of Solace was “lousy.” Campbell, who is credited with reviving the Bond franchise in 2006 with Casino Royale, told Crave that Marc Forster's 2008 sequel Quantum of Solace was “uninteresting” and “a bit of a mess.” Campbell holds out hope for the next Bond film: “Sam Mendes is directing it and I’m sure it’ll be terrific.”

By Maggie Lange
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June 19, 2011 6:31 AM
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MGM and Sony Partner on Bond, Dragon Tattoo and Now, 21 Jump Street

MGM and Sony Pictures Entertainment are partnering on several projects, from James Bond 23 (November 9, 2012) and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to 21 Jump Street. MGM Co-Chairmen and Chief Executive Officers Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum and Sony Pictures Chairman and CEO Michael Lynton and Co-Chairman Amy Pascal, had announced that they would partner on several projects over five years.

By Anne Thompson
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May 18, 2011 2:52 AM
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MGM Pacts with Twentieth Century Fox for Homevideo

It feels like things are on the up-and-up at MGM, as the studio renews its home entertainment deal with Fox. Wednesday, MGM announced its five-year co-financing deal with Sony, which plans to theatrically release worldwide and help fund the next two James Bond films. Peter Jackson has finally started production on MGM/New Line/Warner Bros. co-production the Hobbit in Wellywood, New Zealand, which will be released in two parts by Warner Bros. in 2012 and 2013.